Wishful thinking !

[Bookworm60]

10 days till my AVR surgery and nerves are setting in good and proper now. Anyone else with fairly minor symptoms like me begin to wonder if it was some big mistake and you didn't need surgery at all ? 😬

[Rhinos67]

Oh my goodness yes! I'm back in the denial stage. Just had my CT angiogram last week and thinking that maybe it'll all come back OK and they tell me it's been a mistake and I don't need surgery!

Good luck, I hope that everything goes well and that you make a speedy recovery

I've joined a Facebook group UK Aortic + Heart defects who are helping me with my nerves and anxiety.

Joanne

X

[Bookworm60 in reply to Rhinos67]

Thanks - I might look for that group ! Glad it's not just me ...

[Rhinos67 in reply to Bookworm60]

Yes do, there is a Zoom chat every other week and they have really helped to reassure me

Page details of Aortic Facebook group

[Bookworm60 in reply to Rhinos67]

Thanks 😊

[Isobel1]

I did until the result of my tests ! Honestly, waiting is the worst part. Once you're in hospital, they treat you so well, and make sure your pain's under control, that before you know it, you're home & staring to get better.

[francesw47]

Waiting really is the worst part of it! The mind goes through all manner of scenarios, but honestly the teams on the wards are so good at looking after you that you will feel much calmer once in hospital. The process takes over, there is a lot to do once you are admitted and before you know it you are ready to go home. Its not a rose garden - and you will feel weak and a bit shocked to start off with, but the feeling of euphoria is wonderful (or was that the morphine) and you will feel so much better once home - in spite of the fact you are minimally symptomatic at the moment. Hope all goes well for you and let us know how you are once you are on the road to recovery.

[080311]

Morning,

As others have said the waiting is the awful, I had AVR and bypass done 5 years ago I was a bit different to you I was very sick in hospital for 7 weeks before my surgery while they got rid of the excess fluid my heart couldn’t get rid of because it was so weak. So my op couldn’t come quickly enough I just wanted to go home!

I was only in the specialist heart hospital for 7 days so you can see how this operation works, but you really don’t want to wait until you are like I was before having it done!

It really is a life saver.

I wish you a really great recovery, just remember to follow all you are told and you will be on the mended heart road before you know it.

Best wishes Pauline

[Bookworm60 in reply to 080311]

Thanks - yes that does make being minimally symptomatic before I go in sound a bit better tbh !

[Cyprus12]

I was being monitored for my stenosis and suddenly deteriorated. It got to the stage I could only walk on the flat at a slow speed!! I caught MRSA in hospital after becoming anaemic and it went on until I was fit enough to operate on. Best thing that ever happened to me. Out of hospital after 5 days, but recovery took a while for me. Just don't rush it. I'm back playing badminton 3 times a week, swimming and skiing. I looked at it as the start of getting my life back!! 😬😬

[Bookworm60 in reply to Cyprus12]

Thanks for sharing this - it really helps !

[andy110519]

Looking back I had a few minor symptoms but not enough to ring alarm bells & had a cardiac arrest at the local Parkrun. Diagnosed the same day with a bicuspid aortic valve & had AVR & a patch 6 days later & home a week after that. From what I gather this is very unusual re the SCA. The one plus was no long nervous wait.Take it easy afterwards and hopefully you will be better than before, 2.5 years latter I'm running 5ks faster than before & getting up munros a lot quicker too.

Take care

Andy

[Bookworm60 in reply to andy110519]

Hmm yes that does make where I'm at feel better ! That must have been terrifying at the time ! Great to hear you're feeling so great afterwards! Thanks for replying.

[Leonardo1]

Hi - I’ve got my pre op on Wednesday for my AvR A f ew weeks ago I was so ill I was blue lighted in since then I’ve felt really quite well . But I’ve been resting a lot ! I actually have begun to wonder if I needed the surgery at all as I feel so much better ??? Until I had a ToE last week and the lovely doctor told be how poorly my valve was - she’d seen it up close via ultra sound !! You too will have had all the tests - they have seen your valve and they know it needs replacing they don’t do this surgery for no reason !! And if you feel ok now just imagine how magnificent you will feel 6 weeks post op !!! That’s what I’m thinking about focusing on 2022 new valve !!! New life !!! Trust your surgeon and the cardiac team they are amazing !

Good luck and good health

[Bookworm60 in reply to Leonardo1]

Thank you 😊. Logically of course I know it needs doing. Just wishful thinking ! I've been taking it very easy so doesn't feel like a big issue at the moment but of course I know that's nonsense. Looking forward to a point next year where I can go for a long walk - with hills - again !

[Leonardo1 in reply to Bookworm60]

Me too !! Good luck 🤞🏻❤️‍🩹❤️

[Bookworm60 in reply to Leonardo1]

Same to you x

[WeaverShaz]

It is a scary thought. I had my AVR 7 weeks ago. One way of looking at it is that you will definitely need a new valve at some point so it is better to have it before you become really ill. Although the first week is a little rough, I feel fine now - better than I thought at this point. Believe me, the surgeons wouldn't be doing it if you didn't need it. Good luck. I hope all goes well. Also - be prepared for it to be cancelled at short notice. Mine was third time lucky and even then I didn't really think it would happen until I was in the anaesthetic room!

[Bookworm60 in reply to WeaverShaz]

Thank you. Yes much better to have it done while I'm feeling strong 💪 good to hear you're feeling so well at 7 weeks ❤️

[StevepH2012]

Hi - I know exactly what you mean. My AVR was in July 2020 with no visitors in hospital etc..During 'check-in' at the hospital and being processed I was walking from reception to office to ward to bay carrying my little 'week-end' bag, all the time seeing seriously ill people in wheel-chairs and beds wearing hospital gowns some with pipes & wires attached. That clearly wasn't me - I thought - what am I doing here?This was until the surgeon came round for pre-surgery chat during which he casually commented " you're starting from so much a better place than these people" nodding towards the other patients in the bay, all of whom had been brought in by ambulance with lights on,

This reminded me that - there is no other way to fix BAV, if you have aneurysm that is growing it is likely to pop.

He was right - on my way post surgery I left ICU before 3 of the 5 patients who were there ahead of me, and was discharged from step-down 5 days after admission.

Good luck

[Bookworm60 in reply to StevepH2012]

Thanks so much for this. Logically I know this already really but it's so hugely helpful to hear from people who've actually ' walked the walk' ! X

[Ageingfast]

Your stenosis will probably get worse, mine got to the stage when I could only stay awake for two hours a day. I knew urgent hospital treatment was essential and it did make the waiting a bit easier. But I think saving you from going through that distress is best. I was within weeks of not surviving. You are going a little sooner. But come 2023 you will be fit whereas without the op you would be in a terrible state.The waiting is by far the worst bit, but once you step inside the hospital, everything becomes so much better.

Be brave. You can do it.

Colin

[Bookworm60 in reply to Ageingfast]

Thanks so much Colin. Sounds like you had a really tough time of it. I know this is not going to be easy but I also do know really that I can do Hard Things when I have to. You guys all have and it's so helpful to have the support of this community. I go in the afternoon before and no visitors allowed so I'll be ' on my own' for the duration. Suspect I'll be on here a lot ! 😂

[Ageingfast in reply to Bookworm60]

I had a bad time before the op., but once I entered hospital it was not tough at all. Please dont think the procedure is bad,,,,it really is not. I went late April 2020 when the pandemic was raging. I had three days of preops, which are usually done before admission.. and like you, no visitors. This was fine. The staff were superb, partly due to not having visitors to contend with. Staff popped in frequently, I was never left isolated.

I love fredders comment. 11days before you start your recovery to the rest of your life.

Another plus point, is that recovery is so positive. Every day I could feel improvement. Not like most medical treatments.

An amazing op by amazing staff.

Colin

[Fredders]

Instead of looking it as 10 days to go until your surgery, think of it as 11 days to go until you start your recovery and getting on with the rest of your life. 😃Wendy

[Bookworm60 in reply to Fredders]

Brilliant. Thank you.

[Heather1957]

I had bypass surgery in 2017 and kept a recovery blog on here and I certainly said (stupidly) I wonder if I did the right thing having the op.

Having doubts are quite normal I'm sure!