I under when a triple bypass on Friday 15th November and I was advised on the pain however this is the pain in my eyes.
1. Discomfort - every breathe, every cough, every movement is so uncomfortable. When moving the pain causes so much anxiety as I feel like my stitches in my leg/ arm and chest are going to come out.
2. Pain - pain in the top half of the body.
3. Coughing - I am really shocked how much pain is caused by the slightest cough. Every cough I am bringing up phlegm which feels like needles. The phlegm is coming from the bottom of my lungs and the feeling is that the stitches are going to pop off in my chest.
4. Sleep - it is so difficult to find the best position to support my chest and to ease the coughing and wheezing. Currently I am only able to have a few hours of sleep without being woken up by coughing.
5. Walking - from doing 15,000 steps a day now to 200 I am so tired and didn't think this would affect me this way.
Any advise that anyone can offer me that would be great.
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mckennac
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it’s still incredibly early days. I had a quad CABG over a year ago, and was in considerable pain for weeks afterwards. Sleep was a nightmare, moving was just generally painful and there was pain everywhere! It’s not the same for everyone but what you describe is normal and will go over time. I bought a wedge to sleep on, which helped. I couldn’t sleep on my side for a few months- just too painful and didn’t sleep on my front for over 6 months. As for tiredness, I’ve never experienced anything like it. I suspect you are doing too much. It’s important to move, but you also need to rest, rest, rest. Your body has been utterly battered. I’d come over exhausted and be asleep in seconds. Even now I have to manage my energy levels and at points just have to sleep. It’s a very slow recovery for many people. My surgeon told me I’d be exhausted for 6 months to a year. He was right. Be patient, keep taking the painkillers, and the recovery will happen naturally, and every so often you’ll notice you can do something you couldn’t do a month ago. Good luck, and keep your expectations low!
Hi. I had open heart surgery for aorta valve back in July. You must be still in hospital. They managed pain quite well in my case offering morphine often then paracetamol. Coughing is difficult, need to hold a cushion on your chest. Once at home I used a V pillow and slept on my back. The pain level should diminish as the days/weeks roll on. Best to have a pillow under the seat belt for travellings home. The number of steps you are doing sounds very high for the number of days since your op. I've never slept well since though and use sleeping tablets from the doc. I wish you well and hope this is helpful.
you’re only just had major surgery it will take time to get back to where you were before. Sleeping is dreadful as you’re stuck in one position and your back does get sore. I found sleeping propped up on 3-4 pillows to be most comfortable. When my back hurt so much I’d stand and move around a bit. Coughing does hurt but if you hold a rolled up towel tight to your chest it helps. Are you doing your coughing and breathing exercises every hour. That helps tremendously clearing all the phlegm from your lungs. Walking I’ve gone from shuffling 50 m along a hospital corridor to 5km every day at a very fast pace. That takes in a couple of very steep hills as well. I wish I could say it will all be over in a couple of days but measure your progress in weeks not days. Some days you’ll feel fine and then next dreadful again. Remember you’ve had your heart stopped, it’s been cut, prodded, pushed and pulled. Your sternum has been sawn in two and takes time to heal. You do come through the other side but it was a few months before I started to feel really well again. It’s definitely worth it however as I’ve not felt so good for years. I’ve more energy and not as tired as I once was. I just put it down to age but I had three major blockages including 90%+ for my LAD, the widow maker. Just bear with it and try to be patient. Things will improve and you won’t regret the surgery. 3xCABG December 2023
Us quaddies don't normally talk to triples, but as its nearly Christmas, here goes....
Its a shame people are not prepared better by the medics in advance. Everything you describe is completely normal.
Are you taking maximum paracetamol? That is 8 tablets in a 24 hour period.
I found it very much easier to sleep by myself as I was very restless and wanted to constantly get up walk round and readjust my position or listen to the radio or read.
You will find it helpful to have lots of different sitting places. What is comfortable in the morning may not be so an hour or two later.
Do NOT overdo it. 200 steps sounds fine. That will gradually increase. It helps to have a goal, for example a coffee shop at varying distances, but don't over do it or else the recovery is 2 steps forward and 1 back and sometimes 3 back! Useful to keep a health diary so you can log your progress.
You might find it helpful to have something soft to clutch to your chest (pillow, padded chest gilet, teddy bear!)That enables you to minimise the chest movement
Try not to cough too much (but some needed to get rid of phlegm)which means not subjecting yourselves to extremes of temperature and wind
You have in effect been run over by a bus, that then decided to reverse over you, then throw each of its tyres at your body. So not surprising that you feel rough. You will have been given a sheet of instructions as to what you can and can't do, for instance don't try and stretch or pick up a full kettle or bend to do up shoe laces.
It does get better. I had my quad when I was 70 just over 2 years ago. At 6 weeks the idea of driving horrified me. At 8 weeks I was wanting to give it a try, which is also when I suddenly realised I didn't need pain killers. It was a year before I dared try a flight as both the airport fuss and the flight itself concerned me.
So it will get better and at 52 I would expect your recovery to be quicker than mine. I do 10000 steps a day including our famous hills.
welcome to the club. Early days yet, if it brings any comfort everything you describe is ‘post op, normality’. Your body has been assaulted in a major way it will have a sulk whilst it comes to terms with what has happened
I was 250-450 steps a day for a long time. I’m 15 months since I joined the zipper club. Recently did 55,600 steps in one week..?yay me
One of the nurses said years ago they used to give people a teddy bear to hug now they recommend a pillow. Holds the body in a better way for the cough-lympics. Remember it’s not pleasant but coughing is your friend
Pillows aren’t just for hugging. Experiment with pillows I found sizes and shapes that all helped me get comfy. I was sleeping on my back for over 12 months
I do think they could prepare people better for the post operative journey but I guess they don’t want to put people off the procedure
Main contributors to getting better:
1) Have the op, it’s better than death
2) Patience is a patients best drug
3) Movement is life. Do not, not move
4) Exhaustion is your new bedfellow, bear this in mind but don’t be consumed by its demands
5) Exercise/ movement it’s like a good diet. Little and often
I had AVR and CABG 17 months ago. The first 6 weeks were pretty horrid, coughing hurt and as for sneezing …
To cough cuddle yourself or a pillow firmly, it really helps. It gets better but I still find a cough isn’t as ‘comfortable’ as it was before surgery.
Sneezes are no problem now. By 8 weeks I was walking 2 miles easily and did a 3 mile run at 3 months, I still do so every week. I’m fitter than I have been for about 15 years.
Sleep was difficult for three months or so, I’m a side/front sleeper and I had to sleep on my back for that three months. I, even now, wake up at roughly the times I was woken in hospital for obs!
it definitely gets better but you can expect life to be a little different depending on the medication you end up having to take long term.
I really feel for you but this is very early days if you only had your operation on the 15th. Are you still in hospital or now home? The tiredness is normal and the best thing I found with regard to sleep was to try and have naps as and when the tiredness hit because satisfying sleep isn't usually on the cards for a while yet. Keep a rolled up towel with you or near you and each time you cough press it into your chest. It will be painful as you have had OH surgery so everything is bruised and battered. Ribs, muscles and nerves have all been affected after this major surgery so try not to be impatient. Your body is settling down and everything will seem easier once all the bruising and repairs are healing more. Sleeping propped up is usually the most comfy and taking pain killers is a must. I think most of the advice you get will be much the same and most of us will know what you feel like. Keep moving and doing exercise and when given the chance of the rehab in a few weeks try to go as you meet people in the same position as yourself plus it gives you more confidence about what you can and can't do. You really are very early days post surgery...it will get easier but remember what you have been through. Hope you are feeling better over the next few days...let us know how you get on. All the best xx
Hi McKennac - and welcome to the club you probably never expected to join. You'll find lots of lovely people here with varying 'hearty' experiences who will be more than happy to help with any queries you might have.
Just one short week ago - just 7 days - at this time, you were being prepared for a big operation to extend your life and now you're home and on the road to recovery. Your body's taken quite a beating, and now needs time to heal. Every single person has a different experience before and after their ops, but we all have certain things in common and can offer helpful tips and share our recovery stories.
The main thing I'd say that it's a marathon and not a sprint - every day will get better and sometimes unexpectedly quickly in fits & starts. It's just getting over that first few weeks afterwards when everything seems so painful and strange, but life really will get back to normal eventually.
Do everything the doctors and medics have recommended, follow their instructions and take pain medication regularly. The surgeon who performed my triple (18.02.2022) advised me to take the full dose of paracetamol ( 2 tablets x 4 times per day) even if I didn't feel I needed it. I took this dose for almost 2 weeks after and cut down gradually after that. As a side-sleeper, having to lie on my back was a real pain, but a pillow down each side of me stopped me from rolling over during the night. Some of us find sleeping propped up a little helps too. A cushion or a rolled up towel clutched to the chest will help with the coughing - but coughing's a good thing too as it'll help to clear your lungs and the breathing exercises will really help even if they don't feel like it - just try not to strain too much. A little honey in warm water will sometimes help to ease the coughing.
The day after my discharge, four days after the op, I started with taking short walks up and down the back garden as often as I could during the day (I was lucky with the weather that year😊) and having short naps throughout the day when I needed them as well. Really listen to what your body's telling you and the walks will gradually became longer and the naps shorter. I live alone, but my brother, who lives close by, called in every morning for a few weeks to check all was well and bring me foodie things and anything else I needed. I took my first solo-walk outside in the real world about a fortnight after the op once the stitches were out (a trip round the corner to the local garage) - I was so proud of myself that day and felt like I'd conquered Everest!😂
Just take your time, you'll get there and, if your recovery is anything like mine, you'll wake up one morning and suddenly realise how much better you feel. At 62 I was putting all the aches & pains prior to the heart attack, down to normal ageing and now at almost 65 and still working (part-time admin), I feel better than I've felt for many, many years.
Onwards and upwards, and again I'll say - it's a marathon and not a sprint. Oh - one last thing - a non-perfumed shower gel really helps, the wounds can be a bit sting-y with the scented ones! Please keep in touch and let us know how you're getting along. Carol 😊
What you are experiencing is totally normal. I was feeling the same as you (quad bypass 15wks ago) and now I’ve almost forgotten that it happened. You’ll notice your improvements perhaps on a weekly basis but some days (around now) you’ll poss feel worse than the day before. This will pass.
You’ll find you hit a point- it could be 5wks, 6wks or more- where your recovery will be better and the progress will be more noticeable.
For now, listen to your body and take it very slowly. Do your upper body exercises and clear your lungs (yes to the pillow squeeze)
I slept upright for weeks (some nights were terrible) and I still feel a bit numb at the base of my spine. I’d try and shift my weight subtly from one buttock to another when I got uncomfortable
I only lay on my back when it it became comfortable to do so after many weeks of sleeping upright.
PS You’re doing amazing. Be prepared for your body to amaze you over the next few months 💪🏻
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