Catie's Posts

Received call from cardiologist's office today, letting me know yesterday's echo shows moderate aortic stenosis and that my cardiologist believes it will be time to replace my valve again in a year. I knew tissue can fail early, but I'm shocked nonetheless, since last year's echo was great. My case is complicated by issues gastroenterologists haven't been able to solve. I have a page-long list of medications and supplements that cause stomach/esophageal burning (even topical ones). Importantly, baby aspirin and warfarin both irritate my stomach. I dearly hope we can find a way to overcome this, because now I'd far prefer a mechanical valve next round. Have appt w/ cardio dr. tomorrow.

Late this morning I saw that a cuticle on one of my big toes showed signs of infection. It's very minor, but as soon as I completed a scheduled appointment, I boogied over to urgent care to get it seen. After explaining that I have a prosthetic heart valve, I asked the physician whether I did the right thing, seeing her ASAP to secure an antibiotic, and she replied, "Absolutely." She prescribed 10 days of Clindamycin and said if it worsened to return promptly. I've understood that at the first sign of bacterial infection, we should take action but this is the first time I've needed to since my surgery. I'm sure most people are aware, but thought it wouldn't hurt to post, since anyone who's had a valve replaced is at higher risk for endocarditis. I've quoted a small portion of the Mayo Clinic's endocarditis web page, where they discuss prevention: "Prevention You can help prevent endocarditis in several ways, including: Know the signs and symptoms of endocarditis. See your doctor immediately if you develop any signs or symptoms, especially a fever that won't go away, unexplained fatigue, any type of skin infection, or open cuts or sores that don't heal properly. Pay special attention to your dental health — brush and floss your teeth and gums often, and have regular dental checkups. Avoid procedures that may lead to skin infections, such as body piercings or tattoos."