Thank you for your response. I had an echo in Dec 2025 and I have never been in a fib proximal or continuous until the pulmonary embolism event in France. I had a cardioversion last week. I got out of a fib for 3 days then it returned full on again. I had the MValve repair because of regurgitation. Now 15 years later I have moderate stenosis and moderate L atrium dilution. I’m sure the PE along with the structural damage that already existed and was noted in Dec 2025 (but wasn’t shared with me until Feb 2026) contributed to the continuous a fib. I’m an athlete and worked out at least 2-4 hours a day. Tennis, long distance cycling, skate skiing, Xc skiing, advanced downhill skier, weight training etc. . I did it all. I can’t give it up. I’m still doing 2-3 hours a day but my heart rate is 98-180bpm and can even go up to 140 with walking. I am now walking and have cancelled all tennis and skiing, doing Pilates and some weights but feeling anxious and devastated at my lifestyle change. What I really need to know is if I am best to try to repair the MV now or later when the stenosis progresses. I think now. But I’ve been told by one surgeon that I will end up worse with a new pig valve due to my previous repair and scarring. He said do not have surgery. My original surgeon, now 82, says operate but has not told me what to expect and he said he has to do a sternotomy on my skinny chest. I have no fat on my body at all for coverage of the wire. We had a short video call and I sent him questions. No response. Currently I am reaching out to several surgeons across Canada for consults. But the health care system here is broken. My cardiologist of 20 years retired and I was given someone who is dismissive of my questions in December 2025. I have 3 graduate degrees in public health and med science but I’m not a cardiologist and still questioning what to do to get out of a fib given the enlarged atrium. I see the dismissive cardiologist on April fools day! He did a transesophageal echo last week before the cardioversion so I hope that sheds some light and leads to a plan. I’m also on metoprolol and apixaban (eloquis) for life. Never on a drug before for anything. I do not feel capable of deleting all my favourite activities and social connections to substitute these activities for reading and Netflix and walking. I know I’ll have to find a highly skilled surgeon
for debridement of the valve hopefully by minimally invasive cardiac surgery, if that is even possible. . Will I be better off mindful watching for further stenosis and dilution of L atrium or have surgery now? Guess I need more consults as my previous surgeon is 82 and retiring in July. He wanted to operate in May but do I want an 82 year old operating on me even though he is world famous and has done 3000 mv repairs with 1000 resulting in scarring and stenosis like me? Anyway, it’s complicated I know. But surely there must be others in a similar situation who have had debridement …..opening up the mitral. valve causing retraction of the L atrium and returning to NSR ? Sorry this is soooo long. I’m obviously very anxious currently. .