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Emotions after surgery

Kimberly40
0 Recommendations

Hello everyone, I am 41 and I had triple bypass surgery in November 2008. I am going through some emotional days; I will start crying for no reason. I have days that I hate looking at the scars that I have. I still have days that I am so tired I can barely work. I am a medical coder for a hospital but I work from home. I am on the computer all day and it is hard for me to just sit there all day. I am in cardiac rehab which helps some. I still have days that I wake up sore and my scar feels tender at times. I was so happy to find this support group. Can anyone offer me any advice on how to get past the emotions? I read where someone mentioned forgetting things; I went through that also. I think I in somewhat shock that this happened because it happened so quickly.
I welcome any advice and encouragement.
Thanks
Kim

Explore topics in this discussion:

Surgery Bypass surgery Citalopram Anxiety Muscle cramps Pain Memory Valium Depression Stress

19 replies

bookman58

Kinberly, I don't have time to write much right now, but will later. Things will get better, but it generally takes longer than any of us would like. You are among friends here. We have all been through it and want to help each other. Will write more later.

RC

Ef0168

Hi Kim

Glad to hear you made it through your surgery o.k. I went through the same things you are going thru. Almost 2 years later I still look at my scar(although it is barely visible) daily and I guess am kind of proud I had the guts to go thru with the surgery. The emotions come and go. It took me a good year to feel o.k. Remember you went thru a very traumatic event . An event most people never even dream of or have to experience. Sounds like your doing great and will recover at your own pace. Mine also happened quickly. No symptoms. So I guess we go into like a shock mode after it's over. Anyway let me know if you need any advise. We're all learning.

Ed

Kimberly40

Thank you so much!!
Today was a horrible day and seems like people that you work with don't understand or just don't care as long as you get the work done. I know it is not good for me to stress and they know it also but constantly tell me you can get everything done if you push yourself...wow it amazes me they encourage me to push myself lol.

Kimberly40

Ed,

I am glad to hear you say it took you almost a year to feel ok; I have to realize I am not superwoman :).
Thanks

joules

Hi Kim

I know it is so hard i am struggling to get my emotions under control.i had a double bypass 11 weeks ago.

I cant quite get my head around it.At 6 weeks my surgeon told me you are cured get on with your life forget what you have had done! if only.

I have like a muscle contaction on my left side of chest that comes and goes.and experience a discomfort in throat like a lump. Did you experience any of these things.

Kimberly40

I did experience the muscle contraction which I was told came from nerve damage on that side. I didn't quite have the lump in the throat feeling but I had episodes where I would have the hitch in my breathing like a child does when they cry and lot and make the noise like they have a catch in their breathing. Wow i can't believe your doctor told you that, mine didn't tell me to forget what I had done but accept it. I have gotten better. I took my first long trip riding in a car last week for vacation, we drove 12 hours and I was sore as I don't know what. I have gotten much better though with dealing with the surgery and the scars.

joules

Thanks for support re contractions its so nice to know other people have gone through it. you have done well to travel for 12 hours.That bio oil is very good for scaring have you tried it?

coming to terms with the surgery and the scares is hard for me to it was all such a shock to me and you are so young.
I am so anxious i hate going out and hate having friends round i have been put on citalopram yesterday they are anti depressants that help with anxiety. i am 12 weeks on and there seems no end to this nightmare.

Chin-up

Good Morning!
I was just reading your post and was SO HAPPY to hear you get the little kid crying-catch your breath thing! Not happy that you have it, but so happy to hear that SOMEONE is experiencing the same thing!! I had my triple bypass Jan 7,2009 and am 43yrs. I had not heard anyone else say they have experienced that before and I thought I was going crazy! THANK YOU!! I too look at my scars and have my down days, but we know what the alternative was.... I'll take the crumby scar. :0) I wish you well on your recovery!

Kimberly40

Hi Chin-up,
I am so glad to hear you say this also lol. The first time I experienced this I didn't know what was going on. It was such a weird experience. I understand what you are saying and I would rather have the scar too. I still have the soreness at times depending on how I sleep. I wish you well on your recovery also.
Kim

Kimberly40

Hi Joules,

Things will get better, it is a slow process but it gets better. I still have bad days but they aren't as bad as they use to be.
Kim

joules

Thanks Kim

I am so glad to hear that ,its lovely to speak to you.

yazz

Hi All,

It is comforting to read your posts as YES i have been going and still am going through it.....I get very tired...I cry for no reason but cant stop....I dont go out that much as prefer my own company at the moment...I keep forgetting things and feel fuzzy all the time.....By all accounts you do loose your memorey a bit if they used the heart bypass machine...How ever this should fade away.....I am on Cytalopam 40mg.....They are very good but be warned they have bad side effects for the first 2 weeks BUT stay with it.....I am also on Valium this week because i am having the same pain again going through all this ......I am so frustrated......I dont think the scar is too bad....It's part of me and saved my life.....I can't change it so i just deal with it all in my own way and at my own pace......Thats all any of us can do but be here to support each other.....I have no family but 3 very good friends so i am lucky.....

mAHENDER

It takes time to recover after by pass surgery. I had it 7 weeks before . The most important activity for you is to walk 30 minutes inthe morning and evening . Listen to some religious music . It will produce amazing results. Remain as calm as possible.

sunroom52

Yazz, I was looking at your picture and saw your scar, I look at mine sometimes and see it as a testament that I am, and so are you, still here and hanging in there. It is our link to everyone else that has been through this nightmare, it seems all of us are in our own very special fraternity(sorority), it is wonderful to have people like you to talk with and listen to....thanks, hang in there.

boogielu_23

I am 2 weeks 2 days from my bypass and I cry for no reason at all. I won't look in the mirror and when I shower its all I can do to get through it. I am afraid to touch the incision. Last night I had a really bad night..unable to sleep and all I could think about was that I had done something to injury myself..although I haven't it was still there in my mind. I'm really frustrated at this point because I can't get my dr to give me any more pain meds. From what I understand all these emotions are normal and we will get through this with God's help and together. Peace be with you.

pmob20

Everything that is being said on here is so true. The emotional roller coaster is not a pleasant ride but it will get easier to deal with. Today is six weeks past my surgery date and I found that some of the meds I was on effected my mental state. I too cried all the time. Like I've said before I cried when my wife made me egg salad because it tasted so good...LIfe will get better and everyone deals and gets better on their own time schedule.. Something to think about is talking to a professional about your concerns and fears. I know this site is very helpful but sometimes we have to talk to someone face to face. I have and it helps. You can't think that you're weak if you do this but I thnk you're strong because you're facing your problems head on and talking about them. The scar is a badge of honor that is giving you an extended life and you should be proud of it. Cleaning it in the shower and touching it will help you make peace with yourself and help you go on with life. This is a very tough road we're all traveling and with all the feed back hopefully some will help. Keep your chin up and keep looking at tomorrow, for it will be better...

BarbA

You are not alone, in how you feel, right after my surgery 41/2 years ago, I went through crying for no reason, I believe it all apart of healing especially when you did not expect this happening to you without warning, the scars will heal, the one thing we all have to remember is God has saved us and kept us on this earth for a reason, or at least in my case he did, and we all need to be thankful that we are still here with our loved ones, depression is a part of what is happening to you, and being tired is a part of the healing as well, my chest at first could predicit the weather I knew the weather was changing before the weather man did, and I still can tell to a point not as strong as before, take this one day at a time.
Barb

51bchan05

If they used your mammory artery...you can have pain in your left shoulder for at lease 6 months. I did.
Sorry. My surgery (CABGX3) was 4 year's ago. It is very tramatic when it happens fast. As for the scar...I am very proud to have it. If I didn't, I would be dead.

Barb

Kingston

What would we do if we didn't have this site? I get the lump in throat thing too and sometimes start to choke especially if I'm eating. Plain hot water helps. I got that advice from a nurse and it works!
No one told me about the mammary artery left shoulder pain until now. So That is why I get it! Thanks again!
I was told the six weeks thing too. I had my triple in November last year. I'm 68 and tried going back to work after six weeks. I had to take a pillow and blanket to work with me and shut my office door and lie down on the floor for an hour after every three at my desk. It was not pleasant. My doctor, like yours, had never had a by-pass and was just saying the things from the book that they all say.
Mt depression has taken the form of a feeling of impending death. I have not told anyone because my family can't go through this again so soon. I realised that it was a natural result of the surgery, and let's face it, there are other r easons in our lives to get depressed for too. I have found that Vitamin B12 tablets...not pills, but the kind you dissolve under your tongue, help enormously. Either that or B12 injections. With most of us, after a certain age, or trauma like surgery, the enzyme in the stomach that metabolizes B12 from food or pills doesn't work. So the under the tongue, or the injections work wonders. Most doctors who do surgery are not trained in things like vitamin deficiencies so they just don't know. Some psychiatrists do, as Vitamin B12 deficiency causes depression and memory loss among other things like muscle cramps. I learned from a Psychiatrist. My muscle cramps and depressions have lessened considerably in the ten days since I have been taking the B12 under my tongue.
Life isn't perfect,but the clouds are drifting away, and the sun is peeking through.
Diana Kingston

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