Has anyone had a heart valve replacement?

[sim21]

Hi,

I am concerned about someone who I know who is 54 years old. They are going to have open-heart surgery to replace their heart valve. Has anyone been through this? How is the process? He is worried and I want to know how he can be supported in the best way possible. How should he prepare? pls share your experience?

[MichaelJH Heart Star]

Please reply on original post to avoid confusion:

healthunlocked.com/bhf/post...

[Hidden in reply to MichaelJH]

Glad you said that Michael because I just posted an answer on the Link one and it hasn't appeared. Most frustrating sometimes!!

[Cards21]

I had a triple bypass and an aortic valve replacement 5 years ago . I’m fine. I have 6 monthly checkups.

[peterosgood]

Hi sim21. I'm 56 and have recently (December 2020) had my aortic valve replaced along with my aorta. I had absolutely no symptoms until August this year, wheezy chest, coughing, out of breath. I thought I had covid but it turned out my valve was leaking and my aorta was stretched. I'm now just over 5 months into my recovery, back playing golf and doing many normal things and returning to my job as a landscape gardener in the 21st June, couple if days to start and see how I go. It's a daunting prospect having ohs when you have always been fit and well but the surgeons will explain everything. It's not as painful as I thought post surgery and normal, if everything goes well you will be discharged within about a week as recovery is better at home. The recovery itself can be painful and frightening at times with different pains and sensations but you have to remember that all the.muscles and nerve endings are healing and that does take time. You will be under your cardiology rehab team who are wonderful people. They will help with your recovery, with allmtue many questions you have about what is and isn't normal and they will support you along your healing journey. At times you feel as if your getting better at other times you feel your getting worse and that can be hard to.contemplate but believe me, you are and will get better, it just takes time. As walking is the main exercise I would recommend keeping a walking diary and hot down what you do, steps, distance and time, you can get a pedometer app for your phone to help. I found this useful for those bad days to look back and see how far I had come. In February I was doing 2 10 minute walks a day, on Wednesday 26th May I played 18 holes if golf, I walked.the course and pushed my golf cart along. Your friend will need support and reassurance as I found my anxiety levels would be raised with every new pain which makes you feel worse but at these times reassurance is helpful as is the rehab team or your GP and don't be afraid to call them or, if your really feeling unwell an ambulance, I've had 3 a&e visits via ambulance since I came home in January, fine in all 3 occasions but more importantly reassured that I was healing and nothing was wrong with my heart. So it's a long journey with good days and dad days, the good days do start to outway the bad but it will feel like there is no light at the end of the tunnel on many occasions early on in the recovery but when you start to see little things changing, the positivity dies return. I hope you have found this useful. Good luck to your friend and please reassure them that the surgeons, nurses and rehab teams are wonderful people who will look after you throughout your journey from operation to recovery.

[sim21 in reply to peterosgood]

Thank you for you message, glad that you are doing well and playing golf. I hope we can give all the support to him, especially after surgery. Did your diet change? or something you stopped eating?

[peterosgood in reply to sim21]

My diet hasn't changed at all. The only thing that changed is that I don't like coffee anymore so just drink decaf tea, to much caffeine isn't good for you. I'm on warfarin tablets for the rest of my life as I have a mechanical valve so that's the only change really. A mechanical valve lasts your lifetime, tissue only has about 10 years then has to be replaced. The thought of having surgery again put me off that idea. I do hope everything goes well but as I said, the surgeons, nurses, doctors etc are wonderful people and will help you in hospital and the rehab team will look after you post surgery.

[Hanibil]

I had an aortic valve replaced and also an aortic repair at age 48 in 2005 I went for a mechanical valve and have never looked back, was nervous before the operation and there was some pain afterwards but everything is so well managed that it’s not bad at all. And of course the day after is the start of a new life.

[Nic25]

Hi Sim21. I had an AVR and open-heart surgery and the age of 50 at the end of 2018. I was totally terrified! So it is completely normal to be scared, as it is a big operation. However, these days it is also a really standard, straightforward operation that the surgeons do successfully day in and day out; it is almost a bread-and-butter procedure for them, even if it is a big deal for us! In the event, the reality was much less bad than I had feared, so I would almost go so far to say that the whole build-up, the mental terror, was worse than the actual operation. I was in and out in a week, and much more mobile and 'able' when I came home than I had expected I would be, although of course sore and tired.

In terms of preparing, in a way there's not a great deal to do. Yes, as others have said here, try to stay as fit and healthy as you (they) can, within the limits of their condition of course and any restrictions that they have been told by their cardiologist. One practical thing is to practise getting standing up from sitting without using your arms, as initially you/they will be advised not to push up with their arms. The main healing after the operation is the sternum/breast bone needing to knit back together, which just takes time and rest, really. I also found something to hold against your chest - a rolled-up towel or small cushion - was useful for when you laughed or coughed or sneezed, as that hurt initially.

While whatever I say won't I know make the terror go away, it is definitely worth doing it. I am much fitter (even if still an overly-sedentary fiftysomething) than I was before the operation, and the difference I felt after it was amazing, even though I hadn't thought I had any symptoms really.

If it helps, here is some advice from the hospital I was in, St Thomas' in London, which might be useful and hopefully reassuring:

guysandstthomas.nhs.uk/reso...

guysandstthomas.nhs.uk/our-...

guysandstthomas.nhs.uk/reso...

Also, finally, do make use of this forum and ask any questions you want - it is what we're all here for! I found it really useful myself when I had been told I would need the surgery and my head was all over the place.

Do wish them good luck, take care and look after yourself. Cheers Nic x

[HenningLob]

HiMy husband had an enlarged aorta and at age 57 had open heart surgery to fix this was also given a replacement mechanical valve. Two years on he is fit and well but is still troubled by the intense thudding sensation he feels with the pounding of the mechanical valve. I don't read of many people who are troubled by this but thought I should mention it so that you can consider which type of valve is best for you. In terms of the op and the after care all the nurses and medical staff were incredibly supportive and caring. My husband found it a shock after the op that he was initially so out of breath and took 8 weeks before he could walk at his previous pace and feel that he had returned to his previous fitness. As my husband had no symptoms before op and felt very well he found it hard to come to terms with feeling so unfit after the op. He is on warfarin now and it has taken two years for his INR level to remain stable. I feel we discovered for ourselves that it was best to rule out brocoli almost completely and that this then helped keep levels stable or it may be that it takes that long for your body to adjust. I hope your friend gets good advice before the op and soon returns to fitness. Please tell your friend to remember recovery is a marathon not a sprint! Small steps at a time and keep remembering that it is a big op and will take weeks if not more to get fully fit again but your friend, all being well, will get there in time.

[Petercat1 in reply to HenningLob]

Yes a lot of people on here have said the mechanical valve makes a clicking noise that you have to get used to, they will have to take warfarin forever due to it being a mechanical valve. If its a tissue valve it lasts for about 10-15 years before it needs replacement, and no warfarin.