Triple Bypass surgery

[gorillaqueen]

Hi everyone after being informed back in July that I have severe multi vessel coronary artery disease I was informed yesterday that I need a triple heart bypass. I don’t mind admitting that this terrifies me and thought hearing from others in the same situation may help. I have also been diagnosed with non Hodgkin lymphoma so although I’m a positive thinker I feel quite anxious at the moment. I’m 71 but still have so much I want to do and it’s also about a good quality of life.

[Carlg]

I'm three months post triple bypass.

hearing the news you need a bypass is always a shock and terrifying indeed. I remember the shock and worry. But you will be in very good hands.

The surgeons are well trained and do this operation all the time. And you will find more astrength then you thought you had.

youll be asleep for most of the operation and most of your time in ICU. You then be well.looked after on the cardiac ward. Just remember to follow their advice. Getting out of bed, breathing exercises they give you etc.

Then remember recovery is a marathon not a race.

[gorillaqueen in reply to Carlg]

Thank you for your reply it’s good to hear from others in the same situation. I wish you a very speedy recovery and good health.

[Hidden]

Hello

There are so many of us on here that have had Bypasses and all felt exactly the same hearing those words are terrifying and I was just that when I was told it was what I needed over a year ago now literally terrified !

I am a worrier anyway but that really did take my anxiety to another level and I never thought I would be able to go through with it but you know I did

I imagined all sorts of things and to be honest considering it was nothing like I thought

You will be well looked after and the Nurses are fantastic and before you know it you will be on the road to recovery and possibly like many have said they have not felt this well in years !

Anything you want to know about it or any worries you just ask and we will do our best to answer and put you at ease x

[gorillaqueen in reply to Hidden]

Thank you so much for your reply it really helps. I am considering not going through with this but my family tell me I am strong and not to worry.

[Hidden in reply to gorillaqueen]

Hello

Your family are right

Without this operation you will be shortening your life which your family want you around as long as they can as well as I hope you want to be around as long as you can to

Your quality of life will get worse without the operation to which I am sure you do not want either

If the Consultants and Surgeons felt you were not fit enough to have this op they honestly would not even consider it as an option but they obviously think you are

You can do this and life will be so much better it is the fear of the unknown but don't let that fear win you are been given a chance here take it

You can do it x

[gorillaqueen in reply to Hidden]

Thank you I know what your saying makes sense so will give myself a good talking to.

[Hidden in reply to gorillaqueen]

You can do this and we will all be here to support you x

[Handel in reply to gorillaqueen]

Hello gorillaqueen. Please don't put off having this operation. Your quality of life will be so much better soon after the operation. My hubby had a quad bypass and has never looked back. New lease of life and beats the grandkids at football!!!

If you need any advice before you get that heart of yours mended, there are so many lovely people who have been there, done it and got the T shirt.

Lots of love. Jan xxxx

[gorillaqueen in reply to Handel]

Thank you yours and everyone on here comments have really helped.

[Handel in reply to gorillaqueen]

You'll be absolutely fine 💕😊xxx

[Charl70]

5 weeks post quad bypass as craig rightly said you ar3 in brilliant hands and will be well looked after ,I won't know anything about op as your be a sleep ,try to get out of bed and sit in chair asap maybe 2 days after ,breathing exercises are so important for recovery but as most people say it's a long recovery road taken at your own pace, I'm now walking around 5km a day with various walks , the care you get in the hospital is absolutely amazing all the best to you your be in recovery before you know it

[gorillaqueen in reply to Charl70]

Thank you for your reply it’s very helpful. So pleased I joined this forum .

[Heyjude31]

Hello gorilla queen as others have said it is a huge shock being told you need bypass surgery. I am now just over a year 4 x bypass and although I still get bouts of anxiety the physical healing has been great. The amazing cardio surgeons do these procedures every day and for them, I was told ‘it’s routine’. You will be in great hands, and after surgery it will be a focus on slow but sure progress. Breathing exercises, gentle walking, not lifting anything heavier than half a kettle when you get home. You should be offered cardio rehab once you have been home for a few weeks. I would grab that with both hands. I am still a member of a cardio gym and it has been brilliant. Please take care and let us know how you get on. Please do ask any questions you have and I am sure the wonderful hearties on this forum will answer, though naturally we are not medically qualified. Judi 🤗

[MarmiteB]

hey! I’m now 10 months post bypass (crikey, where did the time go?!) and I’m absolutely fine and back to normal. It sounds insane to say it but I remember saying it to my surgeon “Having open heart surgery isn’t as bad as people think!” He said to me “If I’d said that to you before your operation you just wouldn’t have believed me”…he was of course correct!

It’s scary when you first get told that you need one but honestly, I’m so glad I had my operation as I didn’t realise how poorly I was before I had it! I was getting angina all the time (even just from sitting on the sofa or a short walk) and after my op it all went away. Completely! I have now been able to run and do 15km hikes with the dog.

If you want to talk/have a chat about it and ask me any questions at all please message me and I’ll happily give you my number. I’d be happy to put your mind at ease about it. You must have so many questions/thoughts.

Rosie x

[gorillaqueen in reply to MarmiteB]

Thank you so much that’s so nice of you. Everyone on here is so kind and thoughtful, certainly restores your faith in humanity and makes the world a better place.

[MarmiteB in reply to gorillaqueen]

not a problem at all! I discovered this site after my op and I wish I had found it beforehand! Just message me privately and we can have a chat if you like, even if you want to talk about what to put in your hospital bag! Xx

[gorillaqueen in reply to MarmiteB]

Thank you so much the support on here is amazing.

[ZoeSS]

It certainly is a strange and anxious time. I've been promoted to 'all well' heart wise but a state prior to the event is on- going and so a new normal is also something I seek - and many others here. You are certainly in good company gorillaqueen and it is so energising to hear that there is so much you still want to do. However, it is time to listen to your body and let it dictate what you can do if you can separate your thoughts from that. I'm beginning to think a healthy and vibrant curiosity about how to manage life, effort and activity might be a way forward when one can. One with joy in all the moments that 'fit'. Take Care.

[CyclingTime]

its a new lease of life, a few months recovery and then you can crack on with the things you want to do. I had a quadruple at the end of January and feel fantastic

[Niffad]

My husband had bypass surgery in May , life is good now , we embrace and enjoy every day . The surgeons are amazing , the team are very special . Take up any rehab courses offered they are all designed around your health and mental health too . I know you are scared you wouldn’t be normal if you weren’t , you will be in the best hands with the best care and you will be so glad you’ve had the op within a few months . Take care , move forward and enjoy a long and happy life .

[Bigscar]

I put my story on here a couple of weeks ago mine was a triple bypass at much ealier age I must admit.I was 31 in 1977 now 76 still unbelievably active play walking football twice a week.and ride my bikes now and again.

The surgery at that time was in its infancy then I didn’t have a heart attack just angina when working my heart exercising I was very fit at the time.It was hell of a shock to have to face that so young but I had a wife and 2 young daughters. Thanks to NHS and St George’s Hyde Park Corner have survived to tell a very successful story.The surgery has moved on since my time but you must have the op to get your life back.

[devonian186]

I am 71 and had an unexpected quadruple by pass. The waiting was the worst part. The actual operation is 'routine' in as much it is very well established and carried out very frequently (but hopefully not on the same person!)

When you come round immediately after the operation you will be allowed to press the methadone button to relieve pain but really I wasn't in much pain and what with the tests afterwards, Xray, heart monitor etc. and being moved to less intensive care wards, you are kept pretty busy. I went home after 4 days and this is where I think people need to prepare.

The chest area will hurt or be uncomfortable and for the first 4 weeks I took the maximum paracetamol dose of 8 tablets daily then suddenly found I didn't need them any more. you will feel emotional, someone will need to change dressings and the GP will need to take out stitches etc.

You will need to find comfortable positions to sit and lie down and in that respect you may need to commandeer a variety of chairs at different times of the day. I found it very much easier to sleep by myself for the first month as I could then be restless. I found for the first week or two I got up at 4am for an hour. Access to the loo is important as you don't want to have to continually walk up and down stairs

Have radios, tablets, books (not weighty tomes) jigsaws or whatever amuses you to hand at home, as it will get very boring although you will likely doze for lengthy periods at first. Eat what you fancy as it will keep you occupied, but then you need to start eating what is good for you

Keep a health diary as you will be able to see the progress you make as there are ups and downs. That 50 yards walk in the first few days might seem impossible a few days later as you will likely try to do too much, so judge progress week by week and not day by day

It will likely take 6/8 weeks before you start to feel at all normal but up to 6 months before you regain any former fitness.

Have you got a date for your operation as the sooner the better and in the meantime you can prepare by getting a bit fitter or losing weight or whatever your consultant thinks might be appropriate in your circumstances. Incidentally as I found the hospital food terrible you might like to stock up on snacks.

[Wooodsie]

Hello Gorillaqueen, people have already addressed your bypass, so I won't add to that. My brother was diagnosed with lymphoma some 10 to 15 years ago, it has been so long I can't remember. I just wanted to say, in all that time he has not needed any treatment, they keep a close watch on him and he has regular check ups with his consultant. Recently, it has peogressed and they are considering treatment which will probably include chemotherapy, this is on hold because they are checking something else out. All in all, while every person is different, it may not be such a big concern for you at the moment. In fact, looking on the plus side, you will hopefully receive better care than the majority. Once you have had a successfulbypass , your chances of seeing a consultant after 6 weeks when you are discharged will be like finding a river in the sahara dessert

[gorillaqueen in reply to Wooodsie]

Hi sorry for the late reply but I went away for a few days with hubby for some much needed relaxation to try and get my head round everything. Just wanted to say thank you for your comment/ info regarding the lymphoma it really helps to hear such positive stories. I wish your brother well and hope he does not need any treatment.

[MountainGoat52]

Hi gorillaqueen,

I'm another of those on here that have had a bypass. After a heart attack and two stents, I was referred to a cardiologist and offered either more stents or a triple bypass. I elected to go for the surgery as this provided a better long term solution to my partially blocked arteries and I must say that I have never regretted it. I am now fitter and more able than I was before my heart attack, indeed considerably so.

What has been said about the op, aftercare and recovery is true. I was home 5 days after my op to start the gradual road to recovery. Hill walking is my pleasure in life and I got back on the hills at 3 months post-op as soon as I could carry a backpack and was back to where I had been pre-op by 6 months. I am now climbing larger hills and walking for longer.

I hope that you get a date for your surgery soon.

Kindest regards and best wishes,

Gerald

[joygard1]

Hi.Yes on day1 being told you need Bypass CABG surgery it is disconcerting without any doubt.Please don't worry the skill of the surgeons are superb, the operation itself has been in existence for a very long time. I have had it done twice over a longish period of time and still around at the age of 80+.A close friend is 28 years in after Bypass, and fit and same age as me,. You will be fine

[Swalecliffe88]

Hello gorillaqueen. Interesting name 😀you are amongst so many people going through and been in your situation. I found I had 90% blockage and felt so ill 7 years ago I had a triple bypass too. Once recovered from op which will take a few months but you will get there. I felt so well and so much better. I am sorry to hear though about the other condition and admit I don’t know too much about that but I wish you all the very best. And say to you don’t be scared of heart op it really isn’t as bad as you are thinking. But this site has so many people who are willing to listen and help if we can. You are amongst friends use us.

[dikda]

As a famous comedian used to say "I'll tell you a story". Having spent most of my life being VERY fit, when, out of the blue, I was confronted with the prospect of a quad bypass, rather than being frightened I became furiously angry. Without going into all the details, having spent Friday to Sunday stripping my very large trees of apples and straining a pec muscle handling the ladder, I was sitting watching TV and changed my position reminding me of the strain. Then it passed through my mind - 77 years old (early Oct. 2013), upper left chest discomfort, wonder what my BP is. Went upstairs - 180/80 - wow, very unusual. Tested downstairs again 200/100! This was around midnight - thought about it (on my own) , 999 and the medics confirmed it - ecg ok - but A&E just in case. It was 01.00 when I arrived - the first hour of the first day of a new computer system - utter chaos - 13 hours in A&E!!!! Put onto a ward eventually, having had to physically threaten the duty consultant to get attention. Following morning, angiogram - vessels restricted - the surgeon began to withdraw the tubing - no stents I ask - not appropriate, you're in for a quad bypass. You are b....y joking! No, he says a main vessel is reduced to 40% of its capacity and a heart attack is imminent! Transferred by car from Croydon to Kings College (thank God) - excellent care - very rapid recovery (during which I made contact with my first love after no contact for 56 years!) - 6 week check-up - have I done all the physical tests that were specified - no, didn't need to - no problems. When do you want to see me next? "Never", he says, you can p..s off! The consultant's registrar and I had a common interest in judo, so had become quite friendly. Now, the punch line is, probably because of a high fitness level, I had been VERY fortunate and I was genuinely able to view the sequence as a non-event - a minor hiccup!!! Btw, I WAS a smoker from age 21 to age 48, so it was possibly self inflicted..... Since surgery, I have lived a totally normal life without any restrictions and just maintenance meds. Hopefully, you will be as fortunate - just be reassured you will be dealt with by experts who have probably seen and done it all many times before. There is little likelihood that you will present unforseen difficulties for them. GOOD LUCK

[reidmar]

sorry to hear your news but hopefully you'll be assured with the replies from here and also make sure that any questions you may have are addressed with the cardiologist. (There'll be plenty, I know from personal experience). I had a quadruple almost 3 yrs. ago and must admit physically I can do most things I was doing a year before my health went downhill but maybe just take a bit more time & care to do it. The mental shock of the op took me a bit longer to get over as luckily mine was done within 2 weeks of finding out I needed it so I didn't have a lot of time to think about it (nor was I in any condition to do anything but have it), which in hindsight was probably a good thing. I wish you good luck and improved health for the future and speedy (BUT CAREFUL) recovery once you've had yours.

ps: find a good close friend to talk it through as I found that helps.

take care