So when do you?

[lilteach3234]

Hello all,

Well I was 8 wks. post op yesterday and have a question?

When exactly do you begin to feel good? I don't really feel much different than what I did pre-surgery. I still get winded when I walk up the stairs. I can't sleep at night and toss and turn and then feel I need to sleep all day the following day.

I do begin my rehab tomorrow so hope that helps.

Now of course I do feel better surgery wise....scar is healing, I can move and walk better....all those things. I just thought I was going to feel like a new person once I got a new valve.

 

[Eva]

Healing and feeling better is a roller coaster.

In my case, I was feeling better and better every day since surgery and improving at a steady pace until I felt great after 8 weeks and it was a miracle for me! I was like this for a few weeks until end of December when I started feeling tired again and wondering and worried. Just be careful that you do not overdo things...I think I forgot I had OHS and returned to my routine and forgot to take naps and rest when I felt like it...I went on an on enjoying my new energy!

But now, my energy is picking up again and I do feel better and better.

 

[abbanabba]

I started feeling much better around week 6 - but that was also when I started rehab, so maybe that helped. I did notice, though, that while I couldn't notice feeling better from day to day, I certainly noticed the difference from week to week - even when I was still feeling pretty yuk.

It took me much longer to get back into my own bed though and be able to sleep properly, and it was probably 3 months before I felt I could do pretty much anything. It's still taking me some time to get my strength and stamina back, but I was very deconditioned from waiting for the surgery - so no surprises there.

Everyone heals at different rates though, so you may just need a little more time. When do you go back for a check-up? Perhaps you need to let your cardio know you're not recovering as quickly as you expected.


A : )

 

[aussiemember]

I'm 8 weeks out from surgery next Tuesday and my recovery has been an up and down affair. Some days I feel great like I did before my surgery (when I was asymptomatic) and other days I feel tired and lacking energy. So with me it is definitely a mixed progress. One thing I have been lucky with though is my sleeping. I've slept fine since about 4 days after I got home from hospital. I tuck a pillow under my tummy and sleep like a baby

 

[WayneGM]

I found recovery was a series of good days and bad days where over time the good days would outnumber the bad ones. It was probably just over a year before I noticed the bad ones had pretty much stopped altogether.

 

[palmaceae]

I am 8 weeks post op and did not feel I turned the corner until after the 6th week. I am feeling almost normal now but not quite back to where I was before the surgery. I still get short of breath walking up the stairs but I am hoping that will go away once I get back into shape. I did not have any problems sleeping after the surgery, but for some reason this week I am. Just give it time, it takes a while, you will get there.
God bless,

 

[suerose]

4-6-8- all of it, we appreciate!

4-6-8- all of it, we appreciate!

I felt I finally turned a corner at 4 weeks, but still a l o n g from getting my groove back. Now at 9 weeks, I DO feel good.

All along, I've been a good patient, not overdoing anything. Went back to work part time at week 9 and will play my "heart card" for a while yet for many things---lifting, working full time, saying 'no' to committee requests, etc.

Life is not perfect however. I still have bouts of depression; insomnia; chest & rib aches when moving about from one position to another in bed. I still take a nap daily.

My INR is too low right now, so have been upset about that. Always something!

So even though I feel pretty good, I know there will be valleys in my future weeks / months.

I rephrased my comments when people asked how I was doing. At first I was whining, "It's sooo slow." Now I'm trying to spin more positive on it and replying, "It just takes time...a lot of time."

Look back at what you couldn't do one week, two weeks, three weeks ago, and you'll find reasons to celebrate YOUR unique progress.

susie