Aortic Valve Replacement

My cardiologist is very vague about it all.....in fact, I'm considering a 2nd opinion. Mine is at 1.3, and he says no surgery needed until it is under 1. So far, no enlargement of the heart.

Hello Teresa,
Rehab going well. I'm at the 7 week mark. They added in minor weight lifting exercises after 6 weeks. My sternum is still sore at the incision area so we are not lifting over 5 lbs. I'm back to work at 50% and have someone help if any lifting is required. I'm going to stick with the rehab all the way to the end. I'll be getting a membership at the senior center here in Round Rock and will continue with the exercise to keep in shape and keep the pounds off. I'm still at -10 lbs. since surgery. They tell me at rehab I need to lose 20 more.

My INR is stable at 1.6 and I only go in for testing now every 2 weeks. I don't notice any side effects from taking blood thinners.

Hope this helps.

All the best.

Bruce

Hi Bruce I had triple by pass 1996 just do as Dr. tells you don't lift to much I wasn't allowed to climb stairs or Hills for a while either

I had quintuple bypass in 2009. Do the rehab until it’s done. I was playing tennis and baseball within 6 months and am still playing.

@ch246cf10 Hello Bruce,

I appreciate the update and I'm glad to hear that you are doing so well. That is great that you are sticking with the rehab.

I'm still contemplating the whole thing myself. I'm going to do some pre-surgery cardio rehab, but I'm not sure I'm ready to commit to the surgery yet. My cardiologist thinks it unwise to wait too long as the heart damage could worsen and not be reversible. Lots to think about.

I look forward to your next update!

Teresa

I have a friend who is to have aortic valve replacement tomorrow and he is looking for any kind of information about this procedure. I told him about "Mayo Connect" and he thought he would like to receive any information that others who have gone through this would have to offer. Thank you.

Hi @charlottemaxine,

Thank you for all the support and information you are offering. Please note that I removed your friend's personal email address from this public discussion. Posts to the discussion board are public, and we don't want him getting unwanted spam etc. We recommend sharing personal contact information by private message as it is a secure, private option.
Thank you so much for understanding.

Here's some information from Mayo Clinic:
https://www.mayoclinic.org/tests-procedures/aortic-valve-repair-aortic-valve-replacement/about/pac-20385093
I'm tagging @ch246cf10 @cynthia2017 @showflash @shakuni11 @redhawk @eugeneo @lyndamm @judytru @crhp194 @morningglory @michellr as they've written about aortic valve repair and replacement, and I'm confident they will return with more insights for your friend.

If you wish, you can also read some of their posts in this discussion on Connect:
– Aortic Stenosis & Valve Replacement https://connect.mayoclinic.org/discussion/aortic-valve-calcification/

Hello,
Don't know how old your friend is, I'm 52 and had the same procedure on January 31st, and I was out of the hospital in 5 days. This was my 3rd Heart Surgery! I was expecting another 3 week stay like the last. First two operations were from the side(following the curve of the ribs). That is the most invasive and longest recovery, painful, etc. The Front Chest Opening the replace a valve was a cake walk. No pain meds past the 5 days in the hospital. Not a lot of people above the grass have experienced bot type procedures, I have. I'm no tough guy when it comes to pain either. It is just a less invasive procedure that you think. Tell him to do the rehab after the surgery, and do all the classes for the entire term. Don't go to a few and stop going. There is a reason for what they have you do in rehab, and it works. The Inpatient Cardiac Rehab folks will start to circle around him as soon as he wakes up. After discharge, sign up for the continued rehab. I have 2-3 weeks remaining on mine and I'll probably have my wife bake them a cake or something.

All the best to you and your friend.

Bruce
Texas

PS. Did I mention DO THE REHAB!

@ch246cf10

I appreciate your sharing your experiences with open heart surgery. At Mayo Connect we all learn (and are encouraged) by the experiences of others.

Rehab is important for everyone after surgery, whether it is for orthopedic surgery or cardiac surgery. I appreciate your emphasizing that.

I look forward to hearing from you after you complete your rehab.

Teresa