Pre-op limits

[atydev]

I have a question, I found out in 98 I have WolfParkinsone while thedoctors were looking at this they heard a murmmer, finding out my mitral valve leaked. I was put on Atenolol and told to medicate before dental procedures and that was it. I then got endo. and septacimia and had a stroke. I was very active raising 2 boys, managing 2 hotels, gardening and anything else I could do to keep from getting bored. After spending 5 wks in the hospital I lost my job. I don't think I could do it anymore since it is so stressful. I have not worked since June 2003 I can't do my gardening have trouble with my housework and shopping. I was tired, out of breath, have chest pains. I went back for another echo in Sept. found out my aeortic is leaking now and my mitral is sever. I am being sent to a cardiolisgist to prepare for surgury. I feel so lazy and useless. When will I be able to not having to ask others to help me lift this or do that. Also should I not push myself even if I am tired. I have a tendency to overdo everything. I push myself to hard and sometimes I don't notice when my body says enough. Do I need to do cardio now or just wait till after surgury. Any help is appreciated.

 

[Nancy]

Hi and welcome-

Sorry you're having such problems. When you asked about cardio--did you mean rehab? I think with the severity of your problems, you should run any athletic things by your cardiologist before you do them. Also, please do not push yourself too hard right now. It sounds as if your surgery will be very soon, so most things can wait until you are feeling better.

Just do what you can do comfortably, and then sit down and rest. Your heart is not working right now, and after surgery, once you have healed, you will be able to play catch up.

Do take good care of yourself right now.

When you have a surgery date please let us know and we'll out it on the calendar, so we can keep track of you.

And let us know how things are going. Stick with us, we'll help you get through this stressful time.

 

[atydev]

Thank you

Thank you

On the cardio thing I meant just walking or something to get my heart pumping, I know I can't jog right now...hehe. For instance today I went out to build a frame to put over my catus garden to make a green house type cover for them for winter. I of course had to pace myself. I got dizzy, I could feel my heart beating in my eyes and neck. Then I could not keep yawning, didn't seem to have to much trouble breathing but I know yawning is a sign of lack of oxygen. Well by that evening after finishing the wash, dishes, sweeping and feeding the troops I started shaking and was very nervous...any little noise the kids made drove me crazy. This happened after I got out of the hospital from the endo. I would shake and get nervous actually I stayed that way for about 2 months. Is this normal or am I really pushing my luck.

 

[bvdr]

Hi and welcome to this forum. I'm sorry you are having problems but this is a good place to help you sort through some of them. What you describe sounds very familiar to many of us.

Before I pushed to have some intervention done regarding my valve situation I actually did stop in at our cardiac rehab center and inquired about the possibility of joining up to maximize and strengthen my cardiac capabilities pre-op. After that little visit I drove over to my cardio's office and scheduled an appointment for a conference. I had gone down hill so fast I needed to do something. I know that turmoil of not being able to do what you feel like you should do. Things improve after surgery.

I've never had endocarditis but many here have had and they will be along and share their experiences with you.

Read through old posts and threads and do searches on this site to help you find more information.

I'm sure there are more members with WPW here but I can't think of any off hand. A good cardiologist though knows what meds to use and which to avoid to prevent problems with that conduction problem. I see you are on flecainide...do you have a history of atrial fib?

 

[atydev]

Hello

Hello

First let me say thank you for replying so fast. I was never told that way, but WPW is a condition that causes your heart to beat to fast up to 300 beats per minute. In such a case you have a heart attack that is unrecoverable. I was origianaly given the Atenolol for the WPW which I found out later was a blood pressure medicine. It was only after I changed dr.s I was put on the Flecainide. Which works much better but only for about 5 hours at a time. So during the morning I am ok and at bed time I seem to rest well but during the busy part of my day when the kids come home...homework and cooking and feeding and cleaning up I have a real problem. Also maybe can you or someone help me get more support from my family. My kids think I am still supermom...which is my fault I know. My husband of just 11 months...I got really sick 6 months after we married. No one seems to want to help me. They know I can't stand unwashed dishes, unswept floors, cabinets not wiped you know the basic house cleaning but still no one knows how to do anything but make a mess for mom to clean up. No matter how many times I ask for help I never get it. My husband will not let me go back to work till all of this is over he is great that way and works hard to support me and my children, but give him a broom and he looks at me like I crazy. I am so sorry for the lengthiness but I have no support at home and so many unanswered questions that the doctors are not helping me with.....THANK YOU

 

[catwoman]

No one ever has the same standards or expectations as you. Unfortunately you may have to lower them.
Explain to your children that you are not well, that's what you have is not like a cold, and that you will need their help. Set up a chart that kids can understand and assign chores and set up a reward system for helping you. Kids can learn to up their clothes, bring them to a washing machine and be taught how to run the machine. Spend a weekend cooking and free it -- sauces, stews, meatloaves, etc. Use the time while cooking to teach one of your children something about cooking and stress that we clean up as we cook.
The floors won't look like you would have done them, the dishes may not get done as quickly. The important thing is to conserve your strength for you.
I don't have children. However, I was a Camp Fire leader for 10+ years. Had 2 clubs, one from a downtown housing project and the other from a lower middle-class neighborhood. I understand how a few kids can overwhelm you, particularly if you aren't 100% up to par.
Let us know how you get along.

 

[McCln]

Welcome

Welcome

Please don't get to rough on yourself. I know how tough it is trying to doing everything and being sick at the same time. I live byself and after being home two weeks from surgery, I was able to be home alone. I live in an apartment, small enough to take easy care. But even for a short time, it is hard to have to depend on anyone. I had a mother with Rehuematoid Arthritis and she has to raise two children while being sick off and on, with no help from family. I felt for her for that. I feel that for you also, with children to take care is much more dificult when sick. It will be over soon, surgery will help. You have to have faith in yourself that you will get better for the kids. You will get better soon. Just trust in the powers that be. You will be fine, just hang in there and come here when you need to till surgery. We are here for you.

Caroline
09-13-01
Aortic valve replacement
St. Jude's valve

 

[Granbonny]

Hi

Hi

May I ask your first name? And how old are your boys? If they are older than 6 years..you really need to sit down and explain things to them...because you will need them to know..after your surgery..It will be many weeks before you can drive them, cook for them..ect. Tell them a little about the surgery..not enough to scare them....and tell them after a few months, Mama will be fine again...Do you have close relatives nearby...Mom, sisters, brothers, ect. I'm sure they could pitch in and help...Assign one a week for some heavy housework...you need to take it easy now...don't want anything to happen to postpone your surgery...I always say..Housework makes you ugly. And have hubby to bring home take-out suppers a few times a week. Bonnie

 

[atydev]

Hello

Hello

Thank you. My boys are 8yrs that is Tyler and Devin is 12. I will try that. As far as hubby bringing take out that would be a surprise if he remembered. I am curious to see what we eat after my surgury.....hehe. He was a bacholer for 36 yrs....all he cooked before we married was chicken breast on the George Foreman grill or pasta. It was sad. I would also like to say I am feeling much better emotionally. This site has been wonderful with everyone giving me some of the answers I have been looking for and just to have others around that have been through all this. THANK YOU EVERYONE....


April Caine

WPW-Mitral and Aeortic Valve regurg.
Surgury not scheduled

 

[Georgia]

Hi, April

Hi, April

I guess maybe it's going to be chicken breasts in the George Foreman and anything that can go in a microwave post-surgery. I informed my husband that he was in charge of meals after surgery. He gathered menus and phone numbers from a bunch of restaurants in town and we had some quite good carry-out (I didn't tell him it all tasted awful until a while later).

You need to save your energy for the important things. Like your kids. Get a Swiffer for the floors, and ratchet down your cleanliness expectations. Instruct the boys in the fine art of cleaning the bathroom (after surgery you're not going t be able to reach around behind the toilet, anyway) and doing the dishes. The 12 year old is plenty old enough to help - and the 8 year old can do his thing too. They'll be able to put the clothes in the washer and drier for you, too - you can engineer them (that's how my husband did the laundry when I couldn't pick it up).

And Bonnie's right - cleaning does make you ugly; so cut back to the very basics.

And welcome to the site. I think you need a huge infusion "lowering expectations" so you can relax about the unimportant stuff and take care of yourself.

 

[Ross]

The dirt and grime will be there whenever you feel like getting back to it. Until then, live with some grime. Grime is good for you. Revert back to your childhood when playing in the mud was cool, drawing on the walls with crayons was cool, cooking eggs on the floor was cool.

 

[Nancy]

Hi April-

Sounds like you're a very fastidious housekeeper. You know what? Your house isn't going to go to rack and ruin between now and when surgery is schedued. It'll just look like everyone else's house on any given day. No one is a perfect housekeeper. join in the fun, and stop working so hard. You need your rest right now. Sit down and read or watch a little television.

You'll have plenty of time to get back to your normal speed, when you best able to do it. Anyone with a potential heart rate of 300, needs to sit down as much as possible before your heart runs right out of your chest.

Take care of YOU, now, you're the one who needs it.

 

[ALCapshaw2]

It's difficult to answer your questions about exercise without knowing more about your condition.

What tests have you had?
EchoCardiogram?
Angiography (heart catheterization)?
etc.

What were the results.

Based on your symptoms, I would NOT do anything strenuous until you are 'fixed' by surgery.

You need to know that SUDDEN DEATH is a real possibility if one or more of your valves are nearly closed and you over exert yourself. Either of the above tests will tell your Cardiologist what he needs to know to make a determination.

'AL'

 

[atydev]

Hey Al

Hey Al

I have had the echo the last one was 9-25. I have the results right here in front of me. I don't understand alot of it maybe you could help me understand it. My doctors don't seem to explain things to me. Or maybe I just don't know what questions to ask. My test say's....LVED is 52, IVs is 14, Left Atrium is 33, lves IS 30, F/S is 42, Chamber size is Mild Concertric left ventricular hypertrophy. Mirtal leaflet thickening, dilated aortic root, Wall motion with ejection fraction at 70% Thickened echogenic anterior mitral valve leaflet with 2 nodular densities(calcified vegetation.) Severe mitral regurg. with systolici flow reversal in pulmonary vein. Mild concentric left ventrical hypertrophy with severe turbulence of left ventricular outflow and systolic anterior motion of the mitral leaflet causing outflow gradient (peak of 77 mm Hg and mean of 43mm Hg) Fenestrated looking non-coronary aortic cusp with two jets of mild aortic insufficiency. Okay there it is can anyone help me understand all this.....HELP........Should have been a doctor......hehehe.

April

 

[Ross]

It says don't exercise until you have heart surgery.

I'll have to get back to you on the thing, I can't find my linky.

 

[hensylee]

Wow, we're in trouble here - Ross lost his linky, Janie lost her spot, I lost my glasses, Bonnie lost something but I forget what! (is this poetry?)

Welcome, April - so good to see you and this sounds like where you ought to be.

The others are right, you know. Now is a good time to teach the children how to do things. Ask your husband to help direct, even if he won't do the things himself. He might help. Your health is very important right now and you could hurt yourself by overdoing. Turn a blind eye to those things you are unable to do. Hard, I know, but you have to do it.

Take care of you, too. You can't be replaced, you know. Love

 

[medtronic of borg]

neck

neck

If your feeling it in your neck...its time to stop you have pushed to far.
med