Posted by Al Eingang (141.152.237.150) on December 06, 2004 at 11:37:06:
In Reply to: Mitral Valve Repair posted by Frank Thompson on December 06, 2004 at 10:24:22:
Hi Frank,
I had a repair, rather than a replacement, about 6 years ago. The main heart/self-suck connection for me is that the doctors speculate that I have a genetic condition related to the Marfan Syndrome. I don't have classic Marfan, but one of the symptoms is extreme flexibility, which I definitely got.
The other possible connection that concerns me is that my repaired valve will never be as sound as a healthy valve. I've had a slight murmer since soon after the surgery; probably the result of a stitch that didn't hold. The doctor has warned me that activities that raise my blood pressure significantly can put extra pressure on the valve and might hasten the worsening of the murmer, possibly leading to more surgery. His example was weight lifting, which I do in moderation. Does self-sucking raise your blood-pressure? I'm not sure and will continue to investigate. I don't know if that would be a concern with a replacement valve, but I'd be surprised if the amount of bending required for tip-licking played any role in your heart problem (but what do I know?)
Glad to hear your surgery went well!
Al Eingang
: Hi Al,
: I purchased two of your videos three years ago and
: I play them a lot. My question for you concerns
: a comment I read by you recently in which you stated
: you had mitral valve repair/replacement and (I may
: have this wrong) the heart problem was in some way
: related to self-sucking. I attempt self-sucking
: once in a while (tip licker only) and just underwent
: mitral valve replacement, too. Can you clarify a
: bit more. I am fascinated. I have always felt that
: my self-sucking may have led to or hastened my mitral
: valve problem. In your case, is there a connection?
: Frank Thompson
: Ruidoso, New Mexico