I had mitral valve replacement exactly 6 months ago at Barts in London. It looks like people who are doing good are not writing on this forum. We usually see the others and therefore naturally think, after surgery people are not doing good. Its completely opposite in my experience.
I had the OHS and now I am back to a better life than before. I spent about 2 weeks in and around Black Sea mountains (see the picture), walking, dining and tracking . After that I did all the visits to the tourist attractions in Istanbul and spent a whole week in southern Turkey swimming every day. It was very hot. Now back to UK and enjoying the “even hotter”weather 😳
I did a quick cardio check up in Turkey and was told the valve is working great as they have done a fantastic job. Ef is 65. Dr checked my previous eco report and said “Slightly enlarged left vent (before op) is now looking normal. You are a fit man now except high cholesterol” He suggested I should get statin and ezatemine together.
Basically my main issue is cholesterol. i cannot seem to control it. I must check my diet. Otherwise I am very happy I had the op and enjoying my life much better than before the OP. I am saying before because, for decades I had this condition and did not know what I had. So i actually did not know what normal breathing would look like. When I was walking in beautiful forests I made sure my lungs enjoyed deep breaths.
I must admit, I am a positive person as I always see the positive sides on everything. That helps for the quick recovery as well. My point in life is if something is going to happen it will happen. Why should I worry about it until it happens.
All the best, stay positive and keep well.
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Megaladon
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Maybe the lack of them are because people that are doing so well forget to come and tell us yet those that are struggling need support so tend to post more but we need the positive posts to as they can give us all hope
You are lucky to have such a positive attitude to and I agree it makes a difference in recovery again some are just not as fortunate to have this but I envy those that do
A beautiful picture and sounds like you have been having a great time
Yes I agree. Those doing good forget about their situation and never come back here. But I think its important to share good experiences to give everyone here a good hope. Thinking positive helps recovery process.
Hi. It’s great to see you doing so well and I’m pleased you enjoyed your time in Turkey. Thank you for all the information you gave me, I really appreciated it. If you get time it would be great if you could update us with how you are getting on. It’s always great to hear about people who are doing well. It gives us all hope. Take care. X
Thanks for sharing your positive feedback. This really helps me as I am waiting to meet with my surgeon to find out if I need a mitral valve repair (hopefully) or a replacement. I do need to have OHS and weirdly am looking forward to it just to move on with my life. I’m interested in how and why you felt the need to have a cardio check up while you were in Turkey. Was it just to give you peace of mind? I’m asking as I hope to eventually get back on a plane again and travel. Again thanks for sharing your recovery story it’s inspiring and I’m really pleased for you.
I did cardio check because after the operation in London I have not seen any cardiologists. All I had was cardio nurses calling me which is good but not what i wanted. I preferred a cardiologist dr to see me to make sure replaced valve is working well. Its easier to reach a specialist in Turkey. It cost me £40 to do ECG, Eco and consultation. Plus the Dr himself does the eco while talking to you and showing what is happening with my heart. He told me the replaced valve was excellent and he praised the surgeons for doing such a beautiful job. It made me have more fun during the holiday.
Thank you for your reply, and it’s also really helpful to know there are other options available for us to get the reassurance we all need. I wish you continued good health.
What a lovely thing to read first thing on a Monday morning. A really good, positive start to my week. Thank you! I’m probably going to need some kind of valve surgery in the future and your post is so reassuring. Thank you again.
Surgeons are excellent. They know what they are doing as its their job. No need to stress. You will be fine if you go through the op. Recovery is also not that long.
What a great post and good to hear you are doing so well!
With apologies, I'd like to hijack to add that my husband was diagnosed with severe aortic stenosis and was given a new heart valve in November 21 at the age of 79. He walked out of hospital the next day and hasn't looked back since! He celebrated his 80th birthday last week and we raised a glass to the surgeon who performed his TAVI procedure as, without it, I have no doubt that he would not be here!
Instead, I have and 80 yr old husband who now has more energy and enthusiasm for life than he has had for years.
His condition was detected when he had an MRI for possible prostate cancer (which he thankfully didn't have) and the scan showed he had fluid on the lungs. He waited a year for his op and was told that without it his life expectancy was 2 yrs. I watched his condition deteriorate rapidly during the lead up to the op and I sincerely believe he would not have made his birthday without it!
Three cheers for the wonderful people who have the skill and the will to change people's lives for the better in such a way!
You sound as though you're really making up for lost time now. Keep on enjoying every day!
Hello MoyB So pleased to hear your husband has made an excellent recovery. I'm and going to show your post to my mam who is waiting to hear about valve replacement or repair. She had a heart attack 3 yrs ago in Lanzarote , aged 79. She had stent fitted and once she got her meds sorted she was doing well until March this year when she took ill again. The hardest part for her is not being able to get out for a good walk or exercise which is getting her down. Reading your post will hopefully give her reassurance and hope.
Please give your mum my best wishes. I hope my post helps to put her mind at rest a bit. My husband is walking well again now, but was very breathless before he had his new valve. xx Moy
Hello Megaladon from a very hot Fethiye, where I have lived for the last 10years. Thank you for such a very positive post. I will need mitral valve surgery in the future so it is good to read how well you feel. I also liked your picture of the Black Sea area. İt is on my list to do. I went to Van at the end of June and will visit south eastern Turkey in autumn.I would not have moved here if I had known that I had a heart problem as unfortunately, unlike the UK, healthcare costs are not covered for residents with chronic conditions. Thus, I had the shock of diagnosis and the shock that no health care provider, including the state, would cover me here! I now plan to get my Turkish fluent so I can hopefully get citizenship as I have been told SGK (NHS equivalent) will cover chronic conditions then - although I need to check this. Otherwise I will have to pay thousands of pounds for heart surgery or return to the UK. Residents here must pay twice as much as the locals at State hospitals (private insurance is compulsory but that has so many exclusions and rarely seems to pay out) and more than 10 times as much as Turks if you are a resident and want to join SGK although chronic conditions are still excluded... However, in terms of quality and speed of the Turkish healthcare system, I have no complaints. My GP, who is free to see, worked throughout the pandemic giving face to face appointments and I don't even need to make an appointment to go and see him. Cardiologists are easy to see. I just have to pluck up the courage to go and see one again for a check up!
Good luck. I suggest you have the op in UK then. As i have duel citizenship i don’t pay much for healthcare in Turkey. But due to my work I had the Op in Uk.
The good thing about the healthcare system in Turkey is that you reach a specialist in one day. Whereas in Uk it takes such a long time.
Yes Black Sea is greener now (rains more last few years) but the sea is much colder than the White sea.
I’m just back from two weeks in Ovacik - spent a couple of days down in Fehtiye (been to the region a dozen times or so and it’s one of my favourite places on Earth).
It’s disappointing to hear of the difficulties you face in Turkey, but also restores my faith in the UK’s NHS.
Here’s wishing you all the very best for the future!
Thank you for your post. I suspect that most people are on the site because they have heart issues and are looking for support and answers to their questions. I forget how I came across the forum but I joined specifically so that I could encourage others as my experiences have been very positive. Even with all I do know, the 79 year old husband mentioned in one of your replies who had a valve replacement one day and walked out of hospital the next sounds remarkable. Wonderful to hear such positive stories. I was blessed to have my valve replaced at the (late) London Chest Hospital in Bethnal Green, post op rehab course was brilliant and I was able to go on the wards and speak with a man who was waiting for surgery to reassure him that post op life could be good.
The 79 yr old you mention is my husband and, yes, it was remarkable! He was fortunate to have his replacement by the TAVI procedure which is all done through a small incision in the groin. During the op, he was fitted with a filter to stop any debris from the old valve getting into his bloodstream and causing a stroke. His old valve was pushed aside to make room for the new valve. The two, presumably, now sit side by side. There is hardly a day that passes without me saying, 'It's blooming marvelous what they can do now!'
I see everyday with my husband as a bonus day now, and we are making sure we do the things we enjoy while we both can. It's great to see him enjoying life again.
Wonderful! When I had my valve replaced the only option was open heart surgery, though there was the choice of a mechanical or pig's valve. Give your husband my best wishes, may his valve last as long as mine has so far, though that would probably put him in the Guinness Book of Records for length of life! Life is a precious gift from God, enjoy every day.
Thank you for taking the time to share your update. I came across your posts just after my own valve replacement surgery and certainly made me more positive. I too have had a mitral valve replaced - now 7 weeks post surgery.
Initially coming home from hospital was great and apprehensive but have remained positive throughout and now seeming real progress with fitness.
I still have some frustrations about my limitations, but realise that each week I am making good progress.
It's certainly great to hear that your recent travels were so successful as I'm hoping next year to be back to at least pre-surgery or better. I too had very little obvious symptoms .
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