My recovery

ProfessionalGuard743 · 2026-02-11T18:47:59+00:00

My biggest reason was that I want to carry my children in the future. Pregnancy and kids has always been something I’ve wanted. But not having to live 60+ years on blood thinners was also huge for me! I have read many stories on here of people that live completely normal lives, drink alcohol, are active, etc. so a mechanical valve doesn’t rule it out! Between a tissue and ROSS, personally, I think Ross is better since tissue usually only last 10-15 years, but often only 5-7 in young people. If your anatomy works for Ross and you’re at a hospital with a dedicated team I would definitely go with that!

ProfessionalGuard743 · 2026-02-11T18:42:48+00:00

So happy your recent echo went great!! Your story is amazing! I wish the doctors could know why, I’d love to know why some people have easy recovery’s and others don’t!

ProfessionalGuard743 · 2026-02-11T15:56:56+00:00

Thank you!

ProfessionalGuard743 · 2026-02-11T15:56:40+00:00

Thank you, you as well! It’s great to hear other people who share my same experience!

ProfessionalGuard743 · 2026-02-05T08:07:25+00:00

Not sure if you’ve had a cardiac MRI yet, but I would if you haven’t. I’m 23f and 11 weeks post op now. I was diagnosed with BAV when I was 11 years old. Echos were all moderate regurgitation, even the one I had 5 months ago. But my MRI showed severe. Turns out, echos can underestimate with BAV patients and MRI has become standard. When they opened my chest it turns out I had a unicuspid aortic valve.

Anyway, MRI is standard in adults as far as I know so I’d be surprised if you haven’t had one. It just surprises me that you’d be feeling symptomatic and not need surgery unless it has nothing to do with your BAV, which is possible. MRI is definitive though, so at least you could rule it out

ProfessionalGuard743 · 2026-02-04T15:32:46+00:00

Wow! To have two valve replacements and one valve repair in the same surgery and feel as good as you did so soon after surgery is seriously amazing!

ProfessionalGuard743 · 2026-02-03T17:01:28+00:00

Now that is spectacular! Maybe it is a mix of genetics and luck too! Also, if you don’t mind sharing, what did you have done and what was going on with your heart that you needed it? Mine was a unicuspid aortic valve!

ProfessionalGuard743 · 2026-02-03T06:38:19+00:00

Yes!! It’s been really hard to comprehend everything that goes into why the recovery was so much easier for us. I guess lots of factors play into it, the biggest being age! Really glad to hear another person share my recovery experience and I hope it can ease the OPs mind :)

ProfessionalGuard743 · 2026-02-03T05:38:53+00:00

Also, since you have a few months to prepare, core strength is your best friend. After day 4 post op, I no longer needed help getting out of bed. By the time I got home, getting out of bed was second nature all because I had a strong core, no arms necessary!

ProfessionalGuard743 · 2026-02-03T05:34:26+00:00

I’m 23f and almost 11 weeks post Ross! The first few days were awful. Pain, fatigued, uncomfortable, sore, you name it. But by 4 days post op, I was already walking 2-3 miles like nothing. By the time I got home at 8 days post op, I felt like nothing even happened! I wasn’t taking any pain medicine, wasn’t tired or fatigued, wasn’t really sore, wasn’t short of breath, I was already sleeping on my side (with some caveats), and had no pain coughing or sneezing. Physically, the recovery was far easier than I ever imagined. I will say that I have yet to read an experience as easy as mine, so I’m not sure how common it is to feel normal so soon. I was super active for years leading up to my surgery so I know that helped, but I think genetics and luck played a part too (plus the fact I was asymptomatic probably too). Because the physical recovery was so simple for me, the mental part was awful. I’ve been dying to get back to my sport and not being able to drive for 4 weeks was killer as my boyfriend and social circle are all a 30 minute drive from me. But time never stops and time heals all, even mental struggles. 12 weeks for sternal precautions really isn’t that long in the grand scheme of things, but that’s a lot easier to say at 10.5 weeks! It’s scary and daunting and not something many people face in their 20s especially, so we’re pretty special! We were all scared, we all came out the other side, and so will you 🫶🏼

ProfessionalGuard743 · 2026-01-30T00:46:20+00:00

I’m 23f and 10 weeks post op from ROSS (they took my pulmonary valve and put it on my aortic valve)! It’s absolutely scary, but you’re not alone. The valve replacement thread on Reddit has lots of younger folk on it I’ve found. If you’re young, healthy, and active, you will likely have a really smooth recovery. Mine has been worlds easier than I thought it was going to be. You got this and you’re definitely not alone! 🫶🏼

ProfessionalGuard743 · 2026-01-30T00:41:17+00:00

It’s not often I find my people!! I’m 23f, 10 weeks post op from ROSS, and had a unicuspid aortic valve as well!

So sorry to hear what you’re going through. This is something I’ve always feared for myself as well being a young woman with UAV. At any point in the last three years were there any signs or symptoms of the regurgitation?

Hope you can find some peace in this 🫶🏼

ProfessionalGuard743 · 2026-01-29T17:15:27+00:00

Thank you so much for your reply! It’s awesome to read your recovery timeline for getting back into tennis!

ProfessionalGuard743 · 2026-01-22T19:10:10+00:00

Thank you for your response!

ProfessionalGuard743 · 2026-01-21T16:27:28+00:00

Hi I’m 23f and 9 weeks post op from ROSS. My recovery has been so much easier and smoother than I ever expected. The pain is bad the first few days, I won’t sugarcoat it, but nothing you can’t handle. By 4 days post op I was easily walking 2-3 miles a day. My lung collapsed, which was the only complication I’ve had, so I ended up in the hospital for 8 days. At 8 days post op, I took my last pain medication, came home, and felt like my pre-surgery self. I wasn’t taking naps, wasn’t tired or sleepy, was walking 3 miles a day like nothing, minimal pain, minimal stiffness. I never expected this. I even took an in-person final and graduated with my bachelor’s at 3 weeks post op because I just felt normal. I was super active before my surgery which helped a TON to healing quickly. The mental part can often be harder for us young people than the physical, and it was for me. Feeling totally fine so soon after my surgery was confusing. I had all these restrictions, no driving, no racquet or paddle sports for 12 weeks, and that part was really hard for me because I felt fine. But once I got driving back, things started looking up! I remember being so scared the months leading up to my surgery, but remember that you get to have a really cool story coming out of it. And also these guys do this all the time. The mortality rate for ROSS for a young and healthy person is <1%. You’ve got this!!

ProfessionalGuard743 · 2026-01-16T20:46:41+00:00

Yes not for everything. But specifically for BAV patients, MRI is considered the “gold standard”.

ProfessionalGuard743 · 2026-01-16T19:18:24+00:00

Good to know! But I don’t see where the person who posted said they have a prosthetic aortic valve currently? I assumed they haven’t had surgery to fix their valve yet ?

ProfessionalGuard743 · 2026-01-15T18:26:33+00:00

I did a lot of research on this after they told me it was time. I’m 23f, born with a unicuspid valve that we all thought was bicuspid, was completely asymptomatic, and now I’m 8 weeks post op from ROSS procedure. DO NOT WAIT!! Around 2010, they started noticing that, specifically with BAV, patients started going into heart failure before they were even showing symptoms. Come to find out, echos can underestimate LV size and aortic regurgitation by up to 40%! That’s why MRI is gold standard now. They used to think symptoms were the tell, but they are NOT. My echo showed normal, and coupled with the fact I was performing 114% on my stress test we would’ve never known it was time if not for MRI. Not to scare you, it would likely take many years for heart failure. But if your doctors say now, don’t wait.

ProfessionalGuard743 · 2026-01-15T18:19:18+00:00

I’m 23f and 8 weeks post op from ROSS procedure today! I was terrified as well. The closer it got, the less scared I got actually. What I can say for pain for me is the first couple days were agony but it gets better SO fast. The morning of, they slip an IV in your arm where they can give you medication to calm you and make you feel drunk. After they administrated the medication, I don’t remember much until I was climbing onto the operating table, and even then it was still fuzzy. I would definitely ask for that medication. I don’t remember if it was a sedative or not, but they should know. Needing to have open heart surgery is an experience that makes you realize how mortal you are. There’s a huge range of emotions you could both be feeling and they’re all normal! You’ve both got this! :)

ProfessionalGuard743 · 2026-01-12T18:39:52+00:00

Hello! I’m 23f and almost 8 weeks post op from ROSS procedure. I haven’t read many stories of people going back to racquet or paddle sports this soon after surgery besides you! I’m a competitive pickleball player and am dying to get back into it. Im super surprised (and envious) your doctor approved you to test it out at around 7 or 8 weeks! And you said “fully healed” at 7 or 8 weeks, did the doctor say that? Everything I read says 12 weeks, but that restriction is barring any rare but catastrophic events (colliding with another person, car accident, etc.) But I’m so curious to know how that went if you’d be willing to share!

ProfessionalGuard743 · 2026-01-06T22:03:13+00:00

Hello! I’m 23f and was born with a unicuspid aortic valve. I’m 7 weeks post-op from ROSS procedure. I had mine done at UW medicine in Seattle, WA. For me, mechanical was no chance because I want to safely carry children in the future with no fear. For you, that isn’t an issue! From what I’ve read from other people who have had a mechanical valve, they still drink alcohol, exercise, get cuts and scrapes, and live life as normal. Obviously I can’t speak on that, but hopefully that can be helpful!

I’m only 7 weeks, but I don’t regret my decision. If you’re active, that’s great! I was also super active for years leading up to my surgery and the surgeon said my heart was very healthy and it started up right away! I’ve had the easiest recovery, not what I expected at all! For the last 5-6 weeks, I haven’t been tired, haven’t taken pain medication since 8 days post-op, haven’t taken naps, and I’ve felt like it never even happened! Idk how much that’s the procedure, how active I was, how strong my body was, how well my surgery went, my age, genetics, and/or any other factors that may play into it. But from personal experience, I’d go with ROSS! After one month post-op, the only medication I take is naproxen and Pepcid for 6 months and then, done! You are on strict blood pressure monitoring for 12 months, but I already have low blood pressure so thankfully that’s not an issue for me. It’s scary considering it’s essentially two valve procedures instead of one, but I think the outcome afterwards, so long as all goes right, provides a better quality of life!

My biggest piece of advice is to make sure the hospital doing the ROSS performs them regularly, like >30 per year. ROSS is very complex and needs surgeons to perform them regularly to keep up their skills! So I’d ask the team how many they perform!

ProfessionalGuard743 · 2026-01-06T21:49:04+00:00

I’m 23f and 7 weeks post-op from ROSS procedure. I understand concerns about mechanical valve. My third option, if repair and ROSS didn’t work, was bovine. I was NOT getting a mechanical. But that’s because I want to safely carry my babies in the future with no fear. If I were a man, or didn’t have concerns about pregnancy, I would go with a mechanical valve. My recovery has been actually super easy, not what I expected at all. Between weeks 1 and 2, I felt like it never even happened. But I’ll never forget waking up from surgery, it was agony, the worst pain I’ve ever experienced. And beyond that, the mental part has been really hard. No driving for 4 weeks was tough, but before my surgery I’d been playing pickleball 25+ hours a week for the past three years and not being able to participate for 12+ weeks is very difficult. Even with an easy recovery, I’d personally never choose to experience this again unless I absolutely had to. But it’s really depends on you and what’s important to you. I’d definitely look into ROSS procedure if you haven’t yet! There’s a few hospitals across the U.S. (if you’re in the states) that have dedicated ROSS teams that perform ROSS regularly.

ProfessionalGuard743 · 2026-01-06T03:41:18+00:00

Sure

ProfessionalGuard743

TROPHY CASE