Rehab

[Masteroftime]

Today it’s 3 weeks since my husband had his by pass. Can anyone advise how long we have to wait for the rehab to contact us? I know it’s only 3 weeks. He doing really well, but upset with him as he went to Lidl and carried a bag of shopping which he shouldn’t be doing, so he a good telling off 😦because he could have called our daughter for her to help as she was waiting in the car. 😀

[Carlg]

I do think it varies by area and hospital. I can only speak with my recent experience in with Leicester General.

i hada cardio rehab nurse call twice about between weeks 4 and 6 after I came home. They went through a list of questions and were very supportive.

i then had a walking assessment about week 8 and started rehab 10 weeks post surgery.

i am now half way through cardio rehab

[Masteroftime in reply to Carlg]

ok thank you for reply. I will contact the hospital to confirm

[Hidden]

Hello Masteroftime

Can almost hear you telling him off over his Lidl bag { hope there was something for you in there } and you are right to have a go at him as it is still early days of his recovery.

I think he was very brave to even think of going near Lidl's but there again I'm a man and we have to stick together.

Some seem to get the invite quickly to Re-Hab while others { me included } don't seem to get on it even after chasing around.

If your husband is still under a heart nurse they will be able to tell you, but there are a few of us on here that seemed to be overlooked.

Take care { and forgive him }

[Masteroftime in reply to Hidden]

Thank you for your reply, I am sure you can hear me telling off 😂. I know men are so stubborn hard to hear. He is a bit exhausted today. Thank you I will contact the rehab nurse at the hospital.

[Rhinos67]

The Cardiac care nurse contacted me at about 3 weeks and came to visit at 6 and 8. She mentioned rehab, but had to wait until she'd had confirmation from my surgeon to say that my sternum was stable.

She then referred me onto rehab and my assessment was approx 4 months from my surgery.

I'm sure it differs on each area though

Joanne

[Masteroftime]

Oh Ok thank you for your response. I will look into it. Thank you

[ChoochSiesta]

I was contacted before the op.

[Heather1957]

think it is too soon, he also shouldn't be carrying shopping as he isn't helping the healing. After 6 weeks he should have an appointment to see the surgeon or one of his team and that is the time when they discharge him from the surgery side of things and his cardiologist should take over.

He should (eventually) get a call from a cardio nurse who will refer him to a cardio physio and they will set up some rehab for him.

As already posted it varies from place to place but I wouldn't expect anything yet as 3 weeks is still part of the recovery!

[Niffad in reply to Heather1957]

I m sure it was about 6 weeks after surgery , before we were invited for a netting with the rehab team . Has he had a call from the heart nurse yet , I don’t think it will happen until you speak with her/him. My husband had his surgery in May and his last rehab is 22/12 so it’s a quite a long process

[Masteroftime in reply to Niffad]

Thank you

[CyclingTime]

6 weeks for myself before they contacted me. Watch him lifting heavy things though or he will loosen the wire holding his chest together.

[Masteroftime in reply to CyclingTime]

thank you for yourvteply

[Hidden]

I'm in Sheffield, UK. I had a stent fitted 8 weeks ago and then a week later a minimally invasive tissue aortic valve replacement (AVR).

My GP practice advised me that I was eligible for cardiac rehab for the stent procedure, but would not have been considered if I'd only had the AVR!

GP made application and I have received a letter advising me to expect a place in 41 weeks!

[MountainGoat52]

My rehab sessions were 3 months after my op which for me was a bit later than I had hoped, but they were very useful nonetheless. It will vary from area to area and in the current climate the NHS finds itself in, who knows when your husband will be contacted. Hopefully sooner rather than later.

As for carrying shopping... it is just not worth the risk. I have a friend whose partner did just that after a bypass op and he had to have a further op to repair the damage done. Your husband may feel well enough to carry things, but he shouldn't be doing it no matter how frustrating it is.

With my best wishes for his continued recovery,

Gerald

[Masteroftime in reply to MountainGoat52]

Thank you the bag wasn’t heavy about 6/7 lb

[MountainGoat52 in reply to Masteroftime]

The recommendation is to lift no more than half a kettle full of water for the first 10 - 12 weeks. My friend's partner exceeded that several times over!

[Charl70]

Hi

I'm 6 weeks post op and have just had my appointment to lewisham hospital for 21st Nov, a day long session education then I will be assigned a place to go and start cardio rehab ,to be fare my wife had to chase them up ,I met with the nurse last week and she told me to look at online cardio rehab exercises on bhf and maybe start with sitting down exercises for week then maybe progress to level 1 but she did say very important to warm up before and warm down and take it very easy ,also to read chapters on looking after heart also on bhf website , fyi I still haven't lifted any like a shopping bag but have been tempted

[Masteroftime in reply to Charl70]

Thank you

[Writerman]

As mentioned by another it takes a number of weeks before cardiac rehab starts. Mine started about eight weeks after I was discharged from Royal Papworth here in Cambridge. Among the reasons for that is the healing of the sternum. I was advised no strenuous exercise for twelve weeks.

I am now 4 1/2 months into recovery and on my fifth cardiac rehab session. Feelin pretty OK but still getting back to full fitness. I am 76. I can now lift shopping bags!

[Flimflab]

Glad your husband is doing well.

I had coronary angioplasty rather than a bypass. When I left hospital, I was given a helpful Patient Information book, which included details of my local cardiac rehabilitation team as well as what I was allowed to do in the first few weeks.

To put my mind at rest I called the cardiac rehabilitation team a few weeks after my operation to check that I was on their list, when my cardio rehab sessions were expected to start, and chat about what I could do before the rehab sessions started (hint it was not lifting shopping). It was less than I felt I could do, and I felt stupid reigning it in, but it saved my wife having to tell me off😉.

Personally, I found it hard stopping myself doing things that come instinctively for example picking up the grandkids or the shopping and had to remind myself before I went shopping or to see the grandkids (although I did quickly use it as an excuse to get out of doing the shopping!).

I think the British Heart Foundation also has a booklet on Cardiac Rehabilitation that I think I was given while in hospital, but the Patient Information was better focused and an easier read.

[Masteroftime in reply to Flimflab]

thank you for your comment

[reidmar]

my own rehab following a quadruple bypass was at least 6 weeks after discharge from initial op. A lot will depend on your local health authority and or hospital, but I would even enquire and ask the questions at this stage to make sure your husband’s name is overlooked as the rehabs most beneficial. You’re just right to warn him about carrying so soon as the chest has went through major trauma and needs the time and care especially in the early days to start mending and knitting together, no point in risking any damage to the work done by the surgeons. Wishing him a speedy and full recovery and you a lot less stress than what you’ve surely been dealing with this past while. Onwards and upwards, take care.

[Masteroftime in reply to reidmar]

Thank you so much

[Jazz100]

Togo be honest he should be at home with his feet up mostly and just starting to attempt short walks. His sternum will not even be healed up yet…either he is superman or a bit silly right now. He could do so much damage . He might be at the the point where he can lift a kettle. Did you not get any advice on the very slow but gentle things he should be working towards. If you call the BHF nurses then they will tell you the goals he should be working towards on a weekly basis. And no you won’t have had any word from anyone else as he should be resting for the most part of every day. X

[Masteroftime in reply to Jazz100]

Thank you