mitral valve replacement

[georgejen]

After 9 years in permanent AF and a slightly leaky mitral valve I filled up with water, and was admitted to hospitial to have the water drained off. I have now been told that I have heart failure and need the Mitral valve replaced , can anyone tell me if they were any better for having this done, as at the momment I feel really well.

Thank-you George

[fallingtopieces]

I don't know anything about valve replacement but apparently I have a small leak in mine but have been told it's an acceptable amount. I've never had water retention like you though.

I did think that a leaking valve could cause AF so I wonder if a replacement will improve your AF?

I'm sure someone in the know will come on and answer you soon.

[Bagrat]

Having the valve replaced will help to prevent the water retention happening again and take the strain off your heart. It will certainly mean your heart can work more efficiently with less effort. I don't know if it will affect your AF but it should make you feel a lot better in yourself.

[Annaelizabeth]

Yes, georgejen, i do. 20 years ago I had an artificial mitral valve put in, it is a St Jude, the pigs valve was not a viable option due to age, I was 44 and pigs valves usually have a life of 10 years before having to be replaced. If you opt for artificial it is there for life, the downside is that you will be on warfarin for the rest of your days to prevent the blood sticking onto the valve and clotting. But as I developed AF 3 years ago, it is an irrelevance! I have never regretted a day that I had it done, yes you have a 'spare part' that may not be as good as the original , I was told by my surgeon at the time that I may not be able to run marathons, but as I loathe running anyway, another irrelevance! It takes a little while to recover fully, but I gather now the actual operation is way less invasive than it used to be, so the downtime may be less. My advice to you would be to make sure, research well, that you find a surgeon with proven experience in this field, he will be the key to a successful outcome. To be blunt if you have been told that your mitral valve needs replacing, and cannot be repaired, you really have no option. My heart recovered well, it's size went back to normal and so did my life. I hope this is of help.

[georgejen in reply to Annaelizabeth]

Thanks for your reply, I have had AF for 9 years now,and my Mitrial valve needs to be sorted out as the Docs say that I have gone into the heart failure, once again thanks for your help, George

[Dadog]

Interesting post. When my leaking mitral valve was discovered, I was told that it could need replacing in 3 or 4 years. They said that it doesn't cause AF but that it was a contributory factor. That was over a year ago and it is monitored annually. What was concerning was that apparently, a leaky valve can cause pooling of the blood in the valve area, which, in turn, creates a risk of clotting. Thank goodness for my warfarin!

Thanks for your post, Annaelizabeth. I feel more at ease about this business now.

[Luvpets]

I had my mitral valve replaced with a St Judes valve 17 months ago. I was getting short of breath & had a heart murmur & was diagnosed with mitral valve stenosis probably caused by rheumatic fever when I was young. I got AF post op so am now on several drugs as well as warfarin for life.

I was told it was getting urgent to have my valve replaced as they said my lungs might not stand up to the operation if left for much longer & with the valve not working properly it was putting a lot of extra pressure on the other side of my heart, so I would urge you to get it done even though it may not fix your AF. All the best

[georgejen]

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