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What are your tips for recovery from TAVR procedure?
Heart & Blood Health | Last Active: 6 days ago | Replies (12)Comment receiving replies
So I too am faced with same possibility… and only soon to be 72. Irony is I had none / zero symptoms. This all came about after I told my GP I had heart palpitations ( once).. he sent me to cardiologist… and one thing led to another.. discovering aortic stenosis. Yet I run 12 miles a week… walk the dog another 5… and still work. Yet glad it’s 2025 and not 1985 in the medical world.
Replies to "So I too am faced with same possibility… and only soon to be 72. Irony is..."
Hi Jamese, if you have not had the TAVR yet, this was my experience at Mayo Clinic Rochester. The TAVR was done under "moderate sedation" which means I was conscious. I did feel pressure in the groin area when they were doing it and I commented a few times that it hurt but they did not amp up any pain killer. That pain area required Tylenol for a few days after the surgery. Anyone who already had a pacemaker could go home the same day if they did not have any issues with the surgery, I had to stay overnight and the ECG the next morning showed I did not need a pacemaker so they let me leave. However, my one-week follow up with my physician showed I had developed LBBB (left bundle branch block) and I had to get a local cardiologist to proscribe a Heart monitor for me. Fortunately, my one month follow up at Mayo showed the LBBB was gone so I only need to have an echo in one year and then nothing after that unless any CHF symptoms show up in the future. FYI, I was told not to drive for a week after the TAVR because the surgeon feared slamming on the breaks could cause that groin wound to open up an bleed. They put two perclose devices in there to close the hole they make in the femoral artery and those do not dissolve, they will be in there forever. I have been doing cardio rehab for a few months now and no longer have shortness of breath on exertion and I have way more energy than I did prior to the surgery.
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Jamese,
It's amazing how we come to find out what's going on with our bodies. I've had a similar situation, where I was feeling great only to find out I have a moderate hiatal hernia from free chest scan screening. And yes, I agree with being fortunate to have advanced medical technology. My sister just had the TAVR and actual surgery time took all of 10 minutes. She also had no symptoms, but decided to have a stress at the age of 62 because heart disease runs in our family. She had no issues post op, as I was the one who was with her for the surgery and stayed with her for a week following. I hope surgery and post op goes well for you; which I'm sure it will!!!