Heart By-pass Surgery

Hey there -

My Mom underwent a similar procedure to yours a few years ago - it gave her a new lease of life. It did take her many many months for get her energy levels back - and at times, as we all do, she still tires. She was certainly encouraged to walk and increase the distance over time - it took her a good year or so before she could walk a reasonable distance - but now she goes up onto the moors every day. Huge difference to her life. But it took a long time.

The only negative the surgery seems to have had is that my Mom tends to cry more - something she never did - and only since surgery.

Have you tallked to your cardiologist about how you feel?

There are a number of people on the forum who have had cardio procedures but I'm not sure who is around at the moment.

Hopefully someone with personal experience will be give you more useful information that I can give.

Wishing you "higer energy levels" sooner rather than later. Heal well.

Izzie- I am glad that your mom's surgery was successful. Sometimes, after a cardiac "event" a person will become depressed. When you talk about your mother "crying", is this once in awhile, or part of her everyday existence? Is she functioning well in all areas of life; taking care of her grooming, socializing, maintaining her home? If not, she may be suffering from depression, and might need to be evaluated.

http://www.clevelandclinic.org/heartcenter/pub/guide/prevention/stress/depressionandheart.htm

Cardiac events often signal to the patient that their life will never be as before. Often there is an awakened sense of their own mortality, which can be anxiety producing. If the crying is a sometime thing, it may simply be a way of dealing with tension. If you perceive other signs, it may be worth looking into.

My grandmother had that done.

I dont know the particulars as she was a proud woman who would never tell a soul what was really going on

but it took her the better part of a year before I could see the spring in her step again.

Sorry that isnt really helpful..

Tilley Wink--

Welcome to A2K.

Are you having any official help with exercise? Any cardio rehab? Any referrals to a gym?

My husband had a quadruple bypass and the more he exercised, the better he felt.

Hi Phoenix

Thanku for that - I think my Mom would do better if she would allow her anxieties to be "talked over with the GP" - I have tried to get her to do that because she cries all the time (we do have a lot of issues to contend with tho) - however, my very stoic Mom remains "stoic" :wink: It's only since the surgery - she can cry at the drop of a hat - she's an amazing woman and I think the surgery was a shock to us all - but physically she has done miraculously - in fact - all the people I know who have had this surgery have been blessed with nothing short of a miracle in the way it has changed their lives. Mom functions in every other way - incredibly well for what she has to do - it's just she cries a lot - it's like having the surgery suddenly gave her "tears" - Mom NEVER cried!!!!

Thanku for that information - I actually agree wholly - but my Mom - she would not agree. Thanku tho.

Hopefully this information may help TilleyWink too.

Thank you all so much. It seems like I am probably a little anxious. But it is good to hear some reality about the wellness part of it and the crying.

I have talked to my Cardio and he is sympathetic but he says just keep walking and walking which I do most days. Starting with a personal trainer may be what I need to get my strength up. I think I need personal help judging what excercise is good enough to build strength but not too much.

Just from what I have read it sounds like I might be pushing a little to hard for normalcy what ever that is and was. It just a tough deal. But this is the first time I have heard a hint about the recovery time.

To me it seems like last October, when I had the procedure, was an eternity ago. Now that the weather is getting better I am ready to roll in my mind but the body is kind of dragging.

Just keep on walking, TilleyWink. I had an almost dramatic drop in blood pressure readings after riding a bike. I took two years! You're coming back, and just don't realize it.

Off to the ER on Monday. Blast it all. There I was for a couple of days but it turned out OK I guess they say that the heart is fine, the by pass grafts are good.

The pain, they think is from arthritis and is radiating from my shoulder to neck and chest because of the nerve damage done by the surgery.

In addition I learned that the typical by pass only lasts ten years. So that means maybe in ten years if I live that long I might get to go through this all again.

I guess I will hope to recover a lizzie's mom did and enjoy until then next time.

How are you feeling, TilleyWink ?

Don't worry about needing to have the procedure re-done, I think there is only a relatively small chance (like 10-30%) that people might need a second bypass, and the grafts can last much longer than 10 years.

Former Secretary of State, Henry Kissinger, had his bypass surgery in 1982. Vice President Cheney had his bypass surgery in 1988, and, despite numerous other cardiac problems since then, still hasn't needed to have a second bypass. Larry King had his bypass surgery in 1987. More recently, David Letterman had his bypass surgery in 2000. And Regis Philbin, at the age of 75, had his bypass surgery in May of last year.

And, needless to say, all of those people were eventually able to resume their very busy lives.

Even President Clinton, who had his bypass in 2004, was able to keep up with the hectic pace of Hillary's recent campaign.

About 10-50% of bypass patients do suffer depression after the surgery. That is something that should be discussed with one's cardiologist, since depression can affect one's energy level as well as one's mood. And, while it is normal to feel some anxiety about one's health and cardiac functioning after bypass surgery, these worries and concerns should be discussed with the cardiologist as well.

I hope that by now you are feeling a little stronger, TilleyWink. It may take awhile, but try to be patient and optimistic about your chances for recovery.

Thanks for the good news firefly. Watching Bill during Hillery's campaign made me feel better and worse. He seemed full of energy and has lost weight. But several people have said it might need to be redone.

Know that so many have nota had to have the procedure again is good to know. Recently, July 4th I had a bad fall and was out of commission for about a week. And I lost a lot of physical gains really quickly. But this week I am back on the exercise horse and have lost more weight. I am not way over weight but could lose 10 lbs. and feel better.

Thank you again for the support.

TW

TilleyWink, sorry about your fall, but I am glad to hear you are feeling better.

I think it is generally a good philosophy "not to borrow trouble"--not to worry about the possibility that things can go wrong, or that something might happen in the future, particularly when it is something over which we have no control. All that kind of anxiety does is cloud the present and throw a damper on things. Why detract from the present by worrying about the future? Better to just postpone worrying until when and if something actually happens. Right now, you don't need to have the surgery redone and it sounds like you're making good progress. That's wonderful. Just let yourself enjoy it, and the gains you are making.

Recently, I met a young woman (I think she was in her mid-20's) who had a heart transplant several years ago. Now, obviously, a heart transplant, and the anti-rejection medications one must continue to take afterward, can complicate one's life and one's health considerably. But this woman, who seemed to be doing very well health-wise, told me she worries, rather constantly, about how long she will live because of her transplant. I just looked at her and said, "And you could also be hit by a bus tomorrow". After giving me a rather startled look, she got my point and laughed.

We don't know, for certain, what the future might hold. If we worry about all the things that might happen to us, or health issues we might have to deal with some day, we would all drive ourselves nuts. And, besides, no matter what we worry about, something else bad, we didn't even think of, could always come along and throw us a zinger--so worrying isn't even particularly accurate, because life has a way of suddenly tossing curve balls in our direction, giving us new things to worry about. Basically, worrying is a big waste of energy, and you need all of your energy right now.

Keep walking, and keep getting on that exercise horse. Do what you need to do for yourself now to get stronger, and note your gains. Figure out a painless way to lose those 10 pounds. Worry about only those things which are a clear and present reality, and only if they are things you can possibly control, like how to try to prevent another bad fall ---or like how to lose those 10 pounds.

Take care.