Hello, I am going to undergo CABG pretty soon. I am really petrified about it. I’ll appreciate if anybody here I could talk to , who’s undergone this procedure. Also are there any bravehearts who refused CABG ?
Update : Today is Day 11 after my CABG and I have written my experience as a blog in the following link. I can’t thank enough to the ppl who responded to my query.
Hello 
I am a very anxious person by nature so when I had 3 heart attacks and told I needed a triple bypass I was petrified
It sounds so frightening and whatever you do please do not go on google reading things as that will not help but do what you are doing and come and talk with people that have had this operation
My mind blew it up so much yet when I finally walked into the Hospital and the Nurses started to talk to me I felt so much more at ease you could tell they were experts and looked after people having these ops everyday the same feeling when the Surgeon came to talk to me to and you really are in safe hands
If the operation has been suggested that it is what you need I would not hesitate in having it done as been a braveheart if advised you need this op is not a sensible choice at all
If there is anything you want to know please just ask and we will do our best to share our experiences with you
All I can say is if I can do it I know you will be able to and we are here to help you the best we can x
Thank you very much for your reply. I’ve also read through many of the posts here and I am relieved a bit. I still regret of fumbling on my diet in recent years (I’ve had a stent some 10 yrs ago).
Hello
There are so many positive posts that members are living life better than before the op
It is a anxious time for some and quite normal to feel that way but you will get through this and when you have you will realise it was not as bad as you thought it was going to be
Try focusing on the positives of having this done and moving on to a better you don't look back we cannot change the past so no point blaming ourselves on what we think we could have done better like diet etc but focusing on we have been give this second chance and how we are going to take it and look after ourselves x
Hi, I think most of us were anxious to petrified. I have a few brief comments. I had a quad and an aortic transplant/replacement. I can only reply. “I once was lost but now I’m found”. I now have my life back. I was having 20-30 angina attacks a day, incredible as it was. I now have my life back.
The people involved in your procedure are totally remarkable. Hugely skilled and caring.
One VERY IMPORTANT tip I have given several people which has made a big difference.
When the anaesthetist meets you for a briefing before your op, ask them to prescribe a diazepam tablet for the night before, and another for an hour and a half before you go for the op.
This ensures you get a good sleep and the next day it ensures you have absolutely no anxiety. They wheeled me in and I was thanking everyone for coming that day. “Have a good day etc”. I have heard of a few patients that went in singing.
The reason it’s important to have it prescribed. The nursing staff are scheduled to give you the medication. I have heard that some have been told, “just ask the nurses for it”. This doesn’t work 100%. They are very busy. They they have to find a doctor to prescribe it and can miss out.
Get it prearranged and you have no worries. When you take it you have no worries.
I saw two people refuse the op and left. THAT isn’t brave, it the worst decision of what could be their possibly short miserable lives.
One patient who declined had a wonderful doctor sit with them for four hours trying to convince them to go ahead. If you refuse., it could be a very bad outcome. You will still have this hanging over your head, and you will then ge back of the queue.
You owe it to yourself, your friends and family and to the medics and system that got you to the front of a very important queue. Be brave, get it done. It WILL change your life. If I needed it again, and I won’t, I would rush to have it.
Best to you my friend.
Thanks a lot. The reason I brought up “refusing CABG” is because I have stable angina which happens only when I walk to office after having breakfast. I am perfectly fine to walk 2-3 km any other time of day. There are many reports on internet about ppl who lived long and quality life with their angina. There’s one paper which showed that incidents of further attacks and mortality are exactly the same whether surgery was undertaken or not. However, today morning I gave it a thought again and I am going to go ahead with the surgery
x
5 years ago I had a few heart attacks, I say a few because I lost count at around 6. A few days later I had CABG X5. Over 17 hours on the operating table. 5 years later I'm still here, alive and kicking. I discovered several things that may help you. Do as they tell you. Never turn down pain relief, and don't be afraid to ask for it, and take up the offer of cardiac rehab if given.
Remember, these surgeons do this every day and they are very good at it.
Giant68
Hi It's only natural to be nervous it is a scary time but honestly its not as bad as you'll make it up to be . Its worth it though in my case its given me a new lease of life . Im back working go to the gym 4 times a week . The first week post op is a bit daunting but do whats asked by the physio and get up and walk etc it will help you big time i was 42 when i had my surgery so of a similar age . Good luck and hope to hear how its all gone .
Alan
Thank you. It’s good to see that I am not alone in my age group
Hi, I had a quadruple bypass nearly 7 years ago. I had developed chest pain quite quickly over the space of a month. Due to family history I went to get it checked out.
Was sent for an angiogram and when they were doing that, things changed very quickly was told that I would need the bypass the next morning as a priority and they fitted a heart pump while I was on the table having the angiogram.
I signed the forms that afternoon. Had an echocardiogram in the evening and had the bypass the following morning going in at 08:30 and out at 13:30 I was told. When they took me around the day after the surgeon explained that instead of the double he had originally spoken about doing they had done a quadruple instead due to some other stuff they had seen when they were doing the operation.
I spent 7 days in ICU some of those ended up because there wasn’t a bed in the high dependency ward and then another 7 days in a general ward before being allowed home. 9 weeks after the bypass I was able to return to work on a phased return plan and after three months I was back to full hours.
I was a similar age to yourself so if you have any questions then let me know. From my personal perspective and with the advice I was given by the medical team at the hospital I can say it was the best decision I could have made in my circumstances.
My consultant said to me that there was an alternative to a bypass, but it was a very stupid one.
I hurt my back yesterday and it is currently causing me far more pain than the bypass operation did.
Loved the analogy with back pain
Great comparison! When I had a shoulder impingement it was way, way more painful than any part of my bypass operation and recovery!
It's a scary time. Not had surgery myself, but my boyfriend had a heart bypass 3 weeks ago. He's doing great and getting better each day. This forum is great for support, I found it really helpful when we were waiting for surgery. Any questions you have, ask away, people on here are happy to share their experiences. Wishing ypu all the best.
I am having my CABG done in 10 days and the best advice I could offer is to listen to and take the advice given on here. It’s a wonderful resource with many uplifting and positive stories all told from experience.
Both myself and my wife have found it all to be reassuring even more so I. The last few days as more people recall their experience which has given me hope and confidence I think I was lacking before.
Hi Manc, please read my advice elsewhere on this feed and get diazepam prescribed when you have your pre op briefing. I wish you all the best. Look forward to a fantastic procedure to make you whole again. It really is a gift. Best to you.
Hi and thanks for the advice I’ll be sure to look into that
Can’t agree more about the advice
Turn down CABG? I didn’t have any choice , after my Nstemi last July I had angiogram and was told stenting wasn’t possible, I was due triple bypass but ended up with quadruple CABG and I’m so grateful for my rebirth 🙌🏻🙌🏻🙌🏻.
It obviously takes time to recover and rehab and it wasn’t all linear. I definitely needed help and support in the early days , but time passes and within months I was riding my motorbike, completed the rehab classes , made tweaks to my nutrition , had my meds changed ( statin was giving me issues , ), was doing physical work round our small farm. 8 months I was back to yoga classes. Plan for the future , I can’t imagine refusing the opportunity!
12 months post quadruple CABG .
Don’t know if it is possible to track my story on here I am the Guinness World Record Holder as the Longest Surviving Triple Heart Bypass Patient in The World.
I had my op in 1977 47 years ago when I am sure operations were more basic and with your case things have moved on and be more efficient.
I was 31 at the time now 78 doing things at one point I thought I would never do again. I must admit I never had a heart attack I was caught early with angina when exercising to extremes. Just to say there is great hope for you, my story is on the Guinness World Record Website if interested.
Hi Sachinhk
I had a triple CABG seven weeks ago. Like you, I was really, really scared when I was told that I needed a CABG.
I was worried about the possibility that I wouldn't survive the op. And the pain afterwards might be unbearable.
I told my family that I didn't want to have the operation.
When I asked my cardiologist what would happen if I didn't have the operation he said (and I apologise for being blunt here, but these were his actual words to the best of my recollection): 'You will get really breathless when you walk quite quickly. Soon, you'll be virtually housebound. Then you'll be bed bound. You could die soon. So....do you want the operation or not?'
He also said: 'There is a risk with any operation. About 2% have serious complications. But we do this all the time so if anything untoward does happen we have plans in place and we'll deal with it. Honestly, it's more risky driving to the hospital than having the bypass and it will give you a much improved quality of life. You'll live longer, too.'
Everyone is scared when they are told they have to have heart surgery and just about everyone says afterwards 'that wasn't as bad as I thought it was going to be! I'm glad I had it done.'
This post and many other on this forum are full of good advice:
healthunlocked.com/bhf/post...
If you want to ak me anything, feel free. Alternatively, ask a cardiac nurse on this site, your GP, or you cardiologist.
Don't ask Google.....
It's going to be ok.
Great ! That’s very reassuring
Hi Sachinhk - first of all a very big welcome to the forum where you'll find lots of lovely people who are more than happy to share their individual experiences and offer help, advice and reassurance with any worries or queries you might have.
I'm a 64yr-old female and had a triple bypass in February 2022 after a heart attack in January the same year. I can honestly say that, two and a half years later, I still feel so much better than I did in the couple of years prior the op. I didn't really consider that the tiredness and pains I'd been having were anything more than the normal aging process. In fact, I hadn't really noticed it - until after recovering from the op when I realised I felt so much better.
We're all different and have our own unique experiences but, as I'm sure you've already read in the posts above, each of those experiences tend to be very positive. It's scary to be told that you need this operation, and in all honesty it is a big op, but the surgeons and medical teams who look after us are performing these surgeries every single day. As the surgeon who looked after me said when I thanked him "there's no need for thanks, it's just a bit of plumbing!" 😊
I have absolutely no regrets about having had the bypass and am still thankful every day for my new lease of life. Carol
At the end of my angiogram I was told I needed a triple bypass which came as a shock to me. I said I didn’t want to have surgery. Later I asked to speak to the cardiologist who did the angiogram to discuss it and he suggested I also speak to his colleague who was the angioplasty specialist when he was on the ward the next day.
The colleague was more positive about angioplasty and stenting and he suggested I could have my case referred to the MBT, a weekly meeting of cardiologists and surgeons. At the meeting the consensus was that angioplasty and stenting were the preferred course. Within an hour I was receiving angioplasty and a stent.
So you can seek a second opinion and there can be a range of viable options. It's early days for me and I may have chosen the wrong option. It sounds like you have already had a stent so in your case there may not be a better option than bypass.
I too am extremely anxious and I was in pieces when told I needed CABG. I didn't have a lot of time to process the news either - there was 5 days between full diagnosis and the operation itself. That said, the alternative is far worse... refusing the op isn't necessarily brave, and bear in mind that the surgeons do this day in, day out... I'm one year on from mine now and apart from some twinges in my scars I feel excellent. My brain seems to work better (increased bloodflow?)
In my experience the best advice I can give after a triple CABG last year is ' Do NOT leave the hospital before you have a decent bowel movement' - you'll be on a lot of pain meds post-op and they do a number on your ... shall we say 'throughput'? I had a very uncomfortable two weeks after I got home. Also, invest in a bed wedge because for a while afterwards you'll have difficulty lying down/getting up from a prone position, unless you have a LOT of pillows that you can prop yourself up with.
In conclusion I will say to you what the hospital chaplain said to me on the day of my op (and this is completely true - she actually said this to me as it was the closest thing to spiritual comfort she could offer me) - 'May the Force be With You' 😁
Thank you for your advice
I went through a CABG 18 months ago. It's a daunting prospect, but I came to the conclusion that it had to be done. Everyone will be different, but I was relatively relaxed about it (which sounds crazy). I personally focused on the positives. There can be lots. The main one is a second chance at life. I am back at work, playing football, other than my scare my life is as before... I had a heart attack, by the way. I have always eaten healthily, been sporty, and I am pretty laid back, so I did question why me. My only change now is I am a bit more selective about what I eat other than that I am back to a normal full life. All with it in the end.
I had quadruple by pass 7years ago and there has been no problems at all. Perhaps I am lucky in as much that I am not an anxious person. Try and do deep breathing and meditation, that is a great help. Good luck and try not to worry too much.
I had a heart attack 12 months ago & was taken for an angiogram 5 days later. I was told then I needed cabg asap & advised to stay in hospital. They told me if I had another heart attack the prognosis wasn't good as it was the 'widow maker' artery which was blocked. That really made it easy for me & I never thought about not having the op. 12 months on I'm so glad I did & like many people on here I am living a better life. I hope all goes well for you & do let us know xx
Hi I had a quadruple bypass at the end of November last year. I was 52 at the time. It is scary and it is understandable that you are worried. I didn’t have any issues with my head or any signs I had a problem apart from an ache in my shoulder when exercising. If I had not of had the operation the cardiac surgeon said that at some strange in the near future I would have had a major heart attack so the surgery in my case was not optional.
The first few days post surgery is painful and you will be very sore but recovery is quick. I followed the advice of the physio and did the exercises they gave me frequently which helped with my breathing and clearing out the lungs. It also helped to get walking as early as possible (subject to advice) as this speeds up your recovery.
I was sent home within 6 days and continued my recovery then and got outside walking the day after I got home. The chest is sore for a few weeks but this is due to the breaking and then putting the stir in back together. It does go over time.
You are young and for me the key was setting small targets and trying to a bit more everyday.
9 months post recovery and I am exercising every day and continuing to recover. You have days where you feel not quite as good as you want to but this is only normal and all part of the recovery. I still have numbness in my chest where they took the vein out but a lot less than immediately after the operation and I was told it could take up to 12 months for this to disappear completely.
I feel a lot better post operation and I am living a normal life including work and exercise which is really good
Best of luck with the surgery and your recovery.
Hi and don't be petrified. I went through this procedure two years ago. I'll just quickly run through how I experienced it.
Checked into the in patients at tea time on the Thursday. In overnight, early morning shower and down in the pre-op room by 9.00 ish. Very relaxed atmosphere, a couple of inserted canulars and bit of relaxed conversation with the anaesthetist. Next thing that I knew I was coming round and it was all over, this was around (I think) 4.30/5.00 ish. Surprisingly the only thing that i was connected to was the temporary catheter.
That night was pretty woozy but not much pain. By the next day (Saturday) I was a lot more compos mentis. That evening I was moved to the routine cardiac ward, given some instruction on movement etc.
I was in that ward for five days. Everything that I underwent during that time was just routine, blood pressure, oxygen level test, a few pills , a bit of physiotherapy bit nothing even close to scary.
The whole experience was for me anyway not as unnerving as a serious spell under the dentist!
Back home, the first couple of weeks were quite painful but nothing that a couple of paracetamol couldn't handle. After that the pain gradually eased and after about four or five weeks at the most I was back to walking around, climbing (effortlessly) the stairs lifting (probably more than I should have), even my fear of sneezing was starting to disappear.
To sum up.....you are in extremely capable hands.....and nothing will go wrong....and...once over you'll be a new woman or man. My best wishes.
Thank you for reassuring words
You'll be grand I had it done in my mid 60s ,I celebrated my 90th birthday 2 weeks ago..
Hi sachinhk,
I was offered bypass surgery or further stents.... I had two stents when I had my heart attack, but needed other arteries opened up or bypassed. My surgeon recommended I go for the triple bypass as it would potentially give me 25 years before I needed further intervention. Stents would give me 10 years. These were his estimates for me personally. Naturally I went with the bypass surgery. I'm now 6 years post op, age 72 and still climbing Munros in Scotland. 😀
As for the surgery itself, like others have said it is not as bad as you think it will be. Recovery takes time, but the end result is well worth the effort. I was back on the Scottish hills 6 months after surgery performing better than I had done a decade previous.
Keeping positive is key to recovery. It does take time,so don't get dispondent.
With my very best wishes,
Gerald
Thank you for sharing your experience
Hi I had a quad bypass, it was actually nowhere near as bad as you will think it will be.Recovery is far quicker than you expect if you do the exercises recommended.
Best bit ? It's completely life changing, no compromises any more, no wrestling with angina limiting your life etc etc it's all positive
Good luck 🍀
Thank you
I had a CABG this year 17th January it was a double and a mitral valve repair and a clean out i will not lie you are in pain afterwards but it is manageable i think the worse part is taking the drains out after the op but it is all.worth it .I am back to work now full time working as a landscaper doing more or less what i did before . The main thing after the op is to get mobile as soon as possible but no lifting and try to get to the hospitals rehab programme its very important to meet other people who you can relate to and swap stories and listen to your body it tells you when to rest slow and steady wins the race Good luck it will be fine
Yep, I'm 55 and had a double bypass on Jan 29th this year.
The waiting is the worse part!
Any questions please ask away, I will be more than happy to answer 🥰
Hi SachinHK,
I can totally relate to how you feel. I was 46 when I had my CABG 10mths ago so it’s that much more harder to accept being so early in life.
I went from diagnosis to operation within 4days so had little to no time to think about it however I did actually refuse to have the surgery on the morning of the operation because I too was in so much fear of what could happen. I had world class surgeons assure me I would be ok and whilst I could opt out the reality was I may not have lived very long as a consequence.
It’s completely normal to feel this way about this surgery but is it that you’re actually petrified of? For me it was the fear that I may not survive it so whatever it is that’s petrifying you is the root of what you need to talk about. If you want to talk I’m open to exchanging numbers.
Stay Strong and we’re all on this journey together as individuals.
What a great thread and it’s fantastic to see the community make you feel better. I had my CABGx4 10 days ago and I can echo all that has been said re the procedure and I look forward to the recovery others have enjoyed. I worried, like you, about the procedure for almost 12months but when I got my date was incredibly focused for that week.
The care is incredible, the pain management is amazing and if anything I was slightly sad to leave the ward after 5 days.
thank you. I totally agree with you on the overwhelming support that I’ve received on this forum.
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