Annual post aortic valve replacement consultant appointments......

[mumsastudent]

My husband had a biological (cow) valve replacement back in 2013. He use to have annual face to face appointments. He has h continued to have echo cardio grams ...but his last appointment was back in 2021 apparently he was on the list since than for an appointment! I decided today to try (!!) And ring up to find out if he was suppose to have an annual appointment ...trying to get through to get to someone to ask was a nightmare of being redirected to phone numbers that wouldn't answer eventually one the staff wrote an email to a nurse in the department to get them to ring me (my husband is hard of hearing and not as tactful and persistent as me!) She rang me an hour later I explained my concerns (he has had a few other health issues and these types of valves have an average of 15 years. She did mention...as we all know of course ...and apologise that covid and the doctors strike and more people coming through because of side effects of covid meant that there was a longer list But!!! He now has an appointment with a consultant in 2 weeks time. Has anybody else had issues with follow ups? I do wonder if I hadn't done the 2 hour ring round how long he would have had to wait

[Blackcatsooty]

I didn’t get the annual follow up in 2022 but thought nothing of it because the op was a total success and I had my life back.

But then my local hospital sprang in to action. The cardiology department has been internally rebuilt. A senior nurse made my appointment and it went like a dream. In essence it was two scans then I was shown the result by the nurse. Within minutes of the scans. No problems. The consultant was available if there was a problem.

There was no waiting. Taken by said nurse to scan 1. Then taken on for scan 2. Then walked to the nurses room and she showed me the results. The big change was no waiting. In and out in about 30 minutes.

What a revelation. Let’s hope your hospital, and everyone else, converts to this system.

Sooty

[DinoCat]

My AVR was much more recent (2022), but so far I've been automatically scheduled for an annual Cardiologist appointment, with a prior echocardiogram. Nevertheless, I still seem to have had to keep chasing to get the echocardiograms booked! My next annual appointment is in June & the cardiologist previously indicated that if everything has remained fine with the valve etc, that NHS guidelines might suggest I would then revert to a 5-yearly review cycle. I wouldn't be happy with such a long interval for a biological valve, so if need be will hold out for a continuation of annual reviews.

Incidentally I recall someone else on this network asked a similar question about echocardiograms & review frequencies. The general principle seemed to be annual, but quite a few respondents indicated that it was far less frequent and/or that one has to keep chasing to make sure reviews/scans do actually get scheduled!

[Rhinos67]

Hello - I'm only 2 years post surgery and have been seen every 6 months so far by either the nurse led valve team or my surgeon. I suspect that I will be discharged from his care when I next see him on 1st July, but I have been told that I will still have yearly checks with the valve team and 3 yearly CT scans.It doesn't seem like every hospital follows the same schedule though.

I was given a mobile number for my valve nurse so if I have any issues I ring her and she chases stuff up for me.

Maybe ask if your hospital has anything similar for future

Joanne

[Survivor1952]

My AVR was last June, I too have a bovine valve. I was told it should last 15 to 20 years which should serve ne well as I’m 71.

I saw my local cardiac unit 2 months ago and they signed me off for two years before my next scan. Apparently I still have a very slight murmur but I gather this is quite common with replacement valves.

I also collected 2xPCI and a CABG last year as part of the efforts to improve my condition.

In terms of my health I’m back to ‘normal’ (whatever that is as we are all different) and doing pretty much everything I used to do and one or two I didn’t before (running a 5k most weeks). I feel really good and normally need reminding by my scars of what I’ve been through.