Valve replacement

[Tuquoiselover]

General advice on what to expect after aortic heart valve surgery please

[Ageingfast]

about one week in hospital.

Six weeks of careful rehab, at home. Pretty much incapacitated. But walking daily required.

Six more weeks building up strength.

Then you have your life back !

Hope this over simplified outline helps

Sooty

[Tuquoiselover in reply to Ageingfast]

Thanks. I will have to accept not doing my usual activities and fitness at least for 6 weeks then! Walking every day will ar least be possible!

[Ageingfast in reply to Tuquoiselover]

I assume you will have open heart surgery as opposed to a TAVi.

Most patients are laid up for at least 7 weeks. And for those of us in our 70s it is likely 12 weeks.

No lifting anything heavier than a half filled kettle. Nothing lifting over head are examples of your convalescence.

I got to grips with lots of seed sowing but above all daytime TV.

But it was so worthwhile, the fabulous surgeons gave me my life back.

Best wishes

[Comfs]

hello the recovery is about 2-3 months after getting your valve replaced but it can take longer it just depends on the individual and the circumstances after surgery, I’m on to my 4th valve replacement and I’ve been in recovery from my last one for 8 weeks now.

Gradually you feel like you can start getting back to normality round about 6-8 weeks but like I say it’s different to everyone.

You just need to be really careful about your chest as that’s what will need to heal, so a lot of resting will be needed. It takes me about 4-6 weeks to be able to walk properly again and doing daily things in the house as you need to be careful lifting.

Hope this helps and I hope you get sorted

[Taviterry]

We've had several new threads about this recently, and some of various vintages are noted on the top right-hand side of this page as "Related posts".

Are you having a SAVI (with your chest being opened) or a TAVI (with the new valve being inserted up a vein near your groin)? The latter is for frailer people, though I walked for seven hours a week before mine. The day after the op I walked for 80 minutes around the hospital in half-a-dozen careful stages, and after three weeks was given the go-ahead to resume gardening. The DVLA requires that one does not drive for four weeks. I was completely self-sufficient after my discharge (just two nights in the hospital) but stayed with a cousin for five days just in case.

Your medical team and your health authority website should give you more information

[Leonardo1]

hi

Sooty puts it pretty well - 6 weeks of a slow life then gradually build up to a highly better quality of life !

But do what they tell you post op - get up move walk walk and walk - it’s the last thing you truly feel like but getting moving is your best way forward to a good recovery .

Good luck and focus on the future !

Ch

[Rhinos67]

Everyones journey is different. I was in hospital for 3 weeks despite them expecting everything to be plain sailing.All OK now but if there's anything specifically you want to know please ask.

If you aren't already a member of the Facebook group UK Aortic and Heart Defects Pre and Post surgery then well worth joining. Lots of support and reassurance from others who have had surgery for those who are waiting.

Joanne

😊

[Tuquoiselover in reply to Rhinos67]

As I am extremely active currently, I am worried how limited I will be after open heart surgery, which is the only one they have suggested for me, as they say the other is for frail people. I know I should be able to walk, but I fear nothing else. Such as pilates, weights, body combat! How did you get on?

[Rhinos67 in reply to Tuquoiselover]

You will be OK but need to give it a little time. I do Pilates, Step, Zumba and workout in the gym. No contact sport though because I'm on Warfarin and I would bruise. I regularly walk 5 miles a day at work and did 7.5 miles yesterday 😊

[Tlyna]

I had it done by TAVR (Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement) in January. The moment I woke up after I felt great, no more shortness of breath, no pain or swelling though some of both of those are typical but not bad. I went home the next day and have been doing great ever since. I was in really bad shape before the surgery, could barely breathe or walk. Although I had severe aortic stenosis I didn't have any plaque in my arteries.

My parents both had to have aortic valve replacements but theirs were before TAVRs came about so they had open heart surgery. Dad lived almost 22 years after his and would have lived longer but refused to take the diuretic he needed so died unnecessarily. Mom is still around 30+ years after hers despite having emphysema before the surgery (smoked right up to the morning of surgery) and is oxygen dependent now.

I was up on my feet that afternoon, not much but could go to the bathroom and around my room. Walked the hospital hall the next morning before discharge. Supposedly needed someone at home for the first day but I really did everything for myself as I was feeling a lot better and stronger. I did take care not to lift much (more than 1 lb or so) or bend down too much that first week. I am still in cardiac rehab but dong great there. You will feel so much better after.

[Jantech in reply to Tlyna]

Thanks so much for your uplifting post. I am catastrophically anxious after my moderate aortic regurgitation diagnosis and dread the future. You have given me hope.

I cannot tell you….

[Tlyna in reply to Jantech]

You will be fine. I was scared too but I talked to others who had the same surgery including my neighbor across the road from me. She even had the same surgeon and cardiologist. None of them had a problem with it nor knew of anyone who had and being a major senior area there are a lot of cardiac rehab patients in these two towns. My own city is often given the nickname "God's Waiting Room" .

[Jantech in reply to Tlyna]

I bet I could guess whereabouts you are! Anyway your kind words have made me feel hopeful. I am in the depths of despair. I am trying to climb out.

Thank you, thank you again

[Tlyna in reply to Jantech]

Lol, yeah that nickname kind of gives it away. Still it is a lovely place to retire to.

[Gooner1947 in reply to Tlyna]

Did you have to have an angiogram first for them to see what the real problem was or did they know through echocardiogram or other tests?I saw the cardiologist last week. He said I have aortic stenosis and will need a coronary angiogram. That's all he told me.

All a bit worried now.

He spoke about the valve. But I found it hard to take it all in.

I was thinking any blockage in valve could be removed by inserting a stent into valve.

[Tlyna in reply to Gooner1947]

I had blood, EKG, echocardiogram and a cardiac cath. My aortic valve had severe stenosis/ Both my parents had gone through the same thing but they had to have open heart surgery to correct it but that was because it was before TAVRs came along. Stents are used for plaque buildup not valve malfunctions. My brother has 4 stents and has had several heart attacks, I have not had any. My dad lived 20+ years after his but died when he started getting stupid about taking a diuretic. My mom is still alive 33 years after hers and she has emphysema on top of it. MY TAVR took just over an hour and I was up on my feet later that day and home the next. I had no pain or swelling whatsoever after which surprised me. Try not to worry, complications are very rare with these.

[Gooner1947 in reply to Tlyna]

Many thanks indeed for that. I'm beginning to understand it all now. When the angiogram is performed is that when they will do the TAVR?

I do recall the cardiologist mentioning "day surgery".

We're you able to carry on as normal when it was all completed and you were back home?

Thank you

[Tlyna in reply to Gooner1947]

I had the tests done before the surgery which was done a couple of weeks later. They did the TAVR early in the morning and kept me until the next morning in case of any complications though they are rare. I had none and was discharged the next day. I was advised not to lift more than 10 pounds and other than that I did my normal routine. The cardiologist did insist on me having someone at the house for 24 hours in case I had any bleeding or other complication but had none at all, nor any swelling or pain at the catheter insertion site. Fastest easiest recovery ever.

[Gooner1947 in reply to Tlyna]

Thank you. Very encouraging. So roughly 48 hours or so after operation you were more or less back to normal?

[Tlyna in reply to Gooner1947]

To tell the truth I felt back to normal almost immediately but felt I should follow the surgeon's directions just in case I mucked something up as I tend to want to do everything for myself.

[Gooner1947 in reply to Tlyna]

Thanks for that. Yesterday had appointments for another CT scan and a Carotid Vascular Ultrasound. So I assume this is all part of what the cardiologist requires before the actual angiogram and valve replacement if needed, which seems probable. I'm coming on 78. He did mention my age as a factor.

I just hope all goes well.

For the past few years my wife and I have been spending the winter months out in our cottage by sea in Philippines. So nice there and I hope and pray come January we are able to fly out from UK.

Just like to try and have something to look forward to.😀

[Tlyna in reply to Gooner1947]

Yeah, they do several different tests to make sure they know what the exact problem is, how bad it is, how best to approach it and what might be problems for you as the patient. I just turned 72 this month. You should be able to go out to your cottage without a problem and will undoubtedly feel a lot better. I have so much more energy now and no shortness of breath. Before the surgery it had gotten to the point where I could barely walk 20 feet without having to stop and bend over to catch my breath.. At times I would feel like passing out though I never did and always tired, falling asleep frequently. Now I can walk for a considerable distance and no shortness of breath at all or falling asleep for no reason.. Oddly my blood pressure meds have been able to be cut way down too.

[Gooner1947 in reply to Tlyna]

Once again thank you. I used to have to stop frequently too. I was so pleased to hear how things are for you now. So encouraging and I do wish you all the very best.

My breathlessness has improved since I was put on furosemide water tablets last week.

I don't push myself too much but do enjoy going out for short walks.

I certainly hope we can go to the Phillipines. If we can then will try and get flights with a change in middle east to break them up.

We intend to go for 3 months. We do have family around out there too.

Once again thank you for your replies. I do find them extremely helpful.

Peter

[Tlyna in reply to Gooner1947]

Best of luck with everything. am sure you will do fine and be able to go back to a fairly normal life. Take care.

[Gooner1947 in reply to Tlyna]

Thank you.

[Hiking_Girl]

I was in hospital for 7 nights after OHS, and 3 days after I got home I walked 8000 steps along the sea front at Portsmouth. I remember a lot of neck and shoulder pain, so keep on top of that - take the painkillers regularly, before you need them. And avoid deckchairs unless you've got someone to haul you out of them. Good luck.

[Tuquoiselover in reply to Hiking_Girl]

Thank you for your response, I love walking, so that is positive, hopefully I can walk as far as you did and as quickly! It did cross my mind how difficult it will be for me to get out of our sun loungers!