female, 49yrs old (almost 50) Ive had an aortic valve, root and ascending aorta replacement 9 months ago. Bovine valve to avoid thinners for a better life.
Im still recovering, a was symptomatic too long i think ( 3 years really struggling but a known lifelong long valve leak) …
and since the op Ive had several issues that keep setting be back… including a dental abscess and chest infection in summer and more recently covid, and the last two weeks a followup of covid associated pneumonia that put me in hospital fir z few days on oxygen- which I’m recovering at home from now. It seems I’ve now developed afib- I had a bout started about october but seemed to go away. It came back Friday pm and is still ongoing now (Monday am). Im frightened they will insist on putting me on blood thinner. My worst nightmare. Im frightened of the side effects, getting back to sport, my teeth and hair falling out etc. Im fed up as why it starts now? Apixoban was suggested for the original Afib, even though i should br low risk, but I resisted it as afib went away. Not sure I’ll have a choice today.
Sorry for whinge. I will come around. Im just so fed up. The valve op was supposed to fix me, but I seem to have other issues now instead that I didn’t bargain for. I mostly wanted to avoid thinner- and looks like im headed straight for it.
Do others on prosthetic valves that developed afib have apixoban, and/or can you stay on aspirin?
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Bebop2023
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Sorry I’ve only just got round to responding to this.
I’m similar in age to you (50 next year) and female.
I’ve also been on quite a AFib journey myself. My first diagnoses of AFib was back in 2014, but nothing was done then. I had my second open heart surgery for valve work done in 2020 (I should point out that first OHS was in 1986 when I was 11 and not for the valve at that point). I went for the Edwards Inspiris Resilia valve which is part bovine, part synthetic which at the time meant I was only to be on blood thinners for 6 months to let the new valve settle in. Due to the AFib, I was kept on them whilst they tried to fix that part as it appeared that and my Tachycardia got worse.
I’m on Rivaroxaban, and to be honest, I barely even notice I’m on them. I think the only time is if I get a bruise it can be quite big because you don’t clot as well, even sometimes accidentally cutting myself doesn’t really seem that bad. There’s not much I can’t do on them. Reference your worry about your hair and teeth falling out, that hasn’t happened to me at all. I also know quite a lot of other people who have gone on blood thinners and have never had any hair or teeth issues either.
As for sport, you would probably want to discuss that with your cardiologist. What do you do for work?
The first stage normally of AFib is to try and regulate your heartbeat with medication, which most of the time is Beta Blockers, or something similar. Blood thinners are usually prescribed as AFib can cause the blood to clot which can cause problems.
I’ve since had 2 Catheter Ablations, the most recent one only 2 weeks ago as I was given a choice to remain on medication or go for ablation treatment and hopefully be able to come off them.
There are options for you, but even if you have an ablation you will need to go on blood thinners for a certain amount of time.
Hope this has reassured you a little bit. I’m not a medical professional, so I can’t give you full advice, but I can tell you about my experiences.
thankyou for taking the time to respond! It does make me feel better, and you do seem similar to me. My first OHS was also as a child in 1982 when I was 8 years old. My second in Feb2023 where also have the Edwards Inspiris Resilia ♥️, along with a repkacement root & ascending aorta.
Ive no idea whh onky the past 2 months it so the AF has started. But the covid pneumonia attack may be related to this final stint. This current episode is now 10 days and ongoing. Im now started on Apixaban and bisoprolol. The irregularity is continuous, ive been to gp again today and basically just got to wait for it to stop on its own and/or accept it’s happening/ meds are there to minimise risk. Will get used to the symptoms. He will also write to update my cardiologist, they will then decide if anything else will need to be done or if i can stop the drugs etc in the future. So feels like thats it for now at least. It may also be as I gave to heal from this covid setback too and see what is permanently an issue after that. Its all so complicated!🤣
Your response is reassuring for me thankyou. Ill keep taking the drugs and see what happens next ♥️💪😎.
Do you have a direct line to your cardiologists secretary? May be worth getting in touch there to see if they can get you an appointment. If you only had your OHS in February, I should imagine you are still under Cardiology care.
Not blood thinners. Anticoagulants work on the clot forming element of the blood not the consistency.Aspirin works on the platelets,used to change the stickiness of the blood in patients with furred up arteries.
For a start, Apixaban and other similar drugs,are not blood thinners. It's a very misleading term. They act on the clotting element of the blood,making it less easy to form clots. AFib and Aflutter people have an increased risk by 5% of very damaging strokes .If you have been assessed as scoring high enough on the scale they use you would seriously benefit from taking them.
I don't know why you are reluctant and why you think teeth and hair falls out etc. Warfarin has been shown to sometimes affect hair loss though.
Aspirin is useless for combating the risk of arrthmia strokes. It acts only on the platelets in the blood, not the clotforming element, and is used for people who have furred up arteries etc.
Thankyou fir the reply. The term is misleading I agree 👍. Since i posted anyway i have started the apixaban. Another reply I had was also quite similar in background to me which was reassuring.
I have had the afib constantly for about 3-4 weeks now and i dont think it will go away, its with an average heartrate resting about 80-100, and that’s being on bisoprolol. They may change that to a calcium blocker- guess that is better??? That maybe as i wheeze on a higher bisoprolol dose. Onthe risk scoring they think I’m a prob 0-1 so very low risk but im also complicated and not a typical example- so thats why they were keen anyway for anticoagulant. GP says they would also want me on an anticoagulant anyway before trying any corrective procedures for the afib correction if suitable in the future when im a bit fitter.
So im going with the advice. And hope the palpitations will go away eventually 🤣- either by themselves or by future intervention .
Hi Bebop, I recognise your frustration. Apixaban I have been on now for a year with no problems. Yes it’s a blood thinner but Dr’s prob put you on it to reduce the risk of your AF turning into as in my case a TIA or worse a stroke. Good luck
since posting reply i have had access to all other posts and have further comments. If you are in constant AF you realy should be looking into other treatment than better blockers( they never stopped my AF. The least invasive simple procedure is called a cardio version. In this they simply shock the heart and it goes back to normal. Worked for me.. for about two months. Next is an abulation. I have had two one while having open heart surgery the second by cathetor. I am prob now headed to my third abalation . As they say an abalation is like trying to dam water the water can find a way around the dam. Several friends were successful with a single abalation. Oh couple personal tips on how to reduce the AF . I bet you have a particular side you lay on which reduces the AF. Also a warm compress over the heart helps. Good luck
hi there. I’m so a woman in my 50s and have had 5 valve replacements, my last one being mechanical and therefore, I’m on warfarin. It certainly isn’t the horror drug I thought it would be and I pretty much eat whatever I want. I test my own blood (have a bought a coagucheck machine) and so can ensure I take the correct dose depending on what my INR is. I also have AFib and have just come out of hospital following my 3rd cardioversion so fingers crossed, it’s worked this time. Had a tooth out recently and the warfarin didn’t cause any issues although I had to come off it for a couple of days and therefore, had to inject myself in the stomach to prevent clots but even that is ok. There is so much fear over blood thinners but I’m actually glad I’m on them. I do wear a medical ID bracelet that gives my NHS number and the fact I’m on warfarin in case I was in an accident.
I don’t do any contact sports but I swim and cycle with no issues.
If you’ve got AFib, blood thinners take away the stress of clots and the side effects for me are very low.
Dear Bebob2013----- Eventually, I will have a TAVR to replace my aortic valve so cannot give you any advice, I can only give you sympathy which I give to you, now. It sounds as if one complication is leading to yet another. Eventually, there will be no more complications and you ill have a renewed heart and life. Please concentrate on the better days you will have. I am sorry for all you are going through and will keep you in my prayers.
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