Julie's Profile

I had been having palpitations (felt them in my throat more than anything else) for about a year but tried to dismiss them as anxiety attacks. Since my older brother passed away at 53 from undiagnosed heart disease (massive MI - autopsy revealed significant CAD and aortic valve disease), my doctor decided that she wanted me to see a cardiologist when I turned 50. That was late December 2019. So January comes and off I go to the cardiologist. He hears a murmur (previously undetected) so he orders a stress test and an echo. At the stress test, I get on the treadmill and do the first couple of minutes, all is well. As soon as they bump up the speed and incline, here comes a palpitation. They immediately stop, make me lie down VERY STILL, and monitor me until it passes. The cardiologist sends me down the hall to the ER to be admitted - it turns out I had gone into V-tach. The next morning I have a cardiac cath, where they find that I do not have the suspected CAD, but aortic stenosis. It is severe enough that they will not release me from the hospital until I have valve replacement surgery. (Heck, they won't even let me off telemetry long enough to shower.) We talk about TAVR and OHS options. The doctors cannot assure me that when I need a second replacement down the road, I could have a second TAVR. I decided I'd rather have OHS now, at 50, and be in a position to have the less invasive procedure when I'm older. Turns out, my aortic valve was bicuspid, so TAVR wasn't an option after all. My surgery was February 20 - my husband's birthday. The procedure went very well, as did my immediate recovery. Out of ICU in a matter of hours. The surgeon told my husband that we were very lucky I went for that stress test when I did - that I was probably less than a year from running out of time. Discharged five days after surgery and recovered very well at home. Had some really bizarre issues with my scar (not the raw incision - I didn't have issues until it had scarred over completely). Little tiny holes kept opening up. The surgeon determined that one of my sternal wires had migrated a bit and was irritating the scar. After several months of this, he decided that it was time to take the offending wire out. This was August and I was just heading out on vacation, so he had me pack the opening twice a day while I was away and said to call when I got back to schedule surgery. It healed over vacation and has not been an issue since (knock on wood). PHEW. The only issue I'm really having is that I'm absolutely terrified to exercise. As soon as my heart rate starts to climb, I go into a panic. Unfortunately, cardiac rehab was cancelled due to COVID, so I've been on my own as far as that goes. I put a call in to my cardiologist's office this afternoon to ask if cardiac rehab has started back up and if I would still qualify even this far-removed from the surgery. Fingers crossed... In any case, I'm so glad I found this group and this support. I lurk a lot, but have gotten SO much reassurance from all of you folks!!!!