Need to Rant. Worried my upcoming Valve Surgery may be cancelled due to getting Bronchitis .

[Kiki54]

Hi Everyone,I got my date for my Mitral Valve repair for 21st June. I was so pleased that my Surgeon moved me up the waiting list!

However after getting my haircut 13 days ago and the Junior who washed my hair and made me tea had a cold !

I dropped the next day . Started my rescue pack of steroids and Doxycline. ( I have asthma and c.o.p.d ) I usually recover quickly but to cut a long story short. I didn't. Roll on second course of each. Home visit by nurse, then another home visit by G.P two days later.

No improvement . Peak flow was 140.

Called Hospital on Sunday. Hospital Dr came out. Said I wasn't responding to the Doxycline, changed me to Amoxocillin 500. My SATS are always good at 97/98% but jeez the breathlessness was unreal. He was reluctant to admit me because he knows I have the heart surgery coming up and was concerned I could pick up more germs in Hospital than in isolation at home.

I have improved a bit since yesterday. My peak flow has only risen to 160. My sputum result came back today. I have Bronchitis 🙈

My sputum is no longer green but pale yellow. I have 15 days to get fully better. I can't afford for my Heart Surgery to be postponed.

How on earth do I speed up my recovery ?

I still have 3 days of amoxocillin 500 to finish. I'm on my 3rd course of prednisolone and have 2 days of 40mg daily prednisolone to finish.

I'm panicking my Heart Surgery will be cancelled.

I'm all ears for any advice

Thanks

Kiki 🫶🏽

[Tos92]

So sorry to hear you’ve come down with bronchitis just before your surgery date!

I’ve had a really bad case of flu for just over a week now which has turned into a nasty chest infection/borderline bronchitis. I am also on Amoxicillin 500mg.

My advice would be to do plenty of steams, you can run a hot shower/bath or put boiling water in a bowl and a towel over your head. The steam can help with congestion. Avoid caffeine and alcohol. Instead drink plenty of fluids such as water, herbal teas, and fruit juices. Veggies have antioxidants in them, so maybe include these in your diet if you haven’t already. I’ve had very low appetite this time around, so not able to eat much and the fatigue has been unreal!

I hope others come along with suggestions too.

Feel better soon and I’ll be keeping my fingers crossed for the surgery to go ahead 🤞🏽

Tos xx

[Kiki54 in reply to Tos92]

Thanks for all the advice Tos92 and reassuring words I'll go get steaming now !🥴

I hope you feel better soon also.

Kiki 🫶🏽

[nicknack999]

Hi Kiki. Stay positive - 2 weeks is plenty. I'm sending you positive vibes. Best of luck with procedure

[Kiki54 in reply to nicknack999]

Thanks Nicknack ,

I really hope 2 weeks is enough.

I'll take all the positive vibes !

Kiki 🫶🏽

[Fanfab1]

🤞 you will recover in time.

maybe wear a mask and restrict where you go and what you do up to your operation to avoid any further risk? Maybe get close friends and family to be aware too.

Good luck and speedy recovery.

[Kiki54 in reply to Fanfab1]

I haven't been out at all. I'm going nowhere until the 21st. Advised to isolate at home. I live alone too, Any deliveries I've been getting have been getting blasted with Zilbac Sanitiser. It's like covid shielding all over again 🙈

Thank God for video calls as I can chat with my daughters. Everyone is banned from my house .

Thank you for the Good Luck and good wishes.

Kiki

🫶🏽

[Lowerfield_no_more]

What has not been mentioned, although it may be obvious, is to make sure you get plenty of rest to allow your body opportunity to heal and settle down again. And also avoid any of your triggers (one of mine is dry roasting spices for curries!). Anyway we are all different and respond differently to respiratory 'upsets' as I well know since I too have asthma and COPD but fortunately only in a mild form but do have setbacks from time to time. But as far as your operation is concerned you will, no doubt, have a pre- procedure interview a few days before 21 June so that is the time to decide with the health professionals whether you will be fit enough to proceed, and unfortunately if you are not, it will give someone else the opportunity. But hopefully by then you will have recovered. Hope things work out for you.

[Kiki54 in reply to Lowerfield_no_more]

You're so right about resting. I haven't really had a choice not to. It really knocked the stuffing out of me.I've already had my pre op assessment . I've to be there for 7am. I know I've to get a CT scan of my heart before Theatre. So I guess that will be the deciding factor.

It would be a shame that if it I wasn't fit enough that someone else wouldn't get the opportunity at such short notice.

Fingers crossed I recover in time.

Thank you for the good wishes.

Kiki 🫶🏽

[Marvel3000]

You still have time. Like eveyone had suggested plenty of rest, warm fluids & steaming. Also if you have a dehumidifier in your room will be so helpful. If not just place a bowl of water on your bedside table at night, replace the water each night. Fingers crossed it works out for you 🤞

[Kiki54 in reply to Marvel3000]

The steaming has helped. Not done that for years when I used to do it when my daughters were wee.I did have bowls of water but my cats kept drinking it 🙃 So I've nicked one of their water fountains 😊

Thanks for the kind words Marvel.

Kiki 🫶🏽

[Marvel3000 in reply to Kiki54]

Aww you cant even be annoyed at that. Good replacement idea 😊

Wishing you a speedy recovery from this 🫶

[Yumz199725]

Awww hun I'm so sorry 💔😕. That's awful that's such a low peak flow! What's your normal one?? I'm on my second set of prednisolone 40mg aswell last few tomorrow hope I won't need any more after this. I thought my peakflow was low at 290 ( normal is 600). I really hope this dosent affect you having your surgery x

[Kiki54 in reply to Yumz199725]

It's ridiculously low. I did get 3 readings of 200 today. I'm normally around 400. I'm starting to feel better. Sputum is now clear and I'm not as breathless.

I'm bloody exhausted though.

Hopefully I'm winning 🙏

Thanks Yumz. Hope you feel better soon.

Kiki 🫶🏽

[Mero_]

this website sent me a msg to reply to you about your heart valve surgery case and my experience i could give to you, but know this site is all crap and nonsense, no one will be able to help you out here, its all talk talk chat. I myself no-one helped me here when i presented my problem i couldn't even afford to make the surgery and i feel very sick right now, my heart functionality is down to 30% , lots of water in my lungs and abdomen and been admitted to a hospital just to rip me off with paying. so yeah its good when you feel able and cable.....

P.s they might not like my reply so they would "hide it"

[Kiki54 in reply to Mero_]

Hi Mero, I'm sorry you feel you don't get much support on here.

I find this site a good source of information and help from people who have the same or similar health issues .

Luckily I'm in the UK and don't pay for my health care .

I'm sorry you don't have the same.

I wish you all the best and hope you find support and a solution to your heart issues.

Kiki 🫶🏽