Still getting tired at 7&1/2 weeks post op

[JDDrummist]

Hi.

I’m a reasonably fit and active 73 year old male ,& after a diagnosis of severe stenosis, I had an AVR with aortic root enlargement on the 22 January at the Nuffield Hospital in Leeds( under the NHS).

My recovery has been fairly straightforward-apart from an episode of A fib after 6 days at home: rectified with Bisoprolol. I’ve also had issues with my appetite coming and going, but as I also have mild IBS( I was managing it really well pre-op), I assume the massive disruption to my digestive system caused by the surgery will take some time to settle.

After the first 2-3 weeks when I was napping on and off throughout the day( but with no real nighttime sleeping)I went through a good couple of weeks (4&5 post op) where I didn’t need daytime naps,& my energy levels seemed to be increasing: now, at nearly 8 weeks out, I’m getting fairly tired from lunchtime onwards-had a solid 3 hour nap the other day! I’m also getting mild headaches occasionally, as well as very mild lightheadedness as I stand up after being sat for a while( which goes after a few minutes) …..

I’m hoping someone is going to tell me that this is all fairly common, that I’m still very much recovering and that I need to be patient, that the recovery isn’t a straight, upward line.

I have my appointment with the surgeon in 8 days, and I have a list of questions to ask at the meeting so I guess I’ll get answers then?

I think I’m over worrying that, having been given this incredible gift of a life extension by the superhero surgeon and his team, that there’s something sinister going on that’ll undo all this phenomenal work.

[PadThaiNoodles]

My recovery didn’t really go back and forward, but it was more like steps than a slope. And I’d say 7-1/2 weeks is still early days. It was more like 20 weeks before I started going whole days without any noticeable after-effects.

[Redfloyd]

At 7 1/2 weeks sometimes I would spend a whole day in bed or on the sofa and I'm only 61. It's so easy in the early days to do too much and suffer the next day. I'm 6 months post op now and I consider myself to still be recovering and can get a relapse now and again where I have to rest for a day or two.

[andy110519]

Hi, I was only 49, and reasonably fit, when I had my OHS for AVR and was still having a nap in the afternoon if I'd done too much the previous day 3 months after the op, you are still in the early stages of recovery. Do listen to your body and give it a chance to heal.Can't help with the dizziness, I don't recall having that issue.

Take care.

Andy

[Ageingfast]

it took me 14 weeks to recover, but oh boy, it was so worth the wait.

I was 74 years old. Things improved steadily. Two backwards steps when gout delayed me.

Maybe you are rushing your recovery (?). I walked a little every day, increasing the distance a fraction each day. I walked along my rather long road. Day one to number 2 then number 4 etc etc. I talked as I walked. I sowed my garden seeds, wrote my diary, caught up on paperwork and cuddled my cat. And watched endless TV.

Slept in the spare bedroom, sitting up, with a Teddy under my knees.

But the golden day arrived when I realized I was fully recovered. I can still recall that wonderful moment. I am now four years post op and have no after effects. I keep imagining that things are not 100%, but none of this is AVR related. I am just getting old.

Keep at it Drummer boy, you will be 100% for summer.

Sooty

[Beanlover]

My husband had an AVR 8 wks ago. He was an asymptomatic 79 yr old before that, but knew it was necessary. Since the op he has developed AF for which he was prescribed thinners, He had a minor TIA after 10 days. Kept having bouts of breathing problems in bed, Doing anything at all caused shortness of breath. People kept saying 'Oh OHS takes ages to get over, he was struggling to sleep as he had difficulty breathing when lying flat, even though he knew he should keep his legs up. Saw GP who checked heart and chest were clear. One day his leg developed a huge blister and started weeping. Practice nurse dressed it, said his pulse was erratic. GPsaw him,, increased the diuretics, ordered an X Ray in a couple of days ,radiologist fed back straightaway, fluid on the lungs and an area of infection, GP managed to avoid A&E and he was admitted to hospital after a territorial discussion on whether he should be cardio thoracic's patient. (they won). He has been in hospital for nearly a month.,Zapped with IV diuretics and antibiotics, Chest Drain, Kidneys unhappy, Dehydrated by too much diuretic. Swollen and weeping legs.Fluid management was sort of the problem, and he is now just about ready to come home., having been transferred to the Cardiologist.I list all this , not to frighten people, but to highlight how difficult it can be to know what is normal after OHS. We were expecting him to feel tired,not to feel well, to take time to just get over the op.etc He saw his GP regularly who had two other patients who had the same op, and he said were feeling rubbish for a while.The point at which the normal becomes not normal is not always easy to spot. The hospital worked out that the excess fluid had worked its way up to the top of his legs, and he wasn't as mobile as he should have been because he felt so rubbish. The Cardiac rehab team who rang just twice were not that much help. He is now keen to come home and we are hoping he will see the physios to make sure he can climb the stairs, and knows he will need to keep mobile.

[Clajul]

I had to stop bisoprolol,it gave me an incredible tiredness.

[cabgpatch]

I had severe stenosis and ended up with a triple bypass around 9 months ago. Just recently, I asked my GP to reduce bisoprolol from 2.4 to 1.25 as I was feeling tired with little energy. My heart rate was also low and my nose was constantly runny. Since these were all known effects of bisoprolol, he agreed that I should try the lower dose for two weeks. My energy levels almost immediately went up, which surprised me a bit. My heart rate has increased to more normal levels, and blood pressure is little changed and is still in the normal range. GP agreed to change my repeat prescription to 1.25.

In response to your original question, recovery can be a bit up and down at times. I know there were days when I wondered if I was going to get any better and felt I was sleeping more than I should. Fortunately, I had support from a neighbour who was also a hearty who told me my experience wasn't uncommon. Everyone's journey is different but if you feel something is not right, bring it up when you see the doctor. Hope that helps.

Paul

[valeriep]

As I've just posted elsewhere, my surgeon told me they estimate it takes a good 3 months to get over major surgery, so you are still well within your recovery period. Your body has been through a traumatic experience, and needs rest and sleep to get over it. Also, I don't know if you've taken Bisoprolol before, but when I was first prescibed it, I would also sleep all afternoon, and that was before any surgery! It did take 6-8 weeks before I got used to it.