5 days post valve replacement- heart racing, bp dropped etc?

[JustmeCori]

Hi,

My Stepfather just had a valve replacement and a bypass surgery last wednesday.

They said he was doing ok, everything was normal and then Saturday his BP dropped - the bottom # was 30! and his heart rate was somewhere near 180!
Meds werent working so they took him back to ICU and shocked his heart. It got his heart and BP all under control... he looked great. HUGE DIFFERENCE.

Now, they just released him into a regular room and it happened again! The Dr's say "its not unheard of"... but naturally we're in a state of panic. Not to mention he is now convinced he's dying cause of this roller coaster recovery. His incision is also still bleeding a little (mostly when he coughs)... and he's sweating profusely which they cant explain why- he has no temp... and they say he has air pockets in his lungs so hes still on oxygen.

Anyone out there have a similar story that can give us a ray of hope here?!?
Its so weird cause he really looked good for a few days, eating, kidding around... doing his breathing and walking a little. Its just so crazy, this up and down recovery!

 

[Magic8Ball]

Can't help with any supportive storys.

but, the recovery road is not always smooth.

My bp was low and heart rate did peak for no reason sometimes but not that high.

I think its refered to as 're-mapping' i.e. your heart just getting used to having normal blood flow again.

Things should get better but keep asking questions and getting checked.

He is certainly not destined to die just because the recovery isn't smooth.

Once the lungs clear up (do your exercises) everything else will get easier.

Regards.

 

[ALCapshaw2]

This is a copy of another thread with the same title that somehow got posted twice.

ATTENTION ROSS: Can you move the reply to this post into the other post and delete this thread (but NOT the other by the same name?)