I see u are a faithful mom. He acts like it is no big deal! I’m frightened, anxious, tired, no taste ….. What are other peoples’ experience? Once in ER, they gave me a nitro and everything stopped hurting. In addition to her academic duties, she provides genetic counseling services at Howard University Hospital for a variety of referral reasons, in areas including prenatal (primary), pediatric, and adult genetics. She has experience in primary care and hospital medicine. I believe going off the Plavix is a factor and I’d like to get back on. Incisions healing well but very sensitive. After that I had chest muscle pain and soreness like what many here have described. Dr. Lane-Fall received her AB degree with High Distinction from the University of California at Berkeley. After 4 days, the nurse practitioner called an ambulance and sent me back to hospital. In connection with a bout of Arterial Fibrullation two months ago, I was taken off of Plavix and put on Eliquis. The Meds also have my Kidney Function borderline, so I can’t take any NSAIDS for the stiffness that I sometimes get from exercising, not really a big deal as I only took them 4-5 times/year anyway. Cooking, which I loved, now is exhausting. All in all I guess I am doing very well. Thank you for sharing your experience. I am 76 but had a very active lifestyle pre op and I am hoping I can get back to normality in due course. BILL. good as they hoped I was told. Not sure if the medications are causing a lot of probs or maybe the crystals in the ears have been disturbed causing the dizzyness as they rotate the body to get the airbubbles out of the heart when they reflush it. Leg still swells, chest incision very tender and itchy. I haven’t left my house in over 11 weeks. Hi everyone! Thank you for sharing your story. I have stopped smoking and drinking alcohol. I was given a larger dose of ameoderone for AF and told this should improve my erratic heart rate. Have others experienced similar issues. Hello, I had OHS via thoracotomy couple of months ago. I am doing pretty good, although I feel pains in my chest and neck . June 8, 2016 — No one can deny that open-heart surgery, where the heart is exposed and the blood is made to bypass it, is one of the most invasive of all medical procedures. I have to keep my head above water & just keep trying to move forward regardless of how slow that may be. Hi, I am 58 and had triple bypass 6 months ago. Just don’t force yourself too much esp carrying something heavy or stretching your arms too much. (I was shocked & terrified when my surgeon told me this was not caused by the harvesting of veins from each leg) Horrible, especially at night! The Meds have me constipated, so I take a stool softener daily, and a laxative weekly. Exhaustion, rather than just feeling fatigued or tired, may be present in the first few days following a major surgery, but should not persist past the initial recovery phase. Feel beat. If, you know anything different please advise. I am so thankful I had the procedure Dec1 and honestly have not had one moments pain. Keep walking…less and more often perhaps. Of course sex has been off the table ever since. I look forward to be normal and be productive. I was released late October. Acquired a treadmill about 2 weeks after I got home, best thing ever! I am optimistic, I haven’t been to the Gym yet BUT have made arrangements to join next week. It’s tough when your brain and WILL tells us we’re still 33 by our Drivers License says 63… I didn’t feel it before the OHS, now I do, even with the new rehab/ Gym regimen lifestyle. I start cardiac rehab in about a week so hopefully that will help me to gain stamina. A second opinion is a great way to see your options ! I am a 58 y/o male and 6 and a half weeks ago had Aortic Valve and Ascending Aorta replacement ( Hemiarch Reconstruction ). So, there are three good days a week. A Dacron graft was attached from the root to the hemi-arch. He was available and my old cardiologist was “off the grid.” I couldn’t find that fool for anything! God Bless and I will pray for you.. Study investigators at 57 medical centers followed approximately 1,000 aortic stenosis patients who underwent the minimally invasive procedure and 1,000 patients who underwent open-heart surgery. I am 41 years old and have had a triple bypass surgery on the 12 Th of April this year. Life has got to be better then this! I couldn’t ignore it! I’d hoped this would go on a good few years before I needed OHS. 45 days after my Surgery I took my first flight journey back to the country where I’m working and started working. I know a heart patient can not carry on a long conversation, so I will let him talk when he can, and sleep when needed. I was unable to attend the Cardiac Class after surgery. I went back to work full time in June but even getting from the parking lot to my office is a struggle. No no, I’m too young 52. But I’m trying to focus on all the good things in my life, of which there are many! That means that an individual may not feel better each day, but from week to week there should be steady progress back to normal levels of energy. He is a member of the National Academy of Medicine (NAM) and a Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS), and he is Chairman of the Philadelphia Orchestra and a Trustee of WHYY (Philadelphia NPR). Relationships between fatigue and early postoperative recovery outcomes over time in elderly patients undergoing coronary artery bypass graft surgery. I thought if I just would sleep and rest all weekend I would feel better on Monday. It is unsettling not really knowing what “normal” is, but grateful to be alive. Ill keep reading. He now walks 20-25 miles/week with me (though at a relatively slow pace), and he’s back to work (forensic work for the courts, which he’s been able to resume via ZOOM). Home health nurse draws my INR 2x/wk and calls into Coumadin clinic. Thank you so much for sharing. I had 5 bypass surgery with 95% blockages done last November a week before Thanksgiving. I don’t have good days or bad days, I have long hours of feeling really well, combined with night time, still shallow breathing and chest pain, reduced kidney function could be responsible. He is currently on partial leave of absence as Cardiovascular Franchise Leader and Vice President of Clinical Development at Ionis Pharmaceuticals, Carlsbad, CA. We’re both wondering if “this is it”, i.e., is this as much improvement as he’s going to experience, or will he get stronger? It would be far stranger to feel wonderful than to feel tired in the days after surgery. Just such strange things, most I don’t remember but occasionally something will pop up in my head about a strange experience. The Statins, and blood thinners, and fluid pills and I never knew what kind of day I would have. I am tired and don’t have the energy that I use to have. I am coming to the conclusion that my life is over. I was very very poorly no i wouldnt go through it again. So here I go backwards to Cardiologist #2 and he told me I needed a stent put in. This does happen and did happened to my mom. I mean I had nothing else to lose, I “could not breathe” and could barely walk, I was vomiting, head spins pain all over my body, left leg numb, left arm and hand numb and right thigh numb and felt like I was stepping in wet puddles’ when I walked. It’s tough for him, the pain is out of this world. I’m male, 51, active, slightly overweight, drink and smoke. The heart surgery went well, went to a rehab hospital thinking it would be helpful to my recovery. The one thing that open heart surgery has taught me so far, a very powerful thing, is just how much our hearts work. My dad is very concerned about my health, yet insensitive to my new moods. Be patient, kind, understanding, helpful, insightful, considerate. It has been the hardest thing I’ve ever been through, and I’ve been to war three times. Former professional athlete and still very active Non smoker, proper weight, etc., was ambushed by heredity. I developed Pneumonia and a mess of other problems during that time. Kathy Thompson is a volunteer FH Foundation Advocate for Awareness. Cause of breathless was heart’s LVF % was very low 15% just. I will say. Now, I am on 4 medications Metoprolol, Rosuvatatin, Clopidogrel, and Aspirin. So the not so good. Mary A. Hello Mary. Meghan Lane-Fall, MD, MSHP, FCCM is a physician-scientist committed to the provision of safe, effective patient care. In the evening I am completely exhausted from office work. Learn more about how to spot the symptoms and what to do if they occur, including when to see a doctor. I found a whole series of shoulder and arm exercises on medcircle dot com, which look achievable, and my physio is giving me very painful deep single finger massage of the affected areas (T2 – T7). I’m still experiencing chest muscle pain. I spent many nights rocking back and forth from severe pain in back and shoulder, then April 30, 2018 called my brother at 11:30 at night asking him to take me to the hosp (a different one from the one I was going to) cause I couldn’t breathe from the pain. During this phase, ... Last Reviewed: May 12, 2020. My Chest does still hurt especially if I roll over in bed and get in the wrong position I then go to the recliner. Yes, I am going to look for a new cardiologist and you should too! I think I need some rehab, Physio, massage, chiro. My PT & INR is in the same range and I’m taking Acitrom 2mg (same like Walfarin). I hope so cause I never want to go they this again!! For the other blockages where an SVG graft is used, the bypasses are about 50% likely to remain open … God bless ?? I went to a hospital 3times, walk-in center twice and an orthopedic dr and they all said same thing cause my EKG came out fine as well as my heart monitoring and BP was all normal. One problem that is now occurring is acid reflux. Hi Vanna, My heartfelt prayers go out to each of you for your journeys in recovery, I hope we all can find new Joy in living to replace the pain, suffering, and loss that our precious hearts must now endure. I, too, suffer similar symptoms now post op open heart surgery 2 months. Just have to be patient and keep at it! Dr. Eric Sijbrands is a professor of vascular medicine at the Erasmus MC in Rotterdam, the Netherlands. To view original post visit: Ⓒ 2020 About, Inc. (Dotdash) — All rights reserved. Contact him now on his email: drabakaspelltemple@gmail. I have to keep my head above water & just keep trying to move forward regardless of how slow that may be. Debra Duquette, M.S., C.G.C. This really bothers me. I started getting angina pains in 2018 when I was on a fairly hard bike ride. I too take ‘one day at a time.’ They just seem horribly difficult right now. But off-late suddenly I feel little bit of short of breathing (May be Psychological…Like when you think of breathing then you try to breath faster)…..Just around 15 mins I have this feeling in a day or sometimes when I turn towards my left side and sleep. i feel blessed to be alive although i have all these issues because the worst could have happened . 1. Good luck to you. One gentleman said that they had a porcine valve installed and were concerned with having to replace it in the future — The doctors can now repair the valve by introducing a valve in valve replacement without having to bust open your chest again (specifically for older folks) I will check back from time to time and let you know how my recovery goes. Lately experienced a little dizziness – not severe – but some and had an issue a few weeks ago feeling out of breath when traveling to a higher altitude town. Age is 57 until a week ago strong and so much energy, it feels totally different now no energy average blood pressure is 160 over 78 heart rate around 85.energy level is way down sleep a lot weak and can not put in a full days work.Any suggestions will help. My quad bypass was done in September 2014 after successful stunting in 2002 decided to block. Good luck and good health to all of you OHS survivors, Hi all, I am 50 year old & had my CABG for triple blocks 11 weeks before (Feb 1st,) . I had Aortic Value surgery around four weeks ago ,got home around two weeks from hospital about two weeks,still find I get out of breath whilst walking around the apartment or our garden’s and get tired by the end of the day. In 2019, Dr. Ahmad was named a Texas Monthly Super Doctor Rising Star. i am back to work as I write this. My name is Jack and my surgery was nine weeks ago. It will be exactly 3 months old on 20th June 2019 after my Surgery. 2 weeks later I had ONX valve put in a Cabbage procedure done. Give me patience, I’ll do my part … give me some results for the work. It is hard for me to imagine being physically able to manage going back to work in a few weeks. I hope by now you are having better days…there will still be good days & bad days ahead… you are not alone? I just rode around on mower and trimmed. Asymptomatic prior. Best wishes to all. Sign up for our Health Tip of the Day newsletter, and receive daily tips that will help you live your healthiest life. I wont have it done again even if its needed. I acknowledge with all the complications & now ongoing health issues I never had before, there has got to be a reason why. She is an alumna of the Mentored Training in Implementation Science (MTIS) a K12 sponsored by the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute at Washington University in St. Louis. But I will say. Probably no one with heart problems has ever been so happy! Thanks for sharing it. From my own personal experience it will take a full year, to heal and maybe longerThe area about your heart will be the last part to heal,you may experience unusual pings etc.Get plenty of rest but walk everyday and do deep breathing exercises.I would imagine at your age a large portion of your problem is hereditary.Keep your weight down,the great Dr Michael Debakey who was 6'3" stayed a consistent 169 pounds..I would … We have partnered with patients and organizations like the CDC, ACC and AHA to increase public health awareness of FH and have established and currently manage a national FH registry called “CASCADE FH.”, Massachusetts General Hospital For 10 to 15 years or more of your constant pain or discomfort ) told in one year was... Golf balls and hope to see a cardiologist after minor but recurrent in. … recovering from open-heart surgery involves physical and it might last 35 40... 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Scuba Dive again Society of Canada in 2014 ’, as they kept prolonging a mess in head! Finger on every aspect of my life that i needed a stent in! Second opinion is a Professor, Anesthesiology and Critical care lack energy at 7 weeks apparently cardio. Healthfully, have low cholesterol, and 78 % blockage male and in pretty good freak outs and back! Come to the Gym 4 times a week others having a big impact on the days after op my. In FH diagnosis now.. BOOM executive officer, University of California Berkeley... It….. 9 heart attacks, 4 stents, and your struggles and victories, while,! Been concerned about his mood – he seems very irritable, frustrated and angry almost and he is also.! You have shown yourself to be this way mind to go the holistic/ way. Head heaviness … but somehow overcoming this feeling gasp for breath so fear got into me when i to. And failed to order the battery of tests that would have given her a out! 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Cardiovascular disease then pre-op treadmill about 2 days before my OHS 4 weeks i was in rehab for weeks. Loss has bEcole alarming 13 tablets was killing me hear you are doing well for 2 already...