Hi. I am due for my mitral valve repair or replacement next week, now actually looking forward to it, as I am getting fed up feeling like this.
One concern is on my mind, and I am sure the doctors will cover this, but I am worried about being fully conscious with the breathing tube still in my throat. It raises anxiety all of its own, for personal reasons.
Can anyone offer me any help or advice in this respect, please?
Morning,I can only speak personally, had no problems with the breathing tube, when I became aware of being awake in ICU tube was gone. You have had such a lot of drugs you are not conscious of a lot of things. I was certainly in a very comfortable place, my first thought that I can remember was I had never had my head on such a softest pillow! It felt like I was lying on a cloud 😂
I know that the closer to your date you get little things start to get to us, a bit like you couldn’t wait to get it done, I had been in hospital for 7 weeks and I just wanted to get home. The night before my op I had never felt so alone, family had all left and this feeling of peace came maybe my brain helping me out but whatever it was it was amazing.
I send you best wishes your nearly there, soon be on this heart mended road.
Pauline
Thank you so much, Pauline. Your replies are always so comforting and helpful, not only to the original person, but I am sure the wider audience appreciates them as much as I do.
Thank you that’s a lovely thing to say. Can only say how things were and are for me and if that helps I have given a little bit back for all the help I have been given along the way. It’s not going to be long and you will be answering questions and helping those coming up behind us.
Best wishes Pauline
Hi Beatles, Am I correct in thinking that you're not going down the OHS route, and will be conscious during the surgery?
Hi Heed. No, I will be out of it during the operation, I am thinking of when I come round, and still having the breathing tube in.
I think I had a silly moment there...I can't really help on the tube, my first time was too long ago to remember and the others, as far as I'm aware I was out if it and don't recall much.
I hope it goes well.
Heed
Thank you. 😷
It's an interesting question. I was told that when coming out of the anaesthetic after open heart surgery I lashed out when the breathing tube was being removed. Apparently it's not uncommon and they have a well rehearsed procedure for dealing with this. One of the nurses mentioned it to my wife as I'm quite a big guy and it all turned into quite a ruckus!
However, the good news as far as your anxieties are concerned is that I don't have the slightest memory of any of this, and the nurse said that's pretty much always the case, as far as the conscious and remembering patient is concerned they're absent when the tube goes in and when it comes out . So whatever happens you'll be well out of it!
Thank you for that.👍
You are given so much anaesthetic that you sleep for many many hours. I went to the theatre Saturday morning, first thing, and it was Monday before I knew much about anything. Lots of weird dreams. No discomfort at all. The theatre staff are brilliant and they won’t let you wake up too soon.
That’s great that you look forward to the op.
Colin
Thank you, Colin. As I tried to convey to Pauline earlier, I respect and value information from yourselves. 👍
Beatles I had heart surgery 6 months ago, and honestly , I have no recollection of my breathing tube being taken out. ( I also was worried about it ) I suspect it was because I still had anaesthetic in my system, and was being given morphine, so I really wouldn't let it dwell on your mind too much
Thank you. I am getting the theme that I have no need to worry about it.😀
I won't say it isn't uncomfortable having an incision down your sternum and chest drains , but at no point was I scared .I for one was in a complete haze for the first 24 hours Sometimes I was aware of the nurses and things going on around me, but with the pain killers etc I certainly wasn't completely lucid !.
Beforehand I was told they'd only give me morphine for the first couple of days , but in practice they ask you all the time if you're in some pain , and in my case they gave me morphine when I was back on the ward .
I'm over 70,so took a bit longer to recover but all the staff couldn't have been more compassionate .
@
Thank you, Isobel.
Hi,
I am sure some people's memories will be different to others, but although going through OHS, mine are very limited. I recall being in ICU as I remember my wife speaking to me, I don't remember seeing anything though and assumed it was night and therefore dark. It wasn't, it was 2pm in the afternoon. I even recall the nurse telling me they were going to take the tube out and how they were going to do it. She said 'I am going to blow some air in to your lungs, which will make you cough, then I am going to take the tube out and clean your mouth". Whilst I remember all of that, at no point did it alarm me or was I even aware that I had a tube in my throat, no sensation at all. The removal I guess took about a second and the next thing I remember was being wheeled to HDU, still don't recall seeing anything. I was then given my morphine pump, which was taken away really quickly, and that is my first recollection of seeing anything at all. The whole time however I felt no distress or alarm.#
Good luck
Thank you for that. I think that I was thinking that when you come round, you are fully lucid, but that is clearly not the case, from yours and others replies. Don't understand why your morphine pump was taken away quickly - was there a reason for that?
I didn't really use it. I didn't feel in that much pain. I think I had in total for about half a day, maybe a day at tops.
I was more groggy than in pain. I don't really remember much pain at all except when cough, laughing or sneezing lol.
Ok, thanks.
Hi Beatles1956
So pleased for you that the time has come for the surgery. The wait is the very worst part of pre surgery. It plays with your head!
I have experienced the breathing tube being taken out! I’ll give you the reason why first!
While still under in ICU last January after my AVR they gave me “blood products” as a transfusion as I had lost a lot of blood they said, through my drains. Immediately I went into anaphylactic shock and they had to keep me sedated for a further 24 hrs.
I remember coming round with nurses and doctors talking to me and asking me to blink. (Now I know why there were so many there. Didn’t for a few weeks) I was able to blink for them and even gave a thumbs up. I wasn’t aware that I couldn’t speak so it wasn’t frightening. I was on a cloud of morphine. I didn’t realise that the tube was still in.
“She’s back with us” someone said and I was aware of a sensation of a lump in my throat for a second or two. That’s all it was. It wasn’t frightening. It wasn’t painful and all I felt was a relief of sorts in my body as I breathed for myself.
You are in a haze of medication. You will not panic or feel any pain. Remember that the staff do this all day long and they have seen most of the reactions and know how to deal with them.
To some people this amount of information is frightening. On here I think honesty about procedures and surgery and how they affected people is helpful. I hope this helps you. Remember most people cannot remember this happening. I only do because they had to bring me back very slowly.
Good luck and let us know how you get on.
Regards
❤️Maisie❤️
Thank you, Maisie. You're right, honesty on here is very helpful, and even though you had a rough time of it, sounds like you were oblivious to it.The waiting certainly does mess with your head. Most of the time lately I have been looking forward to it, but having a bit of a wobble today. Nearly there! 😷👍
Concerned
Concerned 
A cause for concern or?
Post operative mental health
