My third open heart surgery

GeneralC

I received the news today that I will be having my third open heart surgery within the next few months - aortic root and valve replacement. I would love to get it done through keyhole, but it's not an option with the public service. I am 27 and feel distraught by it all.

Not sure why I am even posting, maybe just to get some words of advice, or to just let it out.

I feel my life will be a constant uphill battle with a lot of anxiety and uncertainties...

his_dudeness

GeneralC wrote: »

I received the news today that I will be having my third open heart surgery within the next few months - aortic root and valve replacement. I would love to get it done through keyhole, but it's not an option with the public service. I am 27 and feel distraught by it all.

Not sure why I am even posting, maybe just to get some words of advice, or to just let it out.

I feel my life will be a constant uphill battle with a lot of anxiety and uncertainties...

Out of interest, is there a keyhole option? The sheer extent of that surgery would suggest to me that there is not, although I do know that there has been some moves to introduce robotic surgery into cardiothoracics.

GeneralC

his_dudeness wrote: »

Out of interest, is there a keyhole option? The sheer extent of that surgery would suggest to me that there is not, although I do know that there has been some moves to introduce robotic surgery into cardiothoracics.

I'm looking into it. Meeting my specialist on the 22nd to discuss the options.

I know minimally invasive surgery (keyhole) is available in Blackrock for just the valve, not sure about the root though!

LorMal

GeneralC wrote: »

I received the news today that I will be having my third open heart surgery within the next few months - aortic root and valve replacement. I would love to get it done through keyhole, but it's not an option with the public service. I am 27 and feel distraught by it all.

Not sure why I am even posting, maybe just to get some words of advice, or to just let it out.

I feel my life will be a constant uphill battle with a lot of anxiety and uncertainties...

Hi General C

I can only imagine how frightening this is for you. You are only 27 - a very young person. I wish you well and hope you will have a very successful outcome and many years of happiness and health ahead

GeneralC

LorMal wrote: »

Hi General C

I can only imagine how frightening this is for you. You are only 27 - a very young person. I wish you well and hope you will have a very successful outcome and many years of happiness and health ahead

Thank you LorMal, appreciate the message

_Whimsical_

Wow what a trooper you must be,i can totally imagine you must be heartbroken at the thought of facing into it again. These things get tougher to face too when it's repeated, you get worn down. I really hope this will be a wonderfully successful procedure and that your recovery will be swift. Hope you won't have to have another such experience again to, will be wishing you strength and good luck for it.

_Whimsical_

That's awful that you can't have the keyhole surgery too, with you being so young and the fact that your recovery would surely be faster after keyhole you'd think there should be a way to get you treated that way.it should make more financial sense really.
Have you heard of the HSE Cross Boarder Directive? It's a scheme whereby the hse will pay for treatment and ops you have in private and public hospitals across Europe. If your doctor signs off on it for you the HSE cannot refuse it. It's only recently been opened in ireland under duress from the EU. Treatment in hospitals in NI and the EU can be much cheaper than treatment here. Perhaps you should look into any options you might have in the North and Europe. The scheme is not only for patients who can't get treatment in ireland, it exists to give you the option to choose treatment abroad. If you are well enough to travel you should discuss it with your doctor. If you choose to do so bring information about the scheme to your doctor as when this was discussed on the radio recently they mentioned many hospital consultants here were not aware of it as it's so new.

This article was in the paper about it recently.

Patients who travel for healthcare to be repaid by HSE
03:55, 14 June 2015 by Susan Mitchell
Hundreds of thousands of Irish people facing long waiting lists for hospital treatments now have the legal right to travel to the North or any other EU country for more timely care – and the HSE must foot the bill.
The Department of Health has confirmed that the new laws enable public patients to access both “public and private” hospitals overseas.
This means patients can travel to the North of Ireland to get a CT scan, or to France for a hip replacement and have the HSE pick up the tab.
It will enable patients on waiting lists to skip the worsening queues.
The unprecedented patient rights differ from the European Health Insurance Card (formerly called the E111) or the existing Treatment Abroad Scheme, as the new legislation concerns virtually all elective (ie, planned) care that is provided in Irish hospitals.
“It is a fantastic scheme. There is very little public awareness about it, but some patients have already travelled,” said Catherine Donohoe, who heads up the national office that coordinates the scheme for the HSE.
The Department of Health said patients were entitled to receive any care they “would be entitled to within the public health system in Ireland”.
It said “referral for care under the Cross Border Directive can be made by a GP, a hospital consultant and certain other HSE clinicians” and that “it will be a matter for the patient and his/her referring doctor to identify the clincian abroad”. Donohoe said patients were reimbursed immediately once they provided an invoice.
The Irish government delayed introducing the legislation, giving rise to threatened action by the European Commission.
The legislation was fully transposed into Irish law at the end of February.
Under the legislation, the HSE cannot reject applicants. It reimburses the cost of care up to the same level that would have arisen if the care was provided in a public hospital in Ireland. Importantly, the cost of care in Irish hospitals is regarded as high by international standards.
Donohoe said a number of savvy patients had already travelled abroad for operations and diagnostic scans. She said countries including France and Germany had cheaper prices.
Patients do not need to be on an existing waiting list to apply, but the legislation will be welcomed by the 67,000 people on elective waiting lists and 414,000 on existing outpatient, inpatient and day case waiting lists.
Consultant ophthalmologist Michael O’Keeffe said he was unaware the legislation even existed.
“This has phenomenal implications for waiting lists here,” he said.
Sinn Féin health spokesperson Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin said the government had failed to advise patients of their rights under this directive.
“All patients should be made aware of this,” he said.
Member states were required to establish an office to liaise with patients. The HSE has done this, but has not advertised it. The office facilitates the exchange of information and arranges the reimbursement of patients.
Over the past two decades, there have been more than a dozen high-profile legal cases in which member states’ interpretation of the rules in respect of obtaining healthcare across borders in Europe has been questioned.
With so many ad hoc judgments in the courts, the development of an EU-wide Directive was seen as necessary to clarify the law and the rights of citizens across the EU.
Pre-existing legislation provided certain levels of reciprocal healthcare cover to EU citizens, such as people requiring necessary care during a holiday or business trip.
The HSE also covers the cost of care that is not available in Ireland under the Treatment Abroad Scheme, but the HSE has the right to reject applications under this scheme.
There were more than 67,000 patients on waiting lists for hospital care in May. Of those, 25,125 adults were waiting longer than six months to access hospital care – up from 9,468 when the government took office.

GeneralC

_Whimsical_ wrote: »

Wow what a trooper you must be,i can totally imagine you must be heartbroken at the thought of facing into it again. These things get tougher to face too when it's repeated, you get worn down. I really hope this will be a wonderfully successful procedure and that your recovery will be swift. Hope you won't have to have another such experience again to, will be wishing you strength and good luck for it.

Thanks Whimsical. Hopefully this will be the last of it now and I can move on with my life.

GeneralC

_Whimsical_ wrote: »

That's awful that you can't have the keyhole surgery too, with you being so young and the fact that your recovery would surely be faster after keyhole you'd think there should be a way to get you treated that way.it should make more financial sense really.
Have you heard of the HSE Cross Boarder Directive? It's a scheme whereby the hse will pay for treatment and ops you have in private and public hospitals across Europe. If your doctor signs off on it for you the HSE cannot refuse it. It's only recently been opened in ireland under duress from the EU. Treatment in hospitals in NI and the EU can be much cheaper than treatment here. Perhaps you should look into any options you might have in the North and Europe. The scheme is not only for patients who can't get treatment in ireland, it exists to give you the option to choose treatment abroad. If you are well enough to travel you should discuss it with your doctor. If you choose to do so bring information about the scheme to your doctor as when this was discussed on the radio recently they mentioned many hospital consultants here were not aware of it as it's so new.

This article was in the paper about it recently.

I am meeting my cardiologist on Wednesday and will mention it to him, thank you for the link!

uck51js9zml2yt

I was talking to someone recently who had the same cardio thoracic surgeon as I have that there is a high failure rate with keyhole and that this surgeon has stopped doing it.

I'm getting an aortic valve done soon.

GeneralC

Erin Cold Hatchet wrote: »

I was talking to someone recently who had the same cardio thoracic surgeon as I have that there is a high failure rate with keyhole and that this surgeon has stopped doing it.

I'm getting an aortic valve done soon.

Oh really? Who is the surgeon?

How are you feeling about it all?

12gauge dave

My father has to get a valve replacement he is dreading it he hasn't got a date and has a meeting soon it's been a very slow process.
They say his heart is weak and the blood is not exiting the heart quick enough.
Is there many dangers involved with these operations?
Thanks

GeneralC

12gauge dave wrote: »

My father has to get a valve replacement he is dreading it he hasn't got a date and has a meeting soon it's been a very slow process.
They say his heart is weak and the blood is not exiting the heart quick enough.
Is there many dangers involved with these operations?
Thanks

All surgery has its element of risk. However, the benefits of having it are far greater than the risks. Aortic valve surgery is often well planned hence why you say it's been going so slow. Your father may be an ideal candidate for minimally invasive surgery as his heart is weak, look into it.

12gauge dave

Thanks for reply. He had a heart attack 2 years ago and had stents put in. I will look into it thanks.

GeneralC

12gauge dave wrote: »

Thanks for reply. He had a heart attack 2 years ago and had stents put in. I will look into it thanks.

Heart surgery has a high success rate. I am sure he will be fine and make a speedy recovery.

January

I've no advice just to say good luck and best wishes. My 5 year old had OHS last year so I know what a scary time this is for you.

GeneralC

January wrote: »

I've no advice just to say good luck and best wishes. My 5 year old had OHS last year so I know what a scary time this is for you.

Thanks January. Hope your son/daughter is well.