Tell me your rxperiences

[preciosa1974]

Can we talk post
Surgery? I am still in a lot of pain. I can’t find a comfortable place to sleep. I’m so tired and bordering on depressed. I pray daily and have a areknf faith hit this journey ain’t easy. What was your post surgery like? I feel
I could find comfort in how others handled things or just plain got through it!!

P.s. we are AlmostTo a new year 2023! Praise God! Im
Grateful that He saved my life a couple of times and I’m here to see my baby girl!!

 

[Superman]

I slept in a recliner for about three or four weeks. I found being slightly tilted was easier on my chest. And the recliner helped me get up. I’ll add more later. But for sleep, that was the thing I needed.

 

[pellicle]

it was difficult for a few weeks at least. Give it time, soon enough it will be in the rear view mirror

Maybe rather than praising god, you may give some credit to the team of people who with science and medical training saved your life.

Don't confuse your faith as part of your spiritual side and science for that keeps you alive, powers your house and underpins everything in modern life. Prayers may enrich your soul, but they don't save people with valvular heart disease, surgery and technology does.

Best Wishes

 

[preciosa1974]

it was difficult for a few weeks at least. Give it time, soon enough it will be in the rear view mirror

Maybe rather than praising god, you may give some credit to the team of people who with science and medical training saved your life.

View attachment 888960

Don't confuse your faith as part of your spiritual side and science for that keeps you alive, powers your house and underpins everything in modern life. Prayers may enrich your soul, but they don't save people with valvular heart disease, surgery and technology does.

Best Wishes

Thank you friend. I believe they work together. Above all, it’s the Lord who saved me and used the amazing team I had to do that. I think best to see it that way. The Lord definitely guided my steps to this team in amazing ways. So first of all, I would thank Him for doing that. And incredibly grateful for the team. But God gets the glory first! Haha. I’m sorry you don’t see it that way, but that’s ok.

I can’t wait to see the surgeon’s team to gift them even just a small token of how grateful I am. I have the cardiologist team a box of Mexican conchas before Christmas. Yum!

And just a thought, I believe God uses medical, sconce and technology to save lives. I don’t believe it’s one or the other.

 

[preciosa1974]

I slept in a recliner for about three or four weeks. I found being slightly tilted was easier on my chest. And the recliner helped me get up. I’ll add more later. But for sleep, that was the thing I needed.

Did you find anything helpful for your butt ()? I find I can only handle a small amount of time and the “pain in the butt” haha… gets to be too much!

 

[tommyboy14]

Hi Preciosa,

Welcome to the other side.

unfortunately having to sleep on your back is one of the most annoying aspects of recovery. But it does get better. When I had the followup with the surgeon 5 weeks after operation, he told me two more weeks and since then I could sleep on my side again.

I am sorry to hear about your pain. We all react differently to pain killers. You can always ask the nurses to adjust it. In my own case, I tend to have adverse reactions to opoid type pain medication (think vomitting and hallucinations). But if you are still in pain, this is one of the few moments in life where you should feel entitled to better pain control.

Best of luck with your recovery. It will hopefully progressively get easier from here.

 

[carolinemc]

Can we talk post
Surgery? I am still in a lot of pain. I can’t find a comfortable place to sleep. I’m so tired and bordering on depressed. I pray daily and have a areknf faith hit this journey ain’t easy. What was your post surgery like? I feel
I could find comfort in how others handled things or just plain got through it!!

P.s. we are AlmostTo a new year 2023! Praise God! Im
Grateful that He saved my life a couple of times and I’m here to see my baby girl!!

Did you get a heart pillow before you left the hospital, it might help. And a recliner helps also. It takes a year for the muscles to heal completely from the trauma of surgical incision. Just do not pull yourself up yet and do short walks to feel better. Keep leaning on the Lord, for the healing has been ongoing since surgery. It takes time and patience for the healing to complete. Good luck and try ways to relax.

 

[oo0My_Valve0oo]

It was a few weeks that I had to prop myself up with pillows then suddenly I could move into position more of a recline and it felt so good I instantly fell asleep. I woke up feeling so much better from long needed quality rest. Rest is underrated. You think it is obvious but the result of just one good day was so significant I felt I could see light at the end if the tunnel. Pain though was just the discomfort in certain positions, not constant from the procedure. I wanted narcotics to help me rest and help with the slight depression but that was a no after the few they prescribed upon release from the hospital. I got all the heart pillow offered before release from hospital, in fact I dud not use it at all it was a token. I had a sternum brace and a strap thingy. Once I left hispital I never needed the strap thingy either.

 

[carolinemc]

It was a few weeks that I had to prop myself up with pillows then suddenly I could move into position more of a recline and it felt so good I instantly fell asleep. I woke up feeling so much better from long needed quality rest. Rest is underrated. You think it is obvious but the result of just one good day was so significant I felt I could see light at the end if the tunnel. Pain though was just the discomfort in certain positions, not constant from the procedure. I wanted narcotics to help me rest and help with the slight depression but that was a no after the few they prescribed upon release from the hospital.

They will not give you narcotics for pain. Just the usual Tylenol, which I use extra-strength Tylenol for pain. So sorry you are hurting. Have you talked with your cardio about the sternum pain? Might want to, might help.

 

[Timmay]

I slept on my back propped up SUBSTANTIALLY for several weeks. I’m talking in bed at like at 45d angle using like 3-4 bed pillows. It’s the only thing that worked for me. Plus that made it easier for me to get out of bed.

I’m 7 months since surgery and I’m confident I won’t ever sleep on my left side again. I don’t view this as a problem, just a fleeting annoyance. My right side is fine. My back is fine (although I do like more “propping” of my head since pre-surgery days).

For my left side, the mech valve ticking reverberates through my body and produces a ting ting ting ting in my chest, throat, and mouth. Lol. It also produces a weird chest anxious feeling that I can’t pinpoint. Maybe compression of “stuff”? My right side is fine-ish.

 

[Timmay]

They will not give you narcotics for pain. Just the usual Tylenol, which I use extra-strength Tylenol for pain. So sorry you are hurting. Have you talked with your cardio about the sternum pain? Might want to, might help.

They sent me home with Tramadol which is an opioid. So - I guess it depends on the hospital. That said - I didn’t take ANY pain killers since 2 days post op. That includes Tylenol. I didn’t really need it.

 

[preciosa1974]

Did you get a heart pillow before you left the hospital, it might help. And a recliner helps also. It takes a year for the muscles to heal completely from the trauma of surgical incision. Just do not pull yourself up yet and do short walks to feel better. Keep leaning on the Lord, for the healing has been ongoing since surgery. It takes time and patience for the healing to complete. Good luck and try ways to relax.

Yes I have my pillow and use it to cough. I am finding my butt hurts when I sit too long in one position and becomes very uncomfortable. And you are right, God has been so very good to me and I have been healing since surgery. Thank you my friend!

 

[preciosa1974]

They sent me home with Tramadol which is an opioid. So - I guess it depends on the hospital. That said - I didn’t take ANY pain killers since 2 days post op. That includes Tylenol. I didn’t really need it.

yes I do have Norco, but I try not to take much, but if I need it I need it! I am also a bustier woman which doesn’t help. I have a lot of nerve pain when I move around so hoping with just a few
More days it gets better. Maybe im
Just being whiny!

 

[preciosa1974]

I slept on my back propped up SUBSTANTIALLY for several weeks. I’m talking in bed at like at 45d angle using like 3-4 bed pillows. It’s the only thing that worked for me. Plus that made it easier for me to get out of bed.

I’m 7 months since surgery and I’m confident I won’t ever sleep on my left side again. I don’t view this as a problem, just a fleeting annoyance. My right side is fine. My back is fine (although I do like more “propping” of my head since pre-surgery days).

For my left side, the mech valve ticking reverberates through my body and produces a ting ting ting ting in my chest, throat, and mouth. Lol. It also produces a weird chest anxious feeling that I can’t pinpoint. Maybe compression of “stuff”? My right side is fine-ish.

I understand what you’re saying! I sometimes feel the weird anxious ting ting ting feeling and I just
Keep reminding myself it’s normally especially as everything begins to work normally. I’m grateful my heart rate
Is in the 70’s but sometimes it still
Feel weird. I slept About an hour propped in bed and then just moved
To different recliners in the house.

 

[preciosa1974]

It was a few weeks that I had to prop myself up with pillows then suddenly I could move into position more of a recline and it felt so good I instantly fell asleep. I woke up feeling so much better from long needed quality rest. Rest is underrated. You think it is obvious but the result of just one good day was so significant I felt I could see light at the end if the tunnel. Pain though was just the discomfort in certain positions, not constant from the procedure. I wanted narcotics to help me rest and help with the slight depression but that was a no after the few they prescribed upon release from the hospital. I got all the heart pillow offered before release from hospital, in fact I dud not use it at all it was a token. I had a sternum brace and a strap thingy. Once I left hispital I never needed the strap thingy either.

Oh my goodness that’s what I said! Just give me 4 hours of straight sleep!!

 

[Superman]

They sent me home with Tramadol which is an opioid. So - I guess it depends on the hospital. That said - I didn’t take ANY pain killers since 2 days post op. That includes Tylenol. I didn’t really need it.

I was also sent home with Tramadol and Vicodin. Vicodin didn’t do it for me though. Made me feel like I was going to pass out. Used Tramadol for a couple days maybe. Ended up throwing most of it out. But I didn’t have to ask for either. It’s just what they sent me home with.

 

[Chuck C]

Hang in there! You are still in the difficult part and it will get easier every week.

I remember being told on this forum to expect to have difficulty sleeping for a few months following surgery. It turned out to be accurate.

I spent a lot of time walking and when I was not walking, I was often relaxing in my recliner. The recliner was a life saver for me. I was also very furtunate to have a sleep number bed with an adjustable frame like a hospital bed. I put the mattress on a very soft setting and found the perfect incline and was comfortable. If I did not have the sleep number bed, I believe I would have slept every night in the recliner, at least for a few weeks.

Although I was able to get comfortable, it was not easy to sleep. I have always slept on my side and have difficulty sleeping on my back. I don't recall how long it was before I was getting a full night's sleep consistently, but it was awhile. The pain killers helped. I tried not to take much during the day, and mostly take them at night before going to bed, for about a week after release from the hospital. I was given 3 types of oral narcotics. Low dose tramadol, norcos and another one which was a little stronger than the norcos. I didn't care for the stronger ones. I found that taking one of the low dose tramadols and one narco took the edge off the pain enough to get some sleep. If I was lucky I would get a few hours sleep before waking up and it could take awhile to fall back to sleep again. I often woke up several times during the night. If I had to guess, I would estimate that I was getting 4 to 5 hours sleep/night during the first week out of the hospital, and it gradually went up from there.

Once I was able to sleep on my side again, it was a game changer. I don't remember exactly when that was, maybe about 5 or 6 weeks out.

 

[preciosa1974]

Hang in there! You are still in the difficult part and it will get easier every week.

I remember being told on this forum to expect to have difficulty sleeping for a few months following surgery. It turned out to be accurate.

I spent a lot of time walking and when I was not walking, I was often relaxing in my recliner. The recliner was a life saver for me. I was also very furtunate to have a sleep number bed with an adjustable frame like a hospital bed. I put the mattress on a very soft setting and found the perfect incline and was comfortable. If I did not have the sleep number bed, I believe I would have slept every night in the recliner, at least for a few weeks.

Although I was able to get comfortable, it was not easy to sleep. I have always slept on my side and have difficulty sleeping on my back. I don't recall how long it was before I was getting a full night's sleep consistently, but it was awhile. The pain killers helped. I tried not to take much during the day, and mostly take them at night before going to bed, for about a week after release from the hospital. I was given 3 types of oral narcotics. Low dose tramadol, norcos and another one which was a little stronger than the norcos. I didn't care for the stronger ones. I found that taking one of the low dose tramadols and one narco took the edge off the pain enough to get some sleep. If I was lucky I would get a few hours sleep before waking up and it could take awhile to fall back to sleep again. I often woke up several times during the night. If I had to guess, I would estimate that I was getting 4 to 5 hours sleep/night during the first week out of the hospital, and it gradually went up from there.

Once I was able to sleep on my side again, it was a game changer. I don't remember exactly when that was, maybe about 5 or 6 weeks out.

Thank you for sharing!! I’m at about maybe 2 hours total of sleep. Possible 3. Hoping tonight is better. Sleep number bed sounds like heaven!! i

 

[pellicle]

And just a thought, I believe God uses medical, sconce and technology to save lives.

just a thought in reply to this. I can't believe that for two reasons:

1. religion has spent so long denying and fighting against science
2. God is supposed to be omniscient and powerful, so why do lovely little children get incurable brain cancers (I spent a little time yesterday with a parent (the father) of just such a case.

My view is people believe what they want to believe, but my own beliefs are based in "minimal distortion of reality". Its my experience that the view "God is using people" to effect his will robs the people of agency and reduces their own efforts and diligence in education in the mind of the person saying that. They (I) worked long and hard to get the skills they have.

I hope you have a smooth and event free recovery.

Best Wishes

 

[preciosa1974]

just a thought in reply to this. I can't believe that for two reasons:

1. religion has spent so long denying and fighting against science
2. God is supposed to be omniscient and powerful, so why do lovely little children get incurable brain cancers (I spent a little time yesterday with a parent (the father) of just such a case.

My view is people believe what they want to believe, but my own beliefs are based in "minimal distortion of reality". Its my experience that the view "God is using people" to effect his will robs the people of agency and reduces their own efforts and diligence in education in the mind of the person saying that. They (I) worked long and hard to get the skills they have.

I hope you have a smooth and event free recovery.

Best Wishes

I never argue my faith and no one will ever sway me. But that’s ok friend. You do you! I trust God with all of my heart in the good and in the bad!!