Hit a Little Bump in the Road to Recovery

[Bridgette]

"Wayne, when you had the pericardial tamponade, was your only symptom the lethargy? Did you have an echo that showed the fluid? Since you were in CHF, what other symptoms did you have?"




Lorie,

Like Wayne, I had pericardial effusion with tamponade. My symptoms were:

Nausea
Low, low blood pressure (like 82/50) constantly
Weight gain of 2kg in about a day and a half
Dizziness and general feeling of unwellness
Hard to produce urine - not urinating much at all despite normal fluid intake
Rapid heart rate (over 110 bpm, although remain in sinus rhythm)

Chest x-ray in A&E showed enlarged heart
Bedside echo clearly showed the fluid in the pericardial sac.


Bridgette

 

[Susan BAV]

Lorie, my surgeon didn't want me driving or "lifting or pushing or pulling over 5 pounds" for a full eight weeks.
I think that is a bit stricter than nearly anyone else's instructions that I have read here. My wonderful surgeon was primarily worried about the airbag going off so he also instructed me to use a large pillow over my chest when I was a passenger. Aside from evacuating our home as a wildfire swept through our property about 2-3 weeks post-op, I obeyed his non-driving order.

 

[dan777]

Hi Lorie

My cardio subscribes to the theory that your body will tell you what NOT to do and as long as you listen, its OK. Being here in Singapore I'm sure my doctors do not have to always factor in malpractice law suits so they are probably more lenient than their US counterparts.

I was driving, carefully, after two weeks. Small parking lots are my biggest problem but I just take my time and make a series of half-turns with the steering wheel.

I too still have pain when I shift around to lay on my side but I decided to just take it slow and inch my way over starting at about 10 days post op. I manage to spend about an hour or two a side before shifting positions. It still hurts to get out of bed but getting better daily. If you lay on your side and use that arm to kind of push yourself up flexing your elbow and using your biceps in addition to your abs it seems to work (for me at least).

Best wishes !!!

 

[kfay]

Lorie, I'm glad you seem to be back on a good path to recovery. I actually drove myself home from the hospital, 9 days post op. Now, let me say I wouldn't recommend that for anyone else, I was just a stupid 17 year old whose mother wasn't in the hospital room when the doctor gave me my discharge instructions and said no driving for 6 weeks!

 

[marky]

Right, John!! Those dastardly bullet holes!!!!

Lorie. My drainage tube incisions were disgusting. I was really worried about them. The surgeon refused to stitch them up. NOW, I can say, he was right. Mine hardly show at all. They're like two little white cat eyes. Keep an eye on them, but don't worry. They'll probably heal just fine.


Marguerite

Good description Marguerite! that is exactly what mine look like now..and they were so gross in the begining!
Lorie glad to hear that you are back on track. Many of us had some pretty big bumps in the recovery road.
I think walking is good, but not treadmill walking.. can you go outside for a walk? Keep up with that spriometer
take care

 

[WayneGM]

Wayne, when you had the pericardial tamponade, was your only symptom the lethargy? Did you have an echo that showed the fluid? Since you were in CHF, what other symptoms did you have?

I wasn't nauseous, but feeling flu-like. Kind of felt in a daze. Very lethargic with no energy. I just felt generally unwell. I also felt kind of bloated. I thought I was "plugged up" from the meds if you get my drift. I was still eating like a bird so bowel movements were few and far between.

Once I went to my GP it was determined I had almost no blood pressure. Also weight gain, but to tell you the truth I didn't notice that myself as I kept forgetting to weigh myself (an absolute no-no). That's when I was sent to the ER at the local hospital for further diagnosis.

There I had an echo and x-ray and they confirmed the fluid and CHF. They first attempted to drain with a HUGE needle. It looked like a turkey baster. I was wide wake (mild sedative only) and the experience was HORRIBLE....plus it didn't work. Not sure what to do next, they attempted steroid treatment while they tried to contact my Cardiologist. Naturally it was the weekend and he was out of town. They never thought to call my Surgeon in Toronto. I got much worse and now I was throwing up fluid and coughing like crazy (not quite as bad as the dreaded sneeze....but a close second). They finally called Dr. David in Toronto and I was immediately transported by ambulance to Toronto General and into the OR. I was put under and Dr. David performed the surgery himself. When I woke up, I was feeling much better, except for the two new incisions and being on the drain tube for another 3 days. That's when Dr. David gave me heck for not calling sooner as this could have easily been avoided with early treatment if caught in time. He also advised me that in some cases this could reoccur and if it did, DON'T let anyone treat me with steroids again. Apparently that made it worse not better. There was still some fluid at discharge so I had weekly x-rays for 4 weeks until it was gone.

Fortunately, it did not reoccur and my recovery was textbook from there. To be honest, this episode was a much worse experience than the OHS itself. Lesson learned.

 

[Resqrn]

Lorie glad to hear you are getting answers from the medical personnel. I had pericardial effusion post op but it cleared slowly over month or so, wasent very bad, but was there. Driving I belive I waited for around 8-10 weeks but I waited longer due to I hurt so &*(@ bad, and I was using a walker for about 4-5 weeks. Again I was very differnt than the the normal recovery period. If i wanted to get higher up in the bed I got out and walked to the top of the bed and got back in again, trouble some yes but effective. And again used a bucket load of pillows for positioning, support front and back for comfort, and also the arms so they dont cause the shoulders to round forward. Good to hearfrom you.
MIke