Surgery Date - Sep 25th

[tthompson]

Hi, I'm new here.

I've never been a doctor guy. I'm 39 and have never (or so I thought) had to go to one. I've never missed a day of work in my life, not even for a cold.

Here in Ontario, with our public health system, it is a bit hard to find a family doctor. 2 summers ago, while playing in a charity golf tournament, I met a guy who just through causual conversation, I happened to mention that I didn't have a GP. He plays golf at a local private club (where a lot of doctors play) and kindly offered to see if he could find one to take me on. And he did.

I met with this GP in the summer of 2007 and he told me to book myself in to get a full medical and "start a file". After speaking to his receptionist though, it turns out that they arent' booking any more medials for 2007 and I should call them in early 2008. Now, I feel fine, and I forgot about it, but got around to getting it booked in early 2009 for July 15th.

During the physical, the GP says to me "do you know you have a heart murmor?" Of course I dont' because I've never been checked out. So, he sends me for an echocardiogram.

Apparently I was born with a bicuspid aortic valve (who knew?), and have "severe" aortic regurgitation, my aorta is enlarged and the top part needs to be replaced. I was referred to a cardiologist right away and he told me I have to get this valve replaced "sooner rather than later". It must be pretty bad, because this is happening really fast. Yet, I dont' have any symptoms.

I'm pretty OK with all of this. I've known for 2 weeks and have been reading a lot (especially here). I have not yet met the surgeon, but there is some background info on him at the Ottawa Heart Institute website, so I'm pretty confident that things will be OK.

My cardiac catheterization is on the 11th, CT scan required but not yet scheduled, meet the surgeon on the 23rd, surgery on the 25th. I'm not overweight or have any other medical problems, and I handle pain well.

I figure I'm going with the ON X mechanical because of my age, and I think I can manage the warfarin since I don't play hockey or do anything terribly phisical....although I think there are some treadmill dates in my near future. I love golf, so hopefully I'll be ready to go come the spring. I'm banking on better drug advancements in the future rather than better valves or surgical techniques.

Anyway, that's my story, I'll be joining the replacement heart valve community soon.

Thanks for the wonderful website/support group.

 

[ottagal]

Hi and a warm welcome tthompson from a fellow Ottawan!

As you have learned, this is a great forum for moral support and advice. It sounds like things are moving fast for you and you are already decided on the valve. Good for you. That is half of the battle.
Feel free to ask any questions that come up. There is always someone willing to help.

If you have any questions about the Heart institute, feel free to PM anytime.
Just curious...who is your cardiologist and surgeon?

I am scheduled for a CT angiogram tomorrow and pre-op this Thursday. My surgery is going to be in Oct.

All the best,

 

[njean]

Just wanted to say welcome to the forum--glad you found us! You sound so positive & ready to get it on & over with! You have the advantage too of being young so I think you will fare just fine.

Keep that positive attitude & ask any questions you may have. We're all here to offer whatever support you may need in order to see you thru this ordeal.

I will also make note of your upcoming surgery on the calendar.

 

[tthompson]

Thanks Ottawagal.

My cardilogist is Brendan Quinn and my surgeon is Roy Masters. I'm confident they will do a good job.

Good luck with your op.

 

[tthompson]

Just wanted to say welcome to the forum--glad you found us! You sound so positive & ready to get it on & over with! You have the advantage too of being young so I think you will fare just fine.

Keep that positive attitude & ask any questions you may have. We're all here to offer whatever support you may need in order to see you thru this ordeal.

I will also make note of your upcoming surgery on the calendar.

Yeah, I am positive. I'm sure it's going to hurt like hell, but I can take it. I'm off to Walmart to buy slippers, a housecoat and pajamas....none of which I currently own

 

[njean]

Yeah, I am positive. I'm sure it's going to hurt like hell, but I can take it. I'm off to Walmart to buy slippers, a housecoat and pajamas....none of which I currently own

It won't be easy but you sound like a tough guy --- you'll handle it! Besides,
the pain meds they have now a days, they're wonderful!

Do you have family that will be with you at the hospital & then help you for a week or two when you go home??

 

[zipper2]

WELCOME and HELLO tthompson,glad you found vr the greatest
sweetest people ever to steer you in the right directions,any questions
theres always help.

I know youll do fine on warfarin and with this group for sure
I wish you well with your cath on the 11th and surgery on the 25th
someone will get you on the calender and we will cheer you on
i think alot agree the waitings the worst part

So glad to have you here and glad you have been reading alot
Vr has so much to offer us,will stick around and you'll know what
i mean

 

[tthompson]

It won't be easy but you sound like a tough guy --- you'll handle it! Besides,
the pain meds they have now a days, they're wonderful!

Do you have family that will be with you at the hospital & then help you for a week or two when you go home??

I don't think I'm necessarily "tough", but I'll handle it. I have no choice!

I live with my girlfriend (we are common-law) and her family are from Ottawa, but I'm not. My mother from Southern Ontario will also be comming up to stay with us for a bit to help out. I have lots of support.

 

[tthompson]

WELCOME and HELLO tthompson,glad you found vr the greatest
sweetest people ever to steer you in the right directions,any questions
theres always help.

I know youll do fine on warfarin and with this group for sure
I wish you well with your cath on the 11th and surgery on the 25th
someone will get you on the calender and we will cheer you on
i think alot agree the waitings the worst part

So glad to have you here and glad you have been reading alot
Vr has so much to offer us,will stick around and you'll know what
i mean

From what I gather, the cath is just a precautionary pre-look and they arent' expecting to find blockage.

I was a bit concerned initially about the warfarin, but I've settled down on that quite a bit after doing some reading. I have an appointment with my GP on the 3rd, and I'll get a chance to talk to the cardiologist again at the cath, so I'm going to talk to them a bit about it before I make my final, final decision.

 

[Star54]

You seem to have it all together! Lots of luck with your surgery, this forum is great as well as the people in it...they have helped me in ways they don't even know ......
Keep us posted!

 

[bookjp]

You'll be glad to hear from me thompson.I went through the same thing as you.Went to doctor first time in ten years and three months later I had surgery.Bicuspid aortic valve and 5.0 aneurysm on ascending aorta.I to had no symptoms at all.Surgery on March 11th and all is well.No pain medication from third day of surgery on.Really had no setbacks at all in the time since my surgery.Was back to playing golf eleven weeks after surgery.I went with the tissue valve (56 years old) and the only medication I take now is an aspirin a day.At your age you should have no problems at all.Just wanted to let you know that their are alot of success stories on this forum.I might be in the minority saying this but I had more pain from a hernia repaired when I was sixteen.Wishing you well on the 25th.You've come to the right place to get all your questions answered.

 

[tthompson]

You'll be glad to hear from me thompson.I went through the same thing as you.Went to doctor first time in ten years and three months later I had surgery.Bicuspid aortic valve and 5.0 aneurysm on ascending aorta.I to had no symptoms at all.Surgery on March 11th and all is well.No pain medication from third day of surgery on.Really had no setbacks at all in the time since my surgery.Was back to playing golf eleven weeks after surgery.I went with the tissue valve (56 years old) and the only medication I take now is an aspirin a day.At your age you should have no problems at all.Just wanted to let you know that their are alot of success stories on this forum.I might be in the minority saying this but I had more pain from a hernia repaired when I was sixteen.Wishing you well on the 25th.You've come to the right place to get all your questions answered.

Thanks for the post. That is exactly what I want to hear.

 

[netmiff]

Hi tthompson, welcome! I was 52 when I had mine done, but I had known for years that the day was coming. Trust me, though, it doesn't make it any easier! It's the mental thing that gets a lot of us. They do the angiogram routinely to make sure there are no blocked arteries that they can fix "while they are in there" as my surgeon put it.

Drugs in the hospital are good, especially the first few days. They don't use stitches, they use glue and Scotch tape these days for the incision, so that hardly hurts once they get the tape off. I was in a total of 6 days (I developed some kind of fluid in or around my lungs, they kept me on the ventilator for two extra days, and they keep you sedated while on the ventilator.) I had not prescription painkillers after I got home.

As you have read, anti-coagulation is not difficult, and is not life-changing (unless as you say you are into major contact sports or something like that).

Support is good, things like putting on socks, bending and stretching can be difficult to handle for a few weeks.

Post any questions you may have (and none are stupid!), we are all here to help.

 

[lbecker]

Welcome to this forum, it will be a huge support to you. Sounds like you have pretty
much everything in place. Your positive and take charge of your health attitude
are very important. Laura B.

 

[tthompson]

Honestly, I'm more worried about getting to the surgery date than the proceedure itself and post proceedure. If they are going to do me so quickly, then my valve must be in pretty bad shape.

I thought I was a resonalby healthy guy. I figured when I went for my physical that maybe I'd have high blood pressure or something that seemingly everyone in midlife has.

I'm also a bit worried about the x rays and ct scans that are coming. What else are they going to find that might be wrong?

And yet I feel fine, or at least what has been my current deffinition of fine for quite some time.

I have an appointment with the GP tomorrow.

 

[tthompson]

Reading some of the stories on here, I have to admit, that if this had not happend so fast for me, I'd have a harder time. Having to wait for months would bother me more.

 

[Freddie]

Hi there "tt" and Welcome.
I too had things happen very quickly and had no symptoms .....none what so ever.
I was told to make an appointment with the surgeons Secretary on a Monday and she phones me the same week on Thursday to say surgery was the next day.

Try to remember to get copies of your tests, they may become useful in the furture.
Good luck and keep us informed on how things are going.

 

[Matski]

Welcome thompson!

Yeah waiting is the roughest part so in that respect your lucky. As far as coumadin/warfarin goes, there is not a lot to it once its regulated. I've been on it for just over 30 years and I'm a year younger than you and other than a few instances when I was a kid no major problems since then. Also since hockey is not an issue it shouldnt be a hard transition, you'll just have to control yourself on boxing day!

Keep us informed on your status. You'll be grippin it and rippin it before you know it.

Matt

 

[Mentu]

TThompson, I've known that my aortic valve is stenotic for about 9 years but it had not seemed to be a problem until last year and even then my cardiologist thought surgery was years away. In June, my business partner and I went to China where we walked for miles some days. I was tired but felt fine. In July, however, I began experiencing the root symptoms of shortness of breath, chest pain, dizziness, and finally swelling legs. Two weeks later I had a date to speak with a surgeon. Now I am counting down to 27 Sep when my AV will be replaced. My surgeon now thinks that my valve is bicuspid, also, although my cardiologist thinks it is not. Like you, I am finding the waiting period more stressful than I had imagined it would be. Keeping busy seems to help as does spending some time writing hear in VR. Talking about what is happening helps. Walking would help but I am only good for about 6 blocks. The worst part of the day comes after lying down while waiting for my heart to calm enough that I can sleep. Still, I think that you and I are the fortunate ones since our waiting period is relatively brief.

As for the tests that your Doctor has ordered, most of the rest of us hear have had them also. Whatever the result, you will have a clearer picture of your cardio vascular health than most of the people around you. I worried for years that I was developing my Father's arterial problems but I know now that I have none. Since I was the first grandchild in both my families, I will also be able to field some questions for my cousins if my surgeon does, indeed, find that my valve is a genetic problem. The big thing that you and I have going for us is that our valves can be fixed and in the future we will be far more closely attuned to how are bodies are functioning. I guess I am saying that instead of concentrating on the slow passage of these days that we both need to be thinking more about the new future that awaits us.

You will be a couple of days ahead of me but I look forward to hearing how you are doing after your surgery. I plan to do the same.

 

[Cris N]

Sounds like you're well on your way to being prepared for your upcoming surgery. I, too, had a sudden surgery - two weeks to the day after I saw my PCP though I knew something was wrong... just not what.

I made it to the range at about 5 weeks post surgery (don't tell my surgeon) and hit the ball gently. Started taking bigger swings a couple of weeks later. Was completely terrified of hitting the ground though. Come to think of it I must still be afraid of that - I top the ball way too often

Actually, I think you're lucky not to have to wait around for a few years - a lot less time thinking about it...