John's Journal

My entry in the My Story section tells my story.

The short version is that my prosthetic aortic valve from 2007and my cardiologist did not catch it in time.  I started suffering shortness of breath, fatigue and fluid retention.  At 74, I’ve never had weight issues, diabetes or anything except a congenitally deformed aortic valve.  Up until late 2022, I was riding a road bike 100+ miles a week, walking and going to the gym.


It took a year of the cardiologist sending to pulmonologists, electrophysiologists, oncologists, hematologists and gastro people, I went to a different cardiologist and got a referral to a structural cardiac group.  They immediately diagnosed my problems to be a failing prosthetic aortic valve.

After 2 or 3 months of their testing, I had a TAVR on March 25, 2024.  They added Entresto and Jardiance to my meds after the TAVR.  My breathing and color improved immediately.  5 days after the TAVR, I walked 1.5 miles without any breathing or heart rate issues.  Today I mowed my grass.  These were things I hadn’t been able to do for months.

I have permanent heart damage because the prosthetic valve had apparently been leaking for years.  My heart should remodel to some extent.

Right now, I feel normal for the first time in 1.5 years.  I’m out of shape and lost muscle but hope to gain that back.  The unknowns are how much I can improve and whether I can reduce or eliminate some meds.

I think my current issues are an ef around 30, enlarged heart, mild cardiac cirrhosis and I guess a diagnosis of chronic heart failure.

I wonder if others have seen these conditions reverse when the valve was replaced.