After your surgery, what are some of the things that you found out that surprised you

[MiraLaura]

What a wonderful thread. I wish I'd read it before surgery, but since it was emergency, with no symptoms or indicators, that wasn't meant to be. At 5 weeks post-op I'm surprised by

-Not recalling being transported from one hospital to the next
-Remembering the surgeon telling me his name but not remembering the discussion about what kind of valve I wanted (the surgical report says I was "adamant" about not wanting a mechanical valve)
-Not remembering the five days in and out and in and out of CICU
-How ill and disoriented pain killers made me
-How little appetite I would have for almost five weeks - and now, for the first time in my life, I have to make myself eat

The mental fog is clearing slowly, but of all of the things in this rollercoaster ride, it's been the most frustrating.

Glad to have found a place to read what I probably ought to have been clued in on by the medical professionals.

Laura

 

[sweetmarie]

I'll add that this weekend I spent it in bed with back wrenching lower back spasms. This pain made my OHS a walk in the park. If anyone here is headed for OHS and has experienced the pain I've had quite a few times now from back and also neck spasms, take note that I never felt anywhere near that during my stay at the hospital. Mind you the morphine addition at early post-op helps very much, something I don't have at home. They gave me a Rx for 10mg of Statex in pill form to take home but that doesn't compare to a good shot of morphine.

That being said, as we all know, no one can exactly compare one's pain level to another person. Hopes this helps those who are concerned about the pain.

 

[Smiley2000]

what a nice threat/sticky!

I can relate to most or all of it that was said on here. One thing that surprised me was that I am now battling with major depression, started noticing the signs at 1 1/2 years post op! I am now much better in that regard, but apparently it is common after OHS and I am surprised that no one mentioned it on here...

Am I the only one with "pump head depression"?

 

[sweetmarie]

Hi Smiley2000. In your reference to pump head depression, do you mean that you have a constant pounding in your head at every heart beat? I have that at times too but it's not constant, maybe a few times a day, depending how my body is positioned and my heart rate. I'm only 13 weeks post-op, no signs of depression yet for OHS but if my aching back doesn't shape up soon, this may lead to one, lol.
What did the doctors say about the pounding if that's what you mean?

 

[Bina]

Hi Smiley2000. In your reference to pump head depression, do you mean that you have a constant pounding in your head at every heart beat? I have that at times too but it's not constant, maybe a few times a day, depending how my body is positioned and my heart rate. I'm only 13 weeks post-op, no signs of depression yet for OHS but if my aching back doesn't shape up soon, this may lead to one, lol.
What did the doctors say about the pounding if that's what you mean?

"pump head" is an expression that we use around here to refer to odd or strange events that occur post op.
Example: sporadic lapses in memory....
We like to blame these events because of patients being on the "pump" or heart/lung machine during the critical part of
heart surgery where the surgeon shuts down our own heart function.

Andre, the pounding in your head could be related to blood pressure, or just the newly increased flow of blood.
My nurse had said that it was my vascular system getting used to the new pressures and also to my beta blocker med.
I used to take my BP and HR daily and write it down to report back to my doctor.

 

[yankeeman]

I was surprised that after the artificial valve was implanted (in July of 2007), a dry eye problem I'd been treating for years suddenly disappeared. (They said the better circulation might have fixed it, howsoever unexpectedly)

I was told afterward that a TEE (transesophageal echocardiography) had been performed on me after the valve was in place but I was still under to make sure that the valve was working OK. I'd had a dozen echos and wasn't looking forward to having that TEE

The removal of the tube wasn't pleasant but was quick (hospital had a nurse about a foot away from me in recovery)

The hospital discharged me after the heart looked fine, but I had an immediate prostate problem possibly caused by the catheter which put me in another hospital for 10 days for a TURP. The bleeding would not stop afterward because of the warfarin and it was a nightmare. Many more problems with acute urinary retention than I had with the heart surgery.

 

[sweetmarie]

"pump head" is an expression that we use around here to refer to odd or strange events that occur post op.
Example: sporadic lapses in memory....
We like to blame these events because of patients being on the "pump" or heart/lung machine during the critical part of
heart surgery where the surgeon shuts down our own heart function.

Andre, the pounding in your head could be related to blood pressure, or just the newly increased flow of blood.
My nurse had said that it was my vascular system getting used to the new pressures and also to my beta blocker med.
I used to take my BP and HR daily and write it down to report back to my doctor.

Thanks for the info on pump head syndrome, now i know. I was aware of my situation and the reason why I do get the pounding, takes awhile for the heart to "realize" it does not need to pump so hard now that the opening is larger than pre-op. I too take my BP and HR few times a week, average for the month thus far is 126/71, 74.

 

[JEANIE1957]

I'm so happy to find others that have had very similar experiences to my own.
Almost 7 mos since my avr and I'm feeling wonderful and so very blessed!
To all that are newly post op or pre op.....it's so worth it!
Be strong.

 

[JEANIE1957]

My back and shoulders were a huge part of my post op discomfort. Took probably 9 wks to resolve, but not before several trips to chiropracter and then to pcp for a round of steroids. Gotta love the steroids!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[Jeri]

There were many things that surprised me. I don't want to list all of them but some were that I couldn't believe the upper abdominal pain I had and still do when walking... how weak I felt especially when walking, I was on my treadmill the day before and did 60 min at 3.2 to 3.5 mph with 4% grade. I thought my legs were in good condition but they were like jello at first.... I was also surprised how I hated the extubation, really scary. I read others say it wasn't bad but I can't say that (I hope the pre-surgery members aren't reading all this because you must remember that everyone is different and because if it happens to me, it doesn't mean it will happen to you). On a positive note, I was surprised that my memory is still good. My husband set off our house alarm the morning after I got home and I remembered LEOC's number plus my account number so that they wouldn't send police. On a really positive note, the first thing I remember in CICU was seeing my Mom from up above smiling at me and praying with me and then I had a flash of Jesus...that was very powerful in my well being. I felt blessed that she was with me and brought Jesus with her. So that gave me lots of positive energy and added to my faith. Each day will get better and I truly believe that.

Jeri

 

[marky]

Great Thread:

I was surprised to learn that I could make it through OHS without the use of narcotics
Suprised that 4 weeks after the surgery I developed complications (tamponade)
I was surprised that I had so many tubes in me that I was unaware of until they started pulling them out. (central line, etc.)
Surprised that someone in dietary made a mistake and sent me a big tofu/rice dinner my first night in ICU (made me gag just smelling it) when the man next to me go lovely broth and jello.

 

[Rosebud54]

I have to add that I remember everything. From the moving myself to the operating table, talking with the staff until the minute they put me to sleep and I remember the minute I woke up. First thing I saw was my son and my surgeon standing at the foot of the bed and that terrible tube in my throat. I can remember my son kissing me on the cheek and the surgeon telling him to go home that I'd be out of it for until tomorrow. He was wrong, I was awake until they took that tube out. That wasn't bad, it was so fast and I then I was breathing as usual.

Maybe I remember it all because I'm allergic to Morphine so I would not let them give me any narcotics.

Carol

 

[pnarciso]

What surprised me

What surprised me

I was surprised:
- that the tube did not feel that bad at all - OK, I was not 100% back yet when they took it out, but still I expected it to be worse.
- that right after being extubated (about 4 hrs after entering ICU from the OR - not that I knew that then), when I fell asleep I would stop breathing - thanks to the nice nurse that sat by me and pressed my feet when I did that. After some "training" I learned to breathe in my sleep again.
- that when I really woke up, about 8 hrs post op (5 AM), I was feeling very good compared to what I expected to feel. I only wanted my dad (who is a doctor and so could come into the ICU any time) to show up so he could take the news to the outside world (he only showed up at noon, only to receive some rough complaints from me - what took you that long?)
- that the scar would be so good looking on day 5 (for a scar, at least)
- that I did not have a congenital BAV, but an acquired BAV, probably from a rheumatic fever episode in my childhood (neither me nor my parents remember any event that could be associated with that, but the surgical team assured us that I had an originally tricuspid aortic valve) - that was great news after all, gives me a much better future prospect regarding reincidence of the aortic aneurism

 

[alesia]

Not allowed to eat n e thing for 2 days, only ice cubes and ginger- ale. Don"t think i could ever drink ginger-ale again! They told me when they take out the pace maker it will not hurt only feel weird! why do we trust people that have never been attached to one! Will never forget the pace maker!

 

[ElectLive]

I was surprised:

When I didn't even sit down in the waiting room, they took be back right as I showed up at 5:00 AM
The anesthesia team could be so incompetent at putting in my lines
I resisted asking the same team after 20 minutes of botched needle insertions and alternate site discussions: "Does this mean you're only going to be able to use a Local?"
How normal the OR looked...perhaps I've seen too many medical drama sitcoms
My 2 1/2 year old was able to come into the ICU and tell me good night the evening of my surgery
That same moment, I was laughing and joking with my 2 1/2 year old, clear as a bell, just like the day before
How difficult it was to eat anything even a week or two later...everything needed a sauce so I could swallow
How insanely large some of the pills were given the same swallowing problem
How often I woke up each night
How much my back hurt the 3rd time I woke up each night...impossible to go back to sleep even if 4 or 5 AM
My surgeon removed all restrictions but lifting 30 lbs at 5 weeks
How much better I felt after he did
How amazingly well my 2 1/2 year old handled it all​

 

[ksoly]

Although I had MANY of the same surprises already posted, my biggest surprise came just last week when I got the bill for my surgery! Thankfully, I only have to pay for $250 of it

 

[Charlie]

My biggest surprise was that I found out I coded twice after surgery. Scary in retrospect.

 

[sweetmarie]

I noticed that I feel cooler than before. I heat with wood and when the house was at 24-25c this winter, I did not find it overly hot but did prior to surgery. Also, with the recent heat wave, I did not feel really hot nor do I sweat nowhere as much as before. I was at a wedding with full suit and tie, most of the men around me were wiping their browse off, I didn't have a bead of sweat on my forehead. My wife says they must have put central a/c during surgery, lol. Anyway, this is a good thing in my opinion.

 

[abecall98]

Very interesting thread! I have read the first page, and I am surprised at how similar our experiences are. A few things I remember and want to share:

-not remembering saying by to my parents and girlfriend right before they wheeled me into the surgery room. Even though I remember coming into the room, seeing all the scrubbed people, and the big circular lights, and then getting onto that table, and just passing out.

-I don't remember having a dream. I thought I would be in a very long deep lala land dream

-The breathing tube was worse than I thought! Man. It scratched my throat so badly. I was told that right after my surgery, when I awoke, I tried getting up and off the table! they had to tie me down, so when I woke up consiously, I remember being confused as to why this tube was hurting my mouth, and why I was tied down. Soon after, I couldn't handle the breathing tube. The nurse knocked on it, and it hit my gag reflexes, and I started having the worse dry heaves and vomits ever. It hurt so bad with just having surgery, but at least they removed that breathing tube.

-Having that annoying neck catheter. Why was it so big, and they couldn't put enough tape on my neck to keep it down. It kept dragging on my neck, and was annoying.

-The urinary catheter was surprising, even though I knew it was going to be there.

-Getting into bed was probably one of the hardest and most painful things to do for a whole week!

-My appetite was no existent for about a week.

-The insulin. I never knew I was going to get it, and I didn't like having to get finger poked every damn hour. The shots of heparin were also a shocker, and they really hurt.

-Seeing new doctors and nurses every day. I must have seen about 20 different doctors and nurses in the course of 6 days, who kept checking on me, and I could never remember names.

-Getting those drain tubes pulled was horrible, but relieving after about an hour. I didn't like that part.

-I liked how they treated me to a "diet Sierra Mist" every night, that was the highlight of the hospital stay. Really was great to have.

-Not being able to shower for a few days was terrible.

-Walking was very easy to do.

-Neck pains from the way I slept, and couldn't move some muscles.

-How great I started feeling about a week later.

-I was surprised that my covering for my scar was removed about 30 hours after surgery, and it looks great.

-It's been 4 weeks, and I feel incredible. I thought I would feel like I did the first week for a long time.

Great thread. Happy to have found this site!

 

[Rosebud54]

5 months surgery and still having problems

5 months surgery and still having problems

I have "pump head" as well as a lot of others. The most disturbing is I can't think of words in mid sentence...

I also developed Cardiomyopothy 7 weeks after surgery from a virus "the docs think" they can't find any medical cause...I'm still short of breath...my scar is red, itchy, and sensitive, I've been sent to a dematolgist for steriod shots...still haven't got up the nerve to go...

I still have a itchy throat and cough...the exact same area as right after surgery...

Does it every get better???

Carol