Progress post surgery

[Hythe123]

So, I am 5 weeks post avr surgery and feel my progress is really slow, wondered how I compare to others. I’ve had a couple of setbacks, ended up back in hospital just over a week ago due to nausea and dizziness but tests showed that all was ok with valve. My main issue now is atrial fibrillation which makes me feel dizzy and woozy and I have to go lie down. Thus I am only walking up and down the garden a few times a day and only covering around 1500 steps per day. I am bathing ok on my own and doing basic household chores, cooking simple meals etc. Please I would really like to know A). From others experiencing atrial fibrillation, and B). What others are achieving 5 weeks post surgery. That k you x

[Ageingfast]

good morning Hythe

My recovery was straight forward but I did not/ do not suffer AF.

I could feel slight improvement every two days. I had two weeks delay when I suffered gout.

I recommend talking whilst you walk. Garden is fine, anywhere outdoors if you walk a few yards, building up a little more each day. I would not use steps as a measure. You need to consider how far you walk.

It took me 3months to recover and, I got a fabulous feel good factor after the three months. A golden moment to realize I was fully recovered.

Sooty

[Dimelza66]

Hello, I think someone's we are quick to compare ourselves to others. Sometimes it gives us a gauge, sometimes it gives us a false picture. Everyone is so very different, and for your body and mind maybe you are doing all you can, and doing it at a good rate. For example, I feel great 9 weeks after surgery, but I ended up back in hospital twice, once for UTI (due to catheter) and once with migraine aura (which mimics a stroke). So, we all have setbacks, good days and bad days. The most important thing is you're moving forward. Well done, keep going👍🏽

[Survivor1952]

I guess I’m the other end of the spectrum to you. Had two bouts of AF in CCU post surgery (scary first time isn’t it). At five weeks post surgery I was walking at least two miles non stop daily as part of my exercise routine.

I’m now 13 months on, enjoying life to the full and running 5k once a week as well as a gym session at least once a week.

[Bruce67]

I had valve surgery end Dec and it took several months to start to feel any kind of normality. It's slow progress for most, so don't expect too much too soon.I have AF and there was a question mark over whether I would have ICD before leaving hospital...in the end I didn't get the implant then as they wanted to see how I responded to meds and the valve repair making a difference.

Sadly I was recommended one for preventative measures...so just as chest pains going I was cut open to have icd fitted end of April...so now more pain more nerve damage etc....am hoping by anniversary of my initial collapse end Nov I will start to feel well again...we will see.

[VelvetSky]

I was incredibly frail for some months and it really took six months to feel really good again. Each person is different, take it all slowly, you will get there.

[Jedi14]

Recovery from Surgery can usually take longer. We tend to under estimate our own recovery times!

Take me for example, after my stents, I was like you, walking about doing household chores etc, I thought in 6months time I'll be fully recovered.

Not so according to my employers back to work assessment. According to them, 1 year at least! Thats not to mention several other minor issues, angina, new meds etc, I've had since then. Even though I've been in full-time employment, 16 months down the line I'm still on the mend?

[road2ruin]

Hi Hythe,I was very slow, initially to recover too. I was 50 when I had my surgery and did ok in hospital, discharged after 6 days. One day at home, though, and, like you, I got Afib. Back into the local hospital, loads of checks, an over night stay, and more drugs.

I would probably say it wasn't until about week 6 or 7, that I started to notice big improvements. I had been improving previously, but had bad days too.

After 5 years now, I am still not 100%, still suffer a little Afib, but I have to say to myself, 'I am still here' and loving it.

Don't rush yourself, things will get better, in their own time. Don't feel you have to meet any agenda.

Come on here to vent, it's good to talk..

Peter

[Hythe123 in reply to road2ruin]

Thank you for your comments, I just feel that everyone else seems to be recovering much quicker than I

[Tubs29]

Hi Hythe,My husband is 64 and was in a serious RTA in January , his sternum was fractured in 3 places ending up with a hematoma on the heart...3 months later he was reviewed at Glenfield and they would'nt let him home and as apparently damage to the valve was very severe, and also had developed sick sinus syndrom. Hes now 6 weeks post op ,he had a dual pacemaker fitted and open heart surgery, mitral valve replacement as an urgent. He has had AF several times post op, one day for 7 hrs as pacing clinic phoned as he has been given a home monitor that transmits data to them. They. have told us it may well be due to stepping down off the Amiodarone and the surgery itself as the heart adapts, and hopefully will resolve. Valve wise he can walk for 1 hr but very slow for him, but put in any incline he struggles, he also still sleeps a lot after any walk. But we start each day as a new one, and week 6 hes much better than week 5 , we do a walk every day , one day it may be 10 mins. the next an hour, depends on how he feels , try not to compare yourself to others its hard but its your recovery. His problem is mentally he feels broken as he was so fit before, and really struggles to accept what's happened, the fractured sternum had to be re broken and is sadly clicking so still in a thorax jacket , but he starts cardiac rehab in September and were hoping that will give him the confidence boost and the emotional support he needs Remember wherever your at in your recovery ... you've got this far and that is amazing. good luck

[Thonglor]

You are certainly doing better than I was after only 5 weeks. I was stumbling (escorted by my wife) to the bathroom, walking short distances outside similarly escorted, still sleeping most of the time. After a couple of months my activity level increasingly rapidly improved, and by the fourth month I was really pretty well back to all normal activities, including quite steep hill climbing. Good luck and be assured that it will not be long before you are wondering why you were concerned.

Thonglor

[Hythe123 in reply to Thonglor]

Thank you, that is encouraging.

[BellaLover]

I am 5 months post AVR & felt very similar to you at that stage. I tried pushing myself & rushing to get better, & had 2 setbacks,so stopped pushing myself too hard. It did feel like I was never going to get stronger & fitter, but I'm getting there . Take your time, I know it's easy said, & I didn't do it, but don't panic, work on your mental health as well as your physical health. Go to cardiac rehab if you have the chance,as it has helped me so much. Take care,& healthy heart to you.

[Hythe123 in reply to BellaLover]

Thank you for that, very reassuring.

[Shar28]

Hello. My husband had his AVR a few years ago now. From his experience I’d say 5 weeks is very early days, especially with AF. You’ve had major surgery which entails lots of different drugs going through your body, not to mention the actual physical trauma and it takes months to heal up fully. Perhaps 6 months or so.

I know that sounds forever, but the rate of healing slows down as it goes on so the last bit takes a while.

Your body is unique to you and it takes it’s own time to heal. It’s natural to want to get better sooner rather than later. My husband found he would do too much and set himself back a bit, that recovery isn’t linear.

My husband kept a daily diary of his BP, meds, how he was feeling, what he’d done then he could see his progress. He also jotted down questions for his post-op appointment and I went with him & jotted down the answers. In fact, he kept on doing that for a year or so and several years on still jots down anything unusual.

I hope I haven’t rattled on too much. Best wishes for the future.

[Hythe123 in reply to Shar28]

Not at all, thank you for your reply, very encouraging.