Social and emotional effects of surgery

[Carnelian]

In this forum, rarely does anyone mention how their surgery affected their family, relations with friends or whomever. Why?
Also, not much is written on positive or negative emotional or psychological reactions from OHS.
Is everyone very private? Is this not a good issue? The forum needs more users and posters.
I don't know all the terms, abbreviations and numbers used.

 

[Paleowoman]

Also, not much is written on positive or negative emotional or psychological reactions from OHS.
Is everyone very private? Is this not a good issue? .

Carnelian Occasionally people will mention the negative effects and psychological reactions of OHS but it seems like some people on the forum don't want to talk about that judging from some of the reactions when someone mentions something negative. Some people just feel relief that they're alive or that they feel better and focus on that, especially if they felt ill prior to surgery. But of course OHS can cause some very negative reactions. Have you had OHS ? How was it ? If you haven't had OHS then it's very natural to feel anxious about it and its effects.

 

[dornole]

That's interesting, I feel like there's a significant number of posts on emotions. Is there a topic you want to raise? Terms you want explained?

 

[Superman]

It’s fair to say that a lot of the discussion is around the practicalities and logistics of facing OHS, and dealing with recovery, Warfarin management, etc.

Speaking just for myself, getting too personal on a public forum isn’t my thing. Typically it involves family and friends and I’d rather keep that stuff between those people and not the public at large.

That said, people have talked about their fears and concerns on here, but mostly it seems to be a place for more immediate concerns. “This feels funny, or that’s making a weird noise, what do I do?”

 

[Agian]

That's interesting, I feel like there's a significant number of posts on emotions. Is there a topic you want to raise? Terms you want explained?

Ditto. I think we share a lot sometimes, but as SM said people aren't always comfortable talking about their relationships with loved ones.

 

[tom in MO]

With me OHS made me much more emotionally sensitive in all situations, movies, work, funerals, baptisms, etc. I never cried at movies until after OHS. Even Netflix noticed the change and started recommending different types of movies I also cared too much at work and got myself in trouble for being "too intense." It decreased over time though but still lingers 6 years later. I don't cry at movies, but am certainly still more "stirred". I think there's a lot more to "pump head" syndrome than any one wants to admit, particularly the medical community. Probably due to those "micro-lesions" that were noted in another thread but aren't a problem

 

[LondonAndy]

It is an interesting point that Carnelian raises, and it is certainly not a conscious decision on my part (not to post on emotional issues). Although I am the sort that has always cried at sad things in movies etc, I consider myself a very pragmatic person and my main point in posting things on this forum is to post positive messages about my experience of heart surgery. I don't have any medical knowledge, and I have only been through it once (thankfully!) so those comments are limited in their nature. But I was told that many people go through depression after major surgery and I see many posts from people with significant anxiety before their operation, so I hope my amateur contributions have some use in allaying fears. (I had no depression myself)

Needless to say, friends and family worried a lot about me before the surgery, and I had a lot of visitors whilst in hospital. But to be honest, once I came out of hospital it seemed as if the view was "he has survived, he is ok now", and I had almost no visitors at home apart from a friend who came to stay and help whilst I was in the early days of recovery! (I am single and live alone). Actually I think that was fine - I wanted peace and quiet, to rest a lot and sleep whenever I wanted, which I did and I am sure aided recovery.

I too find the use of abbreviations annoying, and frequently have to Google them. And if you think they are liberally used here you should try a pacemaker site!

 

[Zoltania]

There have been some good discussions about the emotions associated with surgery and recovery, including this one started by @workmonkey: http://www.valvereplacement.org/forums/forum/post-surgery/853373-post-surgery-anxiety If you search the archives using keywords like "anxiety" you will find quite a few postings.

 

[pellicle]

Hi

In this forum, rarely does anyone mention how their surgery affected their family, relations with friends or whomever. Why?
Also, not much is written on positive or negative emotional or psychological reactions from OHS.
Is everyone very private? Is this not a good issue? The forum needs more users and posters.
I don't know all the terms, abbreviations and numbers used.

everyone above has said pretty much what I'd say (and furnished a few examples, here's another http://www.valvereplacement.org/for...isorders/42802-so-upset-my-baby-has-bav/page2 )

as to abbreviations, always feel free to ask, but when one is typing its easier to type OHS than Open Heart Surgery, and well almost noone uses International Normalised Ratio when talking about INR

Jargon is a fact of life when you deal with anything technical I'm afraid ... its just new vocabulary.

speaking of private, did you have anything emotional you wanted to talk about and are holding it back?

 

[pellicle]

Oh and Carnelian

post surgical depression is something I believe we've all felt to some extent. Myself I don't shy away from expressing that when I need to, but it would seem pointless for me to wander around continuing to bemoan it.

My brush with it here http://www.valvereplacement.org/for...and-feelings-some-may-find-images-disturbing/

Something non technical from my blog on one of the wrong reactions
http://cjeastwd.blogspot.com/2013/05/hardening-up-mistake-of-it.html

 

[Carnelian]

ever have post surgery anger? Not at the medical staff but at your family or friend?
I have and I wonder how much of it is related to the surgery, perhaps the biggest trauma of my life..
I ruminate too much about the past. Surely not healthy but I obsess about this and other
health problems or concerns.


Double bipass and mitral valve replacement with tissue.
Last fall.

 

[pellicle]

ever have post surgery anger?

not anger at surgery no, but in other areas of loss yes. I view that much of the post surgical reaction can be described also by Grief.

One of the things which can happen as a part of grief is anger ... (as well as bargaining and denial, which I also see manifest in many posts and actual real world observations).

My advice is to reflect on yourself and try to consider where the emotions come from. It takes time ... but it will yeild results if you are honest and steadfast in your reflection.

If possible, try to see surgery as a gain, not something you've lost (this may even be subconscious or just feelings of it being a sign of aging / mortality). From that I feel you may find some answers

Best Wishes

 

[Paleowoman]

I think that open heart surgery gets us to face our mortality which can bring up all sorts of feelings. As far as our nervous system is concerned we were 'attacked' and 'mortally hurt' (heart stopped) on the operating table - our nervous system would have reacted with all the hormones and chemicals that the body releases under attack. The fact that intellectually we all knew we were having surgery to help us means nothing to our nervous system especially when you're unconcious and can do nothing - all the fight and flight hormones do not help. The physical effects of this affect us for some time after surgery but psychologically too. Open heart urgery is a big trauma. You might find, Carnelian, that you can get some help from your GP as you could be suffering from post traumatic stress.

 

[honeybunny]

Carnelian, I don't understand the numbers, either, and I haven't bothered to learn more about gradients and such, even though I'm logical and detail-oriented. Just tell me the bottom line....are things improving or getting worse and how quickly! As far as abbreviations go, I am a technical writer, and one of my pet peeves is when authors do not spell out abbreviations and assume that all readers know what they stand for. My job is to correct that. So if there are any other abbreviations you've seen that you don't know, just ask here or private message one of us ("private message is abbreviated as PM; you will see someone write: "you can PM me if you want". AVR means aortic valve replacement.

As far as emotions being discussed, I agree with some of the others that I have seen and responded to a number of posts that discuss emotions. I particularly relate to the ones on depression because I have been on anti-depressants and anti-anxitey medications for over 30 years due to a chemical imbalance. I am always willing to share my personal story if I think it will help someone because I have greatly benefited from others sharing their stories with me over the years. I had a LOT of support from some very special people on this site as I was recovering from surgery.

Hope this helps. Be well.

Hugs,
Michele

 

[Eva]

Carnelian,

As some others mentioned above, there are lots and lots of such discussions mentioned inside our “post-operative forum” posts.

Maybe a good idea to have a separate forum to easily find replies to such specific concerns. !

after my surgery, I started to worry a lot about health issues for a few months, which I no longer do anymore. Anxiety and some depression may kick in after surgery due to the mental and physical shocks of the surgery-need news and the surgery itself. This can manifest itself in different way in different people. Some people recover and rejoice after accepting the success of the surgery, some may take a longer time to heal!

as for abbreviations, ask anytime. I, myself, go for any abbreviation I come across over the internet to Google and search it.

Hope you you feel better soon. Stay in touch.