question
Hello all. I'm a new member of this group, and I'm not sure if I should be on the listserv yet. In the description of the group it said something to the effect that those who received open-heart surgery are also welcome, but I wasn't sure. At any rate, I'm 27 years old and two months ago I had open heart surgery to replace a metal mitral valve and a failing aortic valve. Both were replaced with metal valves. Just last week I had a pacemaker put into correct some "flutter" in my heart rhythm. All of this was done because I was born with a cogenital heart defect. When I was around 16 months old they put in an bjork-shiley artificial mitral valve. This was the one that was replaced recently. Amazingly, I made it 27 years with the same valve. I told my story kinda backwards, didn't I? So the question is should I remain in this group or look for another one? If I should move, is there one any of you could recommend? Thanks - Jason
Jason, You're more than welcome here! Open heart surgery has the same challenges whether you are having valves replaced or arteries bypassed, so please join us. I'm sure a lot of times our conversation will not be of interest to you - or be pertinent to your condition, but you're more than welcome to join us. Wow, 27 years on that first valve - that's amazing!! Welcome - join right in! Ann Ann McCrea, RN Preventative Health www.rexall.com/atm/health
Hello, I joined this list in the hopes that I could find answers to some of my questions regarding by-pass surgery. On Jan. 9th I suffered a heart attack at age 49. I underwent a angiogram which showed several blockages and was set up for surgery on Jan 13th where I received a quad by-pass. I was provided with I assume the basic information, a booklet explaining that I should wear Ted Hose for 30 days, that it takes 4-6 wks for the sternum to heal and the like. What I was not told and really would like to know is when my chest will stop aching. I don't want to use the word pain, as it really is not pain, but more of an uncomfortable ache, which also affects my right upper arm muscles. This causes me to have poor sleeping nights as there is just no position I can sleep in without causing myself more discomfort. It was suggested by my sister to maybe start strengthening my muscles that this discomfort was probably due to them not being used as they normally were, so I have been doing arm lifts with a soup can, but this only seems to aggravate the discomfort. I will be honest and say I am not the type that sits well and just recovers from something, I am impatient to be back to doing my own things. Right now though it seems the more active I am, the more uncomfortable my night, and at least the next day. Can anyone tell me when I might expect to feel like my old self, and why this is taking me so long to get past? Thank you Cindy
Hi Donna, No I am not in Cardiac Rehab, and really it is something I do not want to do if I can avoid it. You might be getting the impression here I am anti doctor and and want to avoid anything related and you would be right. I have had a long health issue history, and for me none of it is good, mentally I am to the point I want nothing further to do with anything medical. 14 yrs of off and on again problems have really put a strain on my emotional control. I had major surgery for gall bladder removal and had a sadastic doctor who cared nothing about pain control. Two years later I had a hystorectomy with cancer, and went through radiation treatment as chemo was not an option with my small vessels. In fact a lymphagiogram failed for that same reason. The radiation caused me to have a whole new set of problems, and I believe they made up a name called "radiological enteritis" for one problem I have with my digestive system shutting down here and there. I already had asthma to deal with, and about three years after radiation developed high blood pressure, which a few different disinterested doctors chose not to treat. Finally managed to get that treated the past few years. Anyway caught a bug last May/June that sent my asthma flaring, and was then diagnosed with diabetes. Thrills. I spent most of last summer having all sorts of heart tests, as I was concerned with a very strong family history that I could be at that point where I was going to have problems. I know my general care doctor ordered a holti monitor and it showed tons of pvc's and all sorts of goodies. However the tests I had done, Thallium, carotid, and dopplars,showed no evidence at all of coronary disease. These were done in Sept 2000... Imagine my surprise when I was told I was having a heart attack in Jan. So I am even dealing not only with some depression of course, but anger as well. While I know other people have it worse than I do, it doesn't stop me from feeling like at least in my family everything happens to me. I also still have to go back and have a kidney stented as that popped up on my angiogram, and am even dreading this. It just feels like everything has betrayed me for years. I have never had high cholesterol, my high blood pressure had been kept under control, my diabetes has been strongly controlled, and still I was all clogged up. No doubt everyone will say my smoking caused the whole thing. Well I even quit smoking now, and we will see how long this all lasts, as I do not know if I will be willing to go through future by-passes, or not. I obviously have some hang up's about repeating this every ten years or so.. Cindy --- In BypassSurgeryRecoverySupport@y..., "Rick and Donna" <rdv@v...
--- In BypassSurgeryRecoverySupport@y..., windwalk@b... wrote: I have had a long health issue history, and for me none of it is good, mentally I am to the point I want nothing further to do with anything medical. Cindy - I have been there and know exactly what you mean. I too had a bad run of ill health over a period of years and my heart problems really manifested themselves a year after the hysterectomy and cancer scenario. Nine pregnancies (with only four live babies) and a history of miscarriages probably did not help my long term health either - especially as the last baby died inside me. At the time, you think you will never have the strength to get over it - but you do! We are strong and we are survivors! Sometimes it seems that some people just sail straight through life with only entering a hospital as a visitor and never ever through yet another ambulance ride! Sometimes life just does not seem fair at all! I wish I could wave a magic wand and say that everything will be fine tomorrow - but we both know it is not like that. Just take each day as it comes and you will slowly start to feel better. It is early days yet - and as any of us girls will tell you - it is far far easier for you men who are flat chested! Cindy - we are all here for you. Hang on in there! Love Jenny
How long does it take for it not to hurt when you laugh,cough or sneeze. It about kills me to do either of these. It will be six weeks this Friday since surgery. I don't have alot of problem that is the worse. maggie
6-8 weeks should do it. I was eternally grateful I didn't have a cold post-op! Even one cough is a major event! I don't recall having a big problem not laughing. Unless you live with a comic you should be able to control your humor input.
How do I keep my full e-mail from appearing on my messages? I notice that mine is the only one showing that...Thanks,Mac
OK I was wrong - this is via my email programme. Anyone else got the answer? Julian
Hi All: Maybe someone can give me some output on this. I recently had to have 2 stents put in. One in the graft and one in another artery. My total colesterol is 110 and balanced. I read lables for fat content, etc. before buying and I did consider I was eating right. The question is just what is the maximum percentage or number for a daily intake of colesterol and fats. Is there a way of counting them like calories? I have tried to research this and just cant seem to get any answers. Thanks and good health to all Stannis
Stannis, a very good book that will explain this very well is "Don't Eat Your Heart Out Cookbook" written by Joseph C. Piscatella. Another excellent book is "The Omega Diet" written by a cardiologist Artemis P. Simopoulos, MD. and Jo Robinson. Both of these are paperback books and were quite inexpensive. Both very good books. Regards. Chris In a message dated 2/17/04 1:20:29 PM, sdottere@... writes: << Maybe someone can give me some output on this. I recently had to have 2 stents put in. One in the graft and one in another artery. My total colesterol is 110 and balanced. I read lables for fat content, etc. before buying and I did consider I was eating right. The question is just what is the maximum percentage or number for a daily intake of colesterol and fats. Is there a way of counting them like calories? I have tried to research this and just cant seem to get any answers. Thanks and good health to all Stannis
Does anyone know if it safe for a person who has had a bypass to use a bob beck/zapper/pulser device. Hulda clarke says that heart disease is caused by parasites. So i was thinking maybe i should get my dad who has had a bypass to use one of these devices to clean up all the rubbish in his blood. However i am uncertain of the safety thats why i ask. Richard
Have any of you had any quirky arm pains since your surgery? I have been having shoulder pain since my "cabg" 3/31/03. It is like a rotator cup injury,but nothing shows on the x-ray. It can hit a 10 on the pain meter if I move it the wrong way when lifting,picking up a glass,etc. I was told that they pull your head back,and hyper extend your arms downward when they open you up. It has been suggested that I go to a chiopractor, but I'm not to sure that I want someone manipulating my bones at this stage of the game. As with everything about this surgery,you wonder if your the only one to have certain pains. Good health to all..........Mac
I recieved an e-mail from someone and would like to post it on this board. How do you do that? Is there a way to copy it, then post it on the message board. Thanks.......Mac
Mac, this is steve P. ---scan the photo, name it, then cut and paste into the email for him? Hope that helps! Contacted my Doctor and he said, he has not read the report yet from the doctor who did the heart catheritization ( angiogram) he will find out the extent of trauma and bruising. "Have a Great Day" W Mac <maclu@... I recieved an e-mail from someone and would like to post it on this board. How do you do that? Is there a way to copy it, then post it on the message board. Thanks.......Mac Steve! arcman52@...
Mac There are a couple of ways to send it. the easiest would be to forward it as in line text. The other would be to copy and paste. Hershell
HA's ..... Heart Attacks
Thanks Everyone for your replies. The reason I ask is that I have been having some weird feelings in my left arm the past week and a half. Not the normal, Oh I did too much. Just something different going on. I will probably watch it closely for a while then call the doctor. Nothing stabbing but it feels like, a uncomfortable swelling.Sometimes from my neck to the wrist. Sometimes from the shoulder to the elbow. Probably just another form of stress showing up. Thanks for your answers though. If it gets worse or starts to get terribly painful I will head to the doc right away. Barbee
Barbee I think you should have this checked out as soon as possible. Remember there is some who have a silient heart attack. I had one and if it had not been for the Good Lord I would have been with him instead of writing this email. It is better to be safe than sorry. Mama June Thanks Everyone for your replies. The reason I ask is that I have been having some weird feelings in my left arm the past week and a half. Not the normal, Oh I did too much. Just something different going on. I will probably watch it closely for a while then call the doctor. Nothing stabbing but it feels like, a uncomfortable swelling.Sometimes from my neck to the wrist. Sometimes from the shoulder to the elbow. Probably just another form of stress showing up. Thanks for your answers though. If it gets worse or starts to get terribly painful I will head to the doc right away. Barbee
My father is going to have a quadruple bypass this Monday. Aside from being nervous about his well being, I was wondering if anyone can pass along some advice as to things I can do to make his recovery a little less painful. I have read a little bit about the surgery and have run across something called the heart hugger. Does anyone have any experience with this? Any advice or recommendations would be most welcome. Thank you for your advice. Ted
My husband just said I forgot something. There is a device called the heart hugger which fastens around you and claims to put more pressure on your sternum that can be purchaesd. I found the pillow worked so I did not buy it. BARB12 golgi_ap <golgi_ap@... My father is going to have a quadruple bypass this Monday. Aside from being nervous about his well being, I was wondering if anyone can pass along some advice as to things I can do to make his recovery a little less painful. I have read a little bit about the surgery and have run across something called the heart hugger. Does anyone have any experience with this? Any advice or recommendations would be most welcome. Thank you for your advice. Ted
When I had my triple bypass in June 04 the hospital gave me a red heart shaped pillow to hug against my chest when walking, getting up, riding in the car, etc. It helped to keep things in place and made the pain and soreness a little better. During the first couple of weeks, I did not go anywhere without it. I am not sure but this is probably what they were talking about. BARB12 golgi_ap <golgi_ap@... My father is going to have a quadruple bypass this Monday. Aside from being nervous about his well being, I was wondering if anyone can pass along some advice as to things I can do to make his recovery a little less painful. I have read a little bit about the surgery and have run across something called the heart hugger. Does anyone have any experience with this? Any advice or recommendations would be most welcome. Thank you for your advice. Ted
Ted, i used the heart hugger and the pillow,but i used the heart hugger more.I was so panic to go out in a crowd that i would wear mine so people would know that there was something wrong with me. mary Jo
Ted I should of told you,my surgeon gave me mine. Mary Jo
My husband is 1 week post op from a quad. He came home yesterday. Right after surgery his whole body was swollen and now it's just his lower half. It seems to be resolving very slowly -- is this pretty normal?? If you had swelling, when did it finally resolve?? The swelling (water retention) is making his leg wounds ooze, sometimes pretty fierce. The nurses at the hospital weren't real concern, saying it was normal. I don't like the swelling in his legs and while at rest is keeping them elevated on pillows. He is also drinking a pretty good amount. Mainly, I wonder if this is normal?? Any one have any suggestions on anything else we should be doing?? He is currently on a low sodium diet, I'm sure due in part to the swelling. He was 'healthy' prior to the surgery -- the blockages were found by accident and he had no cardiac symptoms. Thanks in advance!! Peg
Hi, My mom had A-fib around the third night after her surgery. Her heart rate went up to 160 and the monitors started beeping. She was sleeping at the time it happened (can you believe it) I was visiting her at the hospital and I noticed her heart rate was going up, when it got up to 100 I asked the nurse if that was okay. She said yes, it is common for the heart rate to go up and down after the surgery for awhile. When the heart rate got up to 140 and the monitor started beeping I went to look for my moms nurse again. I told her my mom's heart rate was up to 140, by the time we got back to the room it was up to 160. My mom was still sleeping so the nurse woke her and asked her how she felt. My mom said she felt fine, why? The nurse called the doctor and he prescribed metoprolol for the heart rate (I assume) and some other medication to control the a-fib. I was told by the doctor that this was a common thing among heart surgery patients. They say the heart should return to normal on its own. A lot of people don't even realize they have it. My mom would never have known if she wasn't hooked up to the monitor. She took the one medication for around two weeks and she is still on the metoprolol. She hasn't had a-fib since (knock on wood). She went to the cardiologist to get an ekg (think that's what it's called) a couple times and all was fine. I hope you feel better soon. Take care. Cindy
I just talked with a person who has 6 blockages from 70 to 95% and he is not having his bypass surgery for another month. He was walking around and not feeling all that bad. His cardiologist says there is too much blockage for stents. I had 6 blockages probably very similar to his 5 years ago and had surgery the day after the angiogram with the doctors telling my husband that a blood clot could kill me. The only second opinion I could get was from another cardiologist and thorasic surgeon in the same town and they both gave the same recommendation. Now I wonder just how serious this 70 to 95% blockage thing really is and how many arteries we need for our heart to keep on beating. Anyone know?? Makes me feel like they did not want me going to another hospital for this surgery and I would have preferred going to Houston, TX but my husband was afraid to take me as I was going to have to wait two weeks for an appointment there. Ann
I think it is more which ones are blocked and how high the percentages are. If the LAD is badly blocked bypass surgery is usually performed pretty quickly. It is the main artery in the heart. Known as the LAD, the left anterior descending artery is responsible for supplying oxygen to the left ventricle. The left ventricle is the chamber which is the strongest and is used to pump blood out of the heart and around the rest of the body. If the LAD should become totally blocked, the left ventricle will stop working and lead to a heart attack and potentially death. Of my three blockages, they were concerned about the 90-95% blockage in the LAD and I was not allowed to leave the hospital but scheduled for emergency surgery (I had driven to the ER on my lunch hour from work). I was kept in ICU until I could notify my fiance, son and boss and then taken to surgery bumping another patient. BARB12 Madeline Ray <ramblinannie@... I just talked with a person who has 6 blockages from 70 to 95% and he is not having his bypass surgery for another month. He was walking around and not feeling all that bad. His cardiologist says there is too much blockage for stents. I had 6 blockages probably very similar to his 5 years ago and had surgery the day after the angiogram with the doctors telling my husband that a blood clot could kill me. The only second opinion I could get was from another cardiologist and thorasic surgeon in the same town and they both gave the same recommendation. Now I wonder just how serious this 70 to 95% blockage thing really is and how many arteries we need for our heart to keep on beating. Anyone know?? Makes me feel like they did not want me going to another hospital for this surgery and I would have preferred going to Houston, TX but my husband was afraid to take me as I was going to have to wait two weeks for an appointment there. Ann
I recently faced the same situation. I had 95% blockage in the right side of my neck and had 4 blockages around my heart. I didn't have any pain at all only getting fatigued walking up hills and my fingertips tingled if I walked to much. That was last spring. My wife and I were scheduled for a cruise to Alaska in June with the Welk Singers. Doctors said I shouldn't go. Went anyway. Only trouble was walking up gangplank. On board ship I went on elevators. Took two naps each day. Had surgery July 10 on neck and buypass in September. Very successful. No pain at all. One of the lucky ones. Feel great now. Tom