22 days post op and still rather weak

[barrie]

Hi Guys,haven't posted for a while as I was hoping to be feeling so much better following my AVR(bicuspid valve) and partial maze proceedure.
Unfortunately on the 7th post op day ie the day I got discharged I went inth AF early in the morning and have remained in various rhythms of AF/atrial flutter or sinus tachycardia 120/min since.I find I'm weak going up the stairs and walking up to 500mtrs at a very slow pace.My appetite is getting back to normal.INR pretty stable,but I was a little anaemic Hb 10G/L and also low albumin which gave rise to some slight pitting oedema(swelling) around my mid shins.I couldn't stick the irregular heart beat come the 12th post op day so was lucky to see my cardiologist who has reasurred me I should spontaneously revert or could have a cardioversion after 6 weeks post op.He has started me on amiodarone to try and speed up the process.Yes I know what some of you think of amiodarone but I have to trust him and it has actually made me feel a little better.Perhaps now having a sinus tacycardia is on the way to spontaneously reverting.Having been asymptomatic before the surgery,I'm finding this a little hard to take.For me this dysrythmia is very disabling I'm simply not used to feeling so weak.Here's hoping for spontaneous resolution soon.

 

[Ross]

Dude your 22 days post op. You ain't gonna feel like superman nor be able to leap tall buildings in single bounds for a good long time yet. If you still feel the same way in another 78 days, then I'd be a little troubled. I'm not discounting your arrhythmia issues. I know those suck. Just take it easy and take it a day at a time. Slow and easy gets it done.

 

[Bina]

Barrie, the first 6 weeks can be very trying.......hang in there.
For some of us the improvements are slower, but it does happen.
The amiodarone is designed to kick those arrhythmias in the butt before they become a routine.
Best wishes.

 

[ALCapshaw2]

Guess What Barrie...

MOST OHS patients take several weeks to be able to function even somewhat close to normal. It's only the Young Super Athletic Types who bounce back in a month or so.

Heart Arrhythmia's make it that much harder.

I'd be a little disappointed in your Cardiologist,
first for putting you on Amiodarone, the Sledge Hammer of anti-arrhythmics as a FIRST step (before exhausting all the other remedies such as other Beta Blockers, especially Sotalol (generic for BetaPace) which has worked well for many of our members,
and second, for NOT treating your Fluid Retention as exhibited by your Edema (swelling of the legs). The usual treatment for edema is a diuretic such as Lasix / Furosemeide.

It's No Wonder you feel so lethargic,
you've got a Triple Whammy working against you:
OHS, Arrhythmia, Edema.

Hopefully the Amiodarone will knockout the arrhythmia.
Bug your Cardio to treat your Edema!
OHS takes T.I.M.E. and it's always Longer than we would like :-(

'AL Capshaw' (disclaimer: I am NOT a Medical Professional)

 

[Tom F.]

Do you realize the extant of the trauma your body has suffered? You will need a lot more than 22 days to get back to normal. Take your time and do not over do, walk, rest. It will take months, not days. But you will get there.

 

[stilldreamin]

with your added issues, you're not far behind me... today is my one month anniversary. i think you're doing better than you're giving yourself credit for... but i can see why if you were fine before surgery.
one day at a time, and soon you'll realize that there is progress.

 

[WayneGM]

Ditto what's been said. Hang in there. It takes time and patience. You'll get there.

 

[barrie]

Reply to all so far

Reply to all so far

Thanks guys,always loads of common sense.I'll try to be more patient.

 

[hall]

I know, your head says one thing and your body is not cooperating. Me, my head and body were on the same page. I was exhausted! Even when I went back to work after 8 weeks, I came home and went to sleep for a couple of hours. Take care and listen to your body.

 

[Ross]

Thanks guys,always loads of common sense.I'll try to be more patient.

It's very hard to be patient if your a go getum type of person, but honestly, your body fell under major assault and it's not going to like you for a while. You've probably got a whole gambit of feelings running amok too. This is like rebooting your computer, clearing your memory, starting services, trying to get connected to the network,etc.. Everything is resetting and tweaking itself everyday.

 

[Nancy]

Helped my husband through many thoracic surgeries. It will be a good 6-8 weeks until you feel pretty well, and it will take up to a year before you feel tip-top. You have to be patient with yourself and realize that it is a slow recovery and baby steps at a time.

We all are so used to surgeries that are not as major as this one is, so we expect miracles and fast healing. Not going to happen that way.

Afib is not helping either. So I hope it gets gone soon for you.