time til surgery

[Terri14]

Hi I am wondering what is the average time scales of being diagnosed with aortic leaky heart valve and having it replaced ?

[Pbbluenose]

Hi, after being diagnosed and seen by the cardiac surgeon, I was called within four months, however this was not possible at the time as I had just had steriod injections. However my new date was beginning of March this year, so done within 6 months. This was at Trent Cardiac Centre in Nottingham.Hopefully your waiting time depends on hospital and how urgent you need a new valve.

Good luck.

If you want any further info on op and post, don't hesitate to contact me.

All the best. Peter

[Pbbluenose in reply to Pbbluenose]

Sorry forgot to mention that mine was at the severe stage.

[Hythe123 in reply to Pbbluenose]

Hi diagnosed February op in June.

[Taviterry]

When in January 2023 my GP diagnosed a dodgy heart valve after an ECG at his surgery, I had a couple more scans at the local hospital before meeting with a cardiologist there who made copious notes of my medical history. Other scans followed, and I saw another hospital cardiologist before finally meeting with a surgeon four months after I'd seen the GP. He deemed my condition serious enough to tell me that I should not be driving, in accordance with DVLA guidelines, but implied that I didn't need a new valve just yet. I decided to go ahead with an op, and he reckoned that Hammersmith NHS Hospital could do it in three months or so. When I ran Cardiology there, a nurse said that it was more likely to be six months, and then only if a bed was available - I would have to ring after midday on the appointed date of admission to see if one was!

I decided to have a private op at the John Radcliffe Hospital in Oxford in July.

[Survivor1952]

obviously everyone is different, I was 3 weeks from diagnosis to surgery.

[Terri14]

I was diagnosed with a mild to moderate in 2018 , so was asking to see on average it takes before being severe

[Lexi72]

Hi Terri14 . I don’t think there is “one size fits all” I was diagnosed with moderate about 7 years ago (at 56) with bicuspid valve and have been monitored since . Big discussion in multidisciplinary team about a year ago whether I was moderate or severe and concluded it was still moderate ( also have dilated aorta) Last review in August am now severe (aorta still stable) and am seeing surgeon on Thursday and expect to go on list for surgery . So for me 7 years after my condition was picked up but know friends and relatives who have been moderate for 30 years. The key is to be monitored . As mine got more severe my cardiology shortened the intervals for regular echos down to 6 months. best wishes Lexi

[Terri14]

Thanks , I do get an Echocardiogram each year

[Drummer20]

I was diagnosed with mild to moderate aortic valve disease in 2015.It didn’t get to the severe stage until 2022.I had a new valve after waiting on the waiting list for a year.Its supposed to be 4months but the waiting lists are big post covid.The seven years before it became critical I was monitored by the cardiologist once a year, I had an echo cardiogram and told to carry on as normal.

[Terri14 in reply to Drummer20]

Thank you

[Drummer20 in reply to Terri14]

I’m feeling really well, one year on from surgery.I worried a lot but I’m grateful now.

[Terri14 in reply to Drummer20]

That’s great news , I’m more knackered now and getting pains in my body if over do it . Also had high blood pressure last week that kept going up and down but steady now , just want my life back

[Drummer20]

Hope you get sorted soon.Let them know how you are feeling .

[Tlyna]

I was diagnosed with severe aortic stenosis in September last year, had several tests done over the next 3 months then had the surgery in January this year.

[Terri14 in reply to Tlyna]

How did you feel before you had it done ?

[Tlyna]

Very, very sick and worse I didn't have a clue because other things interfered with finding out. I live in southwest Florida, right where hurricane Ian struck. I spent 23 hours sitting in the driver's seat of my car waiting out the storm in a parking lot halfway across the state then driving home to see if I still had a house (I did and not too much damage). Unfortunately I have back damage from years before and those hours caused me to end up in severe pain so that I could do nothing. I had to recertify to have a Radiofrequency Rhizotomy done which took six months where I could do next to nothing due to the pain. I was also put on Ramipril during this time and soon began to have shortness of breath on little exercise and got to the point where walking 20 feet had me doubled over unable to breathe, also had to sit up in bed to breathe. I was taken off the Ramipril and things improved for a while then got bad again, in fact worse. I finally ended up in the emergency room where the problem was diagnosed. The doctors say I was pretty close to dying . I spent 4 days in the hospital getting stabilized. Scared me pretty badly. I knew I had a heart condition but up until then it had been minor and stable. It is unknown if it was the Ramipril that had it become so severe so fast of it it was just my going downhill was masked by all that was going on for those long months.

[Terri14 in reply to Tlyna]

Bless you what a horrible time 🤗

[Jedi14]

This would depend on levels of urgency! If you have more problems meanwhile go to your GP, who will then further refer you to accident emergency/hospital.