Dressler's... All my probs explained

[Michelle D]

Yep, all my blood cultures are clear. Came in with 102 fever, general feeling of crap, and pain when breathing. Pain under left breast, pain under left collar cone, pain in shoulder blade. So I'm going home today on steroids and broad spec antibiotics (for good measure).

 

[ejc61]

Good. Dressler's, pleural and pericardial effusion is all pretty related I'm told. This was worst than the surgery itself by a large margin. The mayo clinic has a nice website for medical explanations if your interested. Hang in there.

 

[AgilityDog]

OK, had to google it, but basically your heart/pericardium is pissed off about the surgery, and your immune system is a bit haywire. Got it. Sounds par for the course. I'm glad you got a diagnosis - it always helps knowing what the poo is going on.

 

[ottagal]

Yep, all my blood cultures are clear. Came in with 102 fever, general feeling of crap, and pain when breathing. Pain under left breast, pain under left collar cone, pain in shoulder blade. So I'm going home today on steroids and broad spec antibiotics (for good measure).

Yup, Michelle. I can empathize! I am glad that they told you what it was. It will get better. I, too had a similiar experience to you post op (with the effusions and other fun stuff) and after leaving the hospital had to be re-admitted. They finally said it was post pericardiotomy inflammatory syndrome (like dresslers) . I was on anti inflammatories for a while and then ended up taking a low dose of steroids. It is not fun at all, but it will get better.

When I saw my surgeon at my followup I told the him that I must have been 'allergic' to the surgery.

All the best!

 

[ejc61]

I was told that this occurs with about 20% or all heart surgeries. I think the number is higher but I'm not qualified to speak on that. A-dog's google result is exactly how it was explained to me. The heart is annoyed with being tampered with.

 

[kfay]

Michelle, I first thought it might be Dressler's when you said you were back in the hospital with a fever, but didn't mention it because I figured you were in good hands in the hospital with your Dr's and they would figure it out. I had it after my first surgery, many, many years ago. You'll start feeling better in a couple of days hopefully.

Have a great weekend and stay away from the hospital.


Kim

 

[Cherie']

Michelle,

Sorry to hear this is happening. I know you are ready for a break! Hopefully this gets better quick and you will start feeling like yourself again! Hope you have a relaxing, non-eventful weekend. I will b thinking of you.

Cherie'

 

[buncle]

Hope the meds help and you will be on your way in a positive direction!

 

[Cris N]

Getting a solid diagnosis is probably a good thing. At least they can go on the attack so you can soon FEEL BETTER!!!

 

[Kathy McCain]

Michelle,

I had Pericarditis following my effusion. It DEFINITELY is more painful than the actual surgery! I am still on (after 2 1/2yrs) a very low dose (2 1/2mg) of prednisone. It was the only drug that helped, and they tried everything! Go figure. None of the Dr's can seem to explain it.

Take care

 

[Kathy McCain]

Yes, the heart is definitely annoyed at "being tampered with". I remember a Dr coming into my room after being admitted into the hospital again. He told me "evidently your heart didn't appreicate what we did for it". I'm thinking, gee my heart has taken on my personality, we don't do well with drastic change!

 

[Michelle D]

They put me on 60 mg of prednisone. It tapers off but talk about roid rage. I even regained my taste for the hardcore gangsta rap suddenly and took a fit looking for my Sex Pistols and NWA albums. I guess it's better than the last few weeks of being insecure. I'd rather be in the mood to fight than to cry.

 

[ejc61]

No kidding about roid rage Michelle, my wife was either going to divorce me or kill me. (Just kidding).

 

[Greg a]

No kidding about roid rage Michelle, my wife was either going to divorce me or kill me. (Just kidding).

uh huh bro

 

[Michelle D]

Now I'm justhoping that the prednisone works and I stop it with all of these problems. Honestly if someone told me what these past six weeks wouldve been like I don't know if I would have gone through with the surgery. The side effects to all of these pills are making me nuts.

 

[Marguerite53]

Now I'm justhoping that the prednisone works and I stop it with all of these problems. Honestly if someone told me what these past six weeks wouldve been like I don't know if I would have gone through with the surgery. The side effects to all of these pills are making me nuts.

I'm so very sorry that this is being such a test of your stamina and good will. And you are welcome to vent!! But you do realize that if you had not gone through with the surgery that eventually, sooner than later, you would not be here to talk about it. And soon enough, you will be past all this and your life will be grand and blossoming once again!! So find that place deep down in your inner core -- that place you haven't had to tap into yet -- the one of utmost patience and strength -- and call upon it to muster some humor and calm through this painful, nasty storm of events.

Good luck and best wishes.

Marguerite

 

[Michelle D]

Thank you, I do need to find something inside of me to keep fighting. I feel like I've used it all up little by little with each set back. I'm now just trying to imagine how I'll feel on Halloween, I watched the Elf yesterday going by Christmas this will just be a bad memory. I've trained myself in the past to live in the moment but now is not the time to live in the moment.

 

[Cherie']

Michelle,

I know you are frustrated, but you have to reach deep inside and make up your mind this is not going to beat you. I have not had any complications since leaving the hospital, but had a lot while I was there - 5 days in CICU and 12 days in hospital. The vibration has challenged me mentally and has made me very blue. Every doctor that I have seen eyes get really big when they touch me and I can tell they are surprised at what they feel. Then they comment about how pronounced it is or how surprised they are. ALthough this is driving me crazy i decided a little while ago that it was not going to beat me.

I think the thing that really did it for me was when I heard about the woman in Texas - Lori. Did you hear this story? About 2-3 weeks ago she went in to have her mitral valve replaced and passed away a day or two later with complications. She was my age and had three children (8, 6, 3) I believe. The 6 year old has Down's syndrome. I cried when I read about this and was very upset for several days. This made everything very real for me. I realized how serious this was (which I knew it was), how lucky I was to undergo a surgery for 9.5 hours, 4 hours on bypass, be put into hypothermia, etc. and survive. I realized that I am blessed to be here. This isn't a lecture - this is just something that helped me and I thought might help you. This is an ordeal we have all been through and our bodies do protest sometimes. I figured out somehow I have to find a way to deal with this vibrating - if it was just sound it would be easier, but the resonation through my body is challenging. HOWEVER, I AM HERE and WE ARE HERE - so we are very blessed, arent we? I hope this helps. We are all here supporting you and you will get through this - this is just a bump in the road. BUt KEEP MOTORING!!

Love ya,
Cherie'

 

[Michelle D]

Thanks, yes the alternative would be so much worse. I try to think positively, i try so hard. I just wish there were more answers, I wish my doctor could say "take this round of prednisone and you'll be done with this". But they can't tell me how long I'll deal with this. I'm 28, I've never had to deal with my body fighting so hard against me. This is all new to me. And there is so little info on dressler's, I know some members on here have dealt with it but how long? How many times? Are subsequent bouts as bad as the first?

I'm trying hard to stay positive, you guys have helped me so much. I really appreciate it. I know many of you have had problems after surgery as well and some have not been so fortunate to make it over the otherside. I just wasn't prepared for all these hospital visits, drugs, side effects and complications. I start feeling better and then another problem. I'm getting worn out. I miss myself, I can't even look at myself in pictures from before my diagnoses. I cry when I see myself smiling. I want to smile again, as much as I did before. I guess only I can figure out how to make that happen.