I am new on here. I am posting on behalf of my mum who recently had an angiogram and found out that her arteries are narrowing. Her consultant advised her the best option for her is bypass surgery. She is currently waiting on a date for her operation. The surgery will be done at Barts hospital in London. I know this is a specialist hospital in this field. This is quiet worrying times for myself and family. We have been told told this a routine operation. I've searched online can't seem to find alot in terms of people's experience. Has anyone had their surgery done at Barts please? If so would be happy to hear your experiences.
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Welcome to the forum, sorry to read your post about your Mum, I was 68 when I had Aortic valve replaced and bypass, that was 4 years ago. I live in Scotland so had mine done at the Golden Jubilee, Glasgow. This is the specialist hospital for the west of Scotland. All bypass are more or less the same.
It’s a very scary place that your Mum is looking into but believe me it’s nothing like our imagination makes it. She will be well looked after, have enough pain relief, and if she follows the instructions given to her will be soon on the road to a full recovery. If you look on the BHF web site they have a video of open heart surgery if you feel up to watching, I was given it to watch my husband watched and we were both ok, youngest son ( in his 40s ) couldn’t finish watching.😩
Time scale I went to theatre 7 am Monday
In ICU until Wednesday, could have left Tuesday but no bed in HDU in HDU until Thursday and then back to normal cardio ward until discharged Monday morning so in hospital 8 days.
If you have any more questions just post and someone will be along to help.
There are certain things she will be told not to do, no arms above your head no pull or push movements hoovering ironing or mowing the lawn! You can’t pick up anything heavier than half a kettle of water. This is to give the sternum a chance to heal that takes 8-10 weeks.
One thing I will say in hospital she will be given breathing exercises I called them huffing and puffing, you do them every hour and a coughing exercise. Your Mum needs to carry on doing them when she gets home. Your lungs take a hit as well as your heart the lungs collapse when you are on bypass so they need a little help to get back to normal. These breathing exercises really work.
After surgery it’s baby steps tell her to listen to her body when it says I am tired you rest. Gentle walking every day trying to get a little farther every day. I used to count lamp posts! Try and get to the next one the next day.
I wish your Mum a great recovery she will be fine she as a caring daughter to help her along the way.
I had a double bypass at Barts in summer 2019. They were utterly brilliant and, given the chance, I'd ask to go there again should I ever need to (though hopefully not!) Nothing was too much trouble. Once my local hospital had identified the problem, they had difficulty finding a bed in a specialist hospital. Owing to our location, Barts was the third they tried, but I was very happy that it worked out to be them.
At that time, of course, relatives could visit normally, and the location of Barts on a north-south railway line was also a bonus for my wife, who could get in daily quite easily from our home well outside London.
Can l ask whether once your problem is identified you are sent straight to the hospital for surgery or whether you have to go backwards and forwards first, I’m asking as l may need to go to London for surgery and l live in Kent
kingsnorth - I'm cautious about assuming that my experience was typical. I reported to my local hospital, after calling 111 because I had had some days when my chest didn't seem right. They kept me in, did tests, and (once they'd found me a bed) blue-lighted me down to Barts (they always blue light you, and I was just chatting to the ambulance staff). Then Barts operated immediately. But I've read here of people having operations planned ahead.
Thank you for your reply I’m beginning my journey and have an ultrasound booked in two weeks time l know l have valve problems as l was diagnosed in 2014 with a leaky valve which has now got worse and at times causes pain.
Hi in my mum case. They identified that she requires surgery locally, she is put on medication and awaiting her date for surgery. I wish you all the best x
Thank you for your information my ultrasound is next Saturday. If l need surgery l was worried about travelling backwards and forwards to London for appointments as l will need to get a train.
Hi my mum had a normal scan at first (the one where they lower the heart rate so they can take images) but this was inconclusive so they had to do an Angiogram. I wasn't aware that a ultrasound was another option. We have been told the Angiogram is the best for clear images.
In terms of travelling back and forth to London, its a nightmare we had to take a cab for the first face to face visit at Barts. I am even more worried about visitation due to covid restrictions.
Hi, I had a Bypass over one year ago. The operation has something like a 98% success rate and only a few days in hospital. It takes time to recover as you would expect but in a few weeks things will be good. It’s a life saving procedure after which you return to normal and can resume your life in full.
I know two people who have been through emergency surgery at Bart's and have survived and continue to make excellent progress (one suffered an aortic dissection, the other a coronary artery dissection which was treated with bypass grafts). I've also had a cardiac MRI scan there myself (on a research study). It's an outstanding surgical centre; one of the best in the country.
The only downside is that because it is an emergency referral centre that can deal with the most challenging cases, there might be a slightly higher chance that patients with more routine operations could be bumped off an operating list. This is something the team will discuss with you in advance; mentally it can be challenging; be assured that if it does happen - and here's hoping it doesn't - then you will get higher priority second time around.
I also remember my surgeon saying - I do several of these ops each week- made me realise that it is routine for them. It’s what they trained to do - trust the experts. I was home after 5 days- then the real recovery starts but every day I felt a little stronger & a little brighter & before I knew it I was wanting to go back to work!!
Thank you everyone for taking time to reply to me and for your kind words. My mum is still waiting on a date for her operation. We have been told this would be soon. I have also had confirmation that it will be open heart bypass surgery. I am very worried but have to hope for the best outcome.
Hi everyone,My mum surgery is booked for next week. Naturally, I am feeling very anxious and worried. For those of you who have been in this situation I am sure you would be able to relate to my worries. I am hoping and praying everything goes well.
I wish your Mum well for next week, before you know it she will be on the mended heart road and working to get things back to normal.Just remember it’s baby steps, do all the exercises that she us given, and all the instructions about arms above the head lifting or pushing or pulling movements.
You will be looking at 2021 with your Mum getting her life back.
Hi Pauline, thank you so much for taking time to reply. I've had so much running through my mind these past few week. It becomes harder especially since the time for the surgery draws nearer. Take care.
Hi everyone, just to let you know that mum had her bypass surgery and is now out of hospital. I really appreciate all of your kind words in the run up to her operation.
Can I please ask what meds did they put you on for the pain? Mum is on Codine and paracetamol which does not seem to work. She cannot seem to be able to fall asleep too and is very restless.
Hi, Pain relief was co-codamal and paracetamol, I was told to take the paracetamol at the regular times even if I felt pain free, just to keep it at bay.
Sleeping was difficult to start with, a v shaped pillow helps having to sleep on our back, I had a rolled up baby blanket that I used to do my breathing exercises and the coughing exercises with and I found sleeping with my arms wrapped around it I felt more secure. Can remember the first time apI could sleep on my side sheer bliss😂
Being restless, is normal she as been through a huge operation, at the moment her brain is trying to make sense of what as happened to her body, being on bypass her heart stopped and her lungs were collapsed. It takes time to get back from that.
It’s baby steps to start with and if she follows all the instructions she will get back better than before.
Hi Pauline, thanks alot for replying. Mum is on Codeine and Paracetamol taken every 6 hours she cannot exceed dosage. Problem is with most meds are the side effects and Codeine have quiet a few. I will speak with mum's GP to see if she can swap the pain killers.
Like you mum can't sleep on her sides and she does have a V shaped pillow but sometimes she is in so much pain nothing seems to help. I guess like you said this is a slow route to recovery.
Mum is doing great considering she also have parkinsons which also have a set back on her mental health.
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