Post Op meeting with Surgeon

[Shopgirl]

Hi Heart Chums, I've got my 6 week (which is actually 8 weeks) post op appointment with my surgeon next week. I didn't actually see him in hospital but his registrar told my husband my mitral valve repair went very well - that's as much as I know. I have a list of questions obviously relating to me (I had post op complications, pericardial effusion and lung effusion), but would be interested to know from others experiences if there's anything I should ask as I'm sure I'll have 10 minutes to grill him before I never see him again. I'm also interested to know what to expect about post op check ups, should I expect an echo annually for example?

[Ethel13]

Hi Shopgirl,

Good luck with you post op appointment, I’m sure you will get some answers from others who had their ops before you. If I were you I’d keep pencil and paper near and whenever you think of something to ask the surgeon write it down, then you will be as best prepared to use your time with him/her productively.

All the best,

Dory x❤️💕❣️

[Shopgirl in reply to Ethel13]

Thanks Dory, my life revolves around lists at the moment, (especially post op as I had no memory) so I've always got a pencil and note book at hand! Must make sure the right point to remember goes on the right list! Julia x

[Ethel13 in reply to Shopgirl]

Oh dear, you sound like me Julia, bad enough before my op goodness knows what I will be like afterwards!

Onwards and upwards.

Dory x❤️💕❣️

[Midgeymoo17]

I have my 6 week check friday- I am cureeenty 15 weeks post op and that was only after begging the sectary on Tuesday.

[Shopgirl in reply to Midgeymoo17]

Sorry to hear about they delay and hope all goes well tomorrow.

[Dazzler142]

Hi there,

Good luck tomorrow.i hope you are feeling better now.

I had my 6 week check 2 weeks ago and never saw the surgeon i saw a specialist nurse

I had an ecg and blood pressure done.you will get checked over and yes you will get a yearly echo.i am having 3 monthly echo's but i have mechanical mitral valve and on wafarin.

Just ask what you think is right for you.if you have pain tell them,i still hurt 8 weeks on.i found the nurse very helpful so i hope you find it the same.

Wishing you all the best tomorrow

Jenny x

[John-Butler in reply to Dazzler142]

I had mitral valve repair in 2015 and my 1 year follow up appointment was with my local hospital, not where the surgery was done ,I was discharged and told to have repeat echo in 5 years.I often wonder if this is correct advice after reading others getting an annual echo

[Dazzler142 in reply to John-Butler]

Oh yes.i think i would be asking for an annual one

My mitral valve within a year had gone from moderate to very severely stenosed and had a replacement.i maybe would have been able to have a repair if had been looked at sooner as i did say i was not well.i would not feel happy waiting 5 years

[Shopgirl in reply to John-Butler]

I would ask your doctors advice as 5 years does seem a long time to wait.

[Mary_Janet]

Hi

My post op appointment was ten weeks post aortic valve replacement. At my appointment I had a chest xray, ecg, BP and weight. I saw a registrar who I had met once before. The registrar went to ask the consultant for advice regarding my INR target. The consultant came in to see me briefly. Both were happy to answer questions. My follow up is now with the referring cardiologist who I am actually seeing on Monday. You have reminded me I must write my list of questions....

Good luck with your appointment

[Shopgirl in reply to Mary_Janet]

Thanks Mary_Janet, that sounds like what I was expecting. Interesting you mention INR target as mine hasn't reached my 2.5 target yet! So that's going on my list of questions. Julia

[Mary_Janet in reply to Shopgirl]

I am only just reaching my target, still on fortnightly bloods. Apparently it can take quite a bit of time until we stabilise.

[Paperlover]

My post op check was by phone because of Covid. It was mainly about stopping various medications as my surgeon was surprised by how many problems I was having and felt they couldn’t be attributed to him. I was however booked in for an echocardiogram and ecg and told that I would have a two yearly echo. I haven’t had the results yet and that was a month ago. My surgeon seemed particularly unhappy that I wanted to ask questions about my raised heart rate etc and subsequently told my GP that I was anxious! As you don’t sound as though you’ve had chance to develop any relationship with your surgeon I would probably just tell him that you’ve got a list of what he might think are silly questions and just go through them. As you suggest, you’ll probably never see him again so it’s important you feel you have asked everything you need to.