Sharing my aortic aneurysm experience on here in case helpful to others.
Male 62 , fit, not overweight, non smoker.
Every’ body’ is different so go at your own pace . I am merely describing mine.
I had a dilated ascending aorta and elected to have surgery rather than possible eventual dissection.
My operation was mid July at a NHS hospital and I received excellent nursing care.
I was out of hospital in 5 days. The first 5 days are undoubtedly tough but after that every day is and improvement albeit slow and steady. Presumably only if you get the balance right between walking exercise and rest.
A week after leaving in hospital I built up to walking between 5 and 7 km a day in 2 or 3 outings with a lie down after each. Took paracetamol for two weeks until they were no longer required.
I took a 4 hour flight 3.5 weeks after surgery ( consultant said it was fine) it was in fact exhausting and another flight 3 weeks later which was also exhausting. The difference being is you can adapt daily walking and pace to how you feel but airports are not the same ! September I increased walking to over 10 km a day.
Sleeping on your back is uncomfortable. After a few weeks you can half turn and it gets much better.
Just don’t lift or carry anything at all if you have a partner let them do it. Certainly nothing above 2 kgs. I read that advice and thought I could build up as time went on but until your sternum is fully healed ( 3 months) no benefit in risking the healing process. You will only get sore and go backwards.
It is a mental recovery as well as physical. I am a positive and very logical person but found I could get randomly downhearted all of a sudden at random times of day for the first 3 months. Seems to have passed now though.
Bisoprolol: while I initially enjoyed the benefits of slower adrenalin and a fake delayed reactivity this changed after 3 months. Perhaps as I was physically better I was more aware of the effects of Bisoprolol. I was intent on getting off them as soon as possible even though I am on lowest dose 1.25g . I was convinced they made me feel tired, not myself and did not seem to make much difference to my blood pressure. Strangely this all passed after a couple of weeks . Had I reacted too quickly and been to see a doctor I may have been on a different medication unnecessarily . Maybe I just had wobbly patch 3 months after op?
Patience is so important (as my partner reminds me) it’s a slow process your body is healing. Stay on the cautious side if feeling tired, rest don’t push yourself and then wonder why you feel terrible.
Apparently you will feel better after 3 months . Not quite and everyone is different, age and physicality will vary . Your sternum should feel good after 3 months . I started exercising , cardio and weights after 3.5 months. Wasn’t ready at 3 months and now after 4 months am starting to feel like my old self. But I will probably look back in another 2 months and think I am better now . Which means in effect after 4 months I still had a way to go!
Finally alcohol. Not sure if Bisoprolol related or not I can only drink a couple of glasses of wine twice a week and best slowly. If I drink a glass too quickly I don’t feel right. I look forward to a glass of wine but not sure whether I will enjoy it or not it’s a bit random.
Not sure if any of this is that helpful to anyone but by all means ask if you want specific detail.
In short, patience , walk and be aware of mental well-being as well as physical. That applies to anyone who has had OHS or any big operation I guess.
Ps; I had a disc replacement operation 15 years ago, a major operation and slow recovery. OHS is less painful, faster recovery, but more challenging in some ways!
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Always interesting to hear other people's journeys. As you say, our experiences are not all the same, although there are some things which seem consistent, even to a triple bypass patient like myself. The seemingly random mood swings which the doctors don't tell you about and the need to get used to the heart meds for starters!
What you say about the sternum being fused is also a biggy. After 12 weeks/3 months your upper torso feels so much more stable which gives you increased confidence, potentially risky if you get over-confident, but you obviously were well aware of that danger!
I didn't take any alcohol for a number of months, but it means I now enjoy a decent wine, although I drink rather less than I used to. No side effects to speak of, fortunately.
Thanks for the story. Good to hear you got fixed before an emergency happened (like mine!).
Can I ask (pet subject of mine), what diameter was your aorta when they decided an operation was due?
Although you didn't dissect, you might find our Patient Guide useful, as there will be a lot in common. A lot on recovery, exercise, meds, risk factors, genetics, etc.
Thanks again for the link . What a great resource of information. I wasn’t given any aftercare advice and just fended for myself. I did do some internet research but didn’t find anything this useful and detailed.
Sorry to hear you dissected hope you are doing ok now.
The routine over 60 lung check in October gave a range of between 4 and 5.5. I was grateful for the incidental finding but my GP on account on previous good health and not seeing me for 5 years said nothing to worry about. A referral was made to cardiology dept . The London hospital in question had no thoracic cardio specialism so after 3 months simply answered and said I should be referred to cardio thoracics not their cardiology dept. By this time it was March . I was on holiday and to solve the uncertainty decided to have an MRI which gave me a reading of 4.9 I was a bit shocked as assumed optimistically I would be at lower end.
As I was still on waiting list for referral to a hospital with cardio thoracics. I decided to use my private health care option ( though limited in actual cover) and see a cardiologist in April . I had another MRI at the beginning of May 5.2 . My mindset at the 4.9 reading was to do anything to avoid surgery and just monitor.
However as the reading had moved rapidly and in a short space of time and on the advice of the surgeon decided on elective surgery. I was aware that MRI readings can vary slightly depending on machinery and interpretation. I could have waited until after summer but chose to not wait longer.
I had the operation mid July and was still on original waiting list for a cardiology dept referral!
The guidelines are for 5.5 cm but we are talking millimetres.
My decision was based on being very physically fit at the time and delay bringing no advantage apart from constant worry. I was due to have the operation in June but was delayed due the cyber attack affecting 4 London hospitals.
Sorry long answer but it is not as simple as a number . The length of wait and uncertainty affected my judgement call.
I did after the operation have a genetics test which showed nothing of interest .
Non smoker so lifestyle did not contribute ( maybe stressful job did )
So just congenital, arteries fine and valve fine.
Thanks for the link that will be very useful.
I didn’t see much info on my type of case hence my story post . It isn’t that common to find out in time. My own GP will now be aware to refer the next similar patient to the right hospital. So that is a positive. Not a criticism of my GP just reiteration of how unusual it is.
With more routine lung checks being rolled out hopefully more patients will get advance notice.
Thanks. You clearly managed your own case well - well done!
I dissected at 4.6 cm ascending having known about my enlarged (slow growing) aorta for 20 years, although the dissection started in my arch where it was only 4.0 cm. Subsequently found my Lp(a) was 206 mg. Lp(a) is a type of cholesterol causing very much enhanced atherosclerosis risk, and the "concern" level is anything over 30! It has some associations with aortic disease.
I was somewhat a result of the old "we don't worry until 5.5 cm" standard, hence my pet subject. My story is on the Aortic Hope website under their stories.
Thanks again, and I'm sure you'll get back to pretty much normal.
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