Open heart surgery

[heatherleon]

Hi, I am possibly looking at having open heart surgery as I have two leaky valves. I have a mri booked for next week which will determine what surgery I will be having but just wanted to hear of anyone else's experience of open heart surgery and how long it takes to recover, many thanks, Heather x

[Yumz199725]

I can't advice on much because I'm waiting for surgery aswell I don't know when I'm having it all I know is that I will need it at some point I had my MRI few weeks ago and I'm having a stress echo soon so hopefully should tell them whether I need the surgery yet. Wish you all the best hun. What valves are leaking, mine is mainly my aortic valve is the issue, mixed valve disease so will need major heart surgery to replace the damaged valve. Have you started getting symptoms yet? Mine is affecting me alot now so been having to take it easy alot x

[heatherleon in reply to Yumz199725]

Hi, thank you so much for your reply, sounds like we are in the same boat, mine is my tricuspid that is severe and mild to moderate mitral, they are also checking for any other congenital heart disease defects!! What symptoms are you getting? I just have very little energy and get dizzy quite a bit so same as you I'm taking it easy, probably other symptoms as well but you get use to them like it's normal. How was your MRI? I've not had one before. Do you know what hospital you'll go to, they are sending me to Papworth x

[Yumz199725 in reply to heatherleon]

Yeah definitely sounds like we're the same, I get dizzy, and feel faint and sick from standing up too long and feel very weak and exhausted very easily. I haven't got my results back yet but I don't think its gona be good cause my most recent exercise test showed my valve is causing limited capability to exercise which explains alot about why I been feeling so rubbish. I walked like 11,000 steps in one day and when I got home and sat down when I tried to stand up I was soooo dizzy so had to sit back down again which has never happend before. I'm hoping I won't be waiting to much longer cause I can't take it much longer I'm 27 and feel like I'm about 70 odd. My specialist nurse even agreed that I would feel much better when I do have the surgery. My aortic valve is moderate to severe aortic regurgitation and moderate to severe aortic stenosis and I was born with congenital heart disease bicuspid aortic valve. Did they say what other defects there were looking into?? X

[PadThaiNoodles]

I had OHS in Sept to repair my mitral valve and replace my aortic valve. It took about a month for the main incision to heal, but more like 2 months for the chest drains. I think I was a bit slower than many because I have crap connective tissue genes, but then again that's what caused the valve issues, so you may be in the same boat.

I was back driving at 6 weeks, but still with some residual muscle and/or sternum pain. That has faded over time, but still isn't 100% gone (it can get a bit sore when I overdo things, but nothing "sharp" or worrisome). I also still have a little bit of nerve damage (just odd sensations like there being some tape stuck on my chest), but these are fading as well.

I think I would have been OK going back to work at 6 weeks, but happier at 8 or 12 weeks. (I'm retired so it was a non-issue for me.)

My sister had hers done much younger (she was 40; I'm 60), but the recovery time wasn't hugely different.

[heatherleon in reply to PadThaiNoodles]

Hi, thank you for your reply and for all the really helpful information. I really appreciate you sharing your experience. I'm in my 60's so will probably be in the same boat as you. I hope that you're doing ok and being looked after x