Advice re recovery - please!

[Heartsal88]

My next door neighbour recently had triple heart bypass surgery + a replacement aortic valve & he has AF. He is very breathless still but had a blood & short iron transfusion a few days ago because his blood count was very low (he looked terribly pale). He isn't sleeping & keeps having bad dreams. Is any of this familiar with you?? Thanks so much. ❤️

[Prada47]

Hello

Can't really say but one thing for sure is it does get better with a time. Bad Dreams can be the result of Medication is your neighbour on any new meds since the bypass? If thing persist maybe he/she should speak with their GP sorry can't be of much help maybe someone will be along soon to give you advice.

Take Care

[Heartsal88 in reply to Prada47]

Thanks for the reply. Lots of new meds! I am taking him to see a GP tomorrow so let's see what they say. 🤞The main concern is his lack of energy. Is it normal to feel so exhausted? He was so active before his op. 😢

[Emerald1953 in reply to Heartsal88]

how kind of you to be so considerate and helping your neighbour, and how kind of Chappychap for sending you all that information, I sincerely hope it will help your neighbour and that his GP was helpful, good luck to your neighbour.

[Chappychap]

Many hospitals don't really spell out a fundamental fact about open heart surgery.

As soon as the chest cavity is punctured your lungs collapse, and they stay collapsed for the entire seven or eight hours of the operation. All the lung (and heart) functions are performed by a heart/lung machine, it oxygenates and circulates the patient's blood, while the heart and lungs remain idle bystanders throughout.

It takes many weeks, or even months to fully reflate the lungs. To help we're given a programme of coughing/deep breathing exercises (to be done five or six times a day) plus a programme of continually increasing daily walks.

I can only speak for myself but I really didn't fancy doing these, to be honest they're uncomfortable to the point of being quite painful. It was only because a nurse on the ward had taken the time to explain all this and emphasise how critical it is that I dug deep and got it done.

Without these exercises recovery is a long, slow job. Indeed, unless the patient really gets on top of these exercises there's a risk that the former lung capacity will never fully recover. And as the nurse told me, the number one way we gauge how well we're recovering is by our lung capacity.

[Heartsal88 in reply to Chappychap]

Well this is interesting! As far as I am aware there has been no advice or recommended exercises for him to follow. Do you have anything you could send me? Thanks & I hope you are OK now. 👌

[Chappychap in reply to Heartsal88]

Yes, here are a few things that may be useful.

First is a document that hospitals give heart surgery patients upon discharge. This one happens to be from Liverpool Hospital but they're all fairly similar,

lhch.nhs.uk/media/1099/card...

Here's an NHS video on post op care in the first week or so,

kentcht.nhs.uk/cardiac-reha...

And this is an NHS guide to the breathing exercises recommended for open heart surgery patients. I'll say again, these are no walk in the park, but they're really important. So it's just a case of gritting your teeth and pushing through,

acprc.org.uk/Data/Publicati...

And this is a BHF guide to post op exercise which also details breathing exercises and daily walking,

bhf.org.uk/informationsuppo...

Good luck!

[Emerald1953 in reply to Chappychap]

hi, just wanted to say how considerate of you to give this lady so much detailed information to help her neighbour. I hope your health has now improved, at it seems one has to put a lot of effort in, after having such a big procedure. 😊

[Carlg]

After my bypass I was out of sorts for a couple weeks and I didn't have anything else done. It does take a while to get back into the swing of things. Sleeping normally in a bed was a no go for weeks. I had to use extra pillows to prop myself up almost to a sitting position. If they have a recliner chair they might find it easier to sleep in that.

For the first couple of weeks I was also short of breath and couldn't walk very far. Going up stairs seemed like the travelator from gladiators.

Advice was to keep trying to do bit of exercise mixed in with plenty of rest.

I was also given the number for the ward I had been on to contact with Amy queries and worries.

Also remind them to do their breathing exercises. These would have been given in hospital.

Finally, can I just say how lucky your neighbour is to have someone like you! It seems rare these days to find community spirit and neighbourly love. So thank you for being so kind and selfless and looking after them

[Heartsal88 in reply to Carlg]

Aww, thank you. Everyone should & can do this but will they? The travelator - I need to look him up now! Your advice is much appreciated & also so helpful to know. Hope you are OK again now? 🤗

[Blackcatsooty]

I had an aortic valve replaced. The shock to my system had resulted in terrible dreams and poor sleep. So I made a huge effort to get regular proper sleep. I worked out that I need 7.5 hrs and I retire at 10pm. I used a tinnitus relaxer to get off to sleep.

I reckoned that medication changes, decent exercise and better diet would not work without the good sleep. So that’s where to start. I slept with a light on. Changed mattress. Tried cooler, tried warmer. Various pillows. Took a long time but without good sleep recovery would be poor.

[Heartsal88 in reply to Blackcatsooty]

I so think this is true, sleeping is coping & boy does he need to do that! Here's hoping the GP gives him something when we see him/her tomorrow morning. Thanks for telling me what you experienced, all this is so helpful.🤞

[Shar28]

Hello. You’re so kind looking after your neighbour. He’s a very lucky chap. You don’t say how old your neighbour is, how long it is since the op and whether the AF is only since surgery or if they had it before. The poor sleep and dreams sound pretty normal to me - all the anaesthetic and meds and procedures put a patients whole system through a heck of a lot and it takes time to settle again. And it’s all very draining, extra especially so with low iron. My husband had an AVR nearly 5 years ago and he went into AF post-surgery, which was sorted out with a DC Cardioversion (electric shock) whilst he was still in hospital. Other people find a drug called Amiodarone works. He also needed iron tablets for a while and felt better as everything stabilised

The GP should be able to give your neighbour a check up and suggest the best way forward so he makes a good recovery. In the meantime, as has already been said, the breathing exercises are essential and really do make a difference.

Best wishes

[Heartsal88 in reply to Shar28]

Hello. Thank you but I'm just doing what anyone should (in my eyes)! He is 75 & he had his op on Oct 18th. Interesting to hear what your hubbie went through, I hope he is OK now? Fingers crossed that the GP appt tomorrow brings the help he so clearly needs! Best wishes too. 👍

[nilmonisikdar40]

Hello, I am so sorry to learn about your neighbour. He had 2 major cardiac surgery and despite having iron transfusion his energy level is low. How old is he and when did have the major cardiac procedure? Is he on beta blocker medicine like atenolol etc. He needs to have a proper face to face consultation with G.P.

[Heartsal88 in reply to nilmonisikdar40]

Hello. Thank you. He is 75. He had his op on October 18th. Not sure re a beta blocker but I'll find out - he is taking a lot of meds now! Face to face appt with his GP tomorrow - I'm taking him. 🤞

[Cyprus12]

I experienced weird dreams for a short time after my AVR and put it down to the meds. Morphine was the worst for me!! His health should slowly get better, but the trauma his body has been through, it won't happen overnight. I had AF and went back into hospital. I had low iron and pottasium (bananas are good) levels and I had to drink so much water. I still get the off AF flutter when I'm dehydrated. Slow but steady and play the long game. It will get better and make a massive difference to his lifestyle.

[devonian186]

What do you call 'recently' had a bypass?

The effects can last many months with the expectation the patient will get slowly better over that time, but it is not a linear improvement but comprises many ups and downs.

Those ups and downs are most likely to occur in the first 12 weeks and certainly most noticeable in the first 6 weeks when physical pain might be a big factor. Let us also not forget the mental trauma many may feel.

It is often difficult to get comfortable in order to sleep and I found it best to sleep by myself so i could get restless and move around and liked to doze during the day which required access to a variety of chairs as some were more comfortable than others at different times of the day

[Carercmb]

What an exceptional neighbour you are.

My neighbour was the same 3 years ago and since having to stay home with the pandemic he has recovered very well at 96.

I noticed during those three years he had cap naps throughout the day .He usually weeds his driveway which is huge but maybe only stayed out 30 minutes.

His health centre got in touch after what seemed a long time with no support to have a follow up.They enquired about his lifestyle and advised him , not that he would take any notice!

He is back to his old self and doing well.

I think small steps at a time.Medication takes time for your body to accept the changes.

The friendship and support you give him is the best tonic going forward.

[tonysmithpi]

I had a triple 18 months ago. On the coming out of COVID stage so I received very little aftercare. The follow up consisted of two phone calls to ask what exercise I was doing!! I appointment at Hospital and I was told I was discharged. I was advised that I would suffer from PTSD which I seemed to . Any attempt top get a doctors appointment was answered with a phone call, pretty useless really. Short walks with a very understanding dog helped but still not anywhere near 100% after 18 months. Sometimes you think your superman as you can do some things you couldnt do pre-op, then the realisation kicks in that your not as fit as you like to think. Get used to it. Life is better, but its a slow road. I had no idea that your lungs where in a state of collapse all the way through surgery !! Scary.

[MumaLines]

Hello, we all respond differently after a Bypass but you have to remember the surgery is like your body being hit by a bus. I had NO Energy at all, I was so pale, I couldn't even get out the chair to walk after the op. Turned out my red blood count was too low and I had a transfusion. After 10 mins I could get out the chair. I was not aloud a 2nd bag of blood as they were worried about a reaction. I then went home with Iron Tablets. It was a very slow recovery as he will still feel very weak and look pale for some weeks. He has to take it nice and slow, no lifting of anything with a weight. No kettle or anything, no arms above his shoulders.

My hospital advised me to drink a small glass of pure orange juice each day to help the body absorb iron from the food.

His nightmares could be physiological as he would of gone through the same things we did when moved from theatre to ICU. It took me at least 5 months to lose that exhausted feeling. 😊

[invictaAlec]

I had a triple bypass in June 2018. I've been on this forum for long enough (4+ years) to have learned that we all mend in our own time and way and have different stories to tell.

As far as dreams are concerned yes I have them frequently. I understand that the various meds we have to take can be the cause and in particular one of them, bisoprolol gets quite a few mentions!

I consider the treatment I got at St. Thomas' hospital in London world class. I was never given any breathing exercises whilst there though.

I did get put on an excellent follow up NHS rehab course of exercises very locally. I understand that I was lucky to have been offered this as its a bit of a postcode lottery apparently.

You neighbour will have his own experiences and ask the inevitable question "Is what is happening to me normal"? Many here will have had the same experiences and others completely the opposite! I'd like to wish you all the best in your efforts to help your neighbour along the path to recovery.

Alec.

[Signpost100]

Well the breathlessness is familiar. That will ease gradually over 3 months. Tell him to walk a little further each day. Stairway s are a longer challenge. I have 8 each time I go out ! Stopping to recover breath at least twice each time. Normal according to doc. Blood transfusions and iron deficiency are also normal. Normal. In time all will get easier. But calculate on 3 months at least.

Sleeping hasn't been a problem. By the way I am 80 yrs- and 3 months after triple Op I'm feeling great. Still get breathless a little but less every day. Good luck. He'll be fine.