Question ideas for my cardio tomorrow??

[DeuxofUs]

Hi All,

I see my cardio tomorrow since Feb 16th. I was too upset with my diagnosis and couldn't ask any questions. Now I feel more stable and was wondering if anyone could provide some ideas on questions to ask her.

I am already going to ask her about my gradient and ejection numbers....

Anything else?

Thanks in advance

 

[Robyn10217]

hey Im with ya!! I see my cardio tomorrrow for my stenosis too. I found out last wednesday... Im nervous that I have to have surgery right away... so any questions im sure can help us both..

 

[Luana]

If you don't already, get copies of all your lab results, echos, caths, etc.

 

[Jkm7]

Piles of technical information is not what everyone needs or wants. Some really, really want as much heart education as they can accomplish and it is important for them to know as much as possible about their heart, their condition, their surgery

For other people, they want the overview and general information and only what they really need to know.
Both styles are perfect for whichever type person.

Sometimes it's best to go there with your own specific list of questions rather than what some group of others have accumlated through the years.

What do you want to know? What do you wonder about? What in your condition particularly concerns you and you want explained as to what it is and how it will be improved? What questions do you have as to your care up to and after the surgery that your cardio will provide? How often will you see him or her before/after the surgery? What limitations does your cardio suggest for you? What can you expect when you call his office during your after care?

Just something to think about. We don't know you the way you know yourself. Do what works best for you...... doesn't matter if someone else wants every tiny detail or to become an expert in their condition if that is not your desire. On the other hand, if that is what you want, then tell your doctor you want to learn as much as possible and you count on him/her to help in that education of your specific condition/valve/heart conditions.

Best wishes. Let us know how it goes.

 

[Greg a]

what to ask pre surgery http://www.valvereplacement.org/forums/showthread.php?26668-Pre-surgery-consultation-list-of-questions

 

[Duff Man]

I'd want to know if my ascending aorta and/or the aortic root is dilated

 

[ALCapshaw2]

Hi All,

I see my cardio tomorrow since Feb 16th. I was too upset with my diagnosis and couldn't ask any questions. Now I feel more stable and was wondering if anyone could provide some ideas on questions to ask her.

I am already going to ask her about my gradient and ejection numbers....

Anything else?

Thanks in advance

In your first post you indicated that you have BAV.
You have also indicated a preference for the Ross Procedure.

It would be crutial for your future Surgeon to know if you have a Connective Tissue Disorder (CTD) which is often associated with BAV for two reasons.

First, Aortic Aneurysms are often associated with BAV and CTD.
The Gold Standard for checking for Aortic Aneurysms is either a Chest CT or MRI.

Second, IF you have a Connective Tissue Disorder, this may affect the strength of your Pulmonary Valve which is the Replacement Valve harvested for a Ross Procedure. It is my understanding that many (most?) surgeons will not use a potentially defective Pulmonary Valve in a Ross Procedure.

Bottom Line: You may want to ask your Cardio (and future surgeons you interview) about having a Chest CT or MRI to check for an Aortic Aneurysm before having surgery.

You may also want to ask if there is a way to check for Connective Tissue Disorders before they 'open you up'.

You may also want to ask your Cardio which Surgeons she knows have experience with BAV and CTD patients.

(Personally, if I had BAV, I would NOT consider any surgeon who did not have much experience in those areas.
I would want to know that the surgeon knows how to recognize signs of CTD and how to deal with it.

WHY you ask? Because we have had at least a couple of members who had BAV's replaced where their valves started to 'come loose' because the Surgeon apparently did NOT recognize the defective tissue and their stitches did NOT hold. They had to have second surgeries from more experienced surgeons to literally save their lives.)

'AL Capshaw'

 

[Lily]

Deauxof Us and Robyn10217

Deauxof Us and Robyn10217

Did anyone mention this yet: Take a relative or a dear friend with you who listens well.

Also, have you ever sat in a doctor's office, nodding your head like you understood some detailed issue, while you know perfectly well that you had that "deer in the headlights" expression? Many of us have. And doctors cannot read our minds. So if you don't understand something the doctor explains, don't be afraid to ask the doctor to repeat it. If you still don't understand it, don't be afraid to ask them if they can reword it. If it was important enough for them to say it, you want to understand it.