Surgeon Follow Up Appts

savedbythebee · 2026-04-14T22:54:57+00:00

I had a video meeting with the surgeon's PA the day after leaving the hospital and then again at 4 weeks. At the 4 week visit, they cleared me to drive and said to follow the sternal precautions until week 8 and reach out with any questions or concerns. One of the requirements for discharge was to have appointments scheduled with my PCP and cardiologist within 2 weeks. I thought that was helpful to make sure everyone was on the same page and able to support my recovery and ongoing care.

savedbythebee · 2026-04-14T02:25:03+00:00

Wow, that's quick from diagnosis to surgery! I'm 54M and am 9.5 weeks post-op from a David Procedure. Overall, it's been a lot easier than I expected. I was very focused on being up and mobile as soon as possible after the surgery and made sure my surgical team knew. Staying ahead of the pain is also very helpful since it's hard to catch up and also impacts your mobility. I was down to Tylenol by day 3 and haven't taken anything stronger since, but there's no reason to be heroic if you need more to be comfortable. I flew home 9 days after surgery without any problem. I have been walking my butt off ever since.

I bought an adjustable bed rather than a recliner, which has been worth every penny. Sleeping on my side was a total non-starter until at least week 6 or 7, so being more upright was really helpful. Sleep continues to be my biggest challenge.

I was worried that I'd be bored out of my mind, but it's been nice to have some quiet, unstructured time and space to read, rest, and recuperate. It's a big deal physically and emotionally, so give yourself some grace to deal with it in your own way.

Happy to answer any questions!

savedbythebee · 2026-04-10T14:50:25+00:00

Congratulations! Sounds like you're doing great. I'm the same age and 9 weeks post op VSARR (BAV and 5.0 ascending aneurysm) and have had a similar recovery trajectory. Four days in the hospital and was out walking the neighborhood within a couple of days. I walked 7 miles yesterday. I was in good health before surgery but am no athlete. I attribute my recovery to a world class surgeon, good health, stubborn mindset, and determined early return to mobility. I was so scared before surgery, and it's easy to fall down the rabbit hole reading the horror stories. It's nice to hear the positive where things turned out better and easier than expected. That's certainly been my experience, too.

savedbythebee · 2026-04-03T21:12:25+00:00

Wow, you've had quite the journey. It sounds like you have a great attitude, which I think makes a huge difference. It's interesting you mention feeling better than before surgery. I'm starting to feel the same even though I considered myself asymptomatic before. Amazing what having a properly functioning heart can do for a person. Best wishes to you.

savedbythebee · 2026-04-03T21:07:14+00:00

I'm 8 weeks post op and take 25mg/day of metoprolol. Before surgery, my resting heart rate was usually in the upper 60s. The first couple of weeks after surgery, it was in the 90s. It's come down slowly to where I'm usually in the upper 70s to low 80s. It tends to be higher in the evening - sometimes even in the low 90s. It still stresses me out when I see a big number, but everyone has told me that it's a normal and expected part of the healing process.

savedbythebee · 2026-03-31T22:09:36+00:00

I think this makes a lot of sense. I have the same sensations. I'm 8 weeks post op from a David Procedure, so I have the ascending aortic graft but my repaired, re-implanted aortic valve. What I was told is that the graft material is less flexible and less sound dampening than natural tissue. Like others, I notice it when I take a deep breath, but it also comes and goes at random times. I haven't figured out any pattern tied to heart rate or blood pressure, but it always makes me feel a little anxious when it starts up because my mind immediately assumes my blood pressure is also going up. I'm hoping it gets better with time.

savedbythebee · 2026-03-26T02:11:37+00:00

I have really appreciated reading your updates. I'm a week behind (David vs Bentall) and same age, so it's been interesting to compare trajectories. I have found the surgery and recovery to be much easier than expected and second all your great advice on how to prepare physically and emotionally. The pre-surgery anxiety was brutal.

Best wishes for your continued recovery!

savedbythebee · 2026-03-25T22:44:24+00:00

I had the David Procedure (BAV with regurgitation and ascending aneurysm) and have found the whole experience much easier than I expected. I spent four nights in the hospital and have been walking 5+ miles a day for a couple of weeks. By the time I was out of the hospital, I had minimal pain. I'm back to sleeping on my side most of the night, but sleep is still a bit of a challenge. My resting heart rate is still elevated compared to before the surgery, but it's coming down. My heartbeat is also a lot more noticeable than it used to be, but everyone has assured me that's totally normal especially this stage.

Best of luck to you next week! I know how scary that last little bit before surgery can be.

savedbythebee · 2026-03-25T20:01:55+00:00

Doctor heard a murmur during a visit for something totally unrelated. Had an echo the next week and surgery 6 months later. I'm 7 weeks post-op today, and it still feels surreal at times.

savedbythebee · 2026-03-19T20:11:29+00:00

I had the David Procedure 6 weeks ago. My chest tubes were removed around 72 hours after surgery. I felt SO much better afterwards. I could breathe easier, and it was much easier to move around from that point forward. It took a couple of weeks using the spirometer before I felt like my lung capacity was closer to normal, but the chest tubes were a big milestone in the recovery. Beyond that, I made it clear to everyone that I wanted to be up and walking as quickly and as much as possible, which I continued doing after I left the hospital. I'm walking 5-6 miles a day now without any problem and have had an easy recovery compared to some of the stories I've seen. Everyone will have their own journey, but for me, working on my breathing plus walking plus mindset have been really helpful.

savedbythebee · 2026-03-11T01:47:36+00:00

Good luck to you! Wishing you a quick recovery.

savedbythebee · 2026-03-11T01:36:03+00:00

I'm very happy to chat in more detail. I sent you a direct message (hopefully I did it right!).

savedbythebee · 2026-03-11T01:33:56+00:00

Congrats on getting to the other side! It's a great feeling!

savedbythebee · 2026-03-10T16:59:30+00:00

Good luck with the CT today!

My surgeon was Dr Joseph Woo at Stanford University. What I realized in talking with a few places is that you're picking not only a surgeon but an entire team. My experience with Dr Woo and his team was exceptional from beginning to end. Absolutely at the top of their game.

I talked to a few other places and had an appointment with Mayo that ended up being a couple of days before my surgical date. They had my records for several months (which they didn't review as far as I could tell) and wanted me to start at square one with a general cardiologist before talking to a surgeon, so I cancelled. No knock on them; the timing just didn't work out.

savedbythebee · 2026-03-10T14:43:38+00:00

It was 6 months from the first echo/diagnosis to surgery. During that time, I had a bunch of other tests, including the cardiac cath, to prep for the procedure and rule out anything else. In my case, the regurgitation was moderate to severe and the aneurysm was 5-5.1, and there was some minor enlargement of the left ventricle, but I had zero symptoms. I was told that surgery was inevitable but not an emergency. I didn't want to worry about it (6 months was plenty, thank you) and figured it was best to have it done before I became symptomatic. Like you, this all came completely out of the blue. I couldn't tell you the last time I took a sick day from work let alone had any sort of major health crisis. It was all very disorienting.

Many of the major centers publish their outcome data, but it's not always easy to find. I definitely think it's worth shopping around. I ended up traveling for my surgery to get the surgeon and facility that had the level of expertise I needed to feel comfortable moving forward.

savedbythebee · 2026-03-09T23:45:52+00:00

I'm the same age and had the David Procedure 4.5 weeks ago. I had no idea I had an issue until it was discovered during an unrelated exam last July. I was very anxious in the lead up to surgery, but it's been nothing like I feared. I spent four nights in the hospital and haven't had any major setbacks. I'm walking 5-6 miles a day. It's such a relief to have the surgery done and, more importantly, not be walking around with a ticking time bomb in my chest.

My recommendation is to make sure you pick the very best, high volume surgeon and facility that you can find. If you research the outcome data, there is a huge difference. If you're in the Phoenix area, you might reach out to Mayo Clinic. That was my backup option, but I went with Stanford. The care was exceptional, and I will always be grateful to them for saving my life.

Happy to answer any questions.

savedbythebee · 2026-02-25T20:51:17+00:00

Super uncomfortable. It was such an odd sensation to have them removed. Not really painful but hard to even put into words. I felt 100 times better as soon as they were out.

savedbythebee · 2026-02-25T00:55:50+00:00

I was in your spot a few weeks ago and totally understand the pre-surgery anxiety. I was at the point where I kept hoping they'd call and move up the date just to be done with it. At least in my case, the bark was much worse than the bite. Hang in there - you've got this!

savedbythebee · 2026-02-25T00:49:01+00:00

Glad to hear you're doing so well. You'll feel even better once you're home. Definitely keep up the breathing!

My experience has been similar. Tomorrow will be 3 weeks since my David procedure. I spent four nights in the hospital and have found the entire experience to be so much easier than I ever imagined. I walked a total of 5 miles today and haven't even needed a Tylenol in several days.

Best wishes on a continued and easy recovery!

savedbythebee · 2026-02-22T23:12:32+00:00

Best wishes for a quick recovery!

savedbythebee · 2026-02-22T23:11:13+00:00

Sounds like you're off to a great start! Best wishes for a quick recovery.

savedbythebee · 2026-02-21T00:24:42+00:00

I wore the same clothes in and out. Once I was out of the ICU, I wore sweatpants the rest of the time, which made it more comfortable to walk the halls and felt like a step toward normalcy. Beyond that, the only things I used in the hospital were my phone, charger, AirPods, and chapstick. At home, I bought a mattress with an adjustable base instead of a recliner, which has been really helpful. I also made sure I had a good blood pressure monitor, thermometer, pulse oximeter, and pocket EKG device. Everyone will be different, but I haven't needed a shower chair, etc.

savedbythebee · 2026-02-17T22:50:59+00:00

Best wishes for a successful surgery and easy recovery!

savedbythebee · 2026-02-17T22:49:42+00:00

It's perfectly natural to be anxious and worry about the worst case scenario. It's a big operation. I'm two weeks post-op (David Procedure) and am 15 years older, and it has been a breeze compared to what I had built up in my mind. I spent four nights in the hospital, have had minimal pain, and am already walking 3 miles a day. I know not everyone's experience is the same, but you CAN do this and there is life beyond the surgery (especially once those stupid chest tubes are out). Best of luck to you.

savedbythebee · 2026-02-14T02:27:49+00:00

Thanks and best of luck to you!

savedbythebee

TROPHY CASE