Major Complications - Follow Up

[BillG]

Wow... I have to say thank you to all the support. This is great.

I wanted to address what a lot of you have stated. It sounds to me as if what I am going through is not unheard of...
- Sleep issues are not uncommon
- Eating issues are not uncommon
- Numbness issues are not uncommon
- Endurance issues ARE uncommon for people out of the hospital as long as I have been... but since I had double pnuemonia on top of it all... understandable

I have to say... I had one of the best surgeons in the DC area (I did my homework)... BUT if they had told me half the stuff I went through I probably would have chickened out and would be dead by now (it was that serious for me)... THANKS DR. MASS!!!

Now... 10am Cardio Rehab followed by some pain and panting...
Does anyone have suggestions about this?

BILLG

 

[Ross]

Rehab......Well your going to get a work out, but they will not push you further then your capable of going. I've had pneumonia so many times that I really relate well with anyone that's had it. Honestly, I think it sucks more out of you then the heart surgery does. Expect to be a bit on the slow side of things for a while, but you'll recover fully, it just takes time.

 

[hensylee]

rough time of it you had. glad you are back here. time helps.

I had pneumonia after a different sort of surgery and I remember saying: let me gooooo...... they wouldn't, tho.

 

[Lynlw]

Bill, What meds are you still on? The reason we ask is because some of the things you describe COULD be side effects of the meds.
Also how long after the surgery did you get pnuemonia?

 

[Lynlw]

I hate to seem like all I do is ask questions, but would you mind sharing your age, or at least your age group? That would help alot in knowing what is more common, chances are a guy in his 20 will have a different recovery than one in their 70s, ect.

 

[Maryka]

Hi, Bill! Under your User Control Panel , Edit Signature, you could give some details about your surgery, doctor, what was fixed and (if you are brave) your age group. I happen to know from talking with you that you are not yet over 40, so that puts you in the younger age group on this forum. (You can ask Ross for help in making a spiffy Signature or, in Ross's case, completely change your photo or Avitar on a regular basis. Ha ha!

BTW, I am not young and, as I stated, I AM overweight. The other details are in my signature.

 

[Maryka]

Also, Bill, I know you have been working from home for at least a week. That must take some energy at so early in your recovery!

 

[BillG]

To Lynn - I am taking so many Meds... 14 as of this morning, Coreg, DiaOxin, Warfarin, Furosemide, Singular, Oxycodone, Xopenex (inhaler)... plus several over the counter items. I did take MASSIVE doses of Amiodarone in the hospital.

To Mary - I am actually much older than you think. I am in my late 40's. I do work from home and it allows me some freedoms... Such as working at 8pm in the evening. I will dread the day I have to go back into the office.

I am also a very big boy... I was 375lbs in Feb 08... I lost 55lbs before I went into the hospital and another 37 since June... Not eating or being conscious for 10-days will do that to you.

Hope this helps... I am looking forward to hearing more.

BILLG

 

[Lynlw]

Are you still having pain this far out? Oxycodone can make you tired (also nausea, vomiting, constipation, loss of appetite)

.(and also is habit forming)
I don't know about all the meds you've listed, I'm sure others can chime in but,Coreg has some side effects like http://www.drugs.com/sfx/coreg-side-effects.html
Diarrhea; dizziness; dry eyes; fatigue; headache; lightheadedness; nausea; numbness or tingling of the hands or feet; vomiting; weakness.
Even OTC drugs can be causing side effects especially if they are mixing with your other meds, so you might want to ask your Pharmacyst to look at your list of meds and see if any interect with others.
Beside being big were you pretty healthy and active going into surgery?

Are all of these meds since surgery or were you on any of the 14 pre op?

 

[BillG]

Reply - Lyn

Reply - Lyn

Hey Lyn,

I am still in pain but it is caused by the horrible cough I have from the pneumonia. It is getting much better but I still need it.

About per-surgery meds... I was only on three (Coreg, Fluresommide and asprin) meds prior to surgery so this is all new to the body.

I understand about how some meds can interact with others... I am hoping that my follow up in two weeks I can cut out some of them.

Forgot about the Follow up..
I see my cardiologist next week for a follow up on Echo-Cardiogram I had last week. We were concerned with the Injection Fraction. Any thing else I should look out for?

BILL

 

[catwoman]

Forgot about the Follow up..
I see my cardiologist next week for a follow up on Echo-Cardiogram I had last week. We were concerned with the Injection Fraction. Any thing else I should look out for?

BILL

Do you mean ejection fraction? I'm not familiar with all cardiac terms, but I'll bet that's what you're referring to.

 

[Kathy McCain]

Bill,

I am sooo sorry to hear you are having these complications! I had a few myself, so I can kind of relate. I also had one of the best surgeons in the country. I was healthy before the surgery too. Basically asymptomatic. I guess it is difficult for them to tell in advance sometimes, who will have problems, and who doesn't.

I do hope you are feeling better soon! Recovery takes time, especially with complications. Try to be patient. Do exactly what the Dr. says.

Please keep us updated. It DOES GET BETTER!

 

[Lynlw]

Do you mean ejection fraction? I'm not familiar with all cardiac terms, but I'll bet that's what you're referring to.

MY guess is you are right.
Bill the EF is basically the % of the blood in your ventricle that gets pushed out with each contraction.

 

[Ross]

Any thing else I should look out for?

BILL

Get copies of your reports for your own use. Very important. You want to see how large the ventricles are, whether or not there is abnormal motion, well a whole host of things that only those reports will tell you. Another thing, there are notes made on those reports that you might not otherwise see unless you get them.

 

[ALCapshaw2]

Get copies of your reports for your own use. Very important. You want to see how large the ventricles are, whether or not there is abnormal motion, well a whole host of things that only those reports will tell you. Another thing, there are notes made on those reports that you might not otherwise see unless you get them.

AMEN ! AMEN ! AMEN !

I get copies of ALL my Echo's and Lab Tests.

I also ask for copies of the Letter my Cardo writes to my PCP. I often see comments that were not made during the office visit.

 

[BillG]

Ejection or Injection... I'm a techiie not a medi... <<GRIN>>
I have no idea what half of this means... though I know about the EF now.

Prior to Surgery my EF was 25-28%... I am hoping for the 40's or 50's now.
I will get copies of the results... THANKS.

What else should I look for?

 

[Lynlw]

Ejection or Injection... I'm a techiie not a medi... <<GRIN>>
I have no idea what half of this means... though I know about the EF now.

Prior to Surgery my EF was 25-28%... I am hoping for the 40's or 50's now.
I will get copies of the results... THANKS.

What else should I look for?

well technically there IS an injection, but most talk about the EF, hwhen discussing heart function. To be even more confusing, they measure Both the right ventricle and left EF, but unless specified the mean Left when they just say EF. (MY son likes to be unique so his problem is his right EF)
I hope yours is better, but don't be real discouraged if it hasn't improved much so far, you still have alot of time for your heart to improve.

Alot really has to do with how you were before surgery, how long you were having problems and how big your ventricle got before surgery. One of the problems with waiting for surgery (even if it is just because you never knew you had a problem) is there does come a point when the damage becomes permanent.
DO you happen to know what any of the numbers were before surgery? Was this something you were following for years? ect.

 

[BillG]

No clue EF

No clue EF

Lyn,
I had no idea about any of this prior to a month before surgery. All I do know is the Echo and the Heart Cath comfirmed the EF and then I was going in for surgery 2-weeks later.

The good news was my pipes were clean. No build up or blockage detected. The bad news was it needed to be done NOW... Boy they were right too.

Well GOTTA GO... Day 2 of Cardiac Rehab... OUCH!!!