Recovering

[Riojeembo]

I had triple bypass surgery on Christmas eve. I endured many of the side effects that we have all experienced. I am doing great and have given the green light to resume all normal activities.

[MichaelJH Heart Star]

Hello and welcome to the forum! Glad to hear things went well. I would urge you to protect your breastbone for another 5 - 6 weeks as it takes the breastbone about 12 weeks to fully heal. Having encountered one person with an unstable breastbone you do not want to go there. If resuming work a phased return is best as full time is often that bit too much.

[Chappychap]

I agree with Michael, the rule of thumb "guidelines" are return to work after 3 months for a desk job, but it could take 4-6 months if you have a more physical job. And a "complete" recovery, ie back to where you were before the op or better, can take anywhere up to a year.

In the first few months the thing to focus on is your breathing exercises plus gradually increasing your daily walks. After that you should ideally progress through the 8 week cardio rehab course, and only then be thinking about more serious exercise.

I had a bypass operation in late 2018 and now I'm regularly exercising harder than I have for twenty years, including bench pressing nearly twice my body weight. But I was really, really careful to progress with baby steps as an injury from over reaching is a dreadful setback, and there have been awful stories on this forum from people who damaged their breastbones by pushing too hard too soon.

Good luck with your recovery!

[MichaelJH Heart Star in reply to Chappychap]

The person I met at rehab with the unstable breastbone was already eight months post-op. He only did two rehab sessions to try and improve fitness. It looked likely they would have to open him up, debride the bone and rewire him. One person here damaged his breastbone by lifting a very heavy suitcase!

[Heythrop51]

Knowing people that have undergone open heart surgery I am slightly dubious that you are fully recovered. Do you mean you have been discharged yo you GP?

[tjh990]

Like yourself I had a quad bypass on Christmas Eve at Basildon, had my 6 week assessment 6 days ago and was told that they don't need to see me again (barring emergencies), I'm now up to steady walking 2.5 miles. I saw the cardiac rehab nurse over 2 weeks ago and agreed to go on the course...heard nothing since but I walk most days (maybe not in storm Ceira today). Maybe chase them up this week. I did pull a chest muscle a couple of weeks ago just picking up a drink so progress carefully.

[gilreid1]

I had triple bypass 18th October I would seriously urge caution. You should be very careful not to stain your upper body. I have just started playing golf again after 14 weeks

[gilreid1]

Meant to ask did you go to rehab ? They would have explained the step by step recovery

[MichaelJH Heart Star]

Just wondering what you mean "many of the side effects that we have all experienced"? Post surgery I suffered with an electrolyte imbalance and anemia, a friend with healing and scarring issues to his leg and another with unstable BP. Three people all with different issues! We are all different at the end of the day.!

[Pollypuss]

I was ok after my op - triple bypass - but oh dear the medication I found was the major problem. I don’t think I really ingested any of it as it just went through me and I felt so sick for 3 months until my cardiologist took me off the lot and now I am on aspirin and feeling nearly normal. However I still can’t eat many things like yogurt or drink tea but my stomach allows many of the good things like bananas and porridge and lots of good vegetables and miles of fish. I can’t (or want to) tolerate fatty sugary stuff . When I look back on the whole procedure, it wasn’t the op pain but the constant diarrhoea and feeling sick that put me into a very black depression - I honestly thought this was my lot forever - but it went