I had an aortic valve, and the ascending and aorta arch replaced.

[ALCapshaw2]

At 6 weeks out it is Very Common for patients to begin to want to Do More and feel 'frustrated' at how long it takes to recover!

Remember, at 6 weeks the sternum is about 85% healed but is still drawing down your energy. It takes 12 weeks to reach 100% and many still report getting tired easily, or at least sooner than they would like.

MANY of our more 'elderly' or repeat patients report that they felt that their conditioning continued to improve for a full YEAR, sometimes even a bit more, before they felt they had reached their 'full surgical benefit'. No doubt some of this has to do to 'deconditioning' that took place prior to surgery.

Bottom Line: It just takes WAY LONGER to 'get better' than most of us would like. It still Beats the Alternative!

'AL Capshaw'

 

[67walkon]

Greg, I had the valve and aorta replaced, along with a maze. After 5 days in the hospital, I came home and had a "complication"--a fluid buildup around the heart akin to congestive heart failure. I was back in afib and they stuck me in the local hospital. It is a long story, but they gave me a med that caused a bad reaction with something I was taking. My heart kept stopping for 3 or 4 seconds, which caused me to almost pass out, but not quite. They got the stuff out of my system and I spent another 5 or 6 days in the local hospital before I went home.

4 weeks after surgery, I went back to work. 8 weeks after surgery, to the day, I started riding my road bike again. Less than 6 months after surgery, I did a metric century ride, which was about 65 miles.

I was good after about 4 or 5 months. However, it wasn't until about a year and a half that the tightness around the scar finally went away.

Take care and listen to your body.

 

[veltr001]

Thanks for the feedback from all of you. This really helps! So true that the slow recovery is better than the alternative. I started cardiac rehab today, and it was a good start. I've been walking, but the rehab center seem to just make things better.

I did look into the chills, they said no worries. I go back on Friday to work on my beta blocker. Every morning at 3am my valve starts to beat real hard and my chest and my neck vibrate like a metal pipe being hit.

Small steps, but it does get better each day.

 

[COLLEEN S]

Hello Greg, and Welcome! I also had an aortic valve and aortic arch (thoracic ascending aortic aneurysym) repair. Take time to heal, it will get better. I had the atrial fib too. Are you on coumadin now also? Coumadin is a pain in the but, but what're you gonna do? Lots of good people here.

 

[Thankful@43]

Recovery rate

Recovery rate

Welcome aboard, I had a very similar procedure at 43 yr's of age. My time frame was like this; 6 mos. = doing things for myself still slow and painful, 1 yr post-op = getting out and about pretty regularly, 1 1/2 yr's = pretty much back to normal (whatever that means) but still following the doc's advice to "pace myself". I still get short of breathe and tired when I exert a lot of energy but I think we all do. Considering the alternative, Every day above ground is a good day! Take all the time you need for your recovery. We have a second chance to make the most of every day for ourselves, our family and friends.

 

[veltr001]

Hi Colleen,

I am on coumadin, and we are working on that too. Haven't yet found the magical dose yet.

Thankful,

Thanks for the support and personal experience. It really helps to hear how others did, since the spectrum is huge.

 

[nwelch]

Hi Greg,

I had the exact same surgery a little more than a month ago. I had several complications and have only just started the rpad to recovery. It is scary , frustrating and depressing and the worst part about it are the unknowns. I know how you feel. But have faith, look at all the people who recovered in time. Time heals and we need to believe it. Nancy

 

[veltr001]

Thanks Nancy, I'm doing better. I wish time though would past faster.

 

[StephR]

Welcome! I had the same surgery as you and it does get better! With my "Type A" personality I had to learn and was constantly reminded by my cardio to be a "patient patient". I had to remove any expectations and take it as it comes, which was a challenge for me. I started to feel better at weeks 4-5 and started to drive again at week 6. The renewed independence helped to accelerate my healing. Also when my scar started to form (scabs feel off) I also started to feel better. It was more psychological than anything. Haven't started working again but that is not due to my condition. Now at 4 months, out sometimes I have to remind myself that I had the surgery...it seems like a dream. I wasn't a big exerciser before the surgery so don't have a threshold that I a trying to reattain but I do walk 1 hour per day (just under 3 miles). The cardio wants me to keep my HR under 135 for a while so I do have to watch my activity.

The worst part is over - hang in there!

 

[lilteach3234]

I too have had this done....15 weeks post op yesterday.

I feel great....Doing a Curves workout 5 times a week and going to Yoga 3 to 4 times a week. I've lost 21 pounds and an finally getting my stamina up.

 

[WilliamJE]

Hi,

I was wondering if anyone else has had this done too? I know many have had valve replacement, but it seems I'm a rare case. I'm a healthy guy and no history of marfan disease. Also its been 4 weeks postop, when does it get better????

Thanks,

Greg

Welcome to the zoo. I had the same surgery almost one year ago right now. While I had a very tough time in the hospital(All 16 days detailed in posts here and here), my recovery once I went home was smooth.

I had few symptoms either till two weeks before my surgery. Twice in the months before that I had episodes of shortness of breath. I thought those were a leftover side effect of a pulmonary embolism I had in 2005. It sure as heck wasn't.

A month post surgery(and less than 3 weeks after discharge) I was walking 2 miles a day and working part-time out of my house.

Good luck with your recovery.