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Symptoms not always present for heart vale problems

Posted , 2 users are following.

rick75354
rick75354

I had my aortic valve replaced in early 2014, and I thought that my story might be of interest to some of you that are reading this forum.

I'm 62 now and I have been retired for several years.

I live a fairly stress-free life, and maybe that is why I didn't know how bad my aortic valve was calcified. I had no symptoms at all.

In march 2014 I was at a NASCAR race in Las Vegas and while walking from the parking area to our seats, I felt realy strange and had to sit down. My freind later said I looked grey.

When I got back home, I didn't go to the doctor right away but I did notice that I was getting tired realy fast, so I saw my doctor and he sent me for an ultrasound. As soon as he finished, the technician advised me to see the heart specialist. The heart doctor in our local hospital checked me over and immediatly made an appointment for me in Toronto.

I realy didn't have time to worry because the appointment was within a week so off I went to see a heart surgeon who sent me for an angiogram a couple of days after that. I was supposed to go up to the surgeons office to see him after but he met me in recovery with all the paperwork for a valve replacement and said that it is usually a 3 month wait for the surgery, but he was going to have a valve in me within the month. All of my arteries were fine so it was just the valve that was the problem.

Less than 3 weeks later I had the surgery, and when the doctor saw my wife after, he said he had no idea how I was still alive. It was the most heavly calcified vale he had ever seen and it was just letting enough blood through to keep me going. I never knew how bad I was until after my recovery. I felt like a new man.

0 likes, 3 replies

3 Replies

  • derek76
    derek76 rick75354

    Posted

    Do you have a tissue or a mechanical valve ?
    • rick75354
      rick75354 derek76

      Posted

      I went with the tissue valve. At 60 years old, I was right on he fence as far as choices go, but I asked the surgeon what he would do, he's much younger than me, and he said he would go tissue even though he would probably have to have it replaced in the future because of the drugs needed with a mechanical valve. A freind of mine has a mechanical valve and she has to take Warfarin and can't take many over the counter medicines. I take a low-dose aspirin and a multi-vitamin daily and that's it.

    • derek76
      derek76 rick75354

      Posted

      I was 78 (4 years ago) so the tissue was my best option. I was one of the 30% who go into AF after the procedure. It has twice been corrected by cardioversion but not this time and I now have a pacemaker and taking Warfarin.

      The tissue valves last much longer now probably 20+ years.

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