Open heart surgery

[Maydayuk]

Please can anyone tell me the recovery time for valve replacement.

[Rhinos67]

Hi - Everyone's recovery is different. I was in hospital for 3 weeks, but most are home within a week.

I had surgery at the end of April 22 and wasn't able to go back to work until October, then it was a very slow phased return until January.

I'm good now though, I've walked 8 miles today, that's work and with the walking group of my running club

Joanne

😊

[Petitlady]

it’s a journey really. All being well about a week in hospital, then recovery at home. I had surgery in June 2023, by August I was signed off by the surgeon, able to drive and to holiday abroad. I was however easily tired and generally low stamina. It was probably another couple of months before I felt that I was able to do all the things I could do before. I was also surprised at all the medications I have to take. Everyone is different. I only realised I had a problem at the beginning of 2023, by which time I had severe aortic valve stenosis, so I am comparing the ‘after” with what I thought of as fairly good health all through 2022 and before.

[Coper10]

Hello, everyone's recovery will vary. I went home 9 days after the operation. I was off work for 12 weeks and had a phased return over 6 weeks which was really helpful. Recovery can be slow but steady. There are a number of restrictions on what you can do at first but by about week 7 I could see that I had come a long way. Walking for 10 minutes daily the 1st week and then increasing by 10 minutes each week, was recommended. It was important to pace myself each day as getting fatigued was an issue. Emotional ups and downs are common and it is important not to pressure yourself as each day will be different. My op was 2021. I lead a normal life, work (but now 4 days not 5) and look after my family and am very grateful for the care I got at the time.

[Ageingfast]

For OHS you start by thinking in terms of three months then you should be pleasantly surprised. You can probably knock off a couple of weeks because you are well under retiring age plus a couple of weeks if you are in decent shape beforehand. Mainly not overweight.

I assume you will follow the medics instructions regarding after care. This is mostly plain walking whilst you talk. And a lot of initial rest.

I can only speak for OHS. TAVi might be quite different.

Sooty

[Leonardo1]

hi there - first week is a bit of a car crash but get up ! Get moving it’s not easy but drag yourself ! But by week 3 I was amazed at how good I felt by week 6 I was so amazed and possibly a bit euphoric! By 3 months back to work and evangelical!! It’s a game changer operation . At 2 years on I still marvel when I’m out that I’m not tired puffy and wrecked ! I’m now spritly springy and perky ! Life is good !!

Good luck

[nextadventure]

Hi. The other things to factor in are your age, any other health problems you have, your pre-op fitness, whether your heart has sustained damage due to the valve problem (or separate coronary artery disease) or not, and whether you take part in an exercise program (especially cardiac rehab) post-op. It's complicated! Hope all goes well

[maggie80]

Hi, I had a quadruple bypass and a heart valve replacement Nov'21. It took about 9 months. I did travel to Cyprus May'22. Take a month at a time. See how you go. Take care.

[Tlyna]

With a TAVR it was pretty fast. I was doing everything but lifting much within a couple of days. My parents both had open heart and it was different for each of them. Dad was out of the hospital in 4 days, walking slowly for short distances but worked hard at cardiac rehab and was out doing long walks or bike rides within a couple of months. Mom was in the hospital about a week but had a long slow recovery, most likely due to the fact she was a very heavy smoker right up to the morning of her heart surgery and already was showing signs of COPD. Now 30 years later she has very advanced emphysema but the mechanical heart valve is still functional.