Almost 4 weeks post-op

[Smiley2000]

I wish I can get my family/friends and hubby to read the posts on this site! If someone ask me how I am doing, I just tell them that I am doing better and better every day. I am not the type of person that stays in bed or sit still for long. I am almost 4 weeks post-op after Sternotomy (repaired MV on 31 March 2008) but I still have aches and pains and still feel a bit weak and get out of breath easily. My BP is on ave 90/60 and resting HR ave 110. When I walk and especially when I climb stairs I still get Palpitations. Sometimes wonder if everything is normal and if my heart is healthy?

Everyone around me knows me as this "tuff cookie" that normally recovers so fast after ops, and this time around they expect me to do the same and I get frustrated with myself for taking so long to recover! I have 2 kiddies (Kayla is 2 and Marco is 5) According to my sicknote that I received on discharge I have to go back to work in 3 weeks time! I don't know if I am going to be ready by then! I am going to Cardiologist in 2 weeks and he is not a very compasionate person, but brilliant in his field.

I don't think the people that have not had OHS themselves can really fully understand what we go through.

I know that people recovers at different rates, but what is the average time that it normally takes for a person to recover fully from OHS?

 

[Phyllis]

You are still very early in the recovery stage and you have your plate full with two young children. Your family has to understand that this is not a pop-back recovery and you still need some TLC. Dick was a lot older at the time of his AVR, but he was feeling much better at around 8 weeks with only some shoulder pain issues still evident. Recoveries on the forum seem to span from 6 weeks to one year depending upon your condition before surgery and how the surgery went. Please don't push it and try to be a wonder woman- you are young and you will be fully recovered in time.

 

[ALCapshaw2]

Do you think you could get your family to read some of the relevant posts if you printed them out and handed the printouts to them?

Sad to say, People who have NOT been through OHS
"just don't get it"!

'AL Capshaw'

 

[WayneGM]

At 4 weeks you sound pretty normal, especially with 2 young children to deal with. I went back to work at 12 weeks, but it was over a year before I could honestly say I felt "fully" recovered. That said, I still get occasional aches and pains depending on weather, activity level, etc. It's nothing a couple of Tylonol ES won't fix, and it doesn't inhibit my quality of life in any way. OHS was a major trauma to the body, and like other trauma injuries you may experience residule effects for many years, perhaps even indefinitely. My wife still has occasional pains from a car accident she was in over 20 years ago.

 

[ctyguy]

I went back to work at 6 weeks post op but mine is a desk job. I also don't have two little ones to chase around either. Im not sure if you had a full sternecomy or a mini. I had a mini and Im sure that plays into my recovery rate also. Seems those with a full sternecomy need more time to heal which makes sense to me.

Im 8 weeks now and still have some shoulder pain here and there and muscle pain in my chest when I do more than I should. My incision isn't still fully healed either, had a surface infection at about week 6 that needed to be cleaned and its almost fully healed up now. But all and all I feel like Im doing pretty well.

 

[Freddie]

I don't think the people that have not had OHS themselves can really fully understand what we go through.

I know that people recovers at different rates, but what is the average time that it normally takes for a person to recover fully from OHS?

Hey there "Tuff Cookie", you don't have to think about people "NOT getting it - they DON'T. I learned very early in my recovery that simply saying "I can't do that yet" went a long way. Even saying "I'm not as tuff as you think I am", rather helped in some understanding where I stood in doing things. And yes, I did let my frustration show. How else would they "get it". It did help......

Don't get too frustrated, your doing just fine. Maybe going back to work (hopefully its light duty work) will be a good distraction and a chance for you to prove to yourself that your stronger than you think.

I went back to work after 4 weeks - it was very light duty stuff - but it was a really good distraction for me.

Its been just over a year now since my OHS, and been feeling like myself since January - yep, 10 months.......maybe I'm just a slow healer

Take care, all will be fine......in time.....you'll see

 

[Bina]

Work? At an out of home job? At 8 wks post op I was still challenged to get through each day and lie down every afternoon. Your health and strength are most important for your family....jobs come second.
Your high HR and palps will dimish over time, don't rush anything, it could take several weeks or a few months. Rest often.

 

[Gusdog]

I am almost 4 weeks post-op after Sternotomy (repaired MV on 31 March 2008) but I still have aches and pains and still feel a bit weak and get out of breath easily. My BP is on ave 90/60 and resting HR ave 110. When I walk and especially when I climb stairs I still get Palpitations. Sometimes wonder if everything is normal and if my heart is healthy?

Your heart suffered major trauma during the procedure. It takes a while to heal, as well as to adjust to the new valve. None of what you describe sounds unusual.

I'm at 9 weeks post op, and I feel pretty good. I didn't feel very good at 4 weeks. Even now I have to take it easy. You'll get better slowly but surely.

 

[Philip B]

Norms

Norms

I bounced back from AVR surgery pretty quickly. Many people were shocked to see me only take six days off work. This included the day I took off before the surgery to have my pre-op stuff done. My experience is not the norm.

I did feel pretty normal by the time I hit twelve weeks post-op, but I wasn't fully recovered yet. Fatigue was a problem I really had to watch. At one year post-op, I was feeling pretty darn good, but I suspected I wasn't fully recovered and rehabed yet. I'm still working on it.

One of the difficulties some experience is the reality that those who rely on them have a real problem understanding the time involved in the recovery process. Family members often want to continue heavy reliance when they need to give the individual time to recover. It's often worthwhile to have a serious conversation with family about what one needs from them in the way of support.

-Philip

 

[jds]

My Time Line

My Time Line

Hello -

By most accounts / comparisons, I believe I had an excellent recovery. Don't know why exactly but it was easier than many I have heard about.

Week 1 out of hospital. Walking (in sections) about an hour a day. Kept increasing time and (slowly) increasing intensity by adding gentle hills.

Week 3 - 1 day at work (office job). Still walking a lot. Some gentle strength exercises not involving chest muscles.

Week 4 - 2 days at work. Still walking and mild exercises.

Week 5 - 3 short days at work. I added a little more time at work but 3 days a week is all I work as I am partially retired. More walking and a little more strength exercise.

Week 6/7 - starting to do very mild strength weight exercises

Week 9 or so - starting to do (off the wall) pushups. Starting to jog very slightly - maybe one minute out of five.

Week 12 or so - doing "off the knees" pushups and slow (4.5 mph) jogging.

Week 16 or so - full pushups and slow running.

Since then, it has been a slow progression with more running, weights, and resuming rock-climbing.

Now, 11 months post surgery, I'm feeling pretty much back in form. Running is slower than it was before I got sick (pneumonia and endocarditis in early 2007) but weight-lifting and rock climbing are back to about where they were before then. My cardio-pulmonary endurance is not all the way back but is still improving. I do not expect it to get all the way back - the pneumonia was severe and permanently scarred my left lung.

I feel blessed to have made this recovery in what feels like a short time for me. I was incredibly weak before surgery in May 2007 and could hardly walk a block on flat ground.

John

 

[Sean L]

I am two weeks post op and I feel for you. I have two little kids also and feel very bad for my wife who has to take the entire burden of the children. Especially since we have a five month old that I cannot pickup.

I hope the people around you become more understanding. I have been fortunate for the most part. Although as time goes on I find myself getting less sympathy.

Sean L

 

[Cooker]

I am two weeks post op and I feel for you. I have two little kids also and feel very bad for my wife who has to take the entire burden of the children. Especially since we have a five month old that I cannot pickup.

I hope the people around you become more understanding. I have been fortunate for the most part. Although as time goes on I find myself getting less sympathy.

Sean L

You can only play the sympathy card for so long...which is a good thing....It wasn't long before I said I would like a glass of tea and my DW said to get her one too....LOL....she's a peach

 

[CThrock]

It is very hard on husbands and family to understand what we have gone through. I too keep very busy but even about two years after my double valve replacement. I still get tired in the pm and go to bed around 10-11:00.
Does your hubby try to go to the dr's with you? That could help on him hearing more of what's going on. Just a suggestion. I think spouses are a little scared too but don't always want to talk about it. Its a toll on everyone..