General Discussion Triathlon Talk » heart valve repair anybody here had a repair..not replacement Rss Feed  
Moderators: k9car363, alicefoeller Reply
2012-09-11 6:08 AM

User image

Veteran
559
5002525
Subject: heart valve repair anybody here had a repair..not replacement

Just got back from my local sawbones and I am feeling a bit depressed, my triathlon goals for this coming year sort of got slightly adjusted.

I have always had a slightly leaky heart valve but its like a knock in an engine, its there, you know about it but it will not give you trouble for 20-30 000 miles. Life goes on. Trouble is my 30000 miles is just about up. 

I will have to go for an op to repair the valve ( I am eternally thankful for that, its not a replacement valve

I just really want to know if anybody out here has a a repair job and if they were able to carry on as they were before or did they have to slow down.  That adjustment from trying to finish in the top 3 to just finishing might be just a little to much for my old brain to handle.



2012-09-11 6:52 AM
in reply to: #4405031

User image


434
10010010010025
Subject: RE: heart valve repair anybody here had a repair..not replacement
I had a Mitral valve repair (2/11).  I had been going downhill for about a year before the surgery. I was in persistent afib (on coumadin for that, plus cartia), and had gotten to the point where mowing the lawn or running 6 miles caused extreme fatigue.  Regurgitation was 4+ out of 4.  My surgery was minimally invasive (da Vinci), and included a maze procedure to help correct the afib.  It was done at East Carolina Heart Institute, which pioneered the da Vinci mitral valve repair procedure.  I can now swim, bike and run; have sinus rhythm, and did a half marathon a year ago, and a "longer" sprint tri in Hampton, VA this past June.  Figure on being slower (say a minute a mile in running) for a while, with a slightly higher pulse - even when you are "back."  (My RHR is now at 60 instead of 45 or so).  You may get a little faster in a year or two, or maybe not.  I'm 55, and just glad that I can remain active with my "new" heart.  How many other folks out there racing have been flatlined (albeit on a heart lung machine) for 6 hours on an operating table?  Good luck, and don't try to do too much, too soon.  It will come in time.  My next goal is a century ride; next year an Oly.  I think I could (with more training) do a HIM again.
2012-09-11 8:49 AM
in reply to: #4405031

User image

Champion
7036
5000200025
Sarasota, FL
Subject: RE: heart valve repair anybody here had a repair..not replacement

I can't speak specifically regarding a valve repair since I have a mechanical replacement, but I can suggest you check out a few web resources:

valvereplacement.com

cardiacathletes.org

heartvalvepatients.org

Everyone case is different, but from my experience I can say that once I got through recovering from the trauma of my surgery I haven't had any cardiac issues at all and my cardiologist has not placed any limitations on my activities.  My limiters are primarily age related:  longer recovery times and increasing joint issues.

I know a couple of other guys who have had replacement surgery and then gone on to do their first IM.

Choosing between repair or replacement (either mechanical or tissue) is a highly personal decision and the best advice I can offer is to be an informed consumer.  When I chose a mechanical replacement twelve years ago my primary motivation was to minimize the probability of future surgeries.  The downside is that I'll be on Coumadin (warfarin) for the rest of my life.  Fortunately that really hasn't been a big deal.  But again, my surgery was twelve years ago and the technology and surgical techniques have made significant advances since then - so much so that I can't say that I would make the same decision today.

I wish you well.

Mark

 

2012-09-11 10:16 AM
in reply to: #4405031

User image

Veteran
559
5002525
Subject: RE: heart valve repair anybody here had a repair..not replacement

Guys, thanks for the replies. I feel a lot better. I have another meeting with the doc in 2 weeks time, stress ECG time again..It was quite funny looking at the nurse waiting for my HR to go up, 20 min on her pathetic little treadmill and I was just pushing 140 BPM and she was hoping to see 170 BPM

Bottom line, looks I will have to take it a bit easy for next few months, make sure there is no knock in the engine and then slowly crank things up again.

I still have a IM or 2 left in me

 

2012-09-11 12:48 PM
in reply to: #4405031

User image


434
10010010010025
Subject: RE: heart valve repair anybody here had a repair..not replacement

What valve are you having worked on?  My mitral valve procedure workup included TEG (trans-esophogeal echocardiogram), nuclear stress test, and catheterization (to take pictures of the valve and inspect the rest of the heart and all ("squeaky clean") arteries).  Mild discomfort from the TEG; they put a pretty big stick down your throat.  All of this done at local hospital, before going to EC Heart for surgery.  Only lingering effect of the surgery is numbness in skin of my right thigh, caused by nerve damage from clamp while on heart-lung machine.  As a healthy guy (and Ironman, no less), you will be a celebrity in the heart wing.  They don't see a lot of that there.

2012-09-11 1:40 PM
in reply to: #4405890

User image

Champion
7036
5000200025
Sarasota, FL
Subject: RE: heart valve repair anybody here had a repair..not replacement
jbrookscga78 - 2012-09-11 1:48 PM

What valve are you having worked on?  My mitral valve procedure workup included TEG (trans-esophogeal echocardiogram), nuclear stress test, and catheterization (to take pictures of the valve and inspect the rest of the heart and all ("squeaky clean") arteries).  Mild discomfort from the TEG; they put a pretty big stick down your throat.  All of this done at local hospital, before going to EC Heart for surgery.  Only lingering effect of the surgery is numbness in skin of my right thigh, caused by nerve damage from clamp while on heart-lung machine.  As a healthy guy (and Ironman, no less), you will be a celebrity in the heart wing.  They don't see a lot of that there.

I was 47 at the time of my surgery and the average age in the cardiac recovery unit was in the mid-70's.

They had me sitting up on the side of my bed the afternoon of my surgery, and up walking the second day. The staff encouraged me to get up and walk as much as I felt like.  

I still had chest sensors on, but they were hooked up to a wireless transmitter that fit in the pocket of my hospital robe and transmitted to the central nurse's station.   I think I was probably the only patient in the ward capable of getting out of bed without assistance.

So, later that afternoon I get up and do a few laps around the cardiac ward.  Boring, so I decide to head off and shuffle around the rest of the hospital.  Came back about a half hour later to find the nurses all in a panic. 

"WHERE THE H*** HAVE YOU BEEN???" 

"Walking like you told me to"

Turns out when I walked past the elevators down the hall, they blocked the signal from my wireless transmitter.  My vitals flatlined on the screens and set off a bunch of alarms.  They had spent the last 20 minutes searching the ward in a panic trying to find me.

"DON"T YOU DO THAT AGAIN!"

"OK"

I thought it was funnier than they did...

Mark

 

 

 

 



2012-09-11 3:28 PM
in reply to: #4405031

User image

Veteran
559
5002525
Subject: RE: heart valve repair anybody here had a repair..not replacement

Its the mitral valve that is a leaking and I think the doc said that that was the easier one to work on. just so many things going through my mind at the moment. I am 48 at and yes I was by far the youngest and the lightest of the patients in the waiting room. I think the shuffle outside of the ward sounds like a good stunt to pull. (will give that a bash for sure)

Always something to look forward too

I did not  train today, just felt a bit down, but back in the saddle tomorrow. (if you gotta go, you gotta go) and like most things in life, I will just take it as it comes.

2012-09-11 5:44 PM
in reply to: #4405031

User image

Elite
3498
20001000100100100100252525
Laguna Beach
Subject: RE: heart valve repair anybody here had a repair..not replacement
I had a PFO that lead to having a stroke while I was running. A surgeon from Baghdad, Iraq installed a custom made patch in my heart. Works perfectly. Zero problems. Better than original equipment.
New Thread
General Discussion Triathlon Talk » heart valve repair anybody here had a repair..not replacement Rss Feed