Hi everyone,I hope all is well with you.I haven't posted for a while and it's been almost a year since my AVR surgery to a Carbomedics mechanical valve and the repair of my aortic aneurysm with a dacron graft.Thankyou everyone for your advice on INR hometesting and a special thanks to Lance for the info you sent me,which enabled me to aquire my own Coaguchek XS INR hometesting system.It took some pleading with my DR. to get him to give me the prescription for it but now that I've had it for a while,he's been amazed at how well I've been able to keep my INR in range.The peace of mind for me,my family and yes even my DR.,that this hometest system has provided is just wonderful.Anyone who is thinking of hometesting for INR versus not hometesting should check into it,I for one would highly recommend it.It makes being on Warfarin,not such a big deal and you don't feel like your handcuffed to the lab anymore!I'm doing well and my outlook on life after OHS for BAVD,is getting stronger.At my 6 month post-op appointment my Surgeon(who is just amazing and saves peoples lives daily) ordered a EKG,a heart ultrasound and a chest x-ray which all came back as good.I have one more test to get which he ordered,that is a CT scan of the heart area to check the valve and the aorta graft.I'm scheduled for this CT scan in a few weeks and I have been a little worried about all of the radiation that one is exposed to from all of the tests before,during and after OHS.I know this is silly since these very tests have aided in saving my life.Has everyone had these same tests and am I worrying needlessly?Best wishes to all.
Post AVR tests within 1yr
- Thread starter Garth51
- Start date
Help Support Valve Replacement Forums:
Ross
Well-known member
Garth don't sweat the radiation. I've had enough of all you mentioned for everyone here 10 times over and I haven't grown a third eyeball yet. It's miniscule and really is needed to make sure your in top notch mechanical shape. 
Thanks Susan and Ross for replying to my post,it's alway's reassuring to hear from folks that have been through this stuff before.I still worry over some of the small stuff sometimes and I need too learn to not worry about things as much.I think I'm getting a bit better now that I'm hometesting but I've got to still work on it.I think if I try Ross's hairstyle for a while,it will probably help,I just need to let my hair down now and again,har,har,har.Thanks again and best wishes.
