Come on boys girls give me some inspiration

The ones out there that have been through the process of surgery I need support from you guys to shake off the post blues get surgery done and on with life been waiting that long it's shaken my confidence and mind set please let me here any off stories

[Hidden]

Thanks I'm needing reassurance been a long haul and been emotional roller coaster

[Deanosbeano]

Can't type I'm in the forest on my bike surrounded by beautiful nature 10 weeks after my bypass

The only inspiration you need is to recover from the miracle of surgery performed by a wizard and aided by angels .

Inspire yourself and set measurable aims don't be lazy and don't be excessive in the first 8 weeks . Don't walk too far too quick . You will get pains ,sore throats ,back pain , rib pain , you think you have pleurisy and embolisms , you will know every side effect . But it will be worth it .

However not one single person can help you achieve recovery they can only advise you , the real work is yours to do even when it's tough , at week 10 you will suddenly feel like your 18 again and your free to live life 2.0 and enjoy it .

If you wanna be a couch potato then you can ,if you wanna be a gardener then you can ,if you wanna be a something you can be it's all upto you .

[Jo_africa]

Hi Len. My dad had a triple bypass and I couldn't believe it when I saw him in recovery afterwards. Unblocking his arteries had taken ten years off him and he was no longer grey. He looked like a different person. I know it's scary, for you and all your family, but it can be life changing too.

[Hidden]

Thanks for the support

[Janma123]

Hi Len, my hubby had a CABGx4 just 12 months ago. He wasn’t feeling well, we went to see the GP and she sent him to hospital for a blood test. After a few days he was told he needed a bypass and if he stayed in they would do it in the next 2 weeks! We didn’t have long to think about anything! In the event his surgery was moved forward by 5 days!

He was 69 at the time and set himself a goal that he would be fit enough to drive a combine (he’s a farm contractor) by September and to do his hedge cutting through the winter - he achieved both!

Hospital staff are wonderfully reassuring before your surgery - it is natural to be apprehensive but although it is a major thing for you it is a routine ‘replumbing’ to them!

Before your surgery aim to keep as fit and well as possible and have arrangements made for coming home! You will need someone there for a couple of weeks.

Remember no question is too silly to ask - if you are unsure of anything always ASK.

Good luck!

[Chappychap]

Len, you want absolute reassurance, but unfortunately no one can give you that cast iron guarantee.

Before the operation proceeds you will have to give your consent, and your consent needs to be "informed", in other words you can't blindly just say yes, you have to be in possession of the key facts. Consequently you'll be told there's a 2% chance of a problem during your heart surgery, for example a stroke or a heart attack.

However, that's the average risk for the entire population. You're more concerned with your personal risk. One of the main risk factors is age, and the average age for a bypass is 64. If you're younger then your risk is lower, if you're older then it's higher. If you have a history of heart attacks or strokes then your risk is higher, if not it's lower. If you're obese your risk is higher, if you're reasonably fit it's lower. And overarching all this is the fact that the 2% risk factor is based on older data, every year hospitals get better at these operations, so that 2% figure is itself declining.

I made some crude calculations and reckoned my own risk factor was around 0.5%. But you also have to look at the risk of doing nothing, and not having a bypass is indeed a very risky choice. I reckoned there was a 10-15% chance of a cardiac incident in the next ten years if I chose not to have the operation and a near certainty that my quality of life would also be significantly reduced.

But looking forward there's another risk that you aren't told about, the risk of the bypass operation failing within the first year or two and the replacement arteries becoming blocked. This isn't normally a fatal risk in itself, but it means that your treatment options are then more restricted and your quality of life will probably fall quite quickly.

There's never any guarantees with any medical operation, even a tooth extraction carries a risk, but using a rational and calculated analysis generally says your odds of enjoying more healthy years are greater with the bypass operation than without. And at the end of the day that kind of risk assessment is all any of us can hope for.

Good luck!

[MichaelJH Heart Star]

Hello Len and welcome to the forum! In answer to your multiple questions I would suggest you look at the BHF and NHS websites. Do not use Doc Google as there is a lot of out-of-date and misinformation out there. Some is total rubbish and will only add to your fears.

Some hospitals run seminars to go over rh different aspects; the process, medication, diet, rehab, etc. Does your cardiology group do so?

It is also worth ringing the BHF nurses to discuss your worries.

[Chappychap]

Have I got this wrong Len, have you already had your bypass operation? If so my apologies! If you've had the bypass then have you been on a cardio rehab course yet? The majority of people seem to report very good experiences with them.

[Hidden in reply to Chappychap]

No chappy not yet

[Ianc2]

I had my valves done in may 2014. Since then i have been half way round the world, walking in Austria every summer,walk about 30 miles a week at home, lost a bit of weight to get inside my BMI , and I have just finished a menu of the day at a beach side cafe at the Isla plans in Spain, and I am looking forward to my 75th birthday next Feb . My wife just broke her arm ballroom dancing so we are a bit restricted at the moment.

So start planning gentle exercise, walking is great if you do it gently and consistently and slowly build it up.

Hasta la vista.

[Phil-52]

Hi Len, This time three years ago I was going into hospital for a quad bypass. 12 Months to the day of leaving hospital I ran the Birmingham 10K, !8 months I ran the Birmingham half marathon. I am now Triathlon training. There is nothing you can read to take your fears away. All you can do is look at it logically and resign yourself to the facts. 1, These Surgeons/ nurses are second to none and the care is fantastic. 2, Do you have a choice but to go ahead with the op to get yourself well? (probably not). 3, Will worrying help? ( definitely not). This is the time that you really have to let go and hand your welfare into the hands of the professionals.

I hope all goes well and we'll see you on the other side

Keep up the posts and let us know how it went

Phil

[alheart]

Hi,

My medical bit first! Had an AVR operation and received a pre-emptive double by-pass at the same time (Oct 2015- aged 57)

My left arm was used for the harvesting for the by-passes.

Pain when coughing, sneezing, chocking and when driving over pot-holes were all nasty, as was the tiredness, which, I found best not to fight.

On release, then a daily walk to the next lamp post (to first day, 2nd day two and so on) really helped with desire and confidence to building up distance to reach others soon kicked in (had to remember that to not overdo with the return journey in mind!)

Next milestone was going out in public, mixture of anaesthetic and wound awareness (both knocked my confidence) made it difficult especially in crowds!

Started Physio/Rehab classes six weeks after op and they really helped they lasted for ten weeks.

The one thing I did miss was a support group after it ended and I wish I had kept up the others around my joining period.

Pre-op exercise was difficult so made sure the "bad habits" were kicked out, cut out coffee, junk food and reduced quantity (my appetite and taste went for months after the op)

Also relaxation techniques really helped both to reduce stress and help sleep pattern.

Yes I did manage to break a kettle in thinking I could lift it to refill and half way between sink and worktop, the physical strength was not as great as the mental thought - so be careful!

Now I wish it had been spotted years back. I had lived with things for so long and just thought it was just me and too much bad living. Now have the Heart of a 27 year old and I am so grateful of what has been done.

So relax, work on the bucket list of things you still want to do and celebrate after the op by starting to tick off that list and that you are still with everyone! This world needs you!

[Hidden in reply to alheart]

Al heart thanks for your post just waiting to go in the jubilee for surgery Ithe wait has done my head in big time thinking all the worst I'm walking every day eating well stopped the smokes that's the start before the op can i talk with you because the recovery is the big part and you have been through it i find comfort speaking with you and tips on making the recovery as easy and comfortable as can be were you up and out off bed in hospital quickand your breathing exercise in the hospital . I al heart I'm really struggling at the moment mentally and want to be physically and mentally strong for this

[alheart in reply to Hidden]

I never smoked and my alcohol unit intake was about 2 a month!

So when they went on about change of lifestyle I could sit there all smug. Then it hit me that I hadn't done that but was still suffering - a great leveler and reality check.

I was out of bed 72 hours after my op walking up and down the ward (with the help of two nurses)

Recovery cannot be speeded up and all are different.

What is important is to listen your body and honouring it

Get rid of the attitude of it cant be me - we all have the denial gene in us!

Friends and relatives have to appreciate that when you are tired you are tired and need to rest - don't fight it.

Fight to be positive at all times

Keep a diary so when down and fed up you can read the progress that you have made.

I found crowds hard to take - basically because of the wounds - and felt they weren't watching where they were going.

Have goals - mine was to attend a charity dinner 9 weeks after my op and went to a Status Quo concert the week after ( mistake was the bass and drums went right through my body so had to leave the main hall)

Another was to walk along a beach - great but it was windy and walking into even light wind can be tough and very tiring

coughing laughing and eating is also sore and frustrating

The Anesthetic takes about 6 months to clear out your system and that affects taste buds and energy levels

Do the physio rehab and you will be fine

Also this is a great website and BHF nurses are great to help in anyway too.

There is no such thing as a stupid question!

Hope this helps

Try and relax and know that you are in safe hands and that we due have a fantastic NHS System

[alheart in reply to Hidden]

For breathing I got given a small machine from the physios to help me and 10 weeks after the op I had ten weeks of physio cardio which really helps as the classes were constantly rolling so you had others around you completing theirs - which was inspiring in itself!

Although NHS Scotland may do things differently

[Hidden in reply to alheart]

Alheart were you emotional before your op I am allover the place and haven't had the operation

[alheart in reply to Hidden]

I was on more of a disbelief high That something was being done almost immediately. The tears and emotions came after. However, we are all different in how we cope. I hated my scars after but then realised that I could use them to help people in all circumstances.

Focus on being the you that you want to be after the op

The Op is a second chance (once the initial recovery is over) to lead your life the way you want it to be.

I learnt to channel the emotion into respect and inspiration for myself. Tears were not negative for what had happened but tears of inspiration and hope of a great future.