Has anyone had side effects from the Heart/Lung machine?

[Marty]

Pump time?

Pump time?

Dick, get someone to check your records. How long were you on the pump? I was on one hour and twenty three minutes which they say is about average for a mitral valve replacement.I had no problems except transient double vision always associated with too much reading or computer. I have a friend who had a mitral valve repair at Cleveland who was on 58 minutes. He had signs of depression post op which after treatment resolved. He is fine now at age 78.

 

[Turkey Hunter]

Dick, don't mis-understand me.
i am not trying to state that some do or not have memory loss associated with surgery.
What I am was trying to get accross is the horror stories that some hear are not necessarily going to happen.
(Although, my secretaries husband just had bypass and was on the by pass machine for about 80 minutes and has some memory problems. Not a great deal, but enough to bother him emotionally)

I swore for quite some time that I had major problems associated with my memory resulting from the surgery. As a matter of fact, I was scared that i wouldn't be able to perform my job responsibilities without the memory capabilities I had.
I do not have the same problems I was having, and I attribute that to the medication being lowered.
Am I saying that I don't have any memory loss, no. I am saying that I don't think people facing these procedures should take that "Pump Head" study seriously. I really don't see how someone can take it serious when, if I remember right (lol), there were about 50 people surveyed and all of them were of the retirement or near retirement age group.

I am not trying to anger anyone I was trying to get a different point accross.

Take care,

Ben

 

[Mara]

Pumpheadedness

Pumpheadedness

Phil-
I am 33 had the Ross Procedure on 7/12. I was on bypass about 5 hours...which I think is extermely long. I agree with Kris-- I had the attention span of a gnat...but not much memory loss...but extreme irritability and grouchiness.

Hopefully ther won't be lasting memory problems.
-Mara

 

[DickV]

Marty, I have my Operative Report. I was on the machine 148 minutes, about 2 1/2 hours and had a clamp time of 94 minutes.

As I had both the graft and the valve, I had the machine hooked up to my groin. Don't know if that makes any difference.

When I woke up in the ICU unit, the first thing I noticed was my leg hurt like hell. Getting cracked open and my leg hurt worse. Go figure. Thank the Lord for good drugs.

 

[Marty]

? Pump Time

? Pump Time

Dick, You weren't on the pump all that long. You had some very fast surgeons too; to do all they did in that time. I'm predicting because you are young, and mentally active, you will be just fine at one year and at five years. Marty

 

[DickV]

Marty, I'm just fine now. It was the temporary memory loss that effected me. I believe the worst part lasted only several months.

 

[ticktock]

pumphead

pumphead

What a relief!! Reading these posts, I mean. I had an 8 hour procedure, with longer than normal time on the pump. Not a great thing for sure. I have 5 heart valves now, one outside the heart in an apical-aortic conduit. After this last surgery, that had a few complications, I had some cognitive problems.

It is not uncommon, and I think youth is on your side. I am 46 now and by the 4th go around, you are bound to have some problems. My symptoms were/are things like not remembering how to operate my shower. (which is hot, which is cold?). I often turn off the a/c in my car, meaning to turn ON the stereo. I push my garage door opener button at my parents house. (It doesnt work on THEIR house!) I cant remember names, but they usuallly come to me later. These are little things, and I am adjusting. It helps that Im blonde!!!

 

[Freddie24]

I would caution soon-to-be heart surgery patients not to dwell on this possibility too much. I think it's a very individual response. I've heard many people say they have experienced various effects but after my surgery this past May, I didn't experience anything. Although heart-lung machine side-effects are a definite possibility, I think they're far from being a certainty. Don't lose hope!!

 

[hensylee]

The heart/lung machine effects are really small potatoes considering the surgery itself and its lasting wonderful effects. Please don't get worried about it - look at all the folks in here. They are all lucid and seem to have no REAL problems about it.

The question was a really good one because of publicity early this year. And isn't this a great place to get the real scoop from those of us who went through it. God bless

 

[ticktock]

i remembered!

i remembered!

You know, Hensylee and Freddie, et al......

I just realized that I never had a problem until the 4th surgery. And I would have to consider this problem a relatively minor one.
I cant be sure that Im not throwing tiny clots, with all these fake parts in my heart. More than the average bear for sure.

Goodness I hope we didnt scare anyone. I was just kind of venting because I knew you guys would understand. Sorry.
mindy

 

[joy]

uh-oh....

uh-oh....

Oh no...this could pose as a problem...I'm already air headed as it is! Usually I forget my keys, my ID, or my driver's liscence. Actually last time, I LOST the cash card...Never did find it! Oooopsie!

I wonder if it will affect me.......

 

[hensylee]

Ticktock - Mindy - no need to apologize for your post. The question was asked in order to get answers and we gave them and you said it like it is. Heart surgery is a very serious matter and if we can get on a side issue that is a real one, such as pump headedness, that we can deal with, both seriously and comically, then we have accomplished our purpose. Your answer was honest and to the point and I, for one, appreciate it. Everybody's answers give us food for thought as well as education and if your answer is what happened to you, then it is very important to the site. That way, if one of us experiences the same thing after surgery, we are not surprised by it, nor ashamed of it, and can then deal with it. God bless

 

[Nancy]

Hi Hensylee

Hi Hensylee

Hi Hensylee-

I'm glad you posted your reply. I too have wondered if I sometimes scare people with the things that have happened to Joe. But I really do feel that they are educational and if they help someone else get through a very difficult situation, then it's worth it.

Ticktock-

I can relate to much of what you say, because Joe has experienced some of the same things. He has also gone through periods of time when he threw lots of little clots TIAs. After the implantation of his mitral valve and the implantation of his pacemaker, that has all stopped, never to return I hope.

Not wanting to scare, but hopefully to help.

 

[Peter Easton]

Helping

Helping

For me, it is a help, Nancy. Thanks. As Robert Frost put it, "The fact is the sweetest dream that labor knows." Better to deal with both blessings and risks as lucidly as possible, I feel.

Peter

 

[Kevin M]

Sugar-coating helps no one in my opinion. The more direct the information is, the better. This isn't a zit we're talking about.
Kev

 

[Nancy]

Amen!

 

[PhilCraun]

Since I started this thread (I guess it was back in June) I now have first hand knowledge of the results of the heart/lung machine. My AVR was July 6 and the only memory problems I had could easily be attributed to the pain medicine immediately post surgery. I have to admit, it is fun kidding with my wife and friends about blaming the heart/lung machine for normal lapses. I have apprreciated all the replies to this thread, even and especially the ones with less than good news. Thank you all.

 

[McCln]

I am still a bit of a rookie even though I will be have aortic valve replacement surgery on August 21, I have gone though the posts on this subject. I have come to my own conclusions also. There is always evidence that it is medication that can cause memory loss if anything else. That was conclusive in many misdiagnosed Alzheimers patients. So go figure. But because some people belive more in the misinofrmation than be informed my the real medical people, there will be some peole get scared. Not I. I will still have surgery and plan to do fil it in puzzles and read a good book. I have several fill it in books and some good nooks to read. I have no real fear of losing memory except for at my job. Two moths off can make a person lazy. So there can be memory loss in not using your brain. I have a cousi n who now longer can read because he won't practice the skill no more. It is like the saying goes, use it or lose it. It is just the matter od keeping your mind active after surgery. Thank you for letting me voice my opinion. Later

 

[hensylee]

Right on Phil. If you can't recall a name, phone # or forget where you left your keys, you can tell everybody "it's my pump headedness" and they will believe you, believe it or not, while all the while we are teasing. Much of it is due to other meds or facts of life. However, my surgeon told me to be very careful when driving for awhile after my surgery and I asked him why. He said you have had MAJOR SURGERY, that's why. At the time I didn't know of pump heads, but now I do and maybe he was referring to that, so I went over in about.com and asked Dr Rich. He's the one who gave me the scoop on pump heads It has made me more careful when operating that 'heavy machinery' they speak of on our prescriptions. God bless

 

[ticktock]

i remembered!

i remembered!

Hensylee, Nancy and Phil
Thanks for allowing me to take my own approach to pump headedness. I use humor much of the time to cope, and I am so afraid of offending! I have been moving and unpacking, and have missed being on the boards. Will be reading more tonight.

mindy