A Couple of Tips on Preparing for Surgery

[jds]

Hello -

I had MVR surgery 5/23. Based on my experiences, here are a few things to do.

1. Get in good physical shape. Exercise as much as you can, stop smoking, stop drinking too much, get your weight to a healthy level, then exercise more. Being in good shape is the best thing you can do to speed and ease your recuperation. I did this and it has paid off many times over.

2. If you are having OHS, do flexibility exercises (stretches, yoga, ...) especially those that make your back more flexible. The surgery involves opening your sternum then bending you in ways your body is not designed to bend. Two weeks after surgery, I had more back pain than sternum pain. I believe that a flexible back would help a lot here. I did not do this and wish I had.

3. Talk to lots of people (this forum and other places) about what is going on. You will be amazed how many people have gone through this or had parents, siblings, friends, even children go through this. As our minister always says "Whatever you go through in life, you are not going through it alone." You might be shy about disclosing medical information. Get over it and you will get tremendous amounts of support. I did this and am really glad I did.

4. Line up your support system. My wife with friends at church, lined up meals for the first two weeks I was out of the hospital. Hospital food was OK but bland. The first night home from the hospital, we had spicey Ghanian Ground Nut stew. It was wonderful. Also, we did not need to worry about fixing dinner for that first two weeks. Don't forget thank you notes.

5. Maintain a positive and determined attitude. You are not a piece of meat and the main responsibility for your health and recovery is your own. Read funny books and do all your walks and then more. This is corrective surgery - you will be repaired when it is done and you have done your recuperation.

6. Remember your caregiver is going through this too. For the past many months (6 months for me), I was the focus of everything. For the first month out of the hospital, that remained the case. Your caregiver / spouse will be getting a little tired of all this. Recuperate fast for their sake and the sake of your relationship.

Keep a positive outlook and good luck -

John

 

[hensylee]

that's really good advice. Going in with good health is good if it can be done, tho some just can't exercise before surgery. I was in good shape and recuperation was easy for me. If I did it now, I'd be in trouble. Thanks for telling us; I hope many will read this because it's good info. We have a thread about what to take to hosp and this is good enough to put in that thread, as well.

 

[Ross]

Good advice, but remember, everyone is different, so your mileage may vary.

 

[67walkon]

Great advice! I hope. My surgery is one week from today. Positive encouragement like your post is really, really helpful.

I'm good in the being in shape part, except I have gained about 5 pounds since they told me I couldn't exercise as hard or as much as I was. I've been able to continue riding my bike about 50 or 60 miles a week, just at a reduced pace.

And thanks for the reminder to be nice to my wife. I do pray that God will give her the strength to deal with this, as those hours in surgery are going to be a lot harder on her and our kids than it will be on me! After all, I'll be asleep and not worried about a thing.

Mostly, I want to get it over with!

John

 

[WayneGM]

Excellent advice. Thanks for sharing. It'll be very helpful to the waiting room gang.

 

[Susan BAV]

Nice John. I liked your mention of keeping a positive attitude also. Somewhere, pre-op, I read to: NOT WHINE. Nobody likes a whiner. I kept focusing on that and kept my lips together sometimes when I was in a mood and wanting to complain about everything. "Not whining" gave me a measure of control and satisfaction. And it made me much more pleasant to be around during recovery.

 

[Cooker]

Hello -

I had MVR surgery 5/23. Based on my experiences, here are a few things to do.

1. Get in good physical shape. Exercise as much as you can, stop smoking, stop drinking too much, get your weight to a healthy level, then exercise more. Being in good shape is the best thing you can do to speed and ease your recuperation. I did this and it has paid off many times over.

LOL!!! Sound like the life time goal for most I agree but gee-wiz!!! That's great if you got six years to get ready. The stop the puffing is the best advise and the hardest one to do!!

Tom

 

[Magic8Ball]

The smoking advice is one i always give, coughing is not good after your sternum has been cut open.....i coughed (properly) twice that first week....cried twice. The smokers were coughing properly twice a minute....

The other thing i advise on is to not have that 'last big meal' before you go in for surgery....your going to be put under for the surgery and your bowels will shut down for a few days...having a big meal sit inside you for 2-3 days isn't good and the last thing you want to be doing 3 days after surgery is 'straining' on the pan with fresh new stitches in your heart .

Regards.

 

[67walkon]

Like a condemned man's last meal?

My "last meal", pre-surgery, will be this Thursday night. I was thinking about Outback or somewhere like that, but you make a good point. Maybe something a little lighter. There will be plenty of time later to eat! I hope.

John

 

[67walkon]

Adam, I think a bigger problem is the aorta. Once it starts growing, you can be a whole lot of trouble if it isn't repaired. With the valve, from what the docs said and what I have read here, you just get kind of weaker and wearker, or less exercise tolerant, until it gets really bad. With the aorta, it can just blow and then you are in big trouble.

I've always been real active which is why it is such a surprise to have a heart issue. But, I have it, they caught it and everything will be fine in a few months.

 

[MaryC]

John,
Good list! I did all of the above except I gained 10 lbs in the weeks leading up to surgery. I found myself eating like there was no tomorrow....well - seemed like as good of excuse as any!! I did apologize to the nurses in ICU for the extra lbs when they had to pick me up that 1st night to change the bed!

 

[jds]

"Last Meal" may not be a good idea - and how much to exercise

"Last Meal" may not be a good idea - and how much to exercise

Hello -

For the first 2-3 days after surgery, I felt nauseous and my appetite was poor. I had eaten a relatively light meal before going in and I think that helped. I have heard from several people that a heavy meal before hand sits very heavily in the stomach.

Also, you can expect to be constipated for at least a little while after surgery. The drugs do it. Having a little less in your digestive tract probably feels better.

Several folks said everyone needs to set their own threshold for exercise depending on their circumstances. That's true of course. But I find it very rare to find people who do too much and pretty common to find people (including me) who find good reasons to not go for a little walk or bike ride. If your MD or your own body says you can't do something, then don't do it. But most of the time, you can do at least a little. Adding to the strength, fitness, and flexibility of your body will help a lot with recovery.

John

 

[sonavogel]

This thread is a few weeks old, so I'm not sure if my post will be replied to, but I was reading the advice--so sound!--and one thing hit me:

2. If you are having OHS, do flexibility exercises (stretches, yoga, ...) especially those that make your back more flexible. The surgery involves opening your sternum then bending you in ways your body is not designed to bend. Two weeks after surgery, I had more back pain than sternum pain. I believe that a flexible back would help a lot here. I did not do this and wish I had.

I hadn't realized how much unnatural stress the back would be placed in during the procedure. Does anyone have any input about OHS patients with thoracic or lumbar osteoporosis/osteopenia? Would this procedure be likely to fracture or compromise a vertebra(e)? Does it make a difference to the surgeon to know this, or is there nothing that can be done about it?

I weight lift and jog, do mobility stretching and consider myself fairly flexible, although I do not do yoga or Pilates. But I do have osteopenia and osteoporosis in various parts of my spine and hip. I have had no fractures. How concerned should one be that this kind of surgery would actually cause a fracture?

Also, I currently see a chiro as needed, especially when some of my lifting WOs have been strenuous and taxed my neck or back. She snaps me back into shape--but I can predict that no one can go to a chiropractor within 8 weeks or more of this kind of surgery, even if it's needed! Massage is soothing, but it is not adequate to realign the skeleton where it's "out."

Has anyone had these kinds of issues?

Best, Sona

 

[Lynlw]

This thread is a few weeks old, so I'm not sure if my post will be replied to, but I was reading the advice--so sound!--and one thing hit me:

I hadn't realized how much unnatural stress the back would be placed in during the procedure. Does anyone have any input about OHS patients with thoracic or lumbar osteoporosis/osteopenia? Would this procedure be likely to fracture or compromise a vertebra(e)? Does it make a difference to the surgeon to know this, or is there nothing that can be done about it?

I weight lift and jog, do mobility stretching and consider myself fairly flexible, although I do not do yoga or Pilates. But I do have osteopenia and osteoporosis in various parts of my spine and hip. I have had no fractures. How concerned should one be that this kind of surgery would actually cause a fracture?

Also, I currently see a chiro as needed, especially when some of my lifting WOs have been strenuous and taxed my neck or back. She snaps me back into shape--but I can predict that no one can go to a chiropractor within 8 weeks or more of this kind of surgery, even if it's needed! Massage is soothing, but it is not adequate to realign the skeleton where it's "out."

Has anyone had these kinds of issues?

Best, Sona

Sona, I think you would probably get more replies, if you start a new thread asking your question.I think it would depend alot on the person and how their bones are. There is a member here that is a back doctor,I haven't seen himl ately,but might see a seperate post
I also would ask you cardiologist and surgeon when the time comes. IF it could be a big problem, maybe a mininum invasive surgery or cut thru the side would be a better option, the surgeon should be able to let you know,Lyn

 

[Adrienne]

I weight lift and jog, do mobility stretching and consider myself fairly flexible, although I do not do yoga or Pilates. But I do have osteopenia and osteoporosis in various parts of my spine and hip. I have had no fractures. How concerned should one be that this kind of surgery would actually cause a fracture?Best, Sona

I have osteopenia (almost osteoporosis) in my spine. I just found this out at the beginning of the year and now take Actonel. In any case, I had my surgery in October 2005, so obviously had it then. I had no trouble at all with my back after the surgery, and that is in spite of the fact that I had disk surgery in 1984 and still have to be quite careful with my back.

 

[Susan BAV]

Sona - Not quite what you asked... but my valve replacement was nearly four years ago and I still have some rib cartilage pain issues that came on following OHS. The pain was severe early on, but not so now. I chose not to take meds for it. I don't know if that was wise or not.

 

[sonavogel]

Thank you for the replies! I will likely start a new thread with other questions I have, when I can get them all formed properly. And I will ask my cardio as well.

Best, Sona