You asked for a candid reply!

I had a calcified bicuspid aortic valve that a few weeks ago had me reduced to a straw size amount of blood flow with each pump of my heart. I was told this was generic(bicuspid) and calcifying just happens - not result of my lifestyle.

In the days before my surgery they ran me thru the treadmill stress test - with this heart! Made me run until max heartrate reached - was it 145bpm? - and keep running like 4 minutes there!

Supposedly my fully opening cow valve now lets 100% blood thru each pump. How could any sexual activity compare to this stress test? I thought I would die on that treadmill. I do not see how any sexual activity could be considered worse? But maybe I am naive...

I, like Justice Kavanaugh, like my beer. I went 3 weeks without a drop, then had my 2 week after follow up meeting with cardiologist. One of my 6 written questions was: can I indulge now again? They said a few beers a day should not hurt a thing.

A week later I had my follow up with surgeon: One of my 4 written questions was: can I indulge now again? They said they concur with my cardiologist, no problem.

Moderation in mind. My grandmother came over as an 18 year old young woman on a boat around 1915. She swore by "a beer a day." She lived an active life working her 1/2 acre garden every day until her death at about 95 years old. Was she right? Who knows...

I scanned the docs @colleenyoung posted above; I think this line from the nurse one sums it up: "However, the Framingham Heart Study found that the risk of developing HF was 59% lower in men who consumed 8-14 alcoholic drinks a week compared with those who did not drink alcohol (Walsh et al, 2002); this finding was supported by Bryson et al (2006)."

I rewarded myself with a six pack of of my favorit Samual Adams beer after my surgeon's follow up appointment. I just finished one writing this. I may have a second before the day is thru...

Everyone is different. Every case is different. With all this, I would NOT resume either without asking YOUR doctor first. Then (hopefully) have at it!

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