Mitral Valve Repair

[uncle2blade]

My recovery seems to be on track according to what has been posted by other members of this Forum.
Today, I've been statin free for eleven months and taking supplements for ten months. I still suffer from some hip pain and lower back pain, but it is a lot more tolerable. I can now work three days a week, fortunately I'm self employed.
I have always had mitral valve prolapse. First diagnosed when I was 18, it was never a problem. I would have an echo cardiogram about every three years just to make sure everything was OK-- never any change. All of a sudden this year I was informed that the regurgatation had gotten significantly worse. After a lot of tests, last Friday I was informed that surgery was necessary. Next Friday I am scheduled for an open-heart procedure for mitral valve repair. I can't help thinking that statins had some effect on worsening my mitral valve, or maybe I'm so upset with statins that I will blame them for anything.

Craig

[indyscowboy]

I had a mitral valve repair 3 years ago Feb. Be sure your surgeon has a good average of repairing valves instead of replacing because life quality is much better. I know none of them can guarantee what they will have to do until they are there but some just replace them and others do the best they can to repair them. They put and annuloplasty ring on mine. My surgeon also did what they call mazing on the heart which is scarring it on the outside which totally stopped runaway heart beats. I'd tell you not to worry about the surgery but you will anyway, but there is not that much to it. There is very minumal pain involved if you are going the breast plate route. It will drain your energy but it will come back quickly. I was in the hospital for 3 days and back to work in 3 weeks. I didn't know I had severe regurgitation myself but after the surgery I noticed how much better I felt, how much more energy I had, and my heart wasn't trying to pound out of my chest. I told everyone not to come and see me for a while because I didn't want to pick up anything like a cold or flu. I don't have to take anything and I can do anything I want. I do cardio and lift weights 6 days a week. I have a small farm and bale hay every summer, there'll be no restrictions on what you can do. The key is to get it done or you will ruin your heart from overworking it. I had the Dr. give me something to let me sleep the night before surgery because I knew if he didn't I'd be up all night worrying about it, that helped very much. I also found out I had it at 18 and had surgery at 55. I had scarlet fever as a child and they blamed it on that. If you have any questions feel free to email me. Get it done and over and don't worry about it, it's done every day.
Indy

[indyscowboy]

Another thing I forgot to mention is I had a lot of pain in my left shoulder before the surgery and it was gone after the surgery. The only thing I can think of that was going on was poor circulation and lack of oxygen in the blood. Hopefully some of your aches and pains will be gone too.
Indy

[adec]

It feels as though I know you all personally, so this makes me particularly upset. However I want wish you good luck, and hope for a 100 percent successful operation. I also know of something for you to try that would greatly aid with recovery, and avoid future problems, if you want to e-mail me in a few weeks.

Take care.

[indyscowboy]

Craig I'd tell you good luck tomorrow but luck really has very little to do with it now days, it's done every day with a very, very, high rate of success. Before they gave me the happy juice I told them if I woke up with the breathing tube in my throat, I was pulling it out myself. I also told them I didn't want to be on any pain killers after I woke up that I couldn't control myself. They remembered all of that. Be sure to use the pillow they give you to press against your chest if you have to cough directly after the surgery. They told me my regurgitation had been caused by calcification of the leaflets of the valve. I figure you'll be home about Monday, post us when you can.
Indy

[SusieO]

I too have Mitrval Valve Prolapse along with Dysautonomia. On my last echo my regurgitation was still very minimal (thank God). I have a niece that had MVP repair last year and she is doing remarkably well.

I was on Atenolol and Verapamil, but since I started taking the natural supplements I was able to wean myself off Verapamil (this drug also can cause muscle weakness) and I only take 1/2 of an Atenolol a day just to keep the hard pounding down to a minimum.

Please post when you can so we know how you are. I wish you all the best in your recovery!

[uncle2blade]

Hi Everyone. I had mytril valve surgery on January 18th. They had to replace the valve with a tissue vavle. I was in the hospital for 8 days. My heart is still in A-Fib but they performed the maze procedure and the doctors are watching it for the next couple months. So far, my recovery from the surgery seems to be on track. However, since the surgery I am suffering with bad leg pain again and hip pain again. The pain is almost as bad as when I stopped taking the statins a year ago. I tried walking in the mall for 15 minutes and wound up in severe pain - that pain that we all know so well. I'm frightened that this will never go away. I would like to get some relief from this pain and know I can take the supplements and hope time is on my side. I look forward to receiving your comments and suggestions. Thanks. Craig

[indyscowboy]

The only thing left you have to do is heal. It totally drained my energy and took probably 4 to 5 months of walking before I got back to normal energy level. My heart also was mazed and for a short time after the surgery it went wild but settled down and I've not had a problem since. You don't have a pinched nerve in your back causing hip and leg pain do you? I've had that also and had to have that fixed. For me the anticipation of the surgery was worse than the surgery itself. You should be surprised how good you feel in 6 months. Just walk as much as you can stand and heal up.

[SusieO]

Thanks for posting Uncle2Blade. By chance are you on any meds that may be causing muscle pain/weakness? I have done so much research on meds and found out that most cause muscle pain/weakness. It seems once our bodies have been damaged by a statin any drug that has this side effect will only harm us more. I can't take any type of med for uclers/acid problems because it brings my weakness back. So be sure you look up any of your new meds you may have been given after surgery to see if that is the problem.

I pray you continue to get stronger and your muscle issues go away - soon!

[cjbrooksjc]

Harley: Can you still/do you still take your ALC and CoQ10?

Brooks

[uncle2blade]

Hi all, It's been 6 weeksw now sence my surgery. Everything seems to be on track, although I;m still in A-Fib, and my heart rate is up to 125bpm and they can't seem to get it down. My recovery from statins seems to be back on track,I'm one year on supplements now. The pain I was experencing after surgerey seems to of subsided. I am still left with some joint pain in my hips, and lower back. I also have a little weekness in my legs. A year out I'm much better though.


Thanks for all of your support,
Craig

[cjbrooksjc]

Good news, Craig. Keep getting better.

Best,

Brooks

[uncle2blade]

Hi all,

Yesterday I had to go into the hospital for a cardoversion. They shock the heart back to normal rhythm. My bpm. were at 128. As they prepared me for the procedure the nurse happend to look at my chart, He said I see you list statin drugs as one of the drugs your allergic to. I said yes. He said thats to bad they are starting to precribe statins for people to keep them out of A-fib. I had to laugh what's next, I know they are going to tell people they can lose weight on statins.

Craig

[indyscowboy]

I guess they're trying to find something statins will do. Did they get your bpm's down? Since my surgery my bpm's are higher than they were before surgery. Normal activity (walking around etc.) it will run 80 + or -. Sitting quietly it will run 70 + or -. On a treadmill at a 4.2 mile an hour walk with a 2% incline it will get up to 122 to 125. I've worked it hard enough to get 142. Before surgery if I got it to 140 it would skyrocket.