The best time of year for surgery

[plsflgood]

I think it is recognized that a flu season is not the best time to have AVR, because flu could easily become life-threatening if caught shortly after the surgery. Is the same true for hot summer months, when some stomach bug could be more likely ? We live in Northern California, where summers are pretty hot.

 

[Jeff Edmonton]

I had my surgery in February, it was -40 when I left the hospital. Everyone was sick around me and I dodge all of it by staring them down. I was worried silly that I would get sick. Coughing and sneezing are 2 things that will hurt a lot.
I was more worried about getting sick in the hospital then I was at home where I could isolate myself.

Personally, no matter where you live, I think it is luck of the draw when you go for surgery as to catching a bug. The time of year makes no difference. The room beside me in the CVICU was quarantined, everyone going in had to be suited up. Ironically, they TV remotes were shared between rooms and they would put them in ziplock bags to prevent infections from spreading.

 

[Mom2izzy]

IMO the best time of year is any time where you have a couple months of good weather coming up. Walking is key to recovery and I really think that walking outside, breathing the fresh air is the best.

I did ask my GP about cold/flu prevention since my surgery was in February in Michigan. His advice was to wash and/or sanitize hands frequently and refrain from touching your face (mouth, nose, eyes).

 

[TheGymGuy]

I, personally, wanted to recover during time when the weather allows me for maximal walking outside. This, in reality, could be any time of the year with proper clothing, however, to me it was the spring.
I calculated 8 weeks for recovery and figured that so long as my 8 weeks should end by June and start in march we should be ok. I think, overall, spring cheers me up, so I chose my date based on weather

 

[Duffey]

Another item to consider: new internships generally start in July so if you're at a large teaching hospital, late spring might be better than mid-summer.

 

[selma]

I chose my date based on weather, too. I live in the northeast and though we've had a really mild winter, I wanted to do my walking rehab in nice, spring weather. My favorite time of year is the period of the last two weeks in May and the first two weeks in June, so I scheduled for May 11th.

 

[Bean Counter]

I had my surgery late June. Part of this was due to the "July effect" of new residents coming in, the other part was it worked with my work schedule. The big benefit was the weather. I was able to get outside for my daily walk(s) in shorts and short-sleeves. Of course, some days it was too hot/ humid and had to resort to the treadmill at the gym. I worked with a guy that had is valve replaced in January and said it was miserable going for outdoor walks in the middle of winter....he also said it really made his recovery that much more difficult as he felt trapped in the house all day.

 

[JeffF]

From an insurance standpoint having your surgery in Jan or earlier in the year would be ideal. I had mine in December and hit my deductible and max out-of-pocket only for it to be reset 3 weeks later. Everyone's insurance is different so take it with a grain of salt.

 

[yotphix]

I also chose a spring date for my surgery, there were other factors but the main one was weather. I wanted to have great weather (I prefer warm to cold) for my walks, and especially for my early walks. If it is really, really hot in July August where you are, you might want to do it in April/May if possible so that by July/August you're further along. Many people also walk in malls in more extreme climates, and many malls open their doors early as a public service to facilitate that.

 

[Bryan B]

Where I live I would prefer spring (March or April) or fall (October or November) as these are the most temperate months in my location. March and November can be a little chilly here at times but I would prefer that to the heat and humidity we can have in late May or early September. For my first surgery I was able to schedule the time and chose mid March. For the second surgery I was waiting for financial assistance and as soon as it was secured my surgeon had me on the schedule for 2 weeks later due to the size of my aneursym. It was at the point that he was going to do surgery as an emergent situation but the financial assistance happened to come through just in time. But I agree with the others that if you have the luxury of picking a date I would pick a time that it would be most comfortable to do a lot of outdoor walking as it is a very important part of the recovery process.

As for the flu, I wasn't around many people for the first month or two anyway. Just make sure to get your flu shot in advance of flu season and take the proper precautions to decrease your chances of contracting the flu.

 

[DanielB]

I was lucky and able to pick my time of year for my surgery. Weather and best time to be off work were two biggest factors for me. I also did not want to be recovering during really hot weather, so I chose the fall. Still really nice, but not too hot for walking after surgery. That part seems to have worked out well.

 

[JeffF]

Another thing that you might want to consider is seasonal allergies. I suffer from spring allergies and sneeze a lot. If I had my sneezing fits closer to my surgery date I would have been in trouble.

 

[hetmarie]

I chose spring (March) as well. I wanted good weather for walking outside (although it seemed to rain A LOT that year) and I also wanted to do it earlier in the year so that I would hit my out of pocket maximum with insurance and have everything covered for the rest of the year. I also took into account the way my disability at work was paid out and when I could afford to do it. As for illnesses, people were kind enough to stay away if they were sick. I really wasn't around anyone often and I made sure to wash my hands often. We can only prepare for so much. The rest you have to give over and hope everything turns out great.

 

[malibu82]

i made sure to have it in a month where it wasnt too hot, but nice enough to be able to walk outside to recover and for fresh air. i didnt want to feel cooped up in the house and get depressed!!!

i got the cold/flu 3 weeks after surgery. it was TERRIBLEEEEEE!!! make sure you get a flu shot!

 

[Boston Tiger]

I selected June for my surgery, but that was mainly because I had things scheduled from the end of February (when surgery was first recommended) out until the end of May. I didn't really think about the weather for the recovery, so I came home on a week when it was hot and humid outside. I got chewed out by the visiting nurse one day when she caught me coming back from a walk around the block rather than heading over to the air conditioned mall for a walk, but that just taught me to be a little more careful in the timing of my walks. The best thing about the timing for me was that the crop of strawberries in the back yard was ripe when I came home, and I got to eat as many fresh strawberries as I wanted, which was wonderful after five days of hospital food.

 

[Mentu]

I had no choice about season but my AVR on the autumnal equinox (22 September) proved to be a wonderful time. The heat of the summer had passed and the days were clear and cool which made walking outside a nice experience. Strangely, I have had pollen allergies in the past but for two years following my AVR they disappeared completely. This spring, those allergies have returned but they are not as bad as they have been in the past. My doctor and cardiologist have no idea why this should be other than surgery disrupts a lot of the body's systems sort of like an earthquake and the after effects can be with you for a long time just as aftershocks follow a strong jolt. I, personnally, would go for spring or autumn unless you live in California or Florida when the winter might also be an excellent choice. Like many others, I found I was somewhat sensitive to overheating for awhile after surgery.

Larry

 

[Guest]

My 2003 surgery was done in the first week of January, so I was able to be active by spring.

My 2011 surgery was done the first week of November, so I could enjoy the Holidays, too.



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[Gail in Ca]

I've never had a choice for any of my surgeries! The 1st was in March, very rainy. I had no other illnesses and recovered well. Second was the end of June, I did well until Nov, and caught a bed cold with a terrible cough. It caused my ribs to become inflamed and they hurt so badly when I had to cough. Third surgery was in Feb, and I did well again until a few months later when I got that bad rib inflamation again. It took a month to calm down.
I don't think the weather in norcal really has any bearing on how well you do after surgery. I think it's better to have surgery in Feb-March, and then you are recovered for summer!

 

[plsflgood]

It has been mentioned that new internships start in July. But are those interns leaving a few months later, or staying for long time ? It looks to me that an intern would still be an intern - be it July or January

 

[Luana]

Get a flu shot. I had surgery in November, never got the flu.