My Aortic Valve Replacement Done *tick*

Valve Replacement Forums

Help Support Valve Replacement Forums:

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate links, including eBay, Amazon, and others.

DJ-Rae09

Well-known member
Joined
Apr 26, 2022
Messages
118
Hi All,

First of all, if anyone is from Sydney, Australia on this forum I highly recommend North Shore Private Hospital (next to the public) for any Cardiac work. It is a first class hospital.

I'm into my 6th week post surgery now. It was Friday morning the 29th of July I had the ATS/Medtronic mechanical valve (29mm) and graft installed to replace my BAV and aortic aneurysm (Bentall procedure). I had the full OHS experience. I remember being quite calm before the actual surgery and was just looking forward to getting it done, maybe it was the valium they gave me lol.

The operation itself took 7 hours. I was on the heart lung machine for about 4 hours. I was transferred to ICU late Friday afternoon.

ICU
To be honest, I don't remember much of my time in ICU. I don't remember or feeling the breathing tube in or being taken out. The first thing I recall in ICU was swirling ice around my mouth and was loving it, and then drinking water. I was told by the nurse to slow down my water intake. I didn't feel much pain or being uncomfortable either.

I had visitors on the Saturday morning which I remember and was in the chair next to the bed chilling out from memory. It was a task moving with the drainage tubes and bits hanging out. I was taking photo's on my phone Saturday night and updating my whatsapp groups lol. And was watching the tour de france on TV (don't remember much).

The worst part of ICU was having the drainage tubes and catheter removed on Sunday, it wasn't nice but it was over quickly. I was in ICU till Sunday lunch and then got transferred to the cardiac ward. They had me walk assisted in ICU before I was allowed out. My vitals were fine too (BP and HR). No sign's of Afib.

Cardiac Ward
Arrived here after Sunday lunch. I was very exhausted, drowsy and tired coming out of ICU. Also a bit disorientated. I was down on blood and ended up anemic. So I looked very pale, washed out and just wanted to sleep. Tried to eat Sunday dinner but couldn't stomach anything at all, YUK! My concentration was crap too. I couldn't focus on my phone or watch TV, but this improved as the days went by.

By Monday morning, I could walk myself out in the corridors and started to get my appetite back as I smashed my scrambled eggs and juice. My chest felt a bit uncomfortable and was still pretty tired. Every day I had bloods taken, heparin shots, weighed and xrays (not everyday). I started on Wafarin day after surgery and it took a good week to get above INR of 2.0 which was the threshold to be discharged from hospital. I was also started on Metoprolol to control HR and BP.

What helped me, I made sure I had a routine which gave me structure throughout the days in hospital especially in the Cardiac ward. I planned my walks and naps around my meals. I walked 3 times a day and nap about 2 times. This really helped me get through the hospital stay, ROUTINE! Highly recommend this. By about Monday or Tuesday I started to clear my bowels, I was given meds to help things move along. Walking also helps getting the bowels going again, sometimes during my walk I had to rush back to my room lol. I stopped these meds by about Tuesday or Wednesday.

I made sure I was up similar time every morning too and out on my walk!

Best part of the Cardiac ward, SHOWER!!!! It was the best part of the day for me. My partner was helping me with showering and getting dry/changed into new gowns. Sleeping was hard in general but I think I managed 4-5 hours per night, maybe less. Sleeping only on the back sucks but got used to it.

Discharge
I was discharged the following Saturday, a good 8 days in hospital. I did the 'up the stair walk test' a day earlier and passed. My INR finally got to 2.3 on the Saturday which was my ticket home! I had an echo done the day before discharge and my left ventricle had already returned within normal range, so quick to remodel (no more leaky BAV).

Also what helped, if any members here directly offer you support, take it! It helped me a lot whilst in hospital chatting to them (and I still chat to them daily). A member is also helping me with my INR management and also giving me FREE training on how to self manage :) WIN WIN :D

Finally, yes the valve does tick/click but hasn't bothered me. Only hear it in a bathroom or quiet room anyways. Like others, I also have a stronger heart beat post surgery. But it's all good :) And sometimes get extra beats but told this will improve as my heart recovers.

I've had my first BEER :) I had it 4 weeks post surgery (small celebration). I've started work this week, into my third cardiac rehab session and started driving again. So things are getting back to normalish. I still walk a lot during the days too.

If anyone that is about to go through AVR, feel free to DM me directly and see if I can help out or provide support like others have done to me.

Cheers,
Tim.
 
Last edited:
After two days, HUGE change
like this?
1663395331139.png

;-)

I nearly bought some KimChi today ... but I'm afraid it'll be sub-standard compared to what I'm used to...
 
WOW... don't take this wrong way, but I'm actually envious how well everything worked out for you. I too had that same procedure though I went with a biological valve... I remember waking up and being miserable and unable to breathe. My back was killing me... and I ended up staying in the ICU for 6 days because I developed complete heart block and needed a pacemaker, which meant going for yet another procedure days later. My surgery was during the height of COVID so I really couldn't have visitors (except for the wife, 1 hour a day)... and afterwards, there was no rehab, again because of COVID.

I can't look back on my experience and have many good things to say about it... it hurt, I was unprepared hearing about needing a pacemaker and it just all around was painful and truthfully, lonely. But after going home and stopped feeling sorry for myself and with help with my wife... I rehabbed myself... and now 2 years later, I'm back to weightlifting & cardio, hiking and doing everything I've always did. I even feel stronger today then I did before that miserable event!!!! Well...with the exception of bench pressing...my chest muscles really weakend after this event but I'm making progress on that even though my cardio doctor says no bench press... I started doing it though, though with dumbbells instead of a barbell. I think he's afraid the bar will land on my chest... that's unlikely with dumbbells... in any case, it took a bit of time but now I'm just glad it's over with and life for me is back the way it used to be...

Congrats though on your recovery.... welcome to the club!
 
Last edited:
WOW... don't take this wrong way, but I'm actually envious how well everything worked out for you. I too had that same procedure though I went with a biological valve... I remember waking up and being miserable and unable to breathe. My back was killing me... and I ended up staying in the ICU for 6 days because I developed complete heart block and needed a pacemaker, which meant going for yet another procedure days later. My surgery was during the height of COVID so I really couldn't have visitors (except for the wife, 1 hour a day)... and afterwards, there was no rehab, again because of COVID

oh wow, that doesn't sound nice. sorry to hear this. I can imagine things would be different if I had my Op in the middle of covid lockdowns.

my recovery was certainly not easy, the first few days were tough and I felt flat. but I forced myself to build new rountines and own the recovery, which helped me get through it. but yeah, the recovery was uneventful in terms of complications.

in any case, it took a bit of time but now I'm just glad it's over with and life for me is back the way it used to be...

Nice this is a great outcome then!
I'm happy that I'm not waiting anymore, its now done and in the rear vision mirror.

Congrats though on your recovery.... welcome to the club!

Thank you! It feels good to be on the other side and feeling back to normal.
 
Last edited:
Thanks for sharing your experience Tim and glad that your recovery is going so well!

I remember being quite calm before the actual surgery and was just looking forward to getting it done, maybe it was the valium they gave me lol.

It tends to have that effect, lol. I was surprised how calm I was right up to the point when they started wheeling my bed down to the operation room. At that point I would not desscribe my state as calm. Not that I was panicked or anything, it was just really hitting me that things were about to go down.

Well done on completing your rehab! I have a background in kinesiology, so I decided to do my own rehab, but I've heard very positive things about cardiac rehab. Mostly I'm bummed that I never got a nice looking certificate like you got! 😢 :)
 
Congratulations on completing cardio rehab!

I just passed 10 weeks post op and completed about 1/2 of my rehab. Heading to Florida shortly and will finish it down there.

I've had a somewhat eventful recovery so far. The dental saga below was part of that. Then, got a wicked head/chest cold for which I finally ended up in the ER. Took another 1-2 weeks to fully clear up. Coughing not fun. I also have had a roller coaster BP and a couple of times they wouldn't let me exercise because my systolic was under 90. Sometimes, I'm up in the 140-160 range. I'm still on Amiodarone and im suspicious that it causing it. However, they told me I'm not drinking enough water, so everytime I fill my water bottle, I log it so I can keep track of my consumption. How geeky is that?

Anyway, feeling pretty good now and I hope I'm finally out of the woods.

My Dental Saga

Despite these things, I always wake up feeling that it's great to be alive. I'm sure you feel the same.
 
Last edited:
I hear ya @Chuck C . At least, my cardiologist decided a couple of weeks ago to cut my dose from 200 to 100 mg / day. I'm hoping he'll stop it altogether (and the Eliquis) when I meet with him next week at my 12 week mark. I've had no afib since the one event I had in the hospital 2 days after surgery.

The 1/2 life of Amiodarone is very long, so it'll probably be Christmas before it gets out of me!
 
At least, my cardiologist decided a couple of weeks ago to cut my dose from 200 to 100 mg / day
The good news is that is a small dose. I was on 800mg/day upon release from the hospital. Within 3 days my INR shot from 3.0 to 9.7 and I had to take a prescription of vitamin K to get it under control. If you are on warfarin, watch your INR closely as you change your dosage of amiodarone in either direction, because it is well known to have a major impact.
 

Latest posts

Back
Top