Aortic Stenosis.

[iceman]

I'm in Canada, so...the bill won't ruin my future...

That's just so hudge. I swear half the stress is financial in the US. Congrats on living in a civilized country, you're gonna be fine.

[gageyk]

I was diagnosed with aortic stenosis in 2004 at 43 years old. Discovered during a pre employment physical via EKG. Echocardiogram confirmed bicuspid aortic valve. Managed to make about 3 more years when echocardiogram showed it was time for replacement I was MTB riding , skiing, backpacking, etc then was told I could either stop my recreation for another year or 2 and postpone surgery or get AVR open heart. I opted for surgery as I wanted to enjoy life. I felt I was asymptotic, could ride like a 20 year old.

I opted for a tissue valve, no blood thinner. Surgery was the day before my 46th bday in August. I was skiing by November, no issues. The one big difference, my heart wasn’t pounding in chest, something I thought was normal had disappeared!!

Flash forward to Fall 2016. Echocardiogram started showing my valve was deteriorating and I could feel some symptoms. Follow up in May 2017 indicated once again it was time for replacement. Surgeon and cardiologist both understand my desire for outdoor recreation so they ask “what do you want to give up for a season, MTB or skiing? I chose MTB and chose to have replacement open heart with another tissue valve in July 2017, in fact I was discharged 1 year ago today. I was on an MTB exactly 8 weeks after surgery and enjoyed a typical ski season in the Sierra.

As for TAVR vs open heart, I was given the choice, surgeon has done lots of TAVR, he said TAVR valve technology is still in its infancy and with my lifestyle I would likely need another replacement within 3-5 years. TAVR valves wear out much faster. Even with my open heart my valve is expected to last only 10-15 years so I will have another AVR though it will likely be TAVR. In 2007, when I had my first surgery, TAVR hadn’t been performed yet.

I was told my initial valve would last from 5-25 years, I made 9 years 11 months. I know 2 others in my age range and physical likes whose valves will need replacement within the next 12 months, both between 9 and 11 years.

I’m lucky, surgeon is road biker and his co worker, fellow surgeon is a skier, bc skier, and MTB rider. They understand the desire for outdoor fun.

OHS for me was scary as shit first time around routine the second. It ain’t nearly as bad as it sounds. I was textbook recovery both times. If you’re in decent shape going in recovery is quick. You’re walking within 24 hours of surgery. 2 weeks post surgery I could do 2 mile walks, 4 weeks out I was hiking in the Sierra. 9 weeks out I was riding Downieville. I was one month shy of my 56th birthday for the second surgery. Ask anyone whose had ACL or a tib fib fracture what their recovery was like. OHS is much easier.

[Meanfruit]

Wow! That's awesome. You make it sound like replacing a blown inner tube. It never occurred to me that I may need several valve replacement surgeries over the course of my life, though. I have an appointment with a cardiac surgeon on July 27th, so I'm hoping with my research, and the solid first hand accounts of the dentists and Trustafarians on the board, I'll come out on top

Sent from my XP7700 using TGR Forums mobile app

[detrusor]

Yeah, the fact that the sternum is wired together takes the bony pain out of the equation. Pain meds are typically much lower need than after other surgeries.


Sent from my iPhone using TGR Forums

[jm2e]

Good luck with whatever you end up doing.
Make sure you follow up here. Nothing like a little median sternotomy TR!!!

[Meanfruit]

Pics to follow

Sent from my XP7700 using TGR Forums mobile app

[iceman]

Oh man don't pull a Letterman on us.

[prsboogie]

Wow! That's awesome. You make it sound like replacing a blown inner tube. It never occurred to me that I may need several valve replacement surgeries over the course of my life, though. I have an appointment with a cardiac surgeon on July 27th, so I'm hoping with my research, and the solid first hand accounts of the dentists and Trustafarians on the board, I'll come out on top

Sent from my XP7700 using TGR Forums mobile app

You better hope your first one lasts a lot longer than ten years, they may deem you not a valuable contributor to society at 62 and deny a second surgery

Sent from my XT1650 using Tapatalk

[iceman]

Well he could always come to the US and pay for it like us.

[prsboogie]

Well he could always come to the US and pay for it like us.

That is always a possibility.

Sent from my XT1650 using Tapatalk

[riser4]

Oh man don't pull a Letterman on us.

His E-ZPass joke killed it tho, amiright?

[Meanfruit]

Reports of my death are greatly exaggerated.

Sent from my XP7700 using TGR Forums mobile app

[liv2ski]

You better hope your first one lasts a lot longer than ten years, they may deem you not a valuable contributor to society at 62 and deny a second surgery

Sent from my XT1650 using Tapatalk

Yup, kind of what my dad was told in his early 50s, but he did need a heart transplant.
Wishing you a great outcome meanfruit

[prsboogie]

Reports of my death are greatly exaggerated.

Sent from my XP7700 using TGR Forums mobile app

Good luck and keep us posted on progress

Sent from my XT1650 using Tapatalk

[Flyoverland Captive]

If any of you have been told you have a heart murmer but it's "nothing to worry about", get it checked out. I've had one since I was a little kid, and my doctors all shrugged it off. In my late forties I finally got a decent doc (Dr. Ho in Spokane, you rock!) who decided to dig further. Turns out I have a bicuspid aortic valve; it's congenital. I also have aortic dilation, which needs to be monitored to make sure the walls don't get too thin and possibly rupture. Now I see a cardiologist and get an echocardiogram yearly to monitor it.

I've been given the all-clear to run, ride, ski, etc., but was told that short, sharp activities (heavy lifting, etc.) are a no-go. Fine, I can live with that.

I was also told that I'll probably eventually need a new valve, and that the longer I wait, the better, because an artificial valve is what I'd get at this age, which means blood thinners, which is horrible. If I wait, I'll get a tissue valve, which means no thinners, and should last a couple decades.

Apparently, my condition is pretty common, and not a big deal as long as I get it checked out every year. I actually enjoy the echocardiogram; it's pretty cool to watch the screen.

If you've got a murmer, go see your doc; I cannot stress this enough.

[GoldMember]

If any of you have been told you have a heart murmer but it's "nothing to worry about", get it checked out. I've had one since I was a little kid, and my doctors all shrugged it off. In my late forties I finally got a decent doc (Dr. Ho in Spokane, you rock!) who decided to dig further. Turns out I have a bicuspid aortic valve; it's congenital. I also have aortic dilation, which needs to be monitored to make sure the walls don't get too thin and possibly rupture. Now I see a cardiologist and get an echocardiogram yearly to monitor it.

I've been given the all-clear to run, ride, ski, etc., but was told that short, sharp activities (heavy lifting, etc.) are a no-go. Fine, I can live with that.

I was also told that I'll probably eventually need a new valve, and that the longer I wait, the better, because an artificial valve is what I'd get at this age, which means blood thinners, which is horrible. If I wait, I'll get a tissue valve, which means no thinners, and should last a couple decades.

Apparently, my condition is pretty common, and not a big deal as long as I get it checked out every year. I actually enjoy the echocardiogram; it's pretty cool to watch the screen.

If you've got a murmer, go see your doc; I cannot stress this enough.

I would agree with this and I would bet there are a number of people on this site that have murmurs, mostly through athletic heart syndrome. It's quite common and mostly benign but any murmur should be verified for voracity. I have a murmur, too and had an echocardiogram 25 years ago to take a look at cause. I was told not to worry about it, it was an 'athletic murmur' and that I also have bradycardia (low pulse rate) and enlargement caused by my activities. I have annual physicals and the condition is the same now as it was 25 years ago. Still, I'm glad that it was diagnosed and I am also glad to have the annuals to keep me in check. Good advice, FLC.

[riser4]

I cannot stress this enough.

Stress bad. Only dull activities for you.

[Meanfruit]

So, after seeing my cardiologist, and several more tests, I'm going in for the Angiogram?(sp) later this month. It's to deem if I have more issues, as I have high pressures in the left ventricle as well. Apparently common, who knew? My daughter was born with this same problem, plus a rock hard left ventricle. Transplanted at 14months old at Toronto's Children's Hospital. Looks like me teasing the wife that her won't is poisoned has come back to haunt me As was mentioned earlier, get checked on a regular basis. If I had, this might have been diagnosed early, not that it can be treated by anything but surgery. I was raised to ignore pain, and that only pussies went to the doc for anything besides amputation, or childbirth. Smart.

Sent from my XP7700 using TGR Forums mobile app

[iceman]

They're gonna fix you man. Hang in there. Keep on truckin and don't look back, fuck regrets at this point.

Your daughter had a heart transplant? Did I understand that right?

[detrusor]

If you have aortic stenosis you should have high left ventricular pressures. It’s the heart working against a fixed outflow obstruction.


Sent from my iPhone using TGR Forums

[Meanfruit]

They're gonna fix you man. Hang in there. Keep on truckin and don't look back, fuck regrets at this point.

Your daughter had a heart transplant? Did I understand that right?

Ya, we brought her home from the hospital in '98, great pregnancy, quick delivery. 2 days old, laboured breathing while my wife slept, I just happened to be walking by the couch, noticed she was in distress. While racing up to the hospital, she stopped breathing.. it was insane. In any case, she's 20 years old, healthy as an ox. We're going to have matching scars! On a more serious note, it's hit my wife and kids pretty hard. Shit happens.

Sent from my XP7700 using TGR Forums mobile app

[iceman]

That's incredible about your daughter, nice job saving her life! Does she have to take anti-rejection meds or was she young enough that somehow she adapted? Just curious.

It kinda sucks that you have to be the strong when for your family through this, when you're the one they'll be cutting on, but that's just the way it is when people care a lot, they're scared to lose you. Well they're not gonna lose you over this so give 'em a hug and tell 'em you understand and now they need to cheer the fuck up. Or something along those lines, you can improvise.

[The Reverend Floater]

Best of luck and we'll all be fruiting for you.

And for those who say bloodthinners are the anti christ, I've been on them for five years now and seriously don't even notice them. Yeah, I'm more careful and the like but it's not like they're an inconvenience nor death sentence.

[Meanfruit]

Thanks and thanks. I know everything will pan out, but I'm a drama queen(or fruit) What's life if it doesn't have a plot twist or two? My ski buddy is feeling sorry for me, so he's paying for the gas and beers in our fishing trip tomorrow. Winning!

Sent from my XP7700 using TGR Forums mobile app

[Meanfruit]

And yes, my daughter will be taking anti rejection meds forever. We're seeing some long term issues now, but the alternative is pretty dire. She's awesome.

Sent from my XP7700 using TGR Forums mobile app