6 weeks Post and some questions

[ShyAnne56]

I'm off House Arrest! I'm driving again, what a liberating feeling!

I have a couple of questions. One is for any of the females out there that have gone through menopause prior to surgery. Did you experience hot flashes after surgery? I've been having them for a couple of weeks now.

Also, Last week I started having swelling in my ankles again. I also started having trouble breathing. I went to the doctor after 3 days of this. They did a chest x-ray and I have fluid in my lungs again. He ordered me to take 80 mg Lasix a day through the week-end and 40 each day starting today. The doctor I saw was not my cardiologist (he is out of town this entire week). On discharge from the hospital I was not told to continue taking Lasix. Is this common after surgery? This doctor suggested that I have heart failure!!!

I had been feeling really good until this.

 

[Ross]

While I'm not female and I haven't gone through menopause, err at least I don't think so, I had hot flashes for a long time after surgery. I'll let others say what's on their minds on this subject.

Alot of people have problems with water build up. Lasix is the wonder drug for getting rid or excess, but if your breathing becomes more difficult or you show signs of a fever, get your butt to the ER ASAP. You don't want to wait until your in full blown congestive heart failure before you act. Your heart still has a lot of healing to do. It's still kind of early in the game.

 

[ShyAnne56]

Thanks for the reply Ross. It's great that the "guys" can relate to what we women go through with those damn hot flashes! The Lasix seems to be working. I will be seeing my cardiologist on Thursday.

 

[bvdr]

Hi Angie,

It's nice to hear from you again but I'm sorry you are having problems.

First of all, it was good that you were seen for the shortness of breath and fluid problem. I've not yet had surgery so I can't speak from personal experience about that but I do think it is something you need to watch very carefully.

I will address that "hot flashes" thing though. I went through surgical menopause a few years ago for fibroids but also a tumor on an ovary that thankfully was non-malignant but as a result I had both ovaries removed and I am not on hormone replacement therapy. The strangest thing has been happening recently. It is like I am going through menopause all over again. At night I sometimes get hot flashes and even get all sweaty. I throw off the covers and within a few minutes I am so chilly that I cover up again. I think it may be tied in with my valve problems but have nothing to really back that up. Is that the kind of thing you are talking about? If not, kindly disregard.

I hope you feel better again soon.

Betty(bvdr)

 

[Nancy]

Hi Angie-

Fluid problems are very common when your heart is still recovering, and that takes a little while. Some people will have to continue with the Lasix and some not, each person is different.

I have read that after surgery, during the healing phase, all of the body's hormones are out of whack and will be reactive. So it sounds like what you've experienced.

Give it some time, everything will straighten out.

Best wishes.

 

[LoraW30]

Haven't been through menopause yet, but I can say I've had the flashes after both heart surgery and heart caths. It never lasted very long after the surgeries.

 

[ALCapshaw2]

Hello Anne,

I'm just over one year post op. Around 6 months post op, I felt my recovery was 'backsliding' with symptoms of Shortness of Breath and mild chest pain. Lasix really helped me to be more energetic. At first I would only take it reactively, i.e. *after* I was already feeling symptoms and then it would take a day or two to 'catch up'. One Doctor suggested taking a low dose (20 mg) every other day which resulted in much higher energy levels.

Recently, I was doing a lot of work standing up and discovered that my ankles / feet were swollen after a couple of days. Daily Lasix eventually cured the problem but then my INR went too high, I was passing blood, and my kidneys were starting to ache.

Bottom Line: It's a touchy balancing act between being 'too wet' and being 'too dry'. The Cardiologists like you (your lungs) dry, the Urologists like you (your kidneys) wet.

My PCP recommended trying to stay somewhere in-between. If your urine starts turning dark, you probably need to drink more water. If you become too short of breath, you probably need to cut back on fluids. If you can't find a happy medium, call in the Experts from BOTH sides.

Best wises,

'AL'

 

[Birky]

post op hot flashes

post op hot flashes

I went through an awful lot of hot flashes after surgery. I was post menopause at the time. I am still getting them after 5 mos. and went back on the estrogen patches to see if this would help. I am on cardizen, lanoxin, and coumadin. I also take Zoloft since I quit smoking prior to surgery and this seems to help. I also had swelling but the surgeon wanted me on the Lasix for 3 mos. so this helped.I am now off the Lasix and if I watch the salt, then it doesn's seem to be a problem. I mostly get night sweats but sometimes during the day. I thought I was done with all of this. Everyday gets better.

 

[lemdonuts]

I had water on my lungs and heart the day I left the hospital -- my surgeon told me to walk I said even on my "hills and he said yes!!! -- sooooo I could hardly breath but I walked -- started out 3 times a day for 10 min for a total of 30 min a day then played with 15min and 20 min two times a day to build it up to 35 min and so on -- I also ended up in the Er and they also said I had water on the lungs (I don't think they realized it when I was discharged form the hospital that I had water on my lungs only on the heart) But same advice was given WALK!!! I HATE TO WALK BUT!!!! You got to do what you have to ..... Use common sence of course -- my family thought walking around the house was enough but had I listened to them I wouldn't be discharged from my cardioloist (wants to see me next year and this is 7 weeks after surgery and two trips to the ER but I feel great now and my breathing is so much better) Good luck!!!

LEM

 

[Vicki448]

I posted something very similar to your question when the same thing was happening to me. I am coming upon my 1 yr. anniversary of mitral valve repair and I believe my body is just not getting back in sync. About 2 mos. after my surgery, I had the worst panic attack and every day I was in a fog. My two drs. (cardio & surgeon) couldn't identify my symptoms so I went to my gyno. Lo and behold is was in full-fledged perimenopause. I am now on a low dose birth control pill (for the estrogen) and on an antidepressant (so I can feel human again). I do believe 100% that my surgery "sped up" my body hormones and brought on my perimenopausal symptoms full force. My serotonin level was all screwed up and I was just a basket case. I am all better now - not 100% like my old self, but pretty close to it. No night sweats/flashes, but just about everything else about perimenopause I had before getting help from my gyno. What a trip this has all been! Had my 1 yr. echo today and my cardio dr. told me I was "healthy as a horse" and all looked great. Doctors, for the most part, are wonderful people. You just have to figure out which dr. can help you with the symptoms you are having. I spent a lot of money trying to find out what was wrong with me before realizing that it was the "pause." I know this has rambled and gone back and forth and I've told his saga out of chronological order, but that's just how my mind works now. You should see my house - I have about 6 projects going at once and not a one of them finished. I love my life!!!!!!! Take care.

 

[Georgia]

Hi

Hi

I think it's really common to take lasix after surgery. It seems that an awful lot of post-surgical posts on here indicate that people who aren't on it after surgery end up taking it. I've been on it the whole time; but I had chf and my lv's enlarged and no one was taking any chances with me. And I haven't had ANY trouble with fluid on lungs - I take 40 mgs per day and up to 40 more if needed (very seldom use the extra).

Re: hot flashes: I was fully in menopause and having a lot of hot flashes prior to surgery. I couldn't take estrogen because of previous breast cancer, so I was just toughing it out. Coumadin put an end to them. I know it's Coumadin because when I had my previous bone-headed pcp who was prescribing my coumadin had me hold; and the day I held I had hot flashes galore. I even have a slight problem with them if I have to take a 1/2 dose occasionally. So I'll say there's ONE good thing about coumadin (oh, yeah - it also stops strokes - I guess that's two good things )

 

[nadi]

Yeah to coumadin

Yeah to coumadin

I never thought it was the coumadin but my hot flashes and night sweats stopped(almost) with surgery. I have had a few lately but the INR was low.

Thanks

 

[sylviayasgur]

hi angie!
about the lasix, as all mentioned before, it is very common to retain some excess fluid after this surgery. jopey was on lasix for awhile to rid his body of that.

in addition, as ross mentioned too, joey had hot/cold flashes for some time after his avr.
i used to kid with him and tell him that HE was menopausal when it should be ME!
it lasted awhile, i think until his body started regaining its equilibrium.

please try and be patient. once your body gets back to "itself", things may just straighten out.

be well, sylvia

 

[Gail in Ca]

I have had 2 AVR's and it does create havoc with your hormones.
My cycles have never been the same, especially after the 2nd and being on coumadin.
Gail