I was born with a bicuspid aortic valve - a life time runner, a slight murmur was detected in a stress test when in my 30’s - cardio said, you are in great shape, nothing to worry about - just keep running.
At 60 the murmur got loud, 2 doc’s said you need to see a cardio.
In 30 seconds the cardio said “you have a bi-cuspid aortic valve” will need replacement in 10 years. Keep running, we’ll do annual echocardiogram.
At 63, no deterioration or stenosis - “you may never need the valve replacement”
At 64, ‘You need valve replacement TODAY or you could die at any moment”. 2nd opinion concurred - I had pig valve plus triple bypass (WHAT! How could that be? I have a runner’s heart - am healthy?”
I’ve had 9 major surgeries - this is the only one I never want again - it was rough.
Here’s the good news: I was home in 3 days, one week from 5 hour surgery I was walking 1 mile/day; in 2 weeks, 3 miles a day; in 3 weeks, 5 miles a day. Ran a full 10k 9 months after surgery - all the grace of God.
At 71 my pig valve (oink, oink) is doing well. I walk 5 miles/day and cycle 12 - 20 miles 3 times/week. I did the 5 miles this am, 18 on bike this afternoon. Stay in shape, eat healthily. Love your wife and family.
Too much here to discuss, past my bedtime - will tell more tomorrow. Will PM my phone number so I can help in any way.
Talk to the doc who posted before me - he will be a great resource and knows far more than me - but I’ve been through it.
Why not a mechanical valve that would outlast me? #1 - didn’t want to be on blood-thinners/Coumadin for the rest of my life - and broccoli is my fav veggie, love carrots. My cardio said when I need a new valve, they won’t have to do open chest surgery, and that is true today.
More later - nite!
Rough? Based on your recovery I'd say you did great.
My cardio said when I need a new valve, they won’t have to do open chest surgery, and that is true today.
I think that's why more surgeons will recommend a tissue valve these days, plus a tissue valve will most likely last much longer than it once did.
I think if a person has low risk, they'll still do surgery for a second replacement, but in the future they'll probably do them all by catheter.
“plus triple bypass (WHAT! How could that be? I have a runner’s heart - am healthy?”
Do an internet search on “Dr. James Fixx”.
What you have/had re: your heart bypass surgery is congenital, period. No amount of exercise, etc, can stop it.
Wow! Thank you for the detailed info! I’ll definitely keep in touch; you’ve had quite the first hand experience with this!
You could’ve had your broccoli, what you couldn’t do is to suddenly change the amounts of the greens you did eat! It’s the sudden level changes of Vitamin k in your diet that causes the issue! If you were used to eating a given amount of green veggies a week, the docs would have adjusted the amount of coumadin to compensate.
Of course that is a moot point for your situation currently but it might not be for others!