Post Surgery Question 2- Higher Resting Heatbeat?

[scg]

I'm 16 days out of surgery for mitral valve repair performed with right side terachotomy. I've been off pain killers for a week and am only on Rythmol and Aspirin right now. Prior to surgery my resting heart rate was usually less than 60, but now it's not really coming down off 95-100. Is this usual? symptom of the Rythmol? Otherwise I'm doing pretty well considering...driving today for the first time.

 

[yotphix]

Don't know a thing about the Rythmol, but it was months before my resting heart rate returned to it's normal 60-65bpm. 5 months post op I was in for an assessment prior to switching from physical check-in to web check-in with my rehab and the techs were a little concerned that my resting heart rate seemed to be about 105. I told them it was an improvement, and that it seems to be making it's way back to normal. It did, eventually.

 

[Eva]

This is normal to many of us. it took a long time for my heart beats to drop fromthe mid 80s - mid 90s. I am extremely glad as I thought it would never drop again and was just starting to accept it and adjust to it and move my body accordingly!

Here is my response to another similar question which you may like to read the others' responses:
http://www.valvereplacement.org/forums/showthread.php?40338-Exercise-lower-heart-rate


Good luck and keep us posted

 

[OldManEmu]

My resting heart rate was in the 80's post redo surgery with beta blockers. It was 50's with no beta blockers pre surgery. I was on beta blockers for 3 months post surgery. It took 6+ months post surgery before the resting heart rate returned to the 50's without beta blockers. It is great to be back to normal.

 

[epstns]

Can't use me as an example. Prior to surgery, my resting heart rate was often in the high 40's. We thought it was due to years of running and exercise. Turns out maybe not. After surgery my heart rate was so erratic that I ended up with a pacemaker. Now it won't allow my resting heart rate any lower than 60. No big deal, but it did take a while to even out at 60. For the first few weeks (months?) after surgery, I was in near-complete heart block, so I was 100% paced and my resting heart rate was 60. Now I'm paced less than half the time, but still a minimum of 60 BPM.

 

[Rachel]

I'd say that it took about 6 months for my resting heart rate to come back down to the 60's. I was on a beta for only 2 weeks after surgery (went off because of low blood pressure) and because of this, I was really worried that my pulse would never get below the 80's (it was in the 80's for 3 to 4 months after surgery). It did come down though.

Rachel

 

[Bill B]

My heart rate was 60 pre-op. In the mid-90s post-op. I was quite anemic post-op, which contributes to increased heart rate. Perhaps that is a common cause due to blood loss in surgery despite cellsavers. I was put on beta blockers for high BP. That and correction of the anemia brought my heart rate way down, now running in between 50 and low 60s. 90s was annoying.

 

[Cooker]

Took about six months for my rate to settle to it's low norm .... takes time.

 

[scg]

Sounds like my resting heart beat is going to be high for a while. I'm off all but the rythmol and aspirin as of today and am not having the dizzy spells as a result. Walked 5 miles briskly today split over morning and afternoon session. Thanks for the responses.

51 MVR 5/14/12 Right side thoracotomy with 35mm annualplasty band. Duke University Hospital

 

[hook]

Mine was in the high 90s for the first few weeks and slowly started coming down. It took me almost a year to get into the mid 70s, and now I have a resting HR of 60 or below. It takes time.