10 months post-op MAZE, aortic/mitral valve implants, tricuspid ring & dual chamber pacemaker

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Posted by Cynthia Nicholson on June 24, 2004 at 02:59:50:

I am a 50 yr old woman who remains in NSR ten months post op.Maze Procedure. How do I feel ? LUCKY! The only problems I've had are lying down on my left side (PAC's) and difficulty in breathing walking up three flights of stairs (into my home)& (no, I don't live in a castle.) Doctors are saying that with Maze and ablation, sometimes scar tissue forms that can actually cause the skipped beat(s).

My cardiologist took away my Amiodarone in February 2004 and now I take my regular meds for high blood pressure and diabetes (altace, avandia, starlix, lanoxin, coumadin, synthroid, lasix, spironolactone, magnesium oxide and K-Dur.)

I had my surgery performed at The Heart Institute, St.Vincent's Hospital, Portland, Oregon on August 20, 2003. Dr. Jeffery Swanson performed the MAZE procedure and Dr. Albert Starr and his surgical team replaced regurgitating aortic valve with a prosthetic valve. This is the second time Dr. Starr has operated on me, first time was in November 1970 for a stenotic mitral valve, that has since been replaced after 29 years of service.

I was honored at the Earl A. Chiles Center in Portland, Oregon for being one of the longest living recipients of the Starr-Edwards mitral valve, model number 6310.

I should be ready to return to work soon, however, have had some issues with congestive heart failure. The doctors are anticipating the problem to clear up soon.

I would be open to sharing in correspondence with those of you who have had similar experiences. As I read the posts here, I am able to see the commonalities we share.

Regards,

Cynthia

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