Post Op feelings...

[mtkayak]

I'm almost 7 weeks Post Op now and feeling good. I have a question reguarding Arrythmias and the butterfly feeling you get before you have one. Sometimes I get the butterfly feeling like I'm going to have arrythmia but it never happens. It's like a nervous, giddy type of feeling. Or maybe I'm having them and don't know it!! It doesn't effect me in anyway. I walk 5 miles a day now been back to work for 2 weeks now. The doctors said that my heart (Pre Op) doesn't know what normal is yet. It has to adjust itself back too what normal is. In otherwords, they said it may get worse before I get better because it's having to readjust itself again. Has anybody felt things like this before? Is this all part of the recovery? How long will it last?

I saw my doctor last week for my 6 week check up and everything sounded good. He listened to me and did an EKG. They did an Echo 2 weeks Post Op and said everything looks wonderful. I go back in 3 months for an Echo.

Thanks in advance.

 

[Karlynn]

Your "butterfly" feeling is probably a little a-fib for a brief few seconds. And your doctor is correct, it takes a while for your heart to "remodel" itself and behave normally. However, it is not unusual for some people to have more issues of arrhythmia permanently after valve replacement. Most of these are easily treatable. But right now, I would give yourself time.

Have you done any cardiac rehab? If not, it's highly recommended and will give you a good idea (and some security) over how your heart behaves.

 

[mtkayak]

Thanks for the reply. I wasn't told of any cardiac rehab but it sounds like a good idea. The PT game me instructions on certain exercises to do and to walk a lot and stongly recommeded Yoga classes.

Yeah, it's just a weird "butterfly feeling I get. In the past (Pre Op) I use to get arhythmias about twice a month. I actually use to count them. They were very brief and only lasted maybe 15 seconds at the most. I just remember the feeling I use to get before I had one. That's the way I feel now but my heart doesn't beat fast like it use too when I had them. I have defintely seen an increase in my stamina so I know I'm better than I was before but I guess I still have some recovery to do.

 

[Karlynn]

I was the arrhythmia queen prior to my mitral valve replacement. We could never find a medication to ease them well enough. So after surgery I was always on the lookout for any feeling that seemed like I was returning to the arrhythmias of old. I still do get some, but not nearly to the extent I used to, and I am only on Coumadin and Toprol - to keep my heart rate down a bit.

 

[Superbob]

I also highly recommend cardiac rehab. You could ask your cardio if he/she will refer you to it, often at the local hospital. And check with your insurance company to see if it's covered. I was lucky: had coverage for 36 sessions. Nurses closely monitor the effects of various kinds of exercise and help you get going with a program.