My official post op thread

[Agian]

This forum has made me realise just how much shared experience bonds people. It's really great to hear you doing so well.

Your uncle is still so young.

 

[epstns]

Well done, sood! I think you've hit on one of the hidden factoids of valve surgery. There are at least 2 "new normal" modes. One is for everyday activities, like taking care of yourself, working (other than heavy physical work), and so forth. The other is for heavy physical or athletic work, as for competitive athletes or construction workers. Most of us hit that first "everyday" normal at somewhere around 8 to 12 weeks post-op. The other normal, the one for heavy work or athletic activity, will take longer. I was happily back to work and my everyday routine at around 10 weeks, but I didn't get my gym routine back to where it had been pro-op until over a year out. Not that it was bad, just that it kept getting better. Enjoy the ride!

 

[Agian]

Steve, did having a pacemaker influence your recovery? It certainly doesn't sound like it.

 

[TheGymGuy]

Sood, 10 weeks is a perfect time for back to Normal declaration. You did really well. Picking up your kid at 8 weeks is pretty cool. I had the same goal post-op, I just wanted to lift my little girl up on her 1st birthday, which was exactly 8 weeks post my OHS.

 

[AZ Don]

I'm continuing to do well, I've realized in addition to coffee, a few bites of chocolate are also giving me irregular heartbeats. So no chocolate or coffee or any caffeine for me until quite a while where I feel better.

Congrats on being back to normal.

Any idea how long it is necessary to avoid caffeine and chocolate? I'm at 7+ weeks and had a green tea w/ caffeine (about 1/2 a normal cup of coffee) this week because I had to take someone to the airport at 4am. That evening I had a brief episode of afib, the first one in weeks. I thought I was about ready to lift this restriction. I guess not. I've been avoiding caffeine, chocolate, and alcohol.

 

[sood]

Thanks guys. Don I really don't know when I will try caffeine again. They told me to stay away for 6 weeks post op, that didn't work too great. So I think I'll wait a few months to try again.

 

[sood]

Hi Folks,

I am now 12 weeks post op. Life has gotten pretty normal. I think I'll end my cardiac rehab soon because I don't feel like I'm learning anything new there anymore. Still ramping up my exercises, although I'm on vacation the past few days and finally snuck in a work out today. The bottom of the sternum still feels like it has some healing to do, as I feel a sensation there upon sneezing. I also feel it pop when I yawn. I'm not really concerned about it, it feels like there is a lot of scar tissue in the area as the bottom of my incision is also much wider/bumpier then the rest of the incision.

All in all for those following, life is good thankfully. My workouts are intense but methodical, my favorite part is being drenched in sweat. I'm still taking it easy with the weights, doing a lot of high rep work with light weights.

Coumadin continues to be a non-issue, I hope to get a home monitor prescribed soon.

Hope this message finds all of you pre and post surgery well!

 

[jmstallard]

My battle with the spirometer continues.

Yeah, I hate doing that too. My doctor told me that being able to sleep on my back has a lot to do with how well I'm clearing out my lungs, so I suck it up (no pun intended) and do it.