Calling all Mitral Valve Replacement Patients: Share your tips

@lavasite
I’ve been fortunate and never had any type of heart problems but a close friend of mine had
a mitral tissue valve replacement followed by a mechanical mitral valve surgery about 10 years later.
I’m assuming you have a tissue replacement valve now. Are you thinking about having a mechanical valve replacement?
Take care,
Jake

I had mitral valve surgery with artificial components. It did not work as well as hoped and I ended up with a heart transplant nine months later. I will say I had multiple other cardiac complications so I cannot blame the valve surgery. My recovery was shaky for about two months, I had one month of good but not great health, followed by a slow decline. So if a mechanic recommends a valve job for my car I am just getting a new engine.
Best always,
s!

Another cow tissue valve for me. @scottij Any tips to help deal or heal? My open heart is in mid November.

My recovery after the valve surgery was so much more difficult than the subsequent heart transplant. It was one of the few times in my life when I really had to convince myself to get up and move. To deal I would say ponder and write about what you are experiencing. To heal get moving as soon as you can and whenever you do not feel like moving remember that each step is a step toward recovery and a full life.

Thanks. Will motivate to move.

Hi @lavasite, I wanted to invite some people to join your conversation. @dp52350, @cindym1960, @777darla, @grandmajan, @yoanne, @lyndylou, @frande, and @carsangelop have all had valve replacement.
Are you getting anxious for your surgery coming up soon?

Thanks! Surgery got pushed to Wednesday. I'm as ready as I'm going to be. If anyone has any suggestions for the hospital or post surgery, please leave them below.

In 2 days I will get a bovine valve to replace the inefficient mitral valve.

Does anybody have any tips on post op recovery that'll make it easier to endure?

I had two valve repairs last November. They were going to replace my tricuspid valve but found it could be repaired. I thought it was going to be way worse than it was. I was in the hospital, at Mayo, for 5 days. My daughter came for two weeks to help and that was a blessing. Lots of family and friends provided meals. My husband took over after our daughter left and within 4-6 weeks I was feeling good. Remember to get up and move. Even if it’s just from one part of your house to another. I received a heart pillow and used it constantly to get up from bed. Hope all goes well.

Be sure to join a heart rehab program and attend regularly. And be patient, especially if you are getting open heart surgery. There is no question that you'll need some help for the first couple of weeks. While you can get around pretty well in 4-6 weeks, it can take six months to a year to fully recover and feel yourself again. Be assured that you will continue to feel better. It's not only the physical insult of the operation, but you need to heal internally (breast bone and heart especially) and replenish your red blood cells. You can believe your docs--there is not much pain, but there is discomfort in the chest area. And we bought a recliner after I was home a few days. There are times when sleeping flat in bed just did not feel good.