Mitral Valve Replacement scheduled for 4th March 2017

[judy bee]

Hi Guys,

Any advice much appreciated .

Ex Londoner living in India..

Found out a couple of months ago that the strep throat I'd had as a child in the tropics which turned into rheumatic fever , has now blossomed into rheumatic heart disease and I need a new MV.

Had an echo done yesterday and my LVD is 5.4... Apparently 5.5 is the point of no return ?

I was told i must be operated on urgently and am being advised by all except the surgeon to go for a mechanical valve.

I'm 55.

The surgeon says my quality of life will be better with a tissue valve.He's a sporty man so I think he's personalising it.

My concern is the noise factor and the fact I have a rescued kitten who is still at the scratching /biting stage although I've had him neutered.

I can't bear ticking clocks...

I have to pay for the surgery as I don't have insurance..the mechanical is a lot cheaper but I don't want to make a decision based on that.

It seems aortic valves dominate on here..Any Mitral Valvers Around ? Would be great to hear from you. Has anyone listened to surgery meditation tapes or had them palyed during surgery ?

Would that just annoy the surgeon ? He'd probably turn it off anyway and I'd be none the wiser:}

Many Thanks . I'm suddenly part of a club I never thought I would be..That goes for each one of us I bet..x

 

[Agian]

Judy, you seriously don't need your surgeon being distracted by whale noises and crashing waves while he's operating.

 

[judy bee]

[Judy, you seriously don't need your surgeon being distracted by whale noises and crashing waves while he's operating.

 

[judy bee]

Oops...i lost my auto saved message ..how do i find it ?

I wrote something like...hahahaa...i knoww it does sound a bit knitted yogurt and I was laughing as I wrote the qs knowing the raised eyebrows I'd get :}

The first time I listened to the Guided Imagery I felt heart-pounding panic when it led me into the O.R.; however, after repeated listening over a two week pre-op period, on the morning of the surgery I felt calm, confident, and relaxed, absolutely believing that all would go well - and it did! I was so relaxed and confident that I was able to forgo the pre-op Valium. I was allowed to listen to the meditation music during the procedure, was fully aware of all going on in the O.R., yet able to remain calm and restful, with stable vital signs. Recovery has been a breeze with very discomfort with only ibuprofen and arnica for "pain" which there has been so little of. I feel so grateful for this meditation set - thank you.



I'd rather have someone make me laugh going into surgery tho if that's possible. Agian, I see you're 'waiting'. Is it a given ( as much as anything is a given) that you will need surgery or is it possible that you stay as you are and there won't be a need for it ? Just curious.. This is all new to me.. I tried to include your 'quote' ..i think i need to read the instructions on the tin..:}

 

[Agian]

I should update my signature. I was operated on in July last year. No longer in the waiting room.

 

[judy bee]

oh..ok... hope you're doing as fine as can be...

 

[pellicle]

Oops...i lost my auto saved message ..how do i find it ?

Sometimes if you just refresh the page you will see down in the edit area a hint to restore what you last entered.

Sometimes that works.
For longer posts I type them in notepad and past them in, cos I hate loosing typing

 

[Paleowoman]

Has anyone listened to surgery meditation tapes or had them palyed during surgery ?

I read about that before I had surgery. I've also read articles and seen TV programmes about surgeons who play music during surgery. A study was done in Germany which showed it was beneficial to patients even though they were unconcious. So, in my fantasy about surgery I imagined my favourite pieces of music being played to me, probably through headphones so as not to distract the surgeon, though I wondered how they would be disinfected ! When I was referred for surgery and met the surgeon I asked her about music being played during surgery as I'd also happened to read that she plays classical piano in her spare time and her husband is a conductor. Her answer was a very short shrift "NO".

 

[judy bee]

Anne i love that you had a female surgeon.. And that's a funny story :} Hope you're doing well.. And Pellicle thanks for the info..

 

[Midpack]

Hi, i wish you the best for your upcoming surgery!

Respecting to the valve type, all that i can say is that Aortic and Mitral are very different (Mitral valve is more complex than Aortic). Whenever possible, mitral valve is repaired, while aortic is more often just replaced. In your case, i assume that repair is not possible, so you need a replacement. Ask your surgeon about the expected duration of a tissue valve in MITRAL position. From what i have read, tissue valve in mitral position tend to wear out quicker compared with those in aortic position, but i dont know for sure.

 

[dick0236]

I was told i must be operated on urgently and am being advised by all except the surgeon to go for a mechanical valve.

I'm 55.

The surgeon says my quality of life will be better with a tissue valve.He's a sporty man so I think he's personalising it.

My concern is the noise factor and the fact I have a rescued kitten who is still at the scratching /biting stage although I've had him neutered.

I can't bear ticking clocks...

I have to pay for the surgery as I don't have insurance..the mechanical is a lot cheaper but I don't want to make a decision based on that.

It seems aortic valves dominate on here..Any Mitral Valvers Around ? Would be great to hear from you. Has anyone listened to surgery meditation tapes or had them palyed during surgery ?

At 55 I would consider a mechanical valve
Did your surgeon specify how your "quality of life" would be affected.....mine hasn't
The noise factor is different for most of us. I haven't heard mine in decades......nor has anyone else.
I've had several cats, including our current one, who "tags" me ever so often.....I haven't bled out yet.

Welcome to the forum. You will get a lot of good info here.....both pro and con regarding valve selection. Choose the one that best fits your situation.

BTW, I am also a probable rheumatic fever "valver" but I have an aortic valve.....mechanical.

 

[judy bee]

Thank You Midpack. The surgeon says 7 to 10 years for the tissue valve. It has to be replaced not repaired, you're right.

And Thank You so Much Dick. Good to hear from you. That's great to hear yours has lasted 50 years !

He said I couldn't do anything adventurous or even "play badminton" ( not that i do that now:} and would have to be on blood thinners and monitored for life.

For me the biggest concern is the clicking...so reassuring to hear you don't hear yours..

He also said that in 7 years techniques would have advanced( I have read though that that's not really been the case in the last decade)

I'm tempted to go tissue and deal with the future as and when but I'm not entirely convinced as I also know how fast time whizzes by.
.
It's a tough one..
maybe a coin toss ?

Dick , do you eat leafy green vegetables ? :}

 

[Duffey]

Hi, nice that you were able to find us even if the circumstances for the meeting aren't the best.
I'd say your situation regarding valve choice is different in a few area from others making similar decisions. For one, you're in India, and you will be paying for the surgery yourself. When the surgeon suggests a tissue valve, which valve type is he specifically recommending? If you receive a mechanical valve, will you have easy access to a coumadin clinic or will you be able to buy a monitor for self testing? I believe that the INR range for a mechanical mitral valve is higher than that for an aortic valve, but I also think that I've previously read that re-ops with a nonmechanical valve have slightly higher complication rates. I was 52 when I received a aortic bovine valve, and it's still working fine almost twelve years later. However, it's in the aortic position.
From what I read on this forum, you should have few concerns with your diet or activity level with a mechanical valve. Others have mentioned that the ticking bothers them initially, but eventually it becomes a non-issue. When push comes to shove, I think you're going to have to decide what pros and cons are most important in your own unique circumstances.
Regarding the music during surgery, I know many surgeons listen to music while they are operating, but it is of their own choosing. You might ask your surgeon if he does, but I don't know whether he will welcome suggestions to try something new.
Best wishes going forward! Mary

 

[pellicle]

Hi

He said I couldn't do anything adventurous or even "play badminton" ( not that i do that now:} and would have to be on blood thinners and monitored for life.

sounds like an old school moron with no experience

This is a story about a woman who has a mechanical valve, who was on blood thinners (you have no idea how much saying that grates me) and who did what I can only describe as the ultimate human challenge

http://chicagoheartsurgery.com/veron...valve-surgery/

When Veronika Meyer reached the top of the world at 4 a.m. Wednesday (Nepalese time), she tried to retrieve her camera, tucked near her chest. But her snowsuit zipper had frozen shut, so a fellow climber took some snaps instead.

Luckily Veronika Meyer’s mechanical heart valve – made by Little Canada-based St. Jude Medical Inc. – was working full-force. The 56-year-old Swiss chemist is believed to be the first climber implanted with a heart valve to successfully ascend Everest.

a bit tougher than badminton ...

Monitored for life ... yes ... I do it myself. Many millions do. Its far less onerous than monitoring ones blood sugar if you were diabetic. You measure weekly (not multiple times daily) and compared to a diabetic you really make very little dietary changes.

A page from my blog
http://cjeastwd.blogspot.com/2014/09/managing-my-inr.html


Really ... moron is kinda soft ... I know morons smarter than that ... it constantly stuns me the uneducated things people who are supposed to be educated say.

He also said that in 7 years techniques would have advanced( I have read though that that's not really been the case in the last decade)

don't bet on the TAVI future ... you may be disappointed

maybe a coin toss ?

or maybe an informed choice, one informed by data and the experiences of others.

Consider these points
* diet is essentially unchanged
* stories of the horrors are essentially unfounded
* the past history of the US based warfarin management was horrible ... no metrics, no empowerment , only ignorance

The EU is moving people towards self management of their AC therapy ... why? Because it has better outcomes

then seek to determine if they are correct or not.

Dick , do you eat leafy green vegetables ? :}

I won't answer for Dick, but I certainly do many others on many other threads here do ... I myself get tired of reading about conjecture and "what I've read" ... usually its second hand and unsubstantiated ... and the biggest kicker ... the bullshit about greens and diet

Tons here to read about that ... seems its only the "green" medical people with no actual of experience on life with warfarin. (that's the drug used in AC therapy)

There are reasons to avoid warfarin:
* you are female and want to have more babies
* you have a medical propensity for bleeding (such as diverticulitis)

...a very few others

At the end of the day pick anything you want ... but know this simple truth: a mechanical valve is the only valve which can last a lifetime. All the others require replacement in time.

Best Wishes

 

[dick0236]

He said I couldn't do anything adventurous or even "play badminton" ( not that i do that now:} and would have to be on blood thinners and monitored for life.

Dick , do you eat leafy green vegetables ? :}

You can't play badminton?? C'mon, he can't be serious!!!.......and yes, you will be on warfarin for life, or until they invent a new blood thinner.....which is more likely (they are getting close) than inventing a long term tissue valve. Monitoring is easily, and quickly, done with "in-home testing" now available worldwide......and takes about 10 minutes.

I eat greens (by choice) several times per week. The "you can't eat greens is very, very old school" and no knowledgeable medical person buys into that anymore. You merely eat your normal balanced diet and learn to dose that diet......it is really quite easy

 

[Zoltania]

Hi Judy bee,

My stepfather had mitral valve replacement due to stenosis from having had rheumatic fever as a teenager. Although he was 76 years old at the time of his surgery, he chose a mechanical valve. It has worked out very well for him. He says he can't hear the ticking (and I don't hear it when I'm around him). He has managed on warfarin without difficulty. Next month he will celebrate his 90th birthday and the 14th anniversary of his mechanical mitral valve. I'm glad he hasn't had to have a reoperation at his age, which would have been likely if he had chosen a tissue valve.

 

[Agian]

Hi Judy bee,

My stepfather had mitral valve replacement due to stenosis from having had rheumatic fever as a teenager. Although he was 76 years old at the time of his surgery, he chose a mechanical valve. It has worked out very well for him. He says he can't hear the ticking (and I don't hear it when I'm around him). He has managed on warfarin without difficulty. Next month he will celebrate his 90th birthday and the 14th anniversary of his mechanical mitral valve. I'm glad he hasn't had to have a reoperation at his age, which would have been likely if he had chosen a tissue valve.

Inspirational.

 

[judy bee]

Thanks Mary.. What made you , at 52 , decide on a tissue valve ? He has said bovine, just like yours.
I have yet to look into a coumadin clinic.. There is a blood test centre 5 minutes away from me though, so perhaps they offer the service.
I was asking more about listening to guided meditation but I guess that's something I could do pre op..
Haha..Don't fancy the surgeon bopping to bollywood ...am i stereotyping ?:}

Thank You Dick, Pellicle and Claudia. Reassuring feedback from all of you..Thank You..I'm still in the process of deciding and will meet a surgeon next week for a 2nd opinion.

 

[Agian]

Out of all the extreme sports he could have told you to avoid.... Badminton

 

[judy bee]

i knoww :} funny... i think he was trying to be funny...he said " you won't even be able to play badminton " in case of an injury..he's actually a down to earth fella..easy to talk to..