Quad heart bypass

[cometwatcher1927]

I am 2 months post op, wondering how people have felt both physically and mentally after a bypass

I hear people tell me I will be a new man

I’m having issues with at present

a swollen leg - oedema - struggling to resolve with medicine

feeling tired easily following any exertion or exercise

headaches from tine to time

Dull chest pain - periodic

listlessness / lack energy

feeling cold most of time

Post op care has been good , although my medicine seems to change frequently

Be interested to know if others feel same

And or what other med - long term complications , implications to expect or not

Thanks

[DML081163]

I had my double bypass op in March 23 and still occasionally get wobbly moments, the slightest chest pain & the things come back, but it does get easier over time. The coldness is ongoing especially my hands, due to the medication really, they did advise about that in the cardiac rehab sessions. I don’t think anything really prepares you for the mental side of things after the op & recovery, never be afraid to talk to someone about it that’s my advice.

[cometwatcher1927 in reply to DML081163]

Thankyou

I still have cold hands n feet

With the oedema in my legs I have not started the rehab sessions

[Skiffrower]

I had 2 valves replaced/repaired with open heart surgery in June. Surgery etc seems ok but it took 3 months to get meds tolerated by my body. I still feel v tired on a regular basis and have to " listen to my body" . If you get the opportunity to do cardio rehab please try it- gave me confidence to try more exercise. I was v fit before op and the psychological readjustment post op has been hard. e.g. I was at gym this morning and had a real wobble - felt weepy. Surgery such as we have had is a big shock to the system so since you are only 2 months into recovery I'm not surprised you are still feeling listless. What has surprised me ( and I've only just realised this) is how tired I get from mental exertion. It's v hard to accept but you just have to get good at listening to your body and planning to have quiet days . NB I'm retired so am lucky that I can have quieter days .

[cometwatcher1927 in reply to Skiffrower]

I can fully relate to your experience

The sheer body shock physically and mentally is sonething I certainly was not prepared for

[MountainGoat52]

Hi cometwatcher1927,

I'm sorry to read that you are suffering such issues after what should be a game-changer operation. A lot of the issues you mention are possibly medication issues. The fact that the medications are being changed regularly looks like an attempt by the clinicians to solve your problems and it may take some time to get the mix of medication right for you.

I wonder whether you were on medication before your op. Presumably you were. Did the medication change after your op? It may be that if that happened then your body has not reacted well to the new meds. Maybe time for a review back to square one. I was fortunate in that my medication remained the same, just reduced in dosage and I had no problems.

Your level of fitness and general health prior to the op will affect your recovery. From past posts on this forum it has become apparent to me that the fitter/healthier a person is prior to the op, the fewer issues experienced afterwards. That was certainly true in my case. Even so, I went from walking in the Cheviot hills the week before my op to being unable to walk the slope back up to my house... being collected from the bottom of the road by my wife in her car was somewhat embarrassing. Thankfully it was only necessary for a few days.

Keep on in there. It will take time to get back to being good, but it is worth it. Stay positive and do keep the medical team informed of how you are doing.

With my very best wishes,

Gerald

[Skiffrower in reply to MountainGoat52]

Like you I was v fit before op, ( took part in skiff world championships in 2022) but meds post op( I only had asthma inhaler before) have caused me lots of issues. I think you just have to be lucky in how your body reacts to the meds.

[MountainGoat52 in reply to Skiffrower]

Indeed... I have a black list which includes PPIS and diuretics! 😀

[cometwatcher1927 in reply to Skiffrower]

sorry to hear that

Do you find everyone you either see the doctor , heart nurse or consultant

They are always tinkering with meds

Increasing the dosage , yet the problem you have still exists

[MountainGoat52 in reply to cometwatcher1927]

It took me a couple of years to get my meds to what I would describe as "balanced". My GP practice knows that while I am fiercely protective of my prescription and will resist changes, I am also proactive in respect of my health and monitor my blood test results. I have actually made requests for an increase in certain medication which has been approved by my GP.

[cometwatcher1927 in reply to MountainGoat52]

Have you found the medication a help or hindrance post op

[MountainGoat52 in reply to cometwatcher1927]

I'm in a slightly different position to most on this forum. While I have had a heart attack, I recognised what was happening at the time, called 999, had paramedics with me 18 minutes later and within 90 minutes I had had a blood clot removed and two stents inserted. Therefore there is minimal damage to my heart only a small area of scarring noted when I had an ultrasound scan.

My situation is further complicated by the fact that I was referred for a triple bypass to deal with narrowed arteries and indeed bypass my stents to improve on that work. Following the op I am basically regarded as being "fixed" - a term referred to by a GP at the practice I am registered with. However, the long and short of it is that the risk factors remain, partly hereditary, partly stress based.

It is difficult to give a definitive answer as to whether medication has been a help, but my blood test results show improvements on my basic levels, for example cholesterol. Medication has certainly not been a hindrance since I got it sorted out with the Pharmacist. Currently I take what is generally regarded as a holding dose to reduce risk, so I'm on the lowest dose of most of medications.

In terms of my life, things have improved physically. My main interest is hill walking and I no longer suffer from the build up of lactic acid in my legs. My muscles don't ache as much as they used to after my walks. I climb larger hills, indeed Munros in Scotland. The only downside has been my beta blocker that has slowed me up a bit, but hey, at the age of 72 I think I can take it a bit easier 😀

[cometwatcher1927 in reply to MountainGoat52]

we’ll done on your hill walking , I used to be part of the local long distance walkers group . Like you find solace in the great outdoors

I Take heart literally it’s possible to walk hills like the Munros in time

Interesting point you mention about hereditary . My father died young of a heart attack . Which is the line the consultants explained to me

Hence why I asked if the meds post op helped. , if genetics were my route cause

I never have had a heart attack or stroke , but my arteries were the issue .

I had a angiogram and was supposed to have a stent same day . But my heart was beginning to fail and needed a bypass asap

Was initially told would just be a triple ended up a quad as future proofing and a long term fix . Which seems to be the policy these days .

Much appreciated to hear from someone , who had been through it

[MountainGoat52 in reply to cometwatcher1927]

My hereditary issue is a high Homocysteine level which makes me susceptible to blood clots. This was only discovered when I was referred to Pathology at the local hospital when Cardiology couldn't understand why someone of my health and fitness had had a HA. Thankfully the treatment in vitamin B so not magical wonder drug involved.

As for your triple becoming a quad, it was similar for me as I required a double, but they bypassed the stents as well. It's a case of producing the best long term outcome. My surgeon said that in the long run the NHS would be better off with me fully sorted... to say nothing of my future years! I've come to understand that if we take care of ourselves, then that pays dividends when we need treatment.

[cometwatcher1927 in reply to MountainGoat52]

Thankyou for reply

Pre op ,

Yes was on angina and blood pressure tabs, gtn spray

Which I think was standard issue

Post op I don’t take ranazoline now

Been different water tablets and antibiotics as had a post op infection . Tried blood thinners too as was thought had a clot in swollen leg . Had ultrasound but need a repeat scan tomorrow , plus what seem like weekly blood tests .

I have good days and bad days within the same day - saw consultant last Friday who seems happy with my progress but still have the leg to deal with

Like yourself used to be a keen walker - north Yorks moors - Durham dales

In hindsight my health slowly deteriorated more out of breath etc I got . Which hampered my walking . Presently I can walk about a couple of km , up to the village shop n back . Tired out needing a kip when return

[MountainGoat52 in reply to cometwatcher1927]

Hope you get your leg sorted quickly. Having the ability to keep active is such an important part of keeping healthy.

Take care. 😀

[DWizza]

Hi Cometwatcher , I had quadruple bypass July 2023 , I’ve posted my journey , good & bad , for last year from leaving hospital , rehab plus the issues with meds , zombie episodes to running 5k park runs , the mental aspects (think I had a touch of ptsd ) the tears and joy & appreciation of my rebirth. Try a search if it’s of help to you 👍🏻wishing you the speediest and most comfortable rehab 👊🏻👊🏻

[cometwatcher1927 in reply to DWizza]

Many thanks

I will look for your thread

Agree fully with the ptsd comment . Have had similar thoughts