open heart surgery

[Sally_Scott]

Hi guys

Just wondered if anyone has had surgery for either replacing or repairing a mitral valve and atrium valve?

How were you after surgery and how long until you felt fairly ‘normal’

Thanks in advance.

[CDreamer]

I’m sure someone will comment although you may get more response posting on the British Heart forum.

[Sally_Scott in reply to CDreamer]

Oh I’m not on that?

[Ducky2003 in reply to Sally_Scott]

Just be careful. Some of them are not very pleasant on there. I'm awaiting a mitral valve repair (but have AF too) so sought info on that forum but after seeing some of the responses some poor got to their questions, I came back out of it. Much nicer bunch on here but I've not come across anyone who has had it on here yet.

[Sally_Scott in reply to Ducky2003]

So where and when r u having your repair? Have u found out much info on your recovery yet?

[Ducky2003 in reply to Sally_Scott]

It's UHCW and haven't got a date yet. Surgeon said 3-4 months when I saw him in May but I'd get 2-3 weeks notice. Cardiac liaison nurse reckoned more like 6 months but I don't think I've been classed as urgent.I have the added complication of having a Cox IV Maze being done at the same time, which may influence the when.

I've been told to lift nothing heavier than a mug of coffee for 6 weeks, no driving for 6 weeks, but to do plenty of walking to help the heart and lungs get back to normal.

Can't go back to work for 3 months, due to my job, which I was shocked about but the sternum needs time to heal.

I was given a thick information pack and the cardiac liaison nurses are brilliant, keep checking in on me and answer any questions I've had.

Any idea on a date for you?

[JOY2THEWORLD49 in reply to Ducky2003]

Hi Ducky

Read my post of my friend who had a pig's valve which lasted 12 years.

cheers JOY. 73. (NZ)

[Ducky2003 in reply to CDreamer]

I tried that and some were quite nasty....... not to me but some poor folk got a right roasting. I came out of it pretty swiftly.

[CDreamer in reply to Ducky2003]

I had a similar experience - but was banned! Ha ha. For not agreeing with takingstatins......

[Ducky2003 in reply to CDreamer]

😀. I think I would have got banned for my language if any of them had started on me. 😁.

[CDreamer in reply to Ducky2003]

Some are really nice but there are a couple of stalwarts who seem to get away with appalling replies, curt and rude and just short of abusive. Thankfully it doesn’t happen here without getting stamped on. You are ok until you don’t agree or challenge - that’s not allowed!

[Ducky2003 in reply to CDreamer]

The ones I witnessed were vile in their responses to a poor woman who had just asked for clarification of something on behalf of her husband. I'd rather get as much info from cardiac nurses as I can and just chill out on here with the AF Posse.

[CDreamer]

It’s easy to join - just go to My Hub - Find a Community - British Heart Foundation - Join

But you can search for previous posts on mitral valve and read replies without joining - just post in the search box and search All in HealthUnlocked.

[jeanjeannie50]

Hears the link you need:

healthunlocked.com/bhf

You'll get lots of answers there. This forum is for people who have problems with the way their hearts beat out of rhythm or too fast/slow.

Jean

[Sally_Scott in reply to jeanjeannie50]

Many thanks Jean x

[JOY2THEWORLD49]

HiMy friend who unfortunately has MS is now 83.

14 years ago she had a heart murmur due to a faulty heart valve.

She was fitted with a pig's heart valve.

It lasted 12 years.

When Auckland hospital replaced it, the pig's valve was found to be infected and they couldn't remove all of it. AK made a new valve. But so that one doesn't get rejected she is on antibiotics 3 times day for life.

Her MS is causing problems with walking, and the hospital has made up a shoe calaper. She also has dizziness and vertigo. Eye problems and feeling cold.

Her valve works well. She is on 23.75mg metroprolol and PRADAXA. Nothing for MS.

I am happy that she has a bed with motors for legs and head but she was so cold coming from under she has gone for an electric blanket and not using her remote.

I told her that I felt when she unplugged her blanket in getting into bed the elevation of her feet would be fine.

I thought that you cant have metroprolol with artificial valve also PRADAXA but she has both these.

All the best.. JOY. 73. (NZ)

[Luludean]

I had mitral valve repeir in 2000 in Papworth . I was just 50 . I am willing to answer any questions honestly.

[Lovefrance]

Hi Sally. I had open heart surgery for a mitral valve repair fifteen years ago.I was in and out of hospital-Papworth in six days. The op was a tricky one and I still have a slight leak. I was very well looked after and out of bed the next day. At no time did I have any pain, due to being drugged up. They give you good advice for aftercare and there are nurses to contact if you need to.

These surgeons are amazing. To them it is just an everyday job. We are so lucky here to have such care. You will be absolutely fine I am sure and so much better for it. Any advice you need just contact me.

[spinningjenny]

I had mitral and tricuspid valves repaired in 2018. It’s big surgery but please try not to worry everyone will be very kind and completely on top of pain relief.

Immediately after the surgery I felt as weak as a kitten but, at the same time, knew my heart was working better. I had tried to keep as active as possible before the surgery and three weeks later was able to walk a mile albeit very slowly and on the flat nevertheless a great achievement.

Good luck with your surgery. Enjoy being pampered and take care.

[Ducky2003 in reply to spinningjenny]

My surgeon told me he'd be expecting me to be able to walk 3-5 miles a day by my 6 week check up. 😳. I am concerned as never had a GA before and about pain relief........ I don't tolerate morphine very well. I'm floating between denial and sheer terror at the moment.😳.

[spinningjenny in reply to Ducky2003]

I don’t tolerate morphine either but they can give you something to help with that. As for the GA you won’t know anything about it after the first injection.

[Ducky2003 in reply to spinningjenny]

Thanks. Its perhaps not the GA that's the issue, it's hoping I wake up after it 😁.

[rubyr61]

i had a mitra valve replaced with a mechanical one back in 2003 at glenfield hospital leicester a metal valve means a life time of being on warfrain no problem ,didnt recover very well SVTC 3 times that was just unlucky back at work 3months later with a good boss who looked after me .mine was open heart surgary i think it now can be done by micro surgary dont have it replaced with a artifical one as it will need replacing in a few years hope this helps this was 19 years ago and i am now 72

[Sally_Scott in reply to rubyr61]

I’ve never been on warfarin just apixaban. So guess I’ll remain on that?

[Ducky2003 in reply to Sally_Scott]

If it's a repair, then yes but if they decide to replace, it will have to be warfarin for life as its the only anticoagulant licenced to be used with an artificial valve.

[Sally_Scott in reply to Ducky2003]

I’m on Apixaban so will I stay on that after?

[Ducky2003 in reply to Sally_Scott]

It would depend why you are on it now. Do you have AF as well? If so, they may well want to tackle that at the same time, as they are doing with me with a Cox IV Maze at the same time. I would hope, if that stops the AF, I would be able to stop the Apixaban but subject to what my CHADSVASC score is at the time.

[Ducky2003 in reply to rubyr61]

Artificial ones shouldn't need replacing in a few years, just the pigs valves. My surgeon has said, if mine needs to be replaced rather than repaired, it will be an artificial one as at my age, all being well with living a long life, I'd probably end up with at least 2 further replacements of a pigs one as they only last 10-15 years.They can do a less invasive version now but usually only if you are likely to have issues with the GA for open heart surgery. Glad to hear you are well. I'm not looking forward to mine at all.

[2learn]

Hi sally, I'm 72 and had mitral and tricuspid valves repaired in Dec21. I also suffer from AF so they did ablation at same time. Everything seemed to go well with op but my heart beat too low so after 5 days they fitted a pacemaker. Recovery takes time and you need someone to look after you cos of the lifting issue for 6 wks. Your local NHS should provide cardiac rehabilitation to help. For me I haven't reached normal. I've had recurrence of AF, ablation for that in March, stroke at end of March, TIA August. None of these are result of op, so day to day seems like I'm just waiting for next incident and as I'm on correct medication medics say there's nothing they can do. One bit of advice I used to be on warfarin before op, for 10 yrs, but this was changed to apixaban by medics, they feel its better, but my arthritis is much much worse now it may also be that causing small brain bleeds thats giving me problems now, so if you have a choice consider whether apixaban is best for you.

[Ducky2003 in reply to 2learn]

Yikes. That all sounds horrendous. When you say, they did an ablation at the same time, was it one of the Hybrid procedures or a Cox IV Maze?They are supposed to be doing a Cox IV on me when I have mine repaired.

[2learn in reply to Ducky2003]

Sorry Ducky I don't know. My experience of ablations and I've had 3 is that I have never been told and consultant reports to my GP which I've just checked just say an ablation without being specific. I'm always confused on this site when people go into details of different types of ablation, the NHS site just says catheter ablation and no more specific.

[Ducky2003 in reply to 2learn]

Ah. I had a catheter ablation last year but I thought they were done in isolation rather than as part of another surgery, unless your repairs were done by catheter instead of open heart surgery.The Cox IV Maze is usually only done if they are doing open heart surgery for something else.

I hope that you have no further issues and everything settles for you now.

[BlueINR]

I had surgery in 2009 to replace aortic valve. It was minimally invasive, a small incision about 4 inches in chest several inches down from my collarbone, so the sternum was not cracked. On surgeon's advice, I chose a mechanical valve so as not to need another replacement in a few years. The younger you are, you get less time with a tissue valve. If you're under 60, you'll probably need a tissue valve replaced in about 5 years. I did not want another surgery, so gladly chose mechanical valve.

Surgery went fine, no complications, but it took me a good 4-5 months to feel good again. Most feel fine much sooner, but that didn't happen for me. Not sure, but it varies. I do need to take warfarin for the rest of my life. It is no big deal and nothing to be concerned about. I have a home testing kit, test at home, report result to MD's office and advised to change or stay the same with warfarin dose. I have not changed diet at all. I freely eat any and all green vegetables. I'd rather change warfarin dose if needed, then pass by the goodness and nutrition of the green vegetables.

I wish you all the best.

[cbaum]

You seem to be inundated with responses, but I'll add mine anyway. I have AFIB and a "regurgitating" mitral valve. I think they sewed up one of the flaps in my mitral valve and installed a CG Future Annuloplasty Band made by Medtronic (Model 638BL36). That was in 2017. It was done at Walter Reed Hospital in Bethesda MD. It's the same hospital our president uses so it is probably an OK place😊. I remember nothing about recovery except that I wasn't allowed to fly or drive and had to have a friend help my wife drive me the 2000 miles back to Colorado. No pain or nausea. This month I had an electrocardiogram and was told my ejection fraction was 48%, where 52% is minimal for a male. EF is the % of blood squeezed out of the ventricle. So the repair lasted 5 years with no problem. I have never had any heart symptoms ever, all this is doctors telling me what's wrong. I see the cardiologist tomorrow to tell me what's next. I had my surgery done when I was 72 because I thought my chances of success would be better when I was younger. I've never been told that any of my maladies are life threatening. I am disappointed to have a recurrence of the problem that I hoped was fixed for life. I take Apixaban anti-coagulant, 2.5 mg 2x daily. I was on 5 mg 2x but found I had more than a usual number of bloody noses, so I cut back the Apixaban. Also Metoprolol 12.5 mg 1x daily. If you're still awake, thanks for listening! I am my favorite subject!