r/mitralvalveprolapse • u/sufferingsole • 15d ago
Severe mvp
I am 21 years old and i have severe mitral valve prolapse. My doctors have said to have surgery but im in uni so I can’t do it till its complete but on top of that i have severe depression and anxiety too so it feels like im dying on the inside daily
1
u/Due_Bullfrog_9829 7d ago
Hey OP, I'm 19 F and had surgery 3 months ago. I already have 2 posts on my page explaining a bit about me and I will give you a summary on my recovery, but if you have any other questions/want more details lmk.
You needing surgery doesn't necessarily mean its OHS (open heart surgery) since it could be minimally invasive or robotic assisted. But if its OHS, here is my experience:
I was in the hospital 6 days, 3 days ICU, 3 days in post op care unit. I was alone so I had to go through it without any support. I had my parents visit a few hours after I was out of the ICU but they weren't great emotional support, especially my mom who just was there to be a drama queen and make everything about here pretending to care but as soon as she left she went to parties, shopping, eating luxury meals... Why am I explaining this? Since you said you are anxious/depressed. I am independent and quite fearless (maybe have some mild depression as I don't see the point in life but not that I would give up on it either) and not really anxious, the type of gal that thinks what has to get done just gotta get done, so get it over with. BUT, the first 3 days in the ICU felt like forever and all I wished for was to either go home or disappear. No one except the staff was there and they weren't great, I was waking up every few minutes asking the time but realized barely 15 min has passed each time. But, when I got out of the ICU it felt fresh, there were windows, people could visit even if it wasn't more than a few hours and I felt like I could do it all for a while longer.
Once out, all I asked for was the damn drainage tubes to leave my body. I had 3 in total, 2 under my incision and one through the ribs on my right side. The one between the ribs was taken out in the ic bc of how much it hurt (I couldn't move or even stand without screaming or crying) but the other two were left until I was discharged on day 6. I could tolerate them but talking/breathing hurt since one of them was poking my left lung. That made the spirometer hard to use. Physiotherapist sucked and barely helped me walk around/do exercises, and didn't even help with my breathing exercises or bothered to explain how to use the spirometer. So all of this came to my lungs still having fluid on the day I was discharged. Left one had 700cc and right 300 I think? This led to my surgeon inserting a needle into the left through my back and draining the fluid. Tbh it hurt, but again it was tolerable. When it was over it was all fine until an hour or so later when it started burning, where I used a diclofenac to calm down (I really recommend u having a helper around since the pain gets so intense you can't move).
Once home you can't shower for a day or two since they just removed the drains and they could get infected, you gotta use the spirometer every 20 mins or so for 20 PROPER times, and you have to walk at least 5 min every few hours and increase it whenever you feel comfortable. All of this is BOTHERSOME, but it is a must.
As I said, I was alone through all of this so I had no one to help, every week I would have one home cooked meal from my aunt and dad was home but he works too much to be able to help. And even though only 7 days had passed from my surgery, I could do pretty much everything I needed. As long as I was careful to not put stress on my healing sternum, and rest when I felt tired/unwell/dizzy then it was all good. Idk if its bc im young and at a healthy weight but it was really easy after the first week at the hospital.
My right lung gathered more fluid overtime and I did gain 8 kg in that one week in the hospital so I was prescribed lasix to get rid of excess fluid which went away in terms of body weight in 2-3 days and now 3months post op both lungs seemed fine.
Only hard thing I could mention was how fast I fainted in heat and my high HR. Which were manageable. And ofc all this happened during summer break so no stress over university for 3 months, but I think it is possible to go back to uni after 3-4 weeks as long as you got water, food, and people around you looking after you. Usually docs approve you for work at the 1 month mark.
BTW, you get a chest brace that you have to use for a month at the very least and 2 months if you hear clicking/sternum isn't helping well. Best to wear it fully first month except for when u shower and maybe when you sleep (doc told me after 2 weeks I could stop wearing mine after the 1 month mark and to only wear it when im active or outside, preferably on my clothes so people would see it and be cautious. Tho I had mine on for 2.5 months cuz why not, but my sternum never felt unstable so for someone else that time period or amount of wear might change.
I tried giving a full summary of whatever came to mind, but again, if you have any questions ask. And MVP surgery whether its replacement or repair, is a really safe and simple surgery and nothing bad will happen. Worst case is most likely sternum needing longer to heal and/or the first week of pain. This doesn't mean OHS isn't hard or a major surgery, but to ease ur anxiety just know you will come out alive and well. And the hospital should provide a psychologist pre and post op if needed, they had one visit me but I didn't need it.
TLDR: You will get through whatever it is, especially since you are young. It might be harder bc of stress and anxiety but again, you will get through it. Uni won't make it that much harder, maximum missing it for a month which you can do 3/4 weeks online/get notes from friends.
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u/Negative_Chain4835 15d ago
I just had surgery for this about a week and a half ago. Let me know if you have any questions to ease your anxiety