17 Days Post-Op and Still Kickin'

[MamaHen]

Okay, so this is Garrett, Im 24, and 17 days Post-Op, but dont let the username fool you, Im no Mommahen, this is her son, I just hijacked her account to tell my little story.

I'm home now, which is better than the drug induced stupor I endured in the hospital, and suffering from cabin fever as its winter here, and I can rarely walk outside due to it being super slippery. I am also plagued with ridiculous amounts of depression (Though no uncontrolled crying like at first thanks to the Paxil), and an inability to sleep due to the anxiety, and Restless Leg Syndrome, which let me tell ya, its one heck of a curse. I was taking Ativan which helped tremendously, but just found out they wont refill my prescription, so Ill be facing my first night of sleep without any kind of medication to help, as I also forgot to ask them if I can take benedryl. So yeah, Im a little worried, you never know how much you love sleep until you don't have it anymore

All that aside, I am also experiencing some pretty muscle pain in my shoulder, which I'm told is pretty normal. But as of this morning if feels like my ribs are hurting, mostly when I move, the pain starts under my arm in my ribs and reaches around to my sternum which feels tight, its mostly on my left side, but my right side hurts too. I'm thinking I did something in my sleep, rolled over maybe? I haven't been using my support pillow a whole lot, but mostly because I don't come across many opportunities to use it (I spend most of my days at the computer). I called the cardiologists office and they told me it doesn't sound urgent, and they will let the surgeons office know in the morning. Cant help but worry a little, which I'm sure will help me sleep *sarcasm*

Now don't get me wrong, this isn't a living hell, far from it. I spend my days watching movies with my family (enjoying catching up on Fringe), and playing video games, though I seem to lack the concentration to read, or write very much other than the short witty remarks in Facebook. I am told this could either be the dreaded Pumphead Syndrome, or Propranalol, or maybe even Amiodrone but I don't think its screwing with me too bad. I am still in atrial fib/flutter so I am on the beta blocker, the amiodarone, and warfarin.

Thats my story.. the only things I'm wondering about are the chest pains, anyone have this, is it due to over-exertion? I was also wondering if anyone else experiences woozy feelings from the beta blockers? Also how long am I limited to a lifting limit of 10lb? Does the limit go up with time, or is it pretty much stuck at 10lb till the 12week mark?

Thanks so much for listening.
Garrett

 

[AgilityDog]

Hey Garrett. You sound like you are right on track. The anxiety/depression when you've been hit by this bus is normal/expected. You are dealing well with it.

The rib and sternum aches are also normal. I'm 5 months out, and still get a couple rib and sternum aches at night, and the day after I lift any weight. I've even got a little ache from hauling my gear around at this weekend's dog show.

You are stuck at the 10 pound limit for at least 8 weeks. Then you can increase slowly, but remember, if it hurts, don't do it. Pretty much lifting anything heavier than a gallon of milk is frowned on until week 8 or better. It's not the muscles, it's the sternum. You have to give it time to heal properly before you stress it. Then you still have weeks and months of the muscles healing. My left shoulder still hurts if I drive more than 30 minutes, though it's slowly improving. Remember, they treated you like a roast turkey on that operating table!

Wooziness from the beta blockers is also pretty normal. They tend to drop your blood pressure. I had side effects from them for about a year until my body adjusted. Try taking your meds with meals. It will help reduce the dizzies.

Lack of concentration is pretty normal. It will get better slowly, maybe at the 4 to 6 week mark. Same with fatigue issues. 6 weeks out I was so bored I begged for work from the office, and one day's document drafting knocked me out.

It's not unusual to have problems sleeping from the anxiety. I used a little pain med to help me get to sleep, for several weeks after I wasn't taking it during the day: the body aches in bed at night, especially turning over, or sleeping on your back when you are not used to it, don't help quality sleep.

 

[dick0236]

Okay, so this is Garrett, Im 24, and 17 days Post-Garrett

Congratulations on making it:cool2:. It'l take a little while, but everything returns to normal:biggrin2:.

 

[Mentu]

Getting back on your feet!

Getting back on your feet!

Hi Garrett, I'm glad you've joined us. With some of these early sensations its tough to work out what is causing them. Unlike many, I never had any chest pain in my sternum. The chest muscles were another thing entirely but during the first two or three weeks, the most discomfort came from the ribs and, especially, that spot beneath my left shoulder blade. Some of the things I found that made them worse was sitting upright for more than 15 or 20 minutes, poor posture, repetitive motions (mine was set off by cutting up vegetables for a big pot of soup) and, always the favorite - lifting, pulling or pushing more than a few pounds. Out of bed, staying in the same position for very long can also set off the ribcage aches. It is less likely that you did something in your sleep.

You say that walking outside isn't safe. Do you have a treadmill? If you do not, it would help a great deal to rent one. If you are not walking some distance several times a day, many of these problems will last much much longer. After three or four weeks, walking a mile at a time is pretty normal, Garrett. Walking will improve your lung function, your aches and pains will fade more quickly and it should improve your sleep. What for many people may only last a few weeks can last for months if you are not walking. This is one thing you can do for yourself that will help. We have all been there.

When you do speak with your surgeon's office, you may want to raise the issue of the Restless Leg problem because sleeping is very important to your recovery. Sometimes one's other doctors are very hesitant to prescribe drugs for you right after surgery so ask your surgeon about the Ativan. Six months after my AVR, I found that I needed eye surgery. My Ophthalmologist would not even schedule this relatively minor proceedure until my heart surgeon assured him that it would not be problem.

With respect to the "Woozy feeling", I think it is too early in your recovery to pinpoint a cause. My experience with the beta-blocker was that I had no side effects for the first four months. The "Woozies" are much more likely to be caused by pain killers. Other simple causes are also likely and they are 1. Not getting enough exercise and 2. Not sleeping well; they are themselves quite enough to cause the woozy feeling. As for the weight lifting limit (and don't forget pushing & pulling), it is very important not to exceed your weight limits because that will just prolong the healing period. That said, you may find that after the first month you can gradually increase the amount of weight you can handle. Your body will tell you if you do too much; if something causes you to hurt, STOP! At around 6 weeks you should be ready to start Cardiac Rehab and one of the first things they will tell you is "no upper body exercise until 12 weeks after surgery".

It is at this point that I should probably drag out my soapbox, Garrett, and urge you to plan on attending Cardiac Rehab. Almost as soon as you start, you will begin to feel better. Your body needs exercise now more than at any other time in your life; exercise is essential if you are going recover properly from surgery. Cardiac Rehab will help you to begin exploring your new body and what it can do. The gradual increase in exercise that you will experience in a Rehab program will not be difficult but it will help you to begin feeling good and set you on your way to discovery what your new "normal" life can be. This is a gift that you can give yourself, Garrett, that will make your life better.

Take care, Garrett, I look forward to hearing about how things are going with you.

Larry

 

[normofthenorth]

Welcome, Garrett, and +1 to all the advice and info you got above. My wife's had restless leg syndrome for a while, and she gets relief from (generic) Clonazepam, which may (or may not) be an option for you. I haven't researched it.

There are some stories here about people who've managed to break their stainless-steel wires, like the ones that are holding your sternum together (and mine, too). All the ones I've read involve "explosive vomiting" as the mechanism, so there's one more reason to skip the binge drinking! My little pre-op survey here suggested that gradually pushing and lifting more is PROBABLY safe enough, as long as you completely avoid pain. This is NOT one of those "no pain, no gain" things, and just "jiggling" the two halves of your cracked sternum (even if the wires are intact) can probably set you back significantly, so Don't Go There! OTOH, I've been using my arms and sternum more and more since around your post-op time, when I gradually started noticing that I could do more stuff without pain. (Me, I was only 1 or 2 days post-3-weeks when I suddenly sneezed and ENJOYED it! ) Next week, at 8-9 weeks post-op, I plan to spend 6 days skiing downhill at Whistler, and I sure hope my sternum (and the rest of me) forgives me!

Good luck. Check out everything that seems wrong, and have some faith that the rest will heal, strengthen, resolve, etc., give some more time.

 

[Johan]

Garrett it sounds as if you are right on track with your recovery, including some of the bumps you refer to. Hang in there, things will get better and soon the whole thing will be a hazy memory...

 

[buncle]

Like the others have said you are on the right track and everything seems pretty normal.Sounds like you have had OHS! For the rls you might try streching your leg muscles. I get that in my calves sometimes and the streching helps alot.The lack of sleep and emotions are par for the course and will get better.You have been through alot and time will take care of those issues.

 

[Greg a]

Garrett, LISTEN TO THE 10lb warnings PLEASE and maybe throw in an wxtra few days ......after that time build up to heavier weights gradually ,,,,, you really dont want to tear the wires through your sternum its possible but not fun to live without a sternum

 

[njean]

Happy to hear that you are doing so well. Just take it easy, don't try to overdo things.

You've got all your life ahead of you, so take your time!

 

[MamaHen]

Thanks for all the support, folks!
I saw the surgeon today, told me the pain and all that was normal, its always good to hear the doctor tell you nothing is the matter. They told me that before they prescribe me more Ativan that I should try some diphenhydramine (over the counter allergy tablets) to see if it works, crossing my fingers.
I do plan on going into Cardiac Rehab, Im getting signed up for s scholarship at a really nice local gym, I cant wait to be active again, but as for walking, no treadmill, and just this little one bedroom apartment, its to small for walking, but it'll have to do, I have to do what feels like 1000 laps
I havent been lifting more than 10lb, Ive over extended my arms a couple times, putting a blanket over the birdcage, or getting something out of the microwave (both are pretty high up) but nothing thats hurt, pulled the muscles/tendons in my arms though

Ill keep you guys posted with any news, and Ill be getting my own account here soon, just waiting for the moderator to okay it.

Thanks again for the support, Ill talk to y'all soon

--Garrett