Post Operative Cognitive Dysfunction

[Survived03]

Interesting article. I experienced a bit of “pump head” after both of my OHS. Slowly gets better. Have any of you experienced something similar?

https://www.medscape.com/viewarticl...240910_etid6819371&uac=459029HG&impID=6819371

 

[pellicle]

Have any of you experienced something similar?

indeed, I did. In the first few weeks I had problems doing some sorts of basic maths which surprised me. I didn't know anything about this condition nor had anyone at the hospital mentioned it to me or my wife. I would find things just wouldn't "crystallise" as they did before (stuff like basic multiplication tables). I found taking my drugs correctly (had already put an alarm on my phone) and I was making mistakes in the doses when administering. I solved this with a pill box

At work (so at around 2 months IIRC) I was foggy about table relationships on database systems that I was (prior to surgery) pretty familiar with. So memory was definitely effected.

I became more than a bit depressed about this and wondered if I'd be able to do my job again.

I concerned that I'd become a drag on my wife.

So yes.

 

[Survived03]

Exactly Pellicle. It seemed to be worse after the first surgery compared to the second. I remember reading a work document and I could not comprehend a certain paragraph. It was frustrating . I had read about it or was told to expect this, but still pretty scary. Another work colleague mentioned that it takes one month for every hour under anesthesia to regain all of your prior cognitive functions. Not sure there is statistical proof but anecdotally it fit.

 

[tom in MO]

I had/have it. My metric was doing math in my head. After OHS I lost that ability. I slowly regained it, but not completely. I still have trouble with figuring tips and the total bill in my head. I also became much more emotional, e.g. crying at funerals and movies. This has also diminished over time, but I still am not the cold hearted bastard I used to be

 

[Survived03]

Tom, there’s a joke in my house about getting “popcorn” salt in my eye at movies or anything emotional. I went and saw the movie The Big Fish shortly after my father passed which was right after my surgery. The move could have been written about him there were so many similarities. He passed on day 3 post surgery so I was a bit scrambled and it was tough. So anytime my tears arrive we say popcorn salt.

 

[Eva]

After I recovered a bit, I picked up a book to read. However, after reading a few pages, I found myself needing to go back and reread the previous ones. Watching a TV movie was also challenging as I couldn’t follow the plot. This continued on and on. It was frightening because it wasn’t like me at all. Before my surgery, I was referred to as “the filing cabinet”…colleagues/FRIENDS/RELATIVES often relied on me to remind them of issues, situations, or people from years past, appreciating my excellent photographic memory. All of that was gone. Although I regained some of my memory over time, it was never quite the same. It was saddening. Yet,
When I accepted my new cognitive state, I began to improve , though not to the level I was at before surgery.
Don’t let this be discouraging! In my case, I was in surgery for seven hours… after my chest was closed up, they had to reopen my chest because my heart stopped. No one told me this after my surgery until I read it in the surgery report months later!
Despite everything, I’m grateful to be here, able to manage extremely well and able to serve those around me in need.