When I was 29 years old I was diagnosed with a bicuspid aortic valve. I was in control for 6 years until I had my mechanical valve changed in September.
I would like to meet people who have been through this situation and their feedback, as well as knowing how they are doing with the warfarin and if there is another medication.
Hello. My husband has a mechanical Aortic Valve and his old one was bicuspid. I’m afraid Warfarin is the only anticoagulant available for mechanical valves. The new “novel” anticoagulants aren’t approved for use in these circumstances. There’s loads of information about Warfarin on the. BHF website and the AF website has some really good information sheets about foods and drugs that interact with Warfarin. Here’s the links:
bhf.org.uk/informationsuppo...
bhf.org.uk/informationsuppo...
heartrhythmalliance.org/afa...
Hope these help. My husband says the best advice he was given was to change the dose to match your diet not your diet to match a particular dose. It’s important to eat a healthy balanced diet and not get hung up too much on vitamin k levels in individual foods, just be aware. For example, he won’t have say cauliflower cheese soup for lunch then broccoli and cabbage for his dinner veggies. But he does enjoy a pint of cider a few times a week.
NICE guidelines (in England) also support home testing. My husband finds that really useful. He bought his own machine from Roche and is prescribed the test strips and finger prickers by the anticoagulation clinic. Overall, the Warfarin isn’t an issue.
All the best to you and your loved ones.
Last year aged 36 I had a AVR due to endocarditis and had my infected bicuspid valve replaced with a Mechanical valve (On-x). I'm on Warfarin and Bisoprolol. Life is pretty much back to normal (apart from the Covid-19 pandemic) I've had a few hiccups here and there but that's expected.
I am also taking bisolpron with warferin, what they told me that bisolpron would be temporary, you were told the same or the two pills are forever
Hi Victor, whilst not quite as young as you, I was 49 when I had my bicuspid Aortic valve replaced with a mechanical one. I too had issues with keeping my INR in check initially, probably 4 months or so, but then I stabilised and hover around the 2.5-3.0 range, which is where I should be. I think not stressing about it so much helped. I also have a home diagnostic machine, although my surgery does not support it in anyway, so I pay for it all. I do like it though. I am not on 8 weekly checks, so support this with my own checks at home, just to keep my mind at rest.
I am also on Bisporolol, probably for life, due to an irregular rhythm.
I had an On X valve put in last May so INR is between 1.5 & 2. Checks are initially weekly but I was happy with that. The health centre is less than a 10 minute walk although it took me 20 to start with!
Use to it all now and quite happy missing the foods I'm not supposed to have anyway. Alcohol is the worst but I'm not dead so can't complain, I had a cardiac arrest prior to op, also had a bicuspid valve.
Was on bisprolol for 8 months only as no damage to heart. I am largely back to normal and running a 5k quicker than tbefore my SCA.
Stay positive 🙂.
Andy
I wanted to ask you if the same thing happens to you. Since I hear the sound of the valve like a ticking. They told me that this can disappear with time, do you have the same sound?
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