Tiredness post aortic valve replacement.

[Holidayman]

I am 69 nearly.

Had an aortic valve replacement 2 weeks ago.

Post surgery I came out with a collapsed lung,chest infection ,stomach with 10kgs fluid retention and then AF with a slight blockage too yet to be fully resolved.

Three days in ICU wearing a seacap and lots of oxygen to help me breathe easier.

I have been out of hospital 3 days and taking a cocktail of tablets everyday.

Sleeping a lot.

Managing short walks daily.

Trying to read the threads i am intrigued to hear how long it took people on average to regain some strength and less fatigue.

I was fit until mid 2023 but at minute

Feel generally week post op.

My appetite is poor and generally no

Interest in eating much plus alcohol a non starter.

Know early days and patience virtue.

Wondering how much my op complications have also hindered my progress.

Thank you in advance.

[Ageingfast]

it took me 12 weeks to get back to full activity. But I could feel slightly better every two days. Good that you are walking every day, I did that and chatted as I walked, often just chatting to myself. And I slept sitting up.

It is very very early days.

Keep believing you will get better and you will

Sooty

[Holidayman in reply to Ageingfast]

Cheers.

[Rhinos67]

Hi, I felt totally broken, much worse than I did pre surgery and very low mentally. I expected to bounce back straight away once they had replaced my valve and if course that was totally unrealistic.

I had to have a pacemaker fitted due to total heart block which meant a 2 week ICU stay after the AVR and then a week on the ward after the pacemaker.

I think that I only started to see and feel any sort of improvement at about week 6, but still became tired easily after that for several more months.

If you aren't already a member of the Facebook group UK Aortic and Heart Defects Pre and Post surgery then please consider joining. Lots of support and reassurance from people who have shared the same journey.

Joanne

😊

[Holidayman in reply to Rhinos67]

Thank you.

[MissDolittle]

I had a much smoother OHS than yourself and yet all your post surgery symptoms of fatigue, loss of appetite etc describe me exactly. The first week home I could only walk to the bottom of the garden. Give yourself time, the nurse explained to me that your heart is swollen with the operation and untill that reduces fatigue in everything is to be expected. I’m nearly at the 6 week check and all of a sudden this last week the stairs no longer felt like Mount Everest and I can do a 40 min walk. One other thing to check which no one explained to me is iron levels, I was anaemic post surgery and needed some supplements.

Be kind to yourself and rest, one day you’ll look back and realise how much progress you’ve made ❤️

[Holidayman in reply to MissDolittle]

Thank you.

[AH31]

Hi

I hope your recovery continues to go well.

I had open heart surgery, valve replacement six weeks ago. My chest felt heavy for the first few weeks and very tired, somedays it is still there. They say it takes up-to twelve weeks to feel fully recovered.

[Holidayman in reply to AH31]

Thank you.

[Still_Breathing]

Yes I felt the same afterwards. Having a shower was exhausting at first, sometimes I had to sit in the shower....But like you I went walking daily which I gradually increased as time went by.

You will start to feel better but it takes time, the cocktail of tablets don't help but you will get use to them.

Just dont over do it and no lifting anything more than a kettle.

Good luck

[Holidayman in reply to Still_Breathing]

Thank you

[alicebear]

I got addicted to the protein shakes but everyone is different mate go at your own pace I only took a month but I’m also a lot younger than you

You’ll know if your pushing yourself to quickly

Good luck

[Holidayman]

Thank you.

[Holidayman]

Thank you for reassurance.

[Larneybuds]

Good morning.....I would say that only 2 weeks after your op how you are feeling is fairly normal. We all read about the text book recovery and at what stages things should be happening but everyone is different. This is major surgery and your body has to get used to the new normal. The main thing you will most probably experience initially is fatigue but keep doing your walks and upping it each day. You will have good days and some not so good...again normal. You should get an invite for cardiac rehab and I think most people's advice would be to attend. Not only do they show you various exercises to do, they also make you feel more confident and able about doing things. I would say at the moment to get plenty of rest but do your walking and breathing exercises....as long as you aren't getting any pain or discomfort you are worried about I would think your recovery at this point is pretty much the norm. Try not to overthink things or expect too much of yourself and just take things and take each day as it comes and do what you feel able to do with perhaps a little more push than the day before. I am sure things will start changing and you will gradually start feeling stronger and better and back on the road to some normality. All the best and take care xx

[Holidayman in reply to Larneybuds]

Thank you.

[Taviterry in reply to Holidayman]

Last year, aged 78, I had a TAVI in mid-July and the next day walked 70 minutes around the hospital in five or six careful stages. Five days later, accompanied by a relative, I did an hour or so out in the countryside. No problems. In early September I managed seven hours on Salisbury Plain and felt great afterwards, then two or three days later became exhausted after just four hours. Probably due to my being borderline anaemic for ten years or so. I'm waiting for a follow-up appointment with an NHS haematologist who arranged for five phials of blood to be extracted for tests - which left me exhausted. Possibly the Clopidogrel anticoagulants aren't helping.

As others have suggested, in your case build up exercise carefully, expect bad and good days, eat and drink sensibly, and rest.

[Holidayman in reply to Taviterry]

Thank you.

[Mitchum]

Even without your post surgery complications it would be normal to feel like you. Don't push it but keep the walking going little and often. My appetite was rubbish also. It's six month job to get back to some kind of normality and even then you'll have tiredness for a while. Hang on in there!

[Holidayman in reply to Mitchum]

Thank you,

[TMeditation]

I had my AVR at 67 (5 years ago) and came out of surgery with an infection, fluid on the lung that had to be drained away and AF, which proved to be slightly more prolonged than I’d wished for. So I do sympathise with you but would suggest you don’t expect too much of yourself at the moment. My appetite was virtually non existent and surgeon suggested I ate only carbs when I got home. I lived on mashed potato and rice pudding for the first 3 weeks 😄 and really enjoyed it! I had a sleep midday for about the first 2-3 months, I was shattered! My cardiologist told me it would take me 12 months to completely get over the op. I laughed this off at the time but can now see there was some truth in that. Everything you mention was in my post-op list and it’s tough getting back from such a major operation. However you are one of a very select group of people who got the other side of surgery and feel so much better for it - I try and remember that every time I realise I no longer need to stop for breath half way up a hill. Enjoy your new life. Sue 🙏

[Holidayman in reply to TMeditation]

Thank you.