Recently had cardiac surgery and now in recovery at home.

[George5719]

I'm recovering from an aortic valve replacement and a triple bypass operation I had at St. Bartholomew's Hospital (aka Bart's) London in mid October.

Following surgery I've had three set backs. My left lung needed to be drained from 1.5L fluid effusion (emergency admmission). Following that I had two lung infections, both succesfully treated with anti-biotics. Since then I've been careful to avoid infection by avoiding enclosed places where there are a lot of people and asking friends and family not to visit me if they are unwell.

I've been eating well and regained enough strength for walks 5 times/week, minimum of 2km.

My doctor has asked me to sleep on my back only until I see him again, in 10 weeks.

I start a programme of cardiac physiology rehabilitation with Bart's in early January.

[Wodney1966]

Wow that's brilliant 👏 👌 keep going

[George5719 in reply to Wodney1966]

Thanks Wodney1966

[PadThaiNoodles]

I think you'll find the pace of recovery picks up a bit from here. I'm at 12 weeks and the improvement from the last month was definitely more marked than that from the first two. I feel more or less whole again (bar the odd twinges from the nerves in the chest going a bit haywire).

Good luck with it!

[George5719 in reply to PadThaiNoodles]

Thanks for the encouragement!

[wjb2]

Morning George,

i will have been a member of the zipper club, three years in March. Sorry for the set backs with lung infection , things do get better i had triple bypass and the first week was not good , which was to expected. My issue was my body held onto the side effects of the anaesthetic for longer than the norm it was not fun, once the got sorted i improved leaps and bounds. As i’ve said before im now 70 and am able to go out on my Gold-wing motorcycle, take our GSD for walks with out feeling out of breath and pains in the chest and now living the life i used to have, before my heart attack.

so follow the rehab advice keep up the meds and you’ll get there

[George5719 in reply to wjb2]

Thanks wjb2

[George5719]

Thank you for your kind reassurance!

[Redfloyd]

It's not easy to start with is it. I had AV and CABG end of September, I had pneumonia in hospital, felt so unwell I didn't think I was ever going to walk out of hospital. Came home after a fortnight with an excruciating frozen shoulder followed by a awful upset stomach. After week 5 I started walking a bit only to pick up a chest infection which lasted for 4 weeks. And now the good bit, the improvement from week 9 has been wonderful, I can do virtually everything I used to do, I've been on roofs repairing storm damage, I've been out logging in the woods behind me, I've just started cardio rehab, all things which a few weeks ago would have been impossible. Yes I do get fatigued after a couple of hours, need to sit down and rest for a bit and go again, I do get a stinging sensation around the wound area at night but I can ignore that now. I'm 61 and was relatively active until my valve gave up suddenly and unexpectedly. I hope you get the boost to your recovery that I did.

[George5719 in reply to Redfloyd]

Thank you Redfloyd, that is inspirational!

[Mancunian1]

hi

Well done so far with your recovery. I’m 14 weeks post double cabg and mostly things went to plan apart from a chest drain and donor leg infection. I too was advised to sleep on my back for a good amount of time. For me I felt like things really turned a corner from week 6 onwards and I’ve improved greatly since then so don’t be too hard on yourself.

Your doing all the right things and as many have said let your body dictate your recovery, it’s knows better than anyone what’s required. Exercise when you can, do those breathing exercises religiously, sleep when your body tells you too and you’ll be fine. Come back and give us an update but I think you’ll be surprised at how things do improve without you noticing.

Best wishes

[George5719 in reply to Mancunian1]

Thanks Mancunian1 for your supportive words. It is so good to share this stuff!

[Mancunian1 in reply to George5719]

It is indeed and this site really is made up of people with real first hand experience and perspective. I’ve never found it anything other than helpful, supportive and informative.

[Redfloyd in reply to Mancunian1]

Breathing exercises? I think I must have missed that day. They got me doing deep breathing with oxygen when I had pneumonia but nothing else.

[Mancunian1 in reply to Redfloyd]

Sorry I meant using the incentive spirometer they give you on the ward, when you get home. May not have been applicable in your circumstances I’m not sure?

[Survivor1952]

Making good progress there. Life improves rapidly. I’m back to a normal life apart from my medication.

I had AVR, 2xPCI and CABG in June 23. In Sept 23 I ran/jogged my first parkrun (5k) and I’m still doing so now. It was all with the blessing of the rehab team. I’m sure you’ll progress well now, enjoy your ‘second’ life,

[Larneybuds]

Hopefully after your initial set backs you are on the up now, though because of those setbacks, don't expect too much of yourself as you will be a few steps behind with your recovery. After my OHS I was in hospital for a further 4 weeks with an infection and I was told that I had to remember that I was recovering from that and the surgery so to take things a little slower. I think the best thing you can do is carry on as you are but don't push yourself too hard. Make sure you exercise but also get plenty of rest. I wanted to run before I could walk but it was a definite no and I had to stop putting pressure on myself. As long as you are free from infection and are generally getting to feel better there's no reason why you shouldn't make a full recovery. Good luck with everything and take care x

[DinoCat]

Chest & lung problems post-OHS are fairly common. The lung(s) typically have to be deflated during surgery, which can cause some issues. Hence, also the heavy emphasis on post-surgery breathing exercises.

Immediately post-AVR I had some pleural effusion, which was treated in hospital sufficiently to be discharged. But in the following months, I did pick up a couple of chest infections & ultimately a bout of pneumonia, which was successfully remedied by antibiotics. Touch wood, subsequently it has all settled down well, with no recurrences. Hopefully you'll find similar, although extra precautions during the winter flu/respiratory etc infections risk period are probably prudent .

[Magicmog12]

Well done you- sometimes you feel as if youre never going to get there but in the end you do. Remember never to take your health for granted; I had aortic valve replacement, mitral valve repair and a ventricular septum defect [the last mentioned had been there since childhood] at Stoke university hospital in April 2020 just as everywhere was going into lockdown. After recovery at home I used my local park to walk round starting on a lap or so a day as no cardio re hab at the time. Unfortunately I was pulled down a few months later with a serious infection in my liver[?] which had me back at my local hospital for 2 weeks being drip fed on anti biotic. Then my cardiologist assured me that there had been no damage to the valves but I had developed an atrial flutter so off to a hospital in Manchester for an ablation in December of that year and after few days recovery at home it was like nothing had happened. I still remember the sense of achievement I felt at walking halfway up a steep hill close to my home [I live on the edge of the peak district] the following January when it had just started to snow. Five years on almost and staring my 70th birthday in the face I walk whenever I can, watch what I eat and do the gym twice a week. In July my cardiologist informed me that my former enlarged heart was normal size and joked about me being at my local hospital so often that I could have got a job there😆

[Bowser1966]

Hi keep up the recovery I had my mini cabg last Monday at Harefield I had a blocked LAD I was a P2 so op was cancelled 4 times. Finally had it on 10th Feb, didn't go to plan got pericarditis 2nd day very painful, then partial lung collapse before I wasn't breathing deeply enough then a bit of AF on 3rd day. All caused by the surgery. They were brilliant and sorted it all quickly. Home now and recovering. Worst pain is the 2 stitches in the drain hole under my arm it really pulls. The main scar is no issue 4 inches long. All the lines and catheter you have are horrible but necessary, I lost 2kg didn't eat for 4 days . All good now now, thankfully.