cabg graft failure?: Dear all I had an... - British Heart Fou...

British Heart Foundation

50,164 members31,662 posts

cabg graft failure?

F_H_D profile image
10 Replies

Dear all

I had an 3 X cabg last summer ( I am only 44) and now I am experiencing chest discomfort and have had high pulse (apple watch) with minium effort.

I went through blood tests and ekg and echo which all came in fine.

This does not feel normal to me, has anyone experienced same symptoms and what were the result?

Feeling very hopeless!

Written by
F_H_D profile image
F_H_D
To view profiles and participate in discussions please or .
Read more about...
10 Replies
Smits1980 profile image
Smits1980

I don’t have an answer but do have a response! I had a quadruple CABG last summer. Rehab all fine, recent echo fine, 7 day heart monitor fine, blood pressure fine but recently getting regular chest and back discomfort and weakness in my voice and breathless from walking upstairs. I think it tends to be when I’m tired but not entirely sure. I do get a bit of fluctuation in my BPM- I had afib following the operation. How high is your BPM for how long and how often? I think my issues are probably just par for the course and suspect same for you. Cardiologist told me a couple of weeks ago that any discomfort would NOT be angina.

F_H_D profile image
F_H_D in reply to Smits1980

Thanks for the response, around 150 bpm with minimum excertion (brisk walk), month ago I could run 5K without issue/pain and average bpm arpund 147 (according to my apple watch). I don’t know if this is angina or not but it sure does not feel entirely right

quirk13 profile image
quirk13

My triple cabg was June 22. I still get chest tightness and occasional pain. Echo,ECG, bloods and a nuclear scan all say everything is fine.It's really hard to get answers from the cardio nurses and drs. I just get "everyone's recovery is different"

My only advice is to keep going back and asking. Be good to get an answer and if nothing else you will get monitored in case something is developing.

Sorry I can't be more positive. If you are anything like me you just want to know. I keep asking if this is just something I have to live with but never get an answer. My cardio rehab was disastrous, I could never complete a session, usually too breathless or having blood sugar drops. I even ended one on my back after an episode of severe dizziness, but apparently that was nothing to worry about.

The professionals don't seem to realise we do worry.

I hope you get some answers

F_H_D profile image
F_H_D in reply to quirk13

Sorry to hear, and thanks

Nelson71 profile image
Nelson71

exactly the same. HR slightly elevated. The doc increased my bisoprolol to 2.5mg but I still get occasional blips up to 140 for about a second. He said my heart is still settling down and occasionally it gives an extra beat. This gives a high reading after the fact but not long enough to catch in real time. It’s only after on my Apple Watch it says HR 58-141. It does scare the bejesus out of you. Mark CABGx3 +13 weeks. Also the nerves in my chest are staring to reactivate and I have a very sore chest round my incision scar

MountainGoat52 profile image
MountainGoat52

My heart rate sits around 60 bpm and when I do a very brisk walk it goes up to around 100-110 bpm. I don't run as it upsets other things.... that's the price you get when you get old! My heart rate has been in this sort of area since I had my bypass. Your rate certainly seems high for just walking. I would certainly refer this back to your medical team.

Blackknight57 profile image
Blackknight57

i dont always trust i watch. Todays range is 42- 100.

Bigscar profile image
Bigscar

I am on here somewhere Bigscar I had my triple in 1977 so coming up for 47 years ago.Age 31 young so maybe more able to get over the trauma now GWR as longest survivor in the World.

What I will say you can never completely wipe the worry from your mind after all these years any little twinge and of course you think it’s back. However I got on with my life and at my age nearly 78 still play walking football and ride my bikes reasonably aggressively. Never thought id reach this age so everydays a bonus. Not sure how old you are but the op has extended your life you will get niggles but as time passes you will hopefully worry less if they occur.

Billett profile image
Billett

Ive got AF after my CABG feels crappy and for the first 3 weeks felt totally breathless all the while and especially when fatigue sets in

Smits1980 profile image
Smits1980

How long is the heart rate that high for? If it’s prolonged each time and this is something that is happening week after week then suggest it worth getting checked out. The physiologists at my cardiac rehab said that sudden rises were probably errors in the watch. Also, I got ectopic beats following the operation- I’ve been informed that the sudden rises in BPM are nothing to worry about but come in from time and time and can happen throughout the day for weeks at a time. As an aside, my heart rehab told us to do moderate exercise only forever, using the calculation 220- age x 0.7 to establish your upper BPM for moderate exercise. Appreciate that different areas offer different advice but based on the advice I received you should be limiting your BPM to an upper limit of 123.

You may also like...

ascending aorta graft

community with the outcome of my surgery which I had on April 20. A reminder that I was diagnosed...

Coronary artery bypass graft.

I had a quad heart bypass on Christmas Eve 2019 at Basildon Hospital, Essex...writing this exactly 1

First Full week of graft

I thank you all for sharing your experiences and offering reassurances . I wish you all the best...

aortic graft and valve

report back after the operation. Many thanks to all who have taken the trouble to reply to my posts

Stenting a new graft

Hi guys Not a very good day result wise for me . Still in hospital after angina pains on Monday 10...