Post Opp Appointments....

[TLB123]

I was just wondering if i am the only one out there that had my FIRST and only post opp appointment not until almost 6 weeks after my surgery?

I am also concerned because i don't have another appointment scheduled.
Should i be?

How many appointments did some of you have say with in the first 6 months to a year after your surgery?

Thanks
Tara

 

[Adrienne]

Consider yourself lucky! My surgeon wrote down that he wanted to see me two months after the surgery. It turned out to be 5 months!!! I saw my cardiologist 4 months after. Granted, if I had had problems or if I had wanted to see someone else, I could have called this particular nurse, and she would have scheduled an appointment with another doctor. Anyhow, wait times up here are terrible!!

 

[jds]

I met with my PCP starting very soon after surgery (mitral valve replacement) to start INR checks to get coumadin dosage tuned. Also, he's been my PCP for about 20 years and wanted to get a look at things.

I met with the surgeon about 5 weeks post-op to check the wound, heart sounds, etc. I have asked him a few questions over the phone but do not expect to see him again. Someone commented on how our lives are literally in the hands of our surgeons but if things go OK we only see them 3 times - pre-op meeting, the operation, and post-op visit.

I met with my cardiologist about 2 months post op then got an echocardiogram to look things over. I expect to see him annually from now on.

John

 

[WayneGM]

I had post-op complications so met with doctors sooner and more often than expected. However, this is what I was told to expect.....

- Appointment with GP within first week of discharge. (The GP was the one who monitored my INR and determined the coumadin dosage. Blood was drawn twice a week at a local clinic. The GP also monitored the incision healing process).
- Appointment with Cardiologist 4 - 6 weeks after discharge, then another at 6 months. Then annually.
- Appointment with Cardiac Surgeon 6 - 8 weeks after discharge. That said, I never did see the Cardiac Surgeon again as a post op "check-up". I did see him again unexpectedly in week 3 as he had to reopen me to drain fluid due to the complications I mentioned. Otherwise, we never met again and he essentially relied on reports from my Cardiologist visits. My Card said that was typical.

 

[Phyllis]

Dick met with his local cardio 2 weeks after surgery and thereafter, once a year. He had his one and only appt. with the surgeon 6 weeks post surgery.

 

[Jim P]

I met with my PCP, cardio, and pulmonologist all between the 3-week and 4-week point after surgery. I have seen the PCP one time since then (annual physical), cardiologist four times (Holter Monitor, Echocardiogram, and routine check-ups) and the pulmonologist one more time (for a Pulmonary Function Test).

 

[Susan BAV]

Are you bragging or complaining ?!? Just kidding of course !

I wouldn't have seen my really excellent surgeon again post-op except I had to be rehospitalized for post-op A-fib and he dropped by my room to cheer me and check up on me. Super nice man. I saw my (also super nice) cardio a couple of times within the first three months and then I don't think I saw him again until nearly a year. I think that was good though, because I was doing well.

 

[Cooker]

I was scheduled to see my "surgeon" for a six week follow up interrupted by the way with a fluid problem. I was scheduled to see my PCP and cardio two weeks after surgery.

If you are not having any problems I would think you were on track. I guess a lot depends on overall health and age.

Tom

 

[hensylee]

I saw my cardio within 2-3 weeks, but surgeon in six weeks.

We have ties holding us together in there and if you want to know how many, you need to ask the surgeon at that visit because you might not see him/her again. I haven't seen mine; just the cardio.

Sometimes we have discussions about our wires. I didn't know to ask when they did my x-ray for the surgeon so I don't have any idea how many I have.

 

[KenBeirne]

Doctors, doctors, nurses, doctors

Doctors, doctors, nurses, doctors

I am about 6 weeks out of the hospital, but 8 weeks from my AVR (had to stick around for a pacemaker and a pericardial window for fluid). Saw the nurse/practitioner for the surgeon at about 3 weeks out of hospital, but had a lot of nurse visits for INR testing and lung/bp/pulse tests for first couple of weeks(good insurance). About 3 weeks out of hospital also got site check with nurses for surgeons who put in pacemaker, then at 5 weeks saw my cardio -- who also took handoff from surgeon for warfarin monitoring. Saw my PCP at 6 weeks out of hospital, and have an appointment scheduled with cardio in about 4 weeks for an echocardiagram. I will probably also see my PCP for blood test followups in a couple of weeks.
Anyway, I am feeling a little over-attended to, but I would rather have them sin in that direction.