I've been back and forth to this site for years now.
Basically I've been sitting in the waiting room for maybe 5-6 years. Doc and I finally say it's time to go here in spring.
I've known it was going to happen since age 10 when they said I'd eventually need valve work. They thought age 25, guess I lasted a bit longer at 34.
Doc said I could have it about 4-5 years ago but we've done the watch and see thing every 6 months with echo's and visits. I talked to him 2 weeks ago and we both say it's better to have it now while I'm relatively strong vs getting too weak.
Mine's been a gradual slide, so gradual that I still feel that I don't have any real symptoms. However, I've noticed me shying away from doing physical things that were't a problem say 3 to 4 years ago like hauling stuff up the stairs to the attic or loading light fixtures into and out of my truck. I tried to attribute it to being out of shape or getting old but I'm convinced it's the ticker.
Doc said he also thinks my VSD may have a small hole that they may need to try and fix while in the chest... great! He said it'll be seen more when doing a cath.
Been taking Coreg and Accupril and I believe it's helped me last this long. Heart is enlarged a bit but it always has been due to the severe leakage. It's just never limited my ability (to my knowledge, see above)...
Picked out a surgeon a while back, Dr. Ott at St Lukes here in the Houston Med center. He's got a lot of valve experience from what I've researched and St Lukes and or Methodist are pretty good at heart care from what I am told. Should be in good hands.
D-day will be probably end of March if not sooner. Have a few projects to finish and then I'm free to recover. Not much of a sedentary person so I'll be one that overdoes it upon recovery....
3rd OHS but 1st one in 24 years so I'm hoping it's not as risky as say my 3rd in 5 years....
Get used to me, i tend to post a lot.
Basically I've been sitting in the waiting room for maybe 5-6 years. Doc and I finally say it's time to go here in spring.
I've known it was going to happen since age 10 when they said I'd eventually need valve work. They thought age 25, guess I lasted a bit longer at 34.
Doc said I could have it about 4-5 years ago but we've done the watch and see thing every 6 months with echo's and visits. I talked to him 2 weeks ago and we both say it's better to have it now while I'm relatively strong vs getting too weak.
Mine's been a gradual slide, so gradual that I still feel that I don't have any real symptoms. However, I've noticed me shying away from doing physical things that were't a problem say 3 to 4 years ago like hauling stuff up the stairs to the attic or loading light fixtures into and out of my truck. I tried to attribute it to being out of shape or getting old but I'm convinced it's the ticker.
Doc said he also thinks my VSD may have a small hole that they may need to try and fix while in the chest... great! He said it'll be seen more when doing a cath.
Been taking Coreg and Accupril and I believe it's helped me last this long. Heart is enlarged a bit but it always has been due to the severe leakage. It's just never limited my ability (to my knowledge, see above)...
Picked out a surgeon a while back, Dr. Ott at St Lukes here in the Houston Med center. He's got a lot of valve experience from what I've researched and St Lukes and or Methodist are pretty good at heart care from what I am told. Should be in good hands.
D-day will be probably end of March if not sooner. Have a few projects to finish and then I'm free to recover. Not much of a sedentary person so I'll be one that overdoes it upon recovery....
3rd OHS but 1st one in 24 years so I'm hoping it's not as risky as say my 3rd in 5 years....
Get used to me, i tend to post a lot.
