I have an exam tomorrow to find out if I need a heart valve replacement. Internet articles say that the average hospital stay is about a week, and the average recovery time afterwards is six to eight weeks. Anyone have any experience with this type of surgery?
My husband had one. He was at hospital for about a week, but I think the recovery took longer than eight weeks. It takes a long time for the bones to heal (they have to crack open your chest to access to the heart). I stayed at home to care for him the first three days after he was discharged from the hospital. Overall it was a difficult surgery for the patient and family, but once he recovered, it was “the best thing he has ever done.” Lol. It makes a HUGE difference in the quality of his life.
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A friend of mines mom is having a valve replacement this month and I believe they are doing hers less invasively via a catheter procedure. I don’t know how available this is or if all valve issues can be fixed this way now or not, but I thought I would mention it. Sending you some jingles!
I had my mitral valve replaced in 1999 at the end of January with a mechanical St. Jude one requiring warfarin therapy. Three days in hospital then home. Felt uncomfortable ''Til May then resumed age appropriate activities. I remember sitting on the deck for some sun that’s why I think of May.
My dad has two pig valves (not sure why they opted for bio replacement over mechanical). It was complicated because he was hospitalized first after a heart attack with congestive failure (a GP him on blood pressure medication, not realizing his “hypertension” was his body compensating for a congenital valve defect that had never been properly diagnosed-needless to say the cardiologist was less than thrilled with the GP) but he was in the hospital about two weeks post-surgery, and it was MUCH longer than six-eight weeks to recover. My friend Hollis also had open-heart surgery and she gave me good advice for my Dad, the number one thing being not to rush it. Six months to really feel functional again was more like it, and more like a year to really be feeling close to normal. If they can do it without going in through the sternum it would probably reduce the recovery time quite a bit.
Good news! I do not - at this time - need a heart valve replacement. I am so glad. 
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Congrats! Friend at the gym’s husband had an artificlal valve, which failed, and he got a pig (?) valve. Hospital for a few days, home for several weeks, but he was back working out at the gym in under two months, i believe.
My DH received a cadaver (human) valve replacement (aortic) in 1995. He was back behind the wheel of his race car in 10 weeks.
They opt for bio over mechanical, because mechanical requires blood thinners (warfarin, not the other one without lab tests). With bio, they use human, pig, or cow.
A younger friend (late 30’s, early 40’s) had a bad valve, and it was replaced with a mechanical valve, and he’s doing very well with Warfarin. The surgery saved his life, and allowed him to return to a full life. That includes working full time. He also is a member of the Star Wars storm trooper group that performs in parades, and performs in all types of charity events. None of this would have happened without his valve replacement. His partner, now husband, saw how the nurses took care of Matt, and was so inspired by them, that he went back to school, and is now a nurse practitioner.
Warfarin is manageable, it’s not as scary as the other thinner’s commercials hint about. You do have dietary restrictions, but it’s not that hideous. A friend had a valve replacement. He survived for at least 20 years with the same mechanical valve, and warfarin, and he has maintained a normal life.
I really think that researchers are close to taking stem cells, and growing entire hearts, and parts in the lab, and that will enable surgeons to replace your bad valve or organ with a brand new one .
Sometimes tissue valves also require blood thinners. Mechanical valves last longer and living while anti-coagulated is not the big deal some would have you believe. Happy to learn surgery isn’t required. Should you require future replacement don’t let warfarin therapy deter you away from a mechanical valve.
ACP-Great news!
Transcatheter valve replacement (TAVR) is the catheter procedure. As far as I know, it’s only been approved for use in those who are too sick to undergo the sternotomy (cracking the chest.) There are currently trials ongoing with a couple different medical device companies to have the approval extended. (I work for one of the 2 larger companies that have transcatheter valves, ironically, in that business unit - in fact, I work in the building that we make our mechanical valves.) 
To the OP - glad you don’t need to have a new valve implanted!!
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The availability of a transcatheter valve replacement also depends on the valve in question.
TAVR is specific to aortic valves, and was the first. There are some TAVR devices that are commercially available in the US, but as Sabino mentioned right now they are only indicated for patients at higher risk with open heart surgery.
Transcatheter mitral valves are coming to the market in the US now too.
I am already on blood thinners due to AFIB. I’m just so glad I don’t need surgery.
