Really enjoy the talk and community here. My Opening post seems to have been sidetracked a little.
Re-asking:
I was hoping to get your experience with OHS and specifically the difference if you have required to have a reoperation?
Any and all input appreciated
Hi Meanjellybean,
I had a redo done end of March this year. My first surgery was 12 years ago. Not sure I can give you much comfort, as my two surgeries went differently, although the same type of valve was put in (tissue value due to blood issues). First surgery, I had a haemorrhage after surgery that needed me to go back in again so they could reopen and stop the bleeding. That didn't happen this time, but I had masses of issues post- surgery to do with the blood again, heaps of platelets and blood transfusions. I do know that to get the same size valve in I had to have a patch put on the aorta to enlarge it, due to scar tissue, so scar tissue is an issue as some have already said. I've yet to see my surgeon for post-surgery check, so I will quiz him more about what he found then.
Second time around, I knew more of what to expect and that actually helped enormously, although things were somewhat different due to the complications, but generally speaking, there were a lot of things that I knew about so overall, fewer surprises. Once out of hospital, which was a longer stay this time, my recovery at home has not been too different to first time round (apart from a shoulder issue which is new). I went into the surgery in as best shape I could be, as I did first time around, and I think that helps a lot. I do think that perhaps my energy levels have taken a bit longer to come back but I am 12 years older, so that might just be a function of that and not so much the second surgery, I don't know. I think I was probably as fit, and maybe a bit fitter before this surgery than the first.
One thing I do think though, is that the sternum is taking longer to heal this time than the first time. I feel that I have plateaued and over the past two weeks, not really seen any improvement, but that may also be related to the issues I'm having with my shoulder. So will be good to have that checked by the surgeon this week when I see him. I am almost 8 weeks post surgery, and my memory of last recovery is a little sketchy, but I'm pretty sure I was back to most day to day things by this time. But I'm having to be more careful about lifting stuff, driving is not painfree, and I'm noticing specific painful areas during some activities.
My scar has healed beautifully, and in actual fact, is a much nicer zipper than my first one - maybe my surgeon got better at that, lol! So I'm happy that it is a much finer scar. However, this time round, I have some areas of numbness over one side of my chest, and also some hypersensitivity, which I don't recall last time. It is gradually decreasing, so I'm hopeful that over the next 6 months, it should disappear altogether as the nerves innervate, but time will tell.
Speaking of scars, this time round, I had four drain tubes, but only 2 first time, and the drains weren't put in the same place, which surprised me, I had somehow assumed he would just use the same spot. But I guess scar tissue is probably the issue there, so I now have 6 drain scars now! Someone said I should get a tattoo of noughts and crosses on my stomach, because of where they are positioned, lol!
Something that struck me also this time round was that once I was through the first few days, and the PCP was gone, they were reluctant to give any pain meds stronger than panadol. Last time round, sleepers were also given at night, but this time, they were not on the menu. I guess the way things are done change over time.
If there is anything specific you would like me to answer, please let me know. Sorry, I have rambled on, once you get me started, I'm hard to stop! Hope that helps in some way.
