a few questions at 12 days post-op

[cuoricino]

ciao everyone,

i'm at 12th day post-op and probably being a little lazier than i should be. i've been taking naps everyday and doing the minimum as far as walking and exercises.... but at least i'm doing them at all!

so, besides having to get my butt in gear a little more, i'm generally feeling good.

i just wanna do a couple compare and contrasts with y'all to see what my "curve" is.

dizziness: happens pretty much daily and most of the time for no apparent reason. will be in bed and all of a sudden have double vision. anyone??

BP: has always been low, but today my boyfriend's dad clocked me in at 80/60. could be human error because it's a manual machine, but i'm guessing i should tell my doctor as that seems pretty low and could be a reason for the dizziness.

stitches: my post-op packet tells me that at the 12th day post-op i should get my drainage tube stitches out, but i couldn't get an appt. until wednesday. is there any harm in leaving stitches in LONGER than need be??

exercise: i'm walking twice daily for 5 minutes each like my post-op packet tells me for the 1st week home. but for the rest of the day, i'm doing a lot of reading and generally sitting around. should i be more active than this? i don't want my recovery to be any longer than it has to be. should i push myself more or take advantage of the rest????

that's all for now, thanks for any input!

ciao

 

[Lynlw]

I think if you can do the 5 min walk fine and not tired, you could go a little longer every day, that what we tried to do with Justin for the most part.

I would call the doc and ask about the BP/dizzy

As for the stitches they should be fine, just make sure they don't look like skin is healing over them, (I did that once and it hurt to get them dug out)

 

[escargome]

You seem to be doing good. If you're walking twice, maybe throw in another couple of minutes in the middle of the day. Just not too much. Are you walking outside or on a treadmill? And trust me there is nothing wrong with naps, take them to recharge your batteries. Also do what you feel is comfortable for YOU. If it feels like too much then it like was. The dizziness I would mention to your doctor. I had dizziness which they attributed to anemia. So check it out. Take Care. So you will be up and about and doing the limbo....

 

[coach14]

Sounds like things are going well. 12 days out is still very early and anything you can do, no matter how small, is still a step forward. I have 3 kids under the age of 13, so when I had my AVR on 7/27, I looked at it as a chance to relax and take it easy, guilt free. Please do the same - your body has been through a lot.

I never had the double vision, but I did have blurry vision at times and occassionally saw spots flying around out of my peripheral vision. This went away after a few weeks.

I had my drainage stitches out at 10 days and there was not problem - sounds like you have nothing to worry about.

As for the walks, keep them up, but enjoy the time between them.

Keep moving forward, it only gets better.......

 

[cbdheartman]

The one thing I have learned in the nearly 8 weeks since surgery is that I don't know I have overdone it until I have overdone it. So I think the take it easy approach is much better. Take it easy, read, rest, and make sure to stay in front of the pain!

 

[Freddie]

Could be the meds your on that may be causing the BP and dizziness, talk to your doctor about it.
Personally, I had no guide lines for walking. I walked until I had enough. I used the houses on my block as a guide. If I made it to the corner, the next day I would try to go around the corner and past the next house. Slow and steady I was, or else I wouldn't be able to make back home.

 

[Johan]

I also did not receive formal walking directions, but the surgeon did say that I should walk as much as I can endure. What I am trying to say is that your body will tell you. Walk as much as you can but do not feel pushed. Just rest and get better.

I had dizzy spells for about 3 weeks then it went away. However, even now at 3 months I still sometimes feel as if I am not "there", not dizzy just a bit fazed, just for a few seconds.

I am now in cardio rehab and only now am I pushing myself, took it very easy after the operation, to the point of being lazy!

Before my operation I had some A-fib and was placed on amediorone for 4 months. It damaged my left eye (massive additional floaters, vitrous fluid detachment from the retina, which manifested in a strange vertical neon bar effect) so much so that the opthalmologist immediately conferred with the cardio to get me off the stuff. After the operation I had post operative A-fib and again amediorone for two weeks---again weird vision disturbances in left eye, sort of half curtain effect. Are you on this medication?

Low BP in my case was the beta-blocker combined with an ACE inhibitor.
Johan

 

[Johan]

I also did not receive formal walking directions, but the surgeon did say that I should walk as much as I can endure. What I am trying to say is that your body will tell you. Walk as much as you can but do not feel pushed. Just rest and get better.

I had dizzy spells for about 3 weeks then it went away. However, even now at 3 months I still sometimes feel as if I am not "there", not dizzy just a bit fazed, just for a few seconds.

I am now in cardio rehab and only now am I pushing myself, took it very easy after the operation, to the point of being lazy!

Before my operation I had some A-fib and was placed on amediorone for 4 months. It damaged my left eye (massive additional floaters, vitrous fluid detachment from the retina, which manifested in a strange vertical neon bar effect) so much so that the opthalmologist immediately conferred with the cardio to get me off the stuff. After the operation I had post operative A-fib and again amediorone for two weeks---again weird vision disturbances in left eye, sort of half curtain effect. Are you on this medication?

Low BP in my case was the beta-blocker combined with an ACE inhibitor.
Johan

 

[cuoricino]

thanks guys - i'll tell my doc about the dizziness... i was anemic when leaving the hospital and they've got me taking iron pills because of it. i didn't know anemia could cause dizziness. i am also on 75mg of beta blockers a day (up from 50mg pre-op) which could definitely be cause for the low BP.

i forgot to add in there my irrational fear of showering and being in public where people could run into me.

the showering thing hasn't been a problem since i've been washing myself in pieces (someone washes my hair after careful bathroom preparation, and the rest i do in the bathroom sinks... thank god for italy and their bidets is all i gotta say!), but i'm pretty freaked out about the prospect of having to wash the incision site... even if the docs do say to rub very lightly. i don't think i've come to terms with the "wound" yet.... i always wear loose t-shirts that hide it so i don't have to see it in the mirror and washing it just seems beyond my capabilities for now. i also wanted to hold off on showering until the stitches were out. we'll see on wednesday if i've made any progress.

the other fear about people and stuff i think may be a little exaggerated. but i live in a pedestrian busy area and i bet i walk around looking like a beaten sheep, hiding behind my walking buddy every time a person comes within a mile of me. will this feeling pass? i'm just so afraid that the hustle and bustle of people traffic may find me an elbow straight to the chest and cause some serious damage. hmmm...

thanks again for the replies! i don't feel as guilty now about being "lazy"

ciao

 

[Bridgette]

"i forgot to add in there my irrational fear of showering and being in public where people could run into me"


LOL! To start with I thought you meant that you had to shower in a public place
Seriously though, once you're through the first proper shower and have your confidence back, you'll be fine. Just make sure that your partner or a friend is within call, to be on the safe side.
With the walking, I can understand your fear of being bumped or jostled - is there some way a friend/your partner could drive you to a park/garden etc where it might be a bit less crowded than a busy street? Just an idea.

 

[Freddie]

In regards of showering,
What I was told was to not let shower beat on the incision. What I did was, I turned away from the main stream of the shower head, soap up everything except for the incision area, turned around and and put my arms against (or slightly above) the incision and let soap rinse off, no harm was done doing the shower thing in this manner.

As for walking in a crowded area, been there and had a bulls eye hit - and that was after 6 months and it still hurt. May I suggest to put your hands around your neck so your elbows are in front of the tender area. Move your neck as you walk and people will think your massaging a sore neck or place your left hand over your right shoulder. In both cases your in defense mode and can elbow yourself out of any sticky situation.

Good Luck

 

[Lorimacm]

Sounds like you are doing very well at this point in your recovery. I had walking instructions and was able to do them with no problem. I just did circles around my cul de sac because I was too afraid to go down the hill. Now I am almost 4 weeks and I can do almost 2 miles.

I have not had much dizziness, but do get the vision spots. When this happens I usually lay down for awhile until they go away.

I too have been having very low blood pressure. I use to be pretty low and before surgery had gotten up to around 115-120/80. I had some low blood pressure issues in the hospital, but they were giving me metropolol, which will lower heart rate and blood pressure. They did give me this to take at home, but with the instruction if I had dizziness or blood pressure was too low not to take it. My doctor explained that the metropolol is standard to prevent irregular heart beat, but since my BP was so low I should not take it.

My blood pressure was in the 90's/70's when first returning home, went higher for a few days, but now is in the 80's/60's. When I was first home from hospital the instruction was to call if BP was below 80 and heart rate over 120. So I think you should check with your doctor on what to do. My cardio is not concerned with the low BP at this point - I see my surgeon tomorrow so I will get his opinion on low BP.

My drainage tube stitches were removed before I left the hospital. Freaked me out a bit I was so worried that it was going to split open, but all is well.

Napping is good, so I would take naps whenever you feel the need. I don't nap everyday anymore - I usually skip a day or two depending on how active I was the day before.

I know what you mean about hiding behind your walking partner...I think it is normal to want to protect your chest. I still feel guarded about my incision, friends walk up to hug me and I give them this weird bent arm hug so their body doesn't actually touch me. I'm sure we'll get use to this eventually - I can't wait to actually get a big bear hug!

I still find showering a challenge, especially washing my hair. So I try to wash it 4 times per week, cause it really makes me sore and tired.

I think you are doing great and you are not being lazy. Hang in there it will get better. The last couple days for me seemed like a turning point mentally about wanting to progress to the next level. I am still sore, but I am dealing with it better.

Lori

 

[Jkm7]

My drainage stitches were removed before I left the hospital, both of my OHS.

Also, as soon as drainage tubes were removed, I showered in the hospital with my nurse. She was wonderful about instructing me exactly how to wash my wound with a separate wash cloth. She had me wash the rest of me with one wash cloth and then had me get another cloth very soappy and to gently pat along the wound. She encouraged me to be just a tiny bit more than really tentative as that was my first 'technique'. Of course, don't scrub but wash well. I also washed my hair in the shower while in the hospital with no problem.

You probably will feel to wonderful to have a real shower and not just wash in bits and pieces.

The more you find you are able to move around the house, the better. Get up and walk around rather than just sitting for hours. All activity is beneficial at this early stage of healing.

Sounds like you are doing very, very well.
Good work!

 

[Adrienne]

I just thought of another idea for when you are walking outside. Get a small backpack and fill it with something soft and mushy and wear it in front instead of in back. I've seen women wear backpacks in front (especially in Italy) so they do not get pickpocketed. It could act as your heart pillow or teddy bear that some people have.

 

[Jkm7]

What a great idea. I had forgotten about protecting my chest when out and about. Put a pillow in the backpack.

 

[Star54]

I was anemic upon leaving the hospital.....they still have me on that hated iron pill until next month. That backpack idea is really a good idea..!

 

[StephR]

Congratulations! You are on your way to a strong recovery!

I experienced everything you are experiencing in my early stages of recovery. The blurred/double vision for me lasted for the first 8 weeks. It would sometimes happen while I was alone, out shopping which freaked me out the first time it happened. I learned not to panic,stop what I was doing, relax, and close my eyes until it subsided, which was usually within 1 minute.

They forgot to remove my tube stitches upon discharge, so I had to go back and have them removed about day #12. It was no big deal. I felt them pulling once in a while but did not not feel anything as they were removed. It also took longer for the scabs on my chest tube incisions to fall off than on my chest incision. It was challenging me to wash/touch my incision for the first 3 weeks for the same reasons as you. However, I know how important it was to clean it daily to avoid infection so I basically lathered up a sponge, squeezed the soap over the site and then splashed water on it to rinse.

As far as walking regimen, when I left the hospital I was up to 5 min walks (really a shuffle or stroll),3 times per day. I was instructed to increase the duration 1 minute per day until I got up to 3 - 20min walks, then told go to 2- 30 min walks. Most of my early walking (up to week #3) was shuffling around my home using a kitchen timer and by no means was I "working out", getting my heart rate up or breaking a sweat. After week #3 I was going stir crazy and needed to get out of the house so I had people take me to the local mall or department store so I could walk for 20-30 minutes while looking at stuff and exercising my brain. I was also leery of crowds and very concerned about getting bumped into or elbowed so I avoided densely populated areas until I built my confidence back up and was able to drive (6 weeks). I was also concerned about not being able to defend myself properly if a situation arose so I limited myself walking at night to/from parking lots which also passed with time. I tried to get out of the house daily, but would tire after 2-3 hours of being out and about but felt good about doing something. Other than that, I was mostly sitting/laying around.

I became a huge consumer of dry shampoo since I found it difficult to wash my hair. I think I went 2 weeks without washing my hair with regular shampoo. It sounds gross, but it works great and gave my hair amazing body. I still use it today!

Overall, week #4 was the turning point for me and I started feeling more like myself. From there, each week improved for me through the 6 month mark. Even when I thought I was back to normal at week #12, each week following got better.

Keep up the good work!

 

[Mentu]

My blood pressure is being kept low for a few weeks by a change in medication. You may find that this is intentional to reduce the stress on the heart and aorta while the tissue heals.

As for walking, my surgeon said to increase distance or time a little each day as long as it is comfortable. Just as Johan said, pay attention to your body because it will tell you if it has been asked to do too much. My surgeon said this is not the time to push ones self. Right now, walking serves to improve circulation and expand the lungs. I found that walking with a friend is very reassuring.

I can't address the stitches since there were none placed in my drain holes. They were left open and two of them still leak a little. I rather like the feel of the shower on my chest and gentle washing has now removed most of the protein glue that covered the surface of my incision. I think part of this process of adapting to these changes in our bodies is learning once again that we are not fragile. It seems only natural that it takes a while to adjust.

 

[cuoricino]

again, thank you for all your replies!

i'm now at day 15 post-op. yesterday 3 out of the 5 stitches were taken out by my PCP, but the last two were a little too embedded and i was a little too skittish for my doctor to go any further so he called his surgeon friend who saw me bright and early this morning at 7am to take out the remaining two that were lodged in there pretty tight. no muss, no fuss. phew... so that's over. i no longer have to take any more objects out of my body, which is a relief. i'm exhausted.

with the stitches out, i decided that this afternoon it was time to confront the shower. once undressed, i was actually brave enough to glance down at what are now scabs (and a gaping hole that still needs to scab) where my drainage tubes and stitches used to be. this sent me immediately into panic/depression. i literally cannot look down at the area underneath my torso. it makes me sick. ugh..... ok, deep breath, moving on.

the shower itself wasn't sooo bad. but after a week in the hospital being poked and prodded and in pain and tired and etc etc etc, i've turned into quite a wimp. so while it felt great to have my hair and back washed, whenever my boyfriend so much as got within a foot of "the wound" (it's the literal translation of what they keep calling the incision site from italian to english and i think it's kind of fitting with my relationship with the wound for now), i freaked out. i even cried at one point because all this anxiety was just too much for me. in the end, i opted for doing what many of you suggested here and just let the soap and water trickle down where the wound is and save lightly rubbing for another shower.

so even though i'm freshly washed and clean and smelling good and feeling okay, i'm ALREADY fretting my next shower. how long until i will enjoy my morning showers oh so much like i did pre-op??

about the dizziness, i asked my doc yesterday and after asking a bit about my diet (completely salt free since discharge because my boyfriend's a bit of a food nazi and the nurse suggested that i follow a very low/no salt diet), he suggested i up the salt intake... JUST a little. so we'll see if that improves.

all for now, i will update again soon.

ciao

 

[coach14]

Cuorcino,

Sounds like you are doing great and congratulations on your recovery. Each day is going to get better. It just sounds like you need to relax a litlle and roll with daily ups and downs of OHS. I know it is a lot to digest, but once you accept where you are, then everything is easy..... keep getting better and look forward to an update.