Bypass surgery

Hi All. Just found out today following an agiogram that I need bypass surgery. Suffice to say a bit of a shock that! I have a family and no life insurance (a big mistake I know) and am worried for them if something happens. Can anyone offer any advice who has been in similar situation on how they got insurance? Thanks.

[Gail1967]

I understand your shock- I was there myself but a bypass will surely fix the problem -not lead to end of life. I’m 5 months today post quadruple bypass and expect to have an even longer healthier life than I could have expected before. Depending on the circumstance leading to the need for a bypass different insurance co’s have different approaches- although I have only looked at travel insurance to this point. Good luck

[Hidden in reply to Gail1967]

Thanks for replying Gail. It's all still sinking in and all I can see is the negative at the moment, it's good to hear the positive.

[Handel in reply to Hidden]

Hi JD. I can only say that my dad (now aged 97) had a triple bypass 40 years ago and my husband had a quadruple bypass last November. Both have a new lease of life (although dad has age related dementia now).

You'll find the people on this forum have so much information and support for you. I learned there were no stupid questions, and believe me, this time last year I was asking loads!!

All the best to you. xxx

[marypw]

My husband had a triple 2 years ago and did great! He's never had a trace of angina since.

Not too sure about life insurance afterwards?

[Beith]

I agree with Gail1967 - the operation will lead to a significant extension of life - consider the alternative if you don't have the op ...? I too had a surprise when I found out I had a completely blocked artery and three other 70-90% blockages! had a triple bypass 9 weeks ago and am doing just fine - walking 10000 steps a day without any issues. If you are reasonably fit now, the heart bypass won't have a negative impact, quite the opposite.

As you will read on many other posts on this site, the heart surgeons do these operations every day and it's routine surgery. I looked forward to the day of my op because the alternative wasn't that inviting! After all, you get to have a nice deep sleep while a team of experts sort out your arteries - what's not to like?!

Search online with this question and you'll find many brokers offering to find insurance for people with pre-existing conditions, including bypasses: "Can I get life insurance after a Coronary Artery Bypass Graft (CABG)?"

Best wishes

[thetidders]

As the others have said you are not on your own. I had a triple bypass last year which came as a big shock to me as well. Originally I thought it was my Asthma getting worse! but when no treatment was. helping I was referred to a rapid access clinic to cardiology. After an angiogram I was told I needed a bypass, 2 arteries were totally blocked & 1 was 90% blocked. It does take some getting used to, all I can advise is read all the BHF booklets that apply including pre op, the operation itself & post op. There is also one about cardiac rehabilitation which I do advise you to attend if there are classes in your area, they are very good & they certainly gave me a lot of confidence.

[Hidden]

Thanks all for the amazing replies, am glad you have all had positive outcomes from the surgery and it puts my mind at rest. At 45 and having two girls at 4 & 7 I was a little overwhelmed with worry about them but your replies have really helped.x

[Elvee2 in reply to Hidden]

Give yourself some time to get used to everything - it does come as a shock and you will be feeling quite depressed at the moment - I’m just coming through a similar diagnosis and waiting to be told when I’m going to have surgery. I’ve found that I’ve “calmed down” now after a couple of months, I’ve got used to the drugs and am actually feeling better than I have for a long time! I am also finding the other replies to you very reassuring and although not exactly looking forward to surgery I am feeling more confident that life after bypass will be ok. Just be kind to yourself while you get used to the whole situation you find yourself in.

[Hidden in reply to Elvee2]

Hi Elvee. I'm finding it very reassuring reading these other replies and I'm glad you are too. Yeah, it's not something to look forward to either but at least now I can start to see the benefit which I was struggling with. I hope the best of luck to both of us and if you want to ever chat to someone going through something similar to you at the same time give me a shout.

[MichaelJH Heart Star]

A colleague's father is over forty years post bypass and doing well in his nineties. You also have age on your side. I had a quadruple last year and my only real issue is arthritis! ☹️

As said don't worry as it doesn't help. The best thing to do is start making the lifestyle changes. Also work on your core strength as post op you cannot use your arms to get out of a chair for 8 - 12 weeks.

[dickielex]

The 20th anniversary of my quadruple bypass falls in November. Since then I have travelled extensively in Africa, India and the Mediterranean and live a very active life. It's a big operation for sure but it really is a very common procedure. As all of us who have had the operation boast a small vertical scar in the middle of the chest, you can get a pretty good understanding of just how common it is by visiting a beach or a swimming pool. Lots of folk wear this badge of honour. It's a badge that has given me 20 years of fun which I wouldn't otherwise have had and I hope that yours is as good for you.

[Phil-52]

Hi JD. I had a quad bypass three years ago at 52. Ran the Birmingham 10k 12 months to the day of coming out of hospital and the Half marathon six months after. Swim as part of triathlon training and apart from buggering up my knee recently am fit and healthy. There's plenty of life after joining the zipper club.

Good luck

Phil

[Ianc2]

Ask to see a nutritionist to advise you if you can improve your diet, If you smoke -stop, If you are overweight now is the time to look at the DASH / mediterranean diet and get your weight down to half your height. Alcohol in very moderate amounts, along with coffee and tea only in moderate amounts Say farewell to biscuits and cakes and sugary drinks. The rehab program will get you going. Slowly and surely you will improve ( it takes 8-10 weeks for your breast bone to heal) and gather your strength.

Allow for a tough 3 months to get the healing done and you will be able to look forward to a dramatically improved life expectancy, along with a massively improved chance of not suddenly dropping dead, and you will be around to pay for your daughters weddings.

Best Wishes

Ian

[bluerose76]

Hi Judge Dredd, You'll see from my initial comment that I suffered agony with two angina attacks some years before I was admitted for a triple coronary bypass. Living as a single guy I never had concerns about insurance. If one has a family then it's different. I've never been a competitive athlete or sports player, but have always enjoyed physical activity, especially cycling and hill walking. Also fly fishing and swimming. Still go to the gym just to keep myself actively fit.

I did have slight bouts of angina after the bypass op., but nothing like as painful as the earlier attacks. I carry a GTN spray with me as I have found that quickly provides relief.

I was in hospital for a total of 5 days after the op. Felt pretty rough the day after I came out of intensive care and the anaesthetic wore off. Taking the first steps after I was told I should leave my bed was difficult. But once I got moving I quickly became more confident and by the afternoon I was walking around to chat to people nearby.

Friends collected me from the hospital and I spent the first couple of weeks with them. Getting up the first morning after leaving hospital was difficult. My chest was very painful. People went silent when I entered the kitchen for breakfast. Going up the stairs to my room was an ordeal. I could do only three steps up and would then have to pause for a full minute and get my breath back.

But I soon coped better with physical activities. I used to do exercises to get my body and muscles moving. In the coming days a friend took me for a walk around the block, like an elderly dog. I was rerrified that someone might collide with me and that my very tender chest would suffer an impact. The most frightening was when a group of school children would come running along the pavement towards me. I used to hide in the nearest doorway till they passed.

Main difficulty as I became more able to move around and walk short distances with friends was sleeping through the night. I'd go to bed at around 11 p.m. and then wake at 2 a.m., 3 a.m., 5 a.m. and then stay awake till it got light. Must have been a good month before I could sleep through the night.

Some 6 weeks after the op. I was walking for 2 miles every morning after getting up. The surgeon told me that I had made an excellent recovery. He was proud of me. It was mutual admiration.

Let things take their course and time.

Bluerose76.

[Hidden]

Thanks all for the amazing comments and advice! Its invaluable for me at this stage to know what's coming and how to prepare and it really means a lot to me and my family.

[hutch123]

I think you may be in shock. Like you when I was diagnosed I felt I needed to put all my affairs in order, insurance, a will , letters to my kids etc. I had always been so healthy and suddenly boom I had serious coronary artery disease at 51. I was terrified and convinced this was the beginning of the end.

I did not have a bypass but 7 stents and continued to think that any day I would have the big heart attack and my number would be up. Until at an appointment with my cardiologist who told me I was a huge risk before treatment but now as far as he was concerned I was now fixed go out of the door and get on with life and enjoy it.

I still have off days but they have become less frequent.

As far as increasing a life insurance policy or taking out a new one, a lot of companies won't touch you and specialist ones underwriters want to see six months following procedure incident free and then they will cover you but obviously premiums will be higher because of your history.