Pumphead?

[kefalonia1]

Does anyone know anything about this condition after OHS, l read about this yesterday and l'm worried l could have it. Any replies would be great, thanks, Sue.

[Fortepiano]

'Pumphead' is indeed something you can read about on the internet ( though I wouldn't!), but trials have shown no difference between patients who have had bypass surgery and those who have had other surgery. Post-operative cognitive dysfunction is a common but temporary phenomenon with a lot of factors involved, including fatigue affecting concentration. I wouldn't have liked to take an exam a few weeks after surgery!

When my mother forgot a word she always worried she was getting dementia -she didn't. In the same way any common momentary lapses are often blamed by people with cardiac surgery on 'pumphead' and lead to unnecessary anxiety.

I don't consider it's anything to worry about. I had a 6 hour surgery; my husband had a huge surgery, still does complex academic research and still regularly forgets his shopping list, just as he always did.

All the best and please don't worry

[kefalonia1 in reply to Fortepiano]

Thanks so much for your reply it has put my mind at rest, you sound a very wise clever person!!! Take care, Sue.

[Fortepiano in reply to kefalonia1]

You're too kind- I assure you I can be as idiotic as the next person!

Very glad to have helped though. You've been through so much, it's no wonder you have anxieties. It takes time to get back your confidence in yourself.

[Mobbit]

Years ago it was thought going on a bypass machine could do this to you. Recent research has shown it's more to do with the sudden return of oxygen etc to the brain. Our heart conditions are often gradual in the way they 'get' us even if it takes a dramatic event to make us aware of it. The treatment gives a sudden change to the body rather than a gradual one, so it gives some horrible symptoms. Go and see your doctor and report your symptoms, they can do a fair bit to help I found 😊

[kefalonia1 in reply to Mobbit]

Thanks l may do that but l think l'm just having a dark time because its my two year anniversary in March of leaving hospital after a 3 month stay as a different person. ln dreams l'm having terrible flashbacks of all l had to endure and l feel guilty because there are others on this site who have endured much worse and are still going through it. l suspose even when our bodies are mended our heads are still scarred and others cannot see or feel this but l'm cross with myself because l go months perfectly happy then the dreams reoccur from nowhere. l am going on a "girls" night this evening where we talk about shoes, wine and chocolate, and eat a nice curry so hopefully that will lift my spirits. Take care Sue.

[Mobbit in reply to kefalonia1]

You're not being silly! Heart events ARE traumatic. I battled two types of cancer for 17 years FAR more easily than the 4 years of heart issues before my surgery. So don't beat yourself up. And while I'm clear of the cancer (over a decade now), I'll never be free of this heart stuff. I know which one I've found the most limiting to live with too and it's not the cancer!

So celebrate your anniversary. Recognise that you were strong enough to face something so daunting. Be proud of the fact that you feel able to say something too. And if want to get it out but don't want to post publicly send me a message. I found it took a long time before I felt calmer about it all tbh. Have a great time with your friends x

[Love100cats in reply to Mobbit]

Wow! Those are powerful words! I'm sure many will be lifted by your post. How many heart patients feel guilty, maybe wimpish! If you have a heart attack maybe you can go back to normal if caught early enough but it's the failure word that affects the rest of us with damaged, worn out hearts. However if the meds keep my dear old heart pumping for a few more years, I'm happy😃

[kefalonia1 in reply to Mobbit]

Hi, thanks for your reply, l am quite happy to post publicly it may help others. You and l have a lot in common, 23 years ago l had breast cancer and a double mastectomy with immediate reconstruction using saline implants then chemotherapy. l sailed through all that but two years ago there was nothing wrong with my heart when l had a well woman check. Then l developed pneumonia, severe sepsis which lead to septic shock and severe endocarditis which destroyed my heart valves and l was close to death my family were told, but thankfully they insisted l was transferred to a BHF hospital in Bristol as an emergency, on life support and in a coma. l had emergency open heart surgery twice, total 6 hours in theatre which failed, then a redo 11hours to rebuild my heart five weeks later, both in the second wonderful hospital the BRl. My Hero Consultant who came to work on his day off to save my life told me l was at the pearly gates and he dragged me back both times. The cause of all this was one of my implants became a housing estate for sepsis which set up home behind it, so they removed the implant drained my chest and heart lining in an emergency op after diagnosing me almost too late in the first rubbish hospital. ln December 2018, two years later, l had the other implant removed to lessen my risk of returning sepsis and endocarditis and that went horribly wrong so l had to have another op to remove a capsulation which again went wrong, l passed out due to lack of blood and low blood pressure unexpectantly in recovery, several hours later and woke to find 6 crash team around me (one was a very handsome Doctor, ding dong!) so l had a op in the middle of the night to remove a massive hematoma, then a blood transfusion, then as a day patient 5 seroma drainages two weeks apart which finally resolved that problem. All this has left me with an AVR, pacemaker and lifelong warfarin. like you the heart issues that invade your thinking are a million times harder than our cancer. Yet mate we are both here and so obviously fighters and survivors so l think we are entitled to have wobbles now and again! Thanks for your support it is really valued, Sue x