heart valve re replacement

[Saz2712]

I had a mitral valve replacement 8years ago everything was fine and quick recovery but have just had a mitral valve and aortic valve replacement 11weeks ago and am really struggling with how hard everything is and how useless I feel I’m still in a fair bit of pain and my mood is very up and down anyone else been though this that can give some advice I’m normal quite fit 38years old

[Mitchum]

I can only advise to stick with it. Eleven weeks is really not long for your recovery. Please do NOT feel useless because you have no reason to. You are, to all intents and purpose, ill! But your recovery is in motion and will take time. Was your original valve re-placed with a tissue/organic or mechanical?

[Saz2712 in reply to Mitchum]

Thank you for your reply I think I was just expecting my body to heal faster than it is, my original valve was mechanical and my two new one are mechanical too my original valve was replaced because of an obstruction that attached to it not the valve failing

[Mitchum in reply to Saz2712]

I've had my mechanical mitral valve for 22 years along with an arterial bypass and I live my life as normally as possible. Once I got the warfarin situation normalised, which is a problem for some people but, with your experience of it shouldn't be for you, I decided to just "carry on living" and I'm sure you will too. please try and be patient Saz and good luck!

[Saz2712 in reply to Mitchum]

thank you for sharing makes me realise it’s just time I need, I’m just being inpatient its just hard this time round things are slower healing, hair loss and scar pain all over again think the only thing that’s been easier was the warfarin 🙂

[HeedioMk5]

Hi, In many ways I think it has lot to do with how you deal with the recovery mentally. My first valve surgery was in my early 30's and it was a doodle, I didn't really need help and just got on with it. In hindsight I was probably naive second time around, thinking recovery would be the same, when it was anything but. The Third time was different again, but my experiences made me stick with it, I set targets and met most if not all, knowing its worth it in the end.

Having both surgeries young can be a benefit, but, unfortuntely there's no way of knowing how your body is going to cope with all the stresses put on it.

Stick with it and take care.

Heedio

[Saz2712 in reply to HeedioMk5]

Thank you for you reply and sharing your experience I guess I was expecting an easy ride again like last time was up and out of hospital In 6days and everything went smoothly other than scar pain put like you have pointed out every time is different and my body has definitely told me it’s not happy with the stress and to take my time 🙂