AVR surgery scheduled in 3 days! ANY AND ALL ADVICE WELCOME!!!!

[cldlhd]

Maybe a bit of all that.

 

[Superman]

Is it also possible that one of the reasons self testing shows better long term results is because people who self test are the kinds of people who take a more active role in their health overall?

I can only speak for a sample size of one, but I can say definitively that self testing has made me a better patient. As many people do, I have a very busy life with five kids going here and there, and a wife, and a job, and a house, and another job. Making the time to drive 20 minutes to the clinic, wait a half hour for my turn, then drive wherever I have to be that day - I just wasn't very good about it. And even if I was, they only had me testing once a month. But I can honestly say I went as long as six months without making the time to test.

Three minutes in my bathroom when I'm getting ready for the day is easy, and I'm a better patient for it. I do that once a week.

 

[DachsieMom]

I a. Almost 4'10" and have a 21 mm st Jude. Surgeon said he was pleased to get in what he said a large valve for my size. I am small-framed as well.

 

[Juliemoon]

Hi Julie

glad to see you're getting better treatment at the new surgeons. I can't recall which way you were leaning but as you mention:



with such a diameter I feel its a significant point to raise that valve sizes below 23 (and I don't believe its cm it must be mm because 19cm would be about 8 inches) correlates to higher risk of pannus in a mechanical valve (I can dig up studies, but raise this with your surgeon). So this point may incline me more towards a tissue prosthetic but I just don't know if the smaller diameter is an increased risk of calcification (again, raise this with your surgeon).

Best Wishes

Thanks pellicle. Yes, I meant to type mm, not cm. But I will certainly ask about this.

 

[Juliemoon]

I a. Almost 4'10" and have a 21 mm st Jude. Surgeon said he was pleased to get in what he said a large valve for my size. I am small-framed as well.

Thanks. Right now, my surgeon says he thinks St. Jude is the way to go.