Should I go back to consultant?

[Ruther25]

Thought I was really healthy. Regularly walked 5 miles and enjoyed cycling. Then went to the doctor feeling poorly. Had cabg surgery in May 2019 which obviously saved my life but wasn’t entirely successful. CTCA after cabg showed LAD had severe disease, circumflex had diffuse disease and RCA also had diffuse disease. Stent in put in SVG -OM in July 2019 but still breathless when I walk faster than a snails pace, often feel nauseous and dizzy, can’t go up and down stairs comfortably, having angina often including when resting and at night, ankles swollen. Consultant says not to worry and it’s all just settling down post operative pains. Should I go back?

[Lezzers]

If you're getting angina pain whilst at rest then that would be unstable angina and you need medical care, you should be either phoning for an ambulance or at the least ringing the NHS helpline number. Do you know what your blood pressure is? If its low that could be the cause of your dizzyness, maybe meds need adjusting. If your ankles are swollen, elevate your legs that will help. Finally, you could ring the BHF nurses on Monday for advice as to whether or not you should go back. Hope this helps & that you're feeling better soon

[Ruther25 in reply to Lezzers]

Yes I’m sure it’s unstable angina but I’ve been back to A&E in an ambulance 3 times before and 7 times since the cabg surgery with these symptoms and every time they do ecg and troponin test which both show no heart attack. I’m feeling mild not severe angina pain. So don’t feel I can bother the hospital staff again. Taking spray 5-7 times a day. Pain responds to spray but comes back

Will ring BHF nurse after the weekend

[Chappychap]

If I've read this correctly you had open heart surgery about three months ago.

Yes, on paper that's a long enough recovery period for most people to return to work, even quite physical work.

But there's another interpretation. The fact is your lungs take a terrible beating during open heart surgery. Lungs have no muscles to keep them inflated, as soon as the chest cavity is pierced during surgery the lungs simply collapse. It then takes a lot of structured, therapeutic effort to get them reflated and functioning properly. That's why breathing exercises and steadily increasing walks are so critical to your recovery.

There are plenty of people on this forum who really struggled through this post operative recovery period, and it's common for people to get stuck in a vicious circle where they don't feel well enough to push through the breathing exercises and brisk walking, but without these activities they're not actually addressing the underlying lung problems that are holding them back.

If you feel the need to return to the consultant then by all means go that route, but keep an open mind to the possibility that for many people recovery from open heart surgery is a far longer and more difficult process than the 8-12 weeks you regularly see quoted.

Good luck!

[Ruther25 in reply to Chappychap]

Thank you.

[Ianc2 in reply to Ruther25]

I agree with chappychap, the first 3 months of recovery were hard work. Try and find a level path to walk along on daily basis. Nice and easy does it, and slowly extend the distance if you can. Eventually your breathing will improve and you will be able to enter the rehab process.

Walking is also the way the body uses it's leg muscles to squeeze fluid from your legs back up your body to get your circulation going? It is not easy, some lucky people do recover quickly and I do know one particularly determined lady who was back ball room dancing after 6 weeks, much to everyones' amazement.

But she is very much the exception. For the rest of us mere mortals it is a chance to sort out any lifestyle issues, stop the nibbles and get active and feel the benefits!

[Clerkenweller]

Even mild angina is distressing. I had frequent mild attacks for 6 months post stent. Your meds probably need reviewing. Pester to see your cardiologist (good routes are your cardiologist secretary and Patient Liaison) and as advised talk to the BHF nurse. Good luck.

[Hidden]

I too had open heart surgery in May and along with it came anxiety 😬 if I have indigestion I wonder if it’s more, it’s scary, heart surgery is a massive thing especially when it’s not expected. Now when I feel the anxiety coming I just take deep breaths and distract myself which is working for me.

I also felt that my recovery should have been quicker after reading other posts but Chappychap is right it is an individual thing.

The BHF nurses are brilliant, give them a call on Monday 🙂🙃🙂