NEW TO GROUP
Dear Jon, Hang in there and a prayer always helps. I know its tough, my husband also was 42 at his bypass. It took a long time to heal and get back to the old self. He is now 44 and pretty much back to the old self. It seemed like a long road at the time though. God Bless you and be with you! Lynn
Welcome Jon, I can relate to your situation. I am now 64 but had first CABG 5 at age 44 after having a "mild" heart attack. Also have had depression problems post surgery. Try and get a hold of the book Coping with Heart Surgery and Bypassing Depression by Carol Cohan. It has helped many in our situation. I found after surgery that concentrating on preventing recurrence helped me. I also was divorced and I got a hold of some healthy cooking books and it gave me satisfaction to make healthy meals that were tasty. I also started exercising and eventually got into cycling (about 8 months post surgery). This helped a lot as I joined a club and also enjoyed the social aspect. I got into long distance cycling and did a few tours which were about 500-600 miles a week. In 1997 for my 60th I joined a group to cycle across the USA, LA to Boston in 45 days. We dipped our front wheels in the Pacific and on the last day when we approached the Atlantic I thought back to the day I rode 3 miles pre-surgery and couldn't do any more because of angina and the tears started to come. It was a great experience and I raised $5000 for the American Heart Association. I am now a volunteer with a group that visits open heart patients before and after surgery. Jon, think of your experience as a second chance and take advantage. My surgeon said "we have only bypassed your heart disease, now it is up to you to prevent recurrence." I have experienced bumps in the road but things have been good, and by the way met a great lady about 10 years ago and remarried. Shake off the depression and get started on your rehab, you have many good years to look forward to, Harry K "The Bypassed Bicyclist"
Hello everyone, I am new here. Just curious if anyone has heard that angiograms may be inaccurate and are not always a way of diagnosing if you need bypass or not. My great friend is facing one this year at age 45. He was very young when he had his heart attack and cholesterol is great, blood pressure low, eats healthy, exercises, etc. Thank you all, Tiffany
Never heard that one. This is one of the better things modern medical science does these days, and I wouldn't second guess it. Taken to it's basics, it's really just simple plumbing. Either the pipes are clogged or they aren't. Nothing at all unusual about catching these things earlier either - look through the archives here and you'll find many people getting their first bypass in their 40's. My 3X CABG was at age 47 last year.
Had heart attack March 19th and triple bypass on the 24th. I had trouble breathing after I went home and ended up back in the hospital for a while until my breathing got better. I am doing pretty good right now and won't have some of the problems that other ladies will have since I also had double mascetomies. One of my younger brothers had a double bypass and valve replacement two years ago so he has been my information source. And the twelve year age difference may be why we are experiencing different things. I am having some discomfort with my scars. They seem (ha!) to tighten up when I am sitting and then when I stand (ouch!) oh my. Please tell me this is normal or at least someone else has experienced this. Also it still hurts to breathe but not so much that I hold my breath. Well, here's to health.
Thanks for your reply and info, Ramona. Appreciate you took time out of your Sunday. Do you put any thing on the scars? My brother wouldn't even look at his scars until 6 months. - Michal - stapled down the middle Countess Talks Too Much
Hi, I have had 2 heart attacks, the first resulted in an angioplay, the second was due to scarring over of the stent.I ended up having a double bypass. My wife has been great about helping me, and motivating me to keep to keep going, even when I get tired of the diet and exercise. Either the heart attack triggered diabities, or the diabities triggered the heart attack. So along with the heart health I am coping with the diabites diet as well. My problem is keeping motivated to exercise and not cheat on my diet. I get discouraged becauce despite my diet, the heart meds are keeping the weight from going down. I am fraid to exercise too much, the last heart attack was triggered on the treadmill. I live in Blaine, Washington, a ssmall town on the us/canada border.
Hi,my name is Stephanie. I am new to this group. I had a CABG in November of 1997 at age 45. I had a 95% blockage in my left main artery. The mammory artery was used to do the bypass. My symptoms at that time were vague, shoulder and upper throat pain, kind of like heartburn. I thought I was too young, and being an avid walker, I thought I would beat it, but family history was too strong. I am doing well now, but will always have the fear of going through this again.
Male, 60 yr old, CABG (triple) date 3/24, 1st chest pains 3/9, Dr. apt 3/10, Cardiolite test on 3/21 (failed), angioplasty attempt on 3/22. Not a candidate for angio, so by-pass was scheduled after meeting with cardiologist & surgeon. Couple items worth noting, passed echo stress test 9 months earlier with flying colors. I had experienced "jaw" pain during exercise for over a year but ignored it. Until I started reading about stable angina, didn't realize it was an early sympton. What changed in 9 months!!!!! stress on job & I had given blood on 3/5. I've also been fighting high cholesterol for 7 years & really never got it down to where my doctor wanted it. Believe that 1 pt low contributed to chest pains on 3/9. Recently changed meds from provocol to vyrotin. I accept the responsibility for not paying attention to high cholesterol/stress & it almost cost me my life. I get the message. 4 weeks & 2 days after the operation I am doing great. Just started 3rd week of rehab, sustained HR 130+, walking 1mi+ every day with light weight lifting. Only meds I am on are 325 aspirin & vytorin. Go in for my 1st full cholesterol test next Friday. Cautiously optimistic, that new meds, diet change & exercise will show LDL in 70 range. Back to work FT 5/2. One other experience, had to be re-admitted to hospital 2 days after being released for cellulitis in left leg where they harvested vain. NOT fun, 4 days of IV antibiotics & hospital food. Has anyone experienced "jaw" pain or other symptons after giving blood? My surgeon wondered why my blood was low prior to surgery, until I told him about giving blood on 3/5. Did receive 1 pt of blood 2 days after operation which realy helped. Terry
just joined today - I had quad bypass on 5/30/05. Doing well except still have chest pain from surgery, sternum. Also will experienced lower chest pain when working out or doing yard work (feels like a muscle pull)- nothing like when i had my heart attack and then surgery. Seems like most people will have chest pain for awhile - does it ever go away? I suspect I may have over done lifting things - I can't express enough not to try to lift anything heavy to other newbies. I'm 55 and when I had my surgery my brothers then got checked out - my younger btother discovered he had a bad mitre valve ( heart was very enlarged) - he had open heart surgery and they repaired it - we compare our pains but it nice to get others observations as we go thru this process. Look forward to posting in the future - Go Bears!
Just had A "4 Bagger done on 10/31/06. My appointmentment with the Surgeon is this Friday. So far everything seems to be OK. Glad there is a group like this, takes some of the surprises out. My son located your web site so here I am. Never thought I could get into so much trouble by saying "Doc I'm a little short of breath when I----". They told me the proceedurer is good for between 10 and 20 years, at 75 I don't think I shall be troubled with this again. But one should never say never. RJ Florida
My husband's aunt was 83 when she had her triple bypass two years ago shortly after I had mine (age 57). She is doing just fine; sometimes I think better than me. The physical part is a day by day improvement and after two years I feel pretty good most of the time except for the short term memory losses, some soreness and numbness in my chest. Watch the depression though. I went through 12 weeks of counseling after my 3xCABG. If you have other questions, please let us know. BARB12 flt16051 <flt16051@... Just had A "4 Bagger done on 10/31/06. My appointmentment with the Surgeon is this Friday. So far everything seems to be OK. Glad there is a group like this, takes some of the surprises out. My son located your web site so here I am. Never thought I could get into so much trouble by saying "Doc I'm a little short of breath when I----". They told me the proceedurer is good for between 10 and 20 years, at 75 I don't think I shall be troubled with this again. But one should never say never. RJ Florida
Hi I am new to the group, I had a bypass, mitral valve replacement, pacemaker and defibrillator, and an ablation with in a month, I also congestive heart failure. This event happened a year and a half ago. I find myself discouraged because I cannot do the things I use to, that it is an effort to climb steps. walk a distance. But I keep working on it., I did rehab which nearly did me in....I also had to learn to walk again because I bedridden for 3 months. I am thankful when I wake up in the mornings, that despite feeling tired I manage to get my breakfast dishes done by 3pm. I have had doctors tell me you just have to keep trying., that's alright. The thing that discourages me most is medication, the side effects and the cross effects. Wish after all the things we go through we didn't have to take meds. I believe after what I have read, that u all are very strong and positive about your conditions, keep your chins up, there are more good days than bad.
In a message dated 2/28/2008 1:03:20 A.M. Eastern Standard Time, desertwomanaz@... writes: Hi I am new to the group, I had a bypass, mitral valve replacement, pacemaker and defibrillator, and an ablation with in a month, I also congestive heart failure. This event happened a year and a half ago. I find myself discouraged because I cannot do the things I use to, that it is an effort to climb steps. walk a distance. But I keep working on it., I did rehab which nearly did me in....I also had to learn to walk again because I bedridden for 3 months. I am thankful when I wake up in the mornings, that despite feeling tired I manage to get my breakfast dishes done by 3pm. I have had doctors tell me you just have to keep trying., that's alright. The thing that discourages me most is medication, the side effects and the cross effects. Wish after all the things we go through we didn't have to take meds. I believe after what I have read, that u all are very strong and positive about your conditions, keep your chins up, there are more good days than bad. what meds are causing u so many problems with side effects?and I agree I felt better the day I walked in that hospital although they swore I was having a massive heart attack lol I guess they were right..I also have neuropathy are u diabetic? Rose
Hi everyone, I'm new, both in the group and as a quadruple bypass patient. I had my heart attack and surgery on the 27th of November 2007 and it really threw me for a loop. I am 39 years old and what I thought was at least good shape ( joined the National Guard and had just come home from 6 months active duty). I had chest pressure and pain for a week before I went to the doctor, I thought it was gas. After my surgery,I took 5 weeks to heal and went back to work, wife can't support me and 2 kids on her salary. I was back at work for 18 days and came in one day and was told that my "heart" was no longer in the job and was fired. I was mortified, I have always been somewhat of a work-o-holic and to be let go like that was humiliating. To top it all off, because the great state of Alabama is an "employment at will state" I have absolutely no recourse to take. I have talked to several lawyers that have told me as much. The company has also denied my unemployment, so I am at home looking for work online and catching my wife's back with the kids. I have never felt like this before, I'm depressed all the time and I no longer feel like I am who I was. This has effected my relationship with my wife both emotionally and physically. I'm at an empass, I don't need stress, but the bills need to get paid and I keep getting the "we will call you" line in interviews. Let me know if it is just me being melodramatic or are there others out there with thew same feelings. If you are still reading this then thank you for letting me vent.
I cannot even imagine the turmoil you must be going through. Going back after 5 weeks was too soon, but I understand why you did. Maybe it will turn out to be a blessing later... making a comment like that after someone had quadruple bypass surgery sounds like an unpleasant superior, anyway. Of course, that doesn't get your bills paid. It's hard for me to understand why you have no legal recourse. Sending best wishes and prayers your way. Becky (4x 12/03/07) On Wed, Mar 5, 2008 at 1:47 PM, ross.jones68 <rrjones2u@... Hi everyone, I'm new, both in the group and as a quadruple bypass patient. I had my heart attack and surgery on the 27th of November 2007 and it really threw me for a loop. I am 39 years old and what I thought was at least good shape ( joined the National Guard and had just come home from 6 months active duty). I had chest pressure and pain for a week before I went to the doctor, I thought it was gas. After my surgery,I took 5 weeks to heal and went back to work, wife can't support me and 2 kids on her salary. I was back at work for 18 days and came in one day and was told that my "heart" was no longer in the job and was fired. I was mortified, I have always been somewhat of a work-o-holic and to be let go like that was humiliating. To top it all off, because the great state of Alabama is an "employment at will state" I have absolutely no recourse to take. I have talked to several lawyers that have told me as much. The company has also denied my unemployment, so I am at home looking for work online and catching my wife's back with the kids. I have never felt like this before, I'm depressed all the time and I no longer feel like I am who I was. This has effected my relationship with my wife both emotionally and physically. I'm at an empass, I don't need stress, but the bills need to get paid and I keep getting the "we will call you" line in interviews. Let me know if it is just me being melodramatic or are there others out there with thew same feelings. If you are still reading this then thank you for letting me vent.
Thanks for all the encouraging words. It makes me feel better knowing that I'm not alone. I will be pursuing a job with the Guard but, because they know about the surgery, I have to have a re-eval by my cardiologist to see if I am still fit for duty. I don't see were that will be a problem, I am an avionics mechanic on Blackhawks so i don't do alot of lifting. At this point my life is a waiting game and that is just as stressful as paying the bills. Everyday I am alive I am grateful to be that way and I know that things will get better.
My husband had quadruple bypass a wk ago. At times when he takes a deep breath he has a popping noise in his chest. Is this rib related and is it normal after surgery. thanks for any info on recovery. Dee