Extreme fatigue

[hpuehler]

Hi all,

I have scheduled my aortic valve replacement for Jan. 10. I have since then been extremely tired. Yesterday I got up at six a.m. back to bed at 7a.m until 11:00. then back for a nap from 3-4 and in bed for the night at 10:00 p.m. after drinking two tall glasses of caffeinated pop.

I am trying to decide if this is due to my severe regurg., stress or my way of shutting all of this out. I yawn constantly and am usually not a nap taker. I'm wondering if I should call the Cardiologist they did say the fatigue is normal, but to what degree?

Any thoughts, has anyone experienced this degree of fatigue with severe aortic regurg.?

Thanks,
Heather

 

[Ross]

Heather yours seems a bit more then it should, but I wouldn't be surprised if it's all valve related. I went through it too.

 

[JimL]

Tiredness is certainly an appropriate reaction to the winter weather we have in the midwest, to all the rush of Christmas preparations, and also to the stress of facing OHS.

One other thought, which you may reject: I had my surgery minutes before death would have come naturally. The surgeon said my valve was completely closed. Things had gone downhill for me very rapidly in the weeks before surgery. If that sounds like a possibility in your case, you could get it checked out, and perhaps consider moving up the surgery.

 

[rbl1999]

Hi, Heather, I agree with Jim, you may want to call your cardiologist or surgeon. I went for a follow up echo in July and was admitted the next day for aorta valve replacement, my valve had deteriorated very quickly. I was so tired that I would be driving in my car and would feel like I was going to fall asleep and that was not like me at all. I did not sleep as much as you but I had that tired feeling all the time. And I also agree it could be anxiety related also... Hope all goes well for you.. Rose

 

[blessed1416]

Merry Christmas Heather

Merry Christmas Heather

Heather, I understand your fatigue. I am scheduled for surgery January 5th.
Christmas has really been tough. It's so hard to admit that I can't keep up with all the acivities that are going on. I've always home-baked everything
from cookies to candies to cakes. This year, I'm having a local bakery do most everything. The one party I'm hosting at my house is a "pot luck" dinner, so I am trying to "down-size" Christmas as much as I can. This is a tough time of the year to feel so tired. I sympothize with you and encourage you to take the easier route in all your Christmas planning. My cardiologist gave me a prescription for Xanax, which really didn't do anything but make me sleepy. But there may be something else that can help take the edge off while your waiting. In the meantime, take the advice of the others and keep your doctor informed and try to be as specific about your symptoms as possible. I wish you the very best and may God bless you during this holiday season. Youre in my thoughts and prayers. Gail

 

[Nancy]

Pre surgery my husband was extremely fatigued also. He couldn't keep his eyes open. He's not one to go back to bed, but he would sit on the sofa and just sleep most of the day.

Your surgery is not too far off. So help is on the way. Sounds as if it's time for your heart to get all fixed up.

 

[hpuehler]

Thank You everyone!!

Thank You everyone!!

Thank you for all of your support. My thoughts are also with you Gail. We will have to keep in touch as our surgeries are so close. I will keep you in my prayers.

I have had much more energy today. I baked cookies, went to Walmart, and some other running. I must have been behind and just needed to rest yesterday.

May God bless you,

Heather

 

[Shine_on_Syd]

Heather,
I went down hill fast at the end in the few weeks before surgery. I was a basket case.
I think all the planning, surgeon interviews and mental anxiety of upcoming surgery just caught up to me.
But O am not a physician, that is just my experience. I strongly suggest you check with cardio.
Jim

 

[Christina]

Heather,

Yes, I would call the cardiologist if I were you. Before I even knew I had a valve/heart problem, I remember I had to stop the car on my way home from work, because I knew if I didn't, I would fall asleep behind the wheel and cause a wreck. I also would yawn all the time and feel extremely fatigued. When I finally got to the cardiologist I was told I was just a few months away from heart failure. I was operated on within 3 weeks.

 

[RandyL]

Good Luck to all you January OHS people. I am one too. Jan 5th is mine
Looks like we are starting the new year off right.

 

[McCln]

With your heart being so sick, your body is reacting to the sickness, fatigue is always there. My problem before surgery was a bit of sleep apnea, but different. At night I would go to bed and two hours be up, and go back to bed and be up again two hours later. I do not remember how I made it to work or home and it was a cycle till the last week or so when I would stay awake all night and would a cat nap in the morning. But it got better after surgery. You will still have any habits till it just goes away. Mine went two weeks after surgery. You will get the energenic self back soon, after surgery. Just hang in there and do what you need to do. We are all here for you.

 

[hpuehler]

Merry Christmas

Merry Christmas

Thank You everyone for your support.

Merry Christmas to all of you, you are all in my prayers this Christmas season.
I am going to take the fact that the good Lord has given me a new chance at living on this earth and appreciate all of the things that I have; including my teenagers. My new life begins Jan. 10, 2006. I am feeling overwhelmingly positive about all of this today.

God Bless,

Heather

 

[catwoman]

Heather:

I had the same symptoms about 4-6 weeks pre-op -- constant yawning, extreme SOB, not being able to walk far, etc., etc. Couple of times I fell asleep at a restaurant (and no, it wasn't because we had a slower-than-molasses server ).

January is a month of new beginnings, and what better way to start the new year with a new and improved heart?

Good luck with your surgery. Don't push recovery -- it'll eventually come. When I was wheeled into my private room, I immediately noticed how much better my heart was functioning, and no doubt you'll notice the same. NO MORE YAWNING!!!!!!!!!

 

[tobagotwo]

Stress and worry can also cause heavy fatigue. Many people have this as a defense mechanism. OHS certainly qualifies as a major inducer of stress. Hopefully, this may be the main cause for you.

On the physical side, you may want to go to your cardiologist to determine if he wants to do another echo, or if they might want to do the catheter angiogram earlier than usual, to determine if there are coronary artery blockages that may be augmenting your tiredness. Leaky valves put a lot of workload on your ventricle, and you don't want other issues making it harder on your heart muscle.

If your problem is valvular regurgitation, there is not so much concern of the valve closing up, but it may be leaking more heavily than determined earlier.

If either CAD or increased insufficiency is the case, it might be good to see if the surgery can be moved up. The surgeon would likely even suggest it.

Until then, don't go jogging, but if possible, you really want to try not to become bedridden before the surgery.

Best wishes,

 

[Geo]

Heather,

I am also going thru the same thing. I feel tired at the end of the day. I have attributed it to both the regurge and stress. Hang in there. I agree with some of the suggestions to contact your cardiologist to make sure you can wait. Good luck. George

 

[paulk]

Heather,

This falls under the empathy category. I don't think I can help, but I do know how you feel, in fact, I feel how you feel. The last few months, I'm easily fatigued. I can get 8 hrs sleep, be up for an hour, then take a nap. By noon, I'm ready for another nap. Fortunately my wife is understanding, and just lets me nap. It is sometimes hard to stay awake driving on the way home from work. Some days are certainly worse than others. I had previously attributed it to the anti-depressants, but now I wonder. I always feel better after the naps. Funny thing is, when I can get up enough energy to exercise, I can do a 30-60 minute cardio exercise without getting significantly winded. Sure, the heart is beating real hard, but that seems expected.

-Paul
---------------
Mitral Valve Repair imminent, severe regurg.