Hello everyone!

[NorthVanJosh]

31-year-old male recently diagnosed with BAV. What became a trip to the doctor to figure out why my blood pressure was so high led me to discover that I have BAV with severe regurgitation and a very enlarged heart. After an echo, heart monitor, stress tests, and most recently an angiogram (no blockages woo!) I'm waiting on my consultation with a surgeon for my valve replacement surgery.

It's funny, I had no noticeable symptoms until I got diagnosed and now I am constantly feeling a sort of dull pain in my chest. Not sure if it's just my anxiety or the fact that I got severe regurgitation but I'm looking forward to getting the surgery out of the way sometime this year and starting my healing process!

Right now my biggest fear is not getting the surgery done in time before it gets fatal, but I know that's just me being dramatic. The creepiest thing is how if I never went to the doctor to figure out my blood pressure I could have had a very real possibility of random heart failure.

Looking forward to reading how others have felt leading up to the surgery and their recovery process. Glad I found this support structure.

 

[SwansCity1912]

I's funny, I had no noticeable symptoms until I got diagnosed and now I am constantly feeling a sort of dull pain in my chest. Not sure if it's just my anxiety or the fact that I got severe regurgitation but I'm looking forward to getting the surgery out of the way sometime this year and starting my healing process!

Hey, welcome! I'm (36m) also waiting for surgery for severe regurgitation due to a BAV. I've become more aware of symptoms since being alerted to it also and dull chest pain has been a common one for me along with considerable tiredness and to a lesser extent shortness of breath. Initially I was convinced it was from the anxiety of it all since finding out as I went from 'nothing' to noticing it.

My tiredness in particular I dismissed as a busy lifestyle rather than a symptom of severe regurgitation.

The creepiest thing is how if I never went to the doctor to figure out my blood pressure I could have had a very real possibility of random heart failure.

They found my BAV ~15 years ago so I've been under annual review to watch for any change. My BAV was found by accident and do feel very lucky.

 

[pellicle]

Hi and welcome

The creepiest thing is how if I never went to the doctor to figure out my blood pressure I could have had a very real possibility of random heart failure.

I had a similar situation in some ways. I'd already had 2 OHS and was basically feeling great. I was living in Finland at the time (I'm Australian) and was really getting into cross country skiing towing a sled for multi day trips.

We were planning a trip around Kebnekiase from Abisco and had scouted a potential route in the summer time. But for various reasons (my dad got ill) we came back to Australia and kept an eye on him and started renovating a house. I decided it would be a good idea to get a checkup as I hadn't had one for about 10 years and expected to hear that my valve was showing some small leakage.

Instead they found a (something like) 5.6cm aneurysm and they had me in getting surgery to repair that (and whipped out my old valve at the same time making it OHS3 and valve #2). I was 48.

Had my Dad not become ill, and I not had this done I would most probably have died of a dissection out in the snow and my wife would have had to work out how the hell to get me back or what to do ... I think that would have been a horrible trip if it had worked out that way.

So I guess you can say that there's always a silver lining to finding these things out.

Live long and prosper my friend.

 

[marcojfaccone]

31-year-old male recently diagnosed with BAV. What became a trip to the doctor to figure out why my blood pressure was so high led me to discover that I have BAV with severe regurgitation and a very enlarged heart. After an echo, heart monitor, stress tests, and most recently an angiogram (no blockages woo!) I'm waiting on my consultation with a surgeon for my valve replacement surgery.

It's funny, I had no noticeable symptoms until I got diagnosed and now I am constantly feeling a sort of dull pain in my chest. Not sure if it's just my anxiety or the fact that I got severe regurgitation but I'm looking forward to getting the surgery out of the way sometime this year and starting my healing process!

Right now my biggest fear is not getting the surgery done in time before it gets fatal, but I know that's just me being dramatic. The creepiest thing is how if I never went to the doctor to figure out my blood pressure I could have had a very real possibility of random heart failure.

Looking forward to reading how others have felt leading up to the surgery and their recovery process. Glad I found this support structure.

Welcome NorthVanJosh.
I definitely understand this I had my surgery almost 2 years ago,beside my regurgitation, high blood pressure, enlarged heart, and being in heart failure I had zero other issues only found out about all of it because I hurt my foot at work. My surgery was within 3 months of that date.

I found I was feeling the symptoms because they told me what they were and that some of the symptoms we not actually “normal” outside of these issues

But since the surgery and healing time, I’m completely back to my previous self, I do find it hard to sleep at times with the constant ticking noise(even though in theory it’s supposed to be silent) otherwise just a moderately active human who’s 36 living life.

 

[pellicle]

(even though in theory it’s supposed to be silent)

this is the first time for me to see that there was a theory that it would be silent ...

Something I've always wondered is how effective would hypnotherapy be at helping people? I mean all of these things are all only in your mind, and hypnosis exactly works on the unconscious mind.

https://www.researchgate.net/public...is_as_a_Treatment_for_Anxiety_A_Meta-Analysis

At the end of active treatment, 17 trials produced a mean weighted effect size of 0.79 (p ≤ . 001), indicating the average participant receiving hypnosis reduced anxiety more than about 79% of control participants.​

Similar benefits can be found for other behavioural issues (not so much for actual substance issues such as smoking)

Food for thought?

 

[Motion4663]

Welcome to the Forum!

I (38m) am 5 weeks post surgery for Mitral valve repair. Much like yourself, my heart issues were a complete surprise and came out of the blue around Oct. last year. This forum was a valuable resource for me to get a picture of what to expect before, during and after surgery. And it was very comforting to read all the success stories as well!

I'm sure we're all different, but for myself the time before scheduling surgery was the toughest, as I felt there were the most 'unknowns' and unanswered questions during that time. I hope that as it did for me, the process gets easier and less stressful for you the farther along you get toward recovery. That was the goal-post I set for myself; just make it in the OR and the doctors can handle the rest. I can honestly tell you that my surgery and recovery has been 99.9% painless, with all the meds and how commonplace heart surgery is now.

Once again, welcome.

 

[pellicle]

I'm sure we're all different,

 

[NorthVanJosh]

Hey, welcome! I'm (36m) also waiting for surgery for severe regurgitation due to a BAV. I've become more aware of symptoms since being alerted to it also and dull chest pain has been a common one for me along with considerable tiredness and to a lesser extent shortness of breath. Initially I was convinced it was from the anxiety of it all since finding out as I went from 'nothing' to noticing it.

My tiredness in particular I dismissed as a busy lifestyle rather than a symptom of severe regurgitation.



They found my BAV ~15 years ago so I've been under annual review to watch for any change. My BAV was found by accident and do feel very lucky.

Yeah I have considerable tiredness as well. Its defs been getting worse lately as I find I'm lightheaded and fatigued more days than not. Any idea when you will have your surgery?

 

[NorthVanJosh]

I'm sure we're all different, but for myself the time before scheduling surgery was the toughest, as I felt there were the most 'unknowns' and unanswered questions during that time. I hope that as it did for me, the process gets easier and less stressful for you the farther along you get toward recovery. That was the goal-post I set for myself; just make it in the OR and the doctors can handle the rest. I can honestly tell you that my surgery and recovery has been 99.9% painless, with all the meds and how commonplace heart surgery is now.

Once again, welcome.

Thanks for the welcome! The waiting time before booking surgery sucks! I just want a date in place so I can start planning around it haha! Hopefully will have an answer soon but our medical situation in Canada isn't doing too hot these days...

 

[Standardvelocity]

Hope you get a date soon, I’ve been in the system approximately 8 weeks have had two operation dates both have been cancelled/postponed.

 

[SwansCity1912]

Yeah I have considerable tiredness as well. Its defs been getting worse lately as I find I'm lightheaded and fatigued more days than not. Any idea when you will have your surgery?

I find myself getting lightheaded also. Surgery "within 6 months" was the timeline I got last week.

Very late Nov-23 I had my annual check-up that identified a step change in my regurgitation severity. I had a planned transoesophageal echocardiogram last week, but I couldn't tolerate it even with the sedative so I'm now waiting on a new appointment with a general anaesthetic. Consultant has also requested a CT scan as, combined with the transoesophageal echocardiogram, it is required prior to surgery.

Have you had any general lifestyle advice? I've had nothing from gym, travel, diet etc.

 

[pellicle]

Have you had any general lifestyle advice? I've had nothing from gym, travel, diet etc.

I know you didn't ask me this, but you won't get it from the medical system because they just don't know.

Since my last surgery (and actually, since the surgery before in 1992) I've travelled extensively, undertaken what gym activity (regularly) I felt ok with (I'm not trying to become a competitive lifter, I just seek fitness), done martial arts, ridden motorcyles (well, since I was in my teens really) and pretty much done what I wanted and ate what I wanted.

I've been on warfarin now for the last 12 or so years (a nothing really) and have found no issues that were more than minor in terms of managing. Probably the most overblown topic I can think of, steeped in more mysticism, misinformation and a paucity of experience. Interestingly probably 90% of people here who initially expressed concerns, have it a nothing-burger.

So basically after surgery, the balls in your court, go live your life, don't pretend you are cured (unless you meet Jesus) and pay attention to your health and your body.

Basically you're not 19 anymore (and I had my first OHS at 10)



Best Wishes

 

[NorthVanJosh]

Hope you get a date soon, I’ve been in the system approximately 8 weeks have had two operation dates both have been cancelled/postponed.

That blows, hope you get you get it all sorted soon

 

[NorthVanJosh]

Have you had any general lifestyle advice? I've had nothing from gym, travel, diet etc.

Only advice I got for gym was to not do it if I feel chest pains while working out. My chest pain is usually just constant throughout the day and doesn't increase with working out so I've continued to do light/moderate exercise.

For diet im just avoiding high sodium/processed foods and have stopped smoking marijuana.

 

[Deidra]

Hey Josh! I'm glad the issue was caught in time and I hope your surgical consult goes well.

I'm in a similar position, 28 with a BAV & regurgitation upgraded to severe in late 2023, waiting on some more tests and a surgical consult. Wishing you the best!

 

[NorthVanJosh]

Thanks Deidra! Hope you get your consult soon! Hope you're feeling ok with your regurgitation

 

[Deidra]

Thanks Deidra! Hope you get your consult soon! Hope you're feeling ok with your regurgitation

Thank you! Yeah I feel pretty okay. I'm still walking several miles a day and doing some jogging and biking a few times a week as well. The only thing I've really noticed is being fatigued during the day more often than before. I've had random chest pains for as long as I can remember due to GERD and musculoskeletal problems, but my cardiologists seem content since they don't get worse with exercise. Of course after every cardiology visit I suddenly think every little thing is a symptom hah. I hope you're doing well with yours too.