Feeling "Dull"

[Vicki448]

Feeling "Dull"

John,
Bless your heart! A 14 hr. surgery and 10 hrs. on the heart-lung machine surely wins you some type of honor/medal/award.....and I totally agree with you - I believe the effects we feel after heart surgery are not entirely due to the heart-lung machine. I'm sure the length of surgery, the stress of surgery on the body, and certainly the meds taken after the surgery all contribute to how a person feels. My surgery was 4 hrs. and I don't know how long I was on the heart-lung machine. I came home with a script for pain and instructions to take 81 mgs. of aspirin. So, I don't believe I was heavily medicated nor was my surgery lengthy. But, something contributed to my feeling in my head.......I will probably never know for sure and I'm waiting for the day that my symptoms simply "go away." I do believe that my doctors should have discussed with me the process of the heart-lung machine and perhaps shed some light on why I'm feeling the way I do instead of saying nothing and shaking their heads. But then again, maybe I should have read up on the procedure before it all happened instead of after it happened. Live and learn....that's for sure. Thanks for your note, John. I wish you well.

~Vicki

 

[hensylee]

John - I didn't have a clue about ANYTHING - had to learn to get on internet to find out what had happened to me (had quad bypass) and I chanced to luck into here not knowing what valve replacement vs bypass was, just knew it was heart surgery! Found About.com site with Dr Rich, who explained about 'pumphead' after I happened to find the study in another site while cruising the net in search of info. In Dr Rich's explanation, he said drs DO NOT want to discuss this aspect with us and that's why we are all SO surprised. Looking back, the only thing that I might call a hint was my return visit (first one) to surgeon who told me to be EXTREMELY CAREFUL WHILE DRIVING and when I asked why, he simply said 'you have had major surgery'. That didn't do it for me, so I kinda suspect that was a hint about pumpheadedness (short attention span). I do know that since surgery 3/2000 my memory has gone by the wayside in so many ways and attention span isn't what it used to be.

 

[JimL]

Can I confess that I've always been forgetful?
BUT NOW I HAVE AN EXCUSE!!!
In addition, I can now cheerfully lose at chess, because I have an excuse. Thanks, John!
But one problem I have is that I have hauled out this excuse too many times lately, and now my wife wants an excuse she can use. Does anyone know of a good excuse for forgetfulness -- short of major surgery? I could even give her this excuse for her birthday, which is coming up soon, I forget when....

 

[Sully77]

Vicki,

I remember a month or two after my surgery if I tried to do too much one day that I would not feel too great for a couple of days after but things will improve in time. I went back to work too soon ( 5 weeks ) and then had to take additional time off because I wasn't feeling great. Some days you feel as though you can take on the world and then only be able to sit and read a book the next day. A year and a half after surgery I feel great but still have days when I have a strange pain or maybe feel a liitle tired. Every day your body is getting stronger and it's going to take a while. Don't get discouraged when you have days that you can't see or feel progress, it's happening. Good luck and I hope I've helped a little.

Jay Sullivan

 

[Vicki448]

Jay,
Thanks for your reply. That's what I've heard from a lot of people - be patient! And, I'm trying to be patient, but it's hard because I'm not a patient person!!!! I'm praying for patience, though.
I'm so glad that I didn't have to go back to work. It's been just short of 2 months since my surgery and I don't think I could get up each morning and go to work! I'm just not feeling that good! As you said, some days I could be "queen of the world" and then the very next day I make it from the bed to the couch and that's where I stay. I do try and exercise each day - my insurance company is being a jerk about cardiac rehab....paid myself for one week of it, then that's all I could afford. I thought the ins. company would come around by now, but they're being stubborn.
I guess what puzzles me is that BEFORE the surgery I felt wonderful. My heart murmur affected me in NO WAY. I did whatever I wanted - ran, danced, climbed stairs, worked each day, fished every weekend, and occasionally went out and kicked up my heels! Then, AFTER surgery.....I feel horrible. If I'm all fixed now, then why don't I feel fixed? I felt better with a heart murmur than I do now that I don't have one.
I know my body just needs time to recover from the surgery....but it's not my body that's giving me trouble, it's the feeling in my head........I always feel "hung over." I can't stand it! Why do I feel so clear-headed on some days, and so "foggy" on others? I can't figure it out.............
Well, I've vented enough.....at least for this hour....stay tuned!!!