Sept.19 AVR Surgery. Lots of setbacks

[Zippylin]

I am happy I found you. I had my surgery sept 19. After I came home, I went back in for water around my lungs. They took out one liter on right, 3/4 on left. Got out and developed Pneumonia. Fun huh...
Now I have been dealing with ongoing virus. Have not been back to rehab,but have been on my treadmill
For about 20 minutes.
I am frustrated. I stiil cannot sleep on stomach or side due to continued pain.sneezing and coughing don't help much.
I feel like I am rambling.
I am still on Busix(water pill)
Am I the only one experiencing this.? My family thinks I should be running around. They are going to DisneyWorld next week, and want me to go
With the way I feel, I don't believe I want to or even could walk and stand around for hours a day.
I haven't been active sine the op.
I guess I just need some feedback. How to deal with all the issues
Thanks for listening to my stuff

 

[knotguilty]

Hi Zippylin, Just my opinion. If you have water retention issues, that is why you are still on lasix. You want to make sure you are healing and your body is headed in the right direction before you start to exert yourself. You will know by the way you feel how far you can go. Typically I would say you should be a lot further along than you are, but with the setbacks, you will just take a litle longer. Just my own experience, I was working around the house a couple weeks after surgery, but I didn't have any complications. Listen to your doctor, get on the road to recovery, and you will be amazed at how good you will feel. Take care!

 

[Zippylin]

Thanks, the setbacks took a toll, but it am staying positive. Glad you are doing well

 

[AZ Don]

Sorry you are experiencing so many issues. I'm sure having Pneumonia and a virus have made exercise much more difficult, but I would try to exercise (walk) at least as much as your Dr. suggests. I exercised on my own without Cardiac Rehab but I've heard it was very helpful for some people. Maybe you should go back? I would also make sure that your Dr. knows about all the issues you are having and follow his/her recommendations.

 

[njean]

Please keep in mind that we all heal differently! So what others are saying to you that they think you should be feeling better and stronger, may not apply to you.
Doing cartwheels and/or jumping through hoops may apply to some but NOT ALL, believe me!

Listen to your body and your doctor but mainly your body! No one knows how you feel except yourself! And water retention is normal in a lot of patients and it takes a while before your heart gets strong enough and all your other organs start functioning like they should and your body starts expelling that fluid as it should.
I had a lot of issues with fluid buildup right after my surgeries and had to be hospitalized because of it, so I know what you're saying.

Don't push or exert yourself....and if you feel you cannot handle the trip to Disneyworld, don't do it. You'll have plenty of opportunities to go after you are all nice and healed.

Hope you get to feeling stronger with each passing day....

 

[Zippylin]

Thanks. All my docs know and have few suggestions,except to relax and it will all come together eventually. 12 weeks.
By the way , I am 66 going on 67, had surgery in south,fla, Boca Raton Regional Hospital Dr Kulick.

 

[Zippylin]

Thank you so much ,your words mean a lot to me. I hear what you are saying. It is nice to find others who understand how you feel.
I will be 67 in Jan.
I do believe that 3 hospitalizations sine the op in sept, would hold most people back.
Again thanks so much for everyone's understanding
Do you believe that I am a retired Psychtherapist? Hahahahahaha

 

[Duffey]

Hi Zipplin.
I also had fluid retention post-op. Are you weighing everyday to see if the diuretic seems to be helping? If you don't feel good, I would not put myself in a position where I had to over-exert myself. If you can get a daily walk in, at your own pace, that would be helpful. Try to remember that you're only about 10 weeks post-op, and valve replacement, combined with fluid issues and pneumonia, is hard to recover from quickly.
By the way, one of my dear friends spends the winter months in Boca Raton. I met her on this forum when her husband underwent valve replacement. I stayed in Deerfield Beach when we visited them. I love the area.:smile2:

 

[Jkm7]

Zippylin,
Happy you found us but sorry for the reason.
I agree with those who have suggested you listen to your body and your doctors. You know how you feel but a little effort (with your doctor's approval) likely will be helpful. Walking is essential to good healing from OHS. I found it to be the single best thing I did for myself after my two OHS in four years. Massachusetts General, where I had my surgeries, sets out a schedule of walking each day they want their patients to follow, if they are able and their doctors agree.

Maybe if you try adding a bit more distance each day you may start to build back some stamina. Cardiac Rehab is fine and many go but it is not meant for everyone and not the only way to heal well. If you need it for confidence you are being checked while exercising, by all means give it a go.

I wish you the very best and hope your healing takes a more smooth course from here forward.

 

[ski girl]

DisneyWorld isn't going anywhere! I'm totally healed from my (2nd) OHS in 2011 and training 10+ hours a week for three different sports and I don't think *I* would be up for days standing in long lines with massive crowds!

But I echo what everyone else has said - WALK. Even if you're only doing 5 minutes at a time, just do that every hour. Sitting or lying around won't help your body clear that fluid.

Are you still sitting at the computer???? ;-)

 

[Superman]

DisneyWorld isn't going anywhere, but prices are going up next year!

Seriously though - like others have said, we all heal differently. Two weeks out I was exercising regular and feeling really good. Three weeks out, I was back getting lab tests and xray's showing fluid build up and could barely stand up straight. Got car sick too, taking the kids to school. My wife had to pull over so I didn't lose it. Instead I blessed the side of the road. Seems I had developed pancreatitus (sp?). I couldn't eat anything with any sugar in it for a good three months post up. Not by choice either. Sugar really tasted gross. I can't even explain it. My teeth hurt like heck for months. Had to switch to Sensodyne for brushing and could not drink anything cooler than room temp.

I was only 36 at the time. Then I look at Coach Fox, and he's back four or five weeks later coaching the Bronco's. We're all different.

In short - you'll get there.

 

[tom in MO]

You'll come back, it'll just take some time.

You might want to try rehab again. It will force you out of the house, and if they are a good team like I had, they can provided advice on all of your rehab issues, not just exercise. They can also monitor you and give you a good idea of how much exercise is too much and how little is not enough.

My hospital has a unified records system with my cardio, surgeon, GP, etc., thus my rehab team could access these records. I had an RN who helped me with some side issues and even read my charts from the doctors to help me understand things that became unclear after I thought about them.

If you have pain from the surgery that you think is not acceptable, contact your surgeon, they may be able to help.

 

[Zippylin]

Thank you all so much for the support. It feels good to know everyone is doing well, no matter how long it takes.
I will heed all your advice. I have been on my treadmill for 22 minutes,adding a minute a day. I am trying.
Wishing everyone happy and especially HEALTHY holidays.

 

[Agian]

22 minutes is great!

 

[Rachel]

I agree - 22 minutes is excellent! Keep moving forward!

 

[The Thief]

Hang in there Zippy! Sounds like you are determined to make forward progress, even if it is slow due to setbacks. That attitude will allow you to heal at your own pace. Good luck!

 

[kimcdougc]

One day and one step at a time. I am 6 months out and even to this date...I find I didn't stop for two weeks and it all caught up with me so I had to actually take a day to rest. Just listen to your body. I know when I had Pneumonia..that knocks you off your socks for several weeks energy wise. That along with OHS recovery...just go at your own speed. Great going for the 22 minutes on the treadmill!

 

[Zippylin]

Thanks again everyone . Up to 26 minutes now.
I have appt with Lung doc on the 18th. I am gaining weight, not eating a lot. I am still on water pill.
My partner thinks I need a therapist, because I am too focused on my setbacks and still not feeling right.
11 weeks, since surgery, 9 since water removal, 3 since pneumonia. Still not sleeping.
I said I have you guys, I feel I am on right track. Wow this is draining. Happy Holidays