Fluid in lungs 10 weeks post AVR

[mshuler]

Just wondered if anyone has ever had a problem with fluid in the lungs (post AVR surgery) that keeps re-occuring? They dreained 4 liters from my back two weeks ago today, the x-ray yesterday showed there is a reaccumulation of fluid. I have a farily persistant cough which started abut 10 days ago.
My cardiologist put me on 75 mg. vioxx (per day) hoping this would clear up the this persistant fluid in my lungs. I have to go back next Monday for another chest x-ray.
Otherwise I am fine. Doing over 11/2 miles per day at 4.0 pace on the treadmill, and back to work full time.
I wonder if there is something else they can do to get rid of the fluid?
Thanks in advance for you reply.
Regards,
Mike

 

[Nancy]

Mike-

What does the card say is the problem? Some type of effusion and inflammation, or CHF (congestive heart failure). When Joe was on Vioxx, he blew up like a balloon from fluid and had to go off it immediately, but that was just his experience. I don't want to second guess your card.

For CHF, Joe takes diuretics.

 

[rcatalano]

Last week my cardiologist said I had fluid in the lungs (based on xray). I was 2 weeks post op, he told me this was normal after open heart surgery, but I don't recall having this 14 years ago.

Is it just supposed to go clear up by itself? He told me to come back in a month, so I didn't think much of it at the time. I though the incentive spriometer was supposed to help, but how long am I supposed to use it?

Wish I had answers for you instead of asking more questions...

 

[MelissaM]

At CCF, my roomie (a nice 80 y.o. woman named Helen) also had fluid building up in her lungs. She had been in the hospital for three weeks (!) while they tried to get it to go away and take her chest tube out. Finally, they just took her chest tube out and told her to see her local doctor if the symptoms of the fluid buildup came back.

Not sure what they can do about it. Hope you find a solution soon!

Melissa

 

[ALCapshaw2]

Hello Mike,

One of my lungs did not fully inflate after surgery and fluid was accumulating in the space between the lung and the chest wall. I was told to use the Incentive Spirometer for 10 minutes every 2 hours which was more than the standard protocal called for. I would push as hard as I could until I felt the pressure pushing out the fluid. This REALLY helped.

Some have advised cleaning, or better yet, changing Incentive Spirometers regularly to prevent bacteria from forming in the insturment.

Good luck!

'AL'

 

[bvdr]

Hi Mike,

I just came back from an appointment with my PCP. I've had a real increase in soreness in my right chest and some colicky like pains that made me wonder if my gall bladder had been irritated somehow in surgery. Also there is a real hard ridge that is up under my breast that I thought might be a hematoma that just hadn't been absorbed yet. Fast forward....they did a chest x-ray and rib films. Chest x-ray shows some pleural effusion on right side but not enough to worry about draining. My doc said it is very very common. I'm 3 1/2 wks post-op.

My "hematoma" is actually a rib that is displaced and tilting forward. He showed me where my ribs had been wired back to gether after surgery. It looks like tangled fishline on the xray...very very messy! A surprise to us all was that my new valve must be radio-opaque as we can't see it on the x-ray.

I don't know why you keep accumulating fluid but it has got to be very very aggravating. If its going to resolve itself I suggest it best start doing it now!

 

[sylviayasgur]

hi mike!
like betty, joey (my husband who is the patient) had some kind of "pleurosy" several weeks after surgery. i annot remember what _ if anything_ was given to him (meds), but it did resolve itself after a few weeks. the discomfort, more than anything was the only symptom though.
hope you feel better soon.
all the best, sylvia

 

[Susan BAV]

Mike and Rob and Betty -

I sure hope these difficulties clear up for you all! Best wishes!

~Susan

 

[HFK]

I had this same problem after surgery for AVR, it"reoccuring large pleural effussions .Most likely caused by inflammation,but when they get large its hard to breathe and you get sob,and alot of pain,the medical term for this is called post pericardectomy syndrome happens to about 15-20% of open heart patints ,but when you have to have them tapped more than 2xs then you fall into the 2-3% catagory.Then you are usually put on high dose of predisone along with vioxx or drugs of that nature. The predisone did a great job but it is a weird drug you have alot of bizaar side effects,after being on it for 4weeks it did the trick and the fluid never returned. hfk

 

[Ross]

The predisone did a great job but it is a weird drug you have alot of bizaar side effects,after being on it for 4weeks it did the trick and the fluid never returned. hfk

It's a dangerous drug if taken for an extended period of time. It cost me a hip!

 

[Peggy in Alaska]

It's a dangerous drug if taken for an extended period of time. It cost me a hip!