I'm due to have a bypass in the next month for 1, possibly 2 or 3, coronary arteries following repeat in-stent restenosis after 2 angioplasty procedures.
My question relates to the extent that I'll need any assistance at home after leaving hospital given that I live alone. I'm sure I can arrange for family members or friends to stay but I'm wondering how feeble I'll be and how long I might need assistance for and in what areas. Basically, any advice about recovery once I'm home would be gratefully received. I'm 64, reasonably fit at the moment and live in a hilly area so walking from home in the fullness of time will involve gradients. Of course Covid is another factor I need to weigh up in terms of my planning.
Many thanks in advance
Al
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Hello Al, the hospital won't discharge you until you've demonstrated that you're reasonably self sufficient, ie that you can walk, negotiate stairs, go to the bathroom by yourself, etc.
After my bypass operation, which judging from other accounts on this forum was fairly typical, I was very tired and slept for quite a bit each day. However, the fact is that I could do most things myself when necessary. The one thing I would have struggled with if I'd been alone would have been changing the pressure stocking that you wear on the leg where the veins were taken from for the graft. I suggest you mention this at the hospital and I'm sure they'll have a solution for you.
Another key thing is that you can't drive for a few weeks after the operation, so depending where you live you may need help with shopping. It's important to keep up with the daily breathing/walking exercises, at first you'll find a few hundred yards is the most you can manage, but as your lungs recover this quickly increases. For the first few days if you haven't a companion for these walks then I'd stick very close to home so that you can get back quickly if and when you start to feel tired.
Don't worry about the operation. Yes it's major surgery and full recovery takes some time, but you'll feel so very much better once you're a couple of months post surgery. Being liberated from the symptoms of angina is the most incredible relief. Most people don't appreciate how much their health had deteriorated, so life after bypass surgery comes as an amazing and positive revelation!
Thank you so much for that encouraging reply. It's made me feel much more positive. Re the stocking, the surgeon talked about using veins from my chest but that the final decision would be made nearer the time. I'd never thought about that.
Re the post op walking, do you think the local gradients will be an issue or is it like now, where I've just got to take it very steadily?
Your comments about life after recovery are also very encouraging. The re-blocking of my artery after stenting (something affecting 5% of patients) has been a huge disappointment. So long as I keep to short distances on flat terrain I can manage, but my life, including the social side, used to revolve around outdoor activities which I'm now obviously fearful and incapable of and my fitness has dropped in the last 18 months. Hopefully I might get some of that old life back in time.
Hello Al, I wish I'd have known in advance just how transformational bypass surgery can be. Like you I'm a fairly active person, and a few months after surgery when recovery was largely complete I suddenly realised that I'd re-discovered a level of fitness and vitality that I'd last known ten or twenty years ago. Doctors are a fairly conservative bunch, so they don't generally hold out this prospect, but it's clear from other accounts on this forum that many people who have shaken up their lifestyles post surgery and diligently grappled with the recovery process, have enjoyed enormous increases to their well being following CABG surgery.
Regarding the recovery process. It's important to realise the role of the lungs in all this, your lungs have no muscles of their own, they inflate and deflate purely by the mechanical action of the chest. As soon as the chest cavity is opened for surgery both your lungs collapse. Re-inflating the lungs is a very long process, it takes weeks or even months to finally re-inflate every last pocket of micro-collapse. So your breathing exercises and daily walks are absolutely critical. Don't knock yourself out, but do make sure you stick to the programme, even though on most days you really won't fancy it! In particular the "coughing" part of the breathing exercises can be quite uncomfortable, but dig deep and push through.
A very experienced cardiac nurse told me that most people actually judge their recuperation following heart surgery on how quickly they get their lungs back to full capacity...it really is that important.
I hadn't read about the lung capacity angle anywhere so thank you for that observation/advice - firmly registered in my brain for the future! Your eloquent description of the benefits of diligence in recovery are very motivational! I have a feeling I might be rereading that in the days ahead!
I'm not sure where to rejoin the thread so I'll put it here....
I'm now 6 weeks post surgery CABG x2. I was surprised how relatively well I felt afterwards and I have lived on my own after 5 days of help at home after discharge.
However I'm anxious about a few things and would appreciate any feedback.
I still have very noticeable chest 'discomfort'. Occasionally at rest it disappears but usually it's present. Is that 'normal'? How long is it before you can't feel the surgery and essentially forget about it (if ever)?
I'm doing 1 to 2 mile walks once or twice a day now and at a slow pace they are fine. I live on a hillside and so I've had to balance the discomfort of being taken out in a car over bumpy roads to flat terrain by kind friends v attacking my hill. A couple of weeks back I tackled a nearby gradient (slowly) and my chest discomfort got worse and I struggled to differentiate between what angina used to feel like v just a worsening of the wound discomfort v shortness of breath / lung capacity. I also struggled to identify whether GTN spray helped or not. Given that the exercise has to stretch a bit I've kept on with it but the discomfort always gets worse on the gradient but I keep going. Any views?
I had a vein taken from my left lower leg but I have this fairly constant weird tingling numbness in my right thigh??
I feel faint when I get up from the armchair and take a few steps.
I often feel my heart pounding (normal rate) in my head and chest/back when at reclining which I wasn't conscious of before the surgery?
I'm seeing my surgeon for review tomorrow with a list of questions but any advice on how to get the most benefit from the meeting would be welcome. Cheers
I can't say any more than Chappychap. He helped us through my husband's after bypass stuff!!
You'll get there. Just take things easy and keep up with the breathing exercises as they're really important. You'll be gradually walking more and more each week. My husband wanted me to walk with him for the first three or 4 weeks after his quad bypass. I didn't really need to but at least I had a bit of exercise too!!
Keep us posted on this forum. You may have questions once you're home. I was once told that there are no stupid questions (believe me, I asked loads!!) xxxx
Many thanks for those comments - as you probably know it is possible to loose hope sometimes because communication beyond the technical medical procedures is often scant - those guys are under a lot of pressure and not everyone has the gift of empathy and communication - seems like it can be found here! Thank you again
Most people on this forum have been there and got the T shirt. They'll know what you're experiencing and you'll get brilliant help and advice.
Keep us posted. You'll be in and out of hospital in no time. Hubby had his operation on the Monday and was out Friday the same week! In hindsight, I wished I hadn't spent a fortune getting Sky Sports on his hospital TV!!!!
Brilliant thank you - I like the Sky comment - a sense of humour definitely helps! When I was having my first stents done the Dr was a man of few words - he was probably concentrating - he did however ask me at one point what I thought of it so far to which I obviously replied 'rubbish', which caused some merriment - with him cos he was obviously old enough to remember Morecambe and Wise and with the staff cos they had probably never heard a consultant being addressed like that!!
You'll be fine honestly. You've got those gorgeous elasticated stockings/socks to look forward to (we ceremoniously burnt those after hubby wore them for a month!!).
Hello, all the replies have been spot on, having open heart surgery is major but before you leave hospital the physios will make sure you are able to cope stairs bathroom.
I had aortic valve replaced and bypass nearly 4 years ago and can tell you the thoughts in your head are much worse than the actual op.
I had a husband at home but 5 weeks after my op he had a stroke so was in hospital for 7 weeks so I was on my own. Luckily I was past the help with the white stockings! My first ventures in walking outside he was there, but travelling to the hospital I was on my own!
It probably made me get on with doing things on my own quicker than if he was there next to me.
Getting your stamina back is a slow process remember it takes time slowly does it. Doing your breathing exercises after you leave hospital is a must I called it huffing and puffing, your lungs have taken a big hit as well as your heart, they need to recover too.
I wish you lots of luck and a great recovery, you will soon be on the heart mended road.
Thank you so much for those comments Pauline - and specifically the reassertion about the lungs. All these kind and positive comments have been very reassuring.
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