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Friends, I am facing bypass surgery. Can you please tell me how quality of your life is better now after the surgery and recovery? What activities do you do now that were impossible or difficult before surgery? Specifics would be much appreciated. Thanks much. Joe
Surgery Pain Heart attack Heartburn Bypass surgery Depression
Please check out my blog at myheartbypass.blogspot.com
Bypass is a huge operation that will take a while to get over, but it can be a total life changer. The absolute key is to take full advantage of a cardiac rehab program if it is offered to you. This will get you exercising under medical supervision. It is also important to stay active and change the way you eat if that was a problem in the past. Everyone is different. I was 46 when I had mine. Today I am 50 and feel like a new person, but it took a while to get there. There is really nothing physical that I feel I can't do because I had heart surgery. Some people think that the transformation will be overnight. It will take some time and many patients will go through a period of depression, but that will pass, and if it happens make sure your doctor knows. He or she can help. Please let me know of anything that I can do. I would be glad to correspond further by email.
I am 51 years old. My heart attack was 3 months after my 50th birthday, and bypass surgery 2 days after that!! Talk about your shocks! But now, 1 year 3 months after my surgery, I can say that I can now do just about anything I want to do. Hike, bike, walk, whatever. However, I didn't really notice a problem BEFORE my surgery. About 3 or 4 weeks before my surgery I walked 10 miles and felt fine. Now that I look back on it, maybe I was a little more tired than I usually was after a 10-mile walk, but I can't say that for certain. That's why the heart attack was a complete shock to me. I had no warning symptoms, no shortness of breath, no overwhelming tiredness, no pain (until the night of the heart attack itself), nothing! The night before my heart attack, I was running up and down flights of stairs for exercise......go figure. Strange.
But now, I think I actually have more stamina than I did before the surgery, so maybe there were some gradual symptoms that I just didn't notice. But Bookman58 mentioned, it will take some time before you're feeling like yourself again. Yes, there may be some depression. There will definitely be some uncomfortable days. I had dull pain in my chest from the surgery for quite a few months (I had some postoperative complications of inflammation, so that might not happen to you). But, the good news is that time does heal -- it heals the emotional aspects of this surgery, as well as the physical.
I wish you well. I am also available to email with you if you need it. Or just come here to the message board once your surgery is over and ask questions!! The more information you have, the more you'll know that what you're going through is probably a normal process of healing..........
Blessings,
Dana
I had my bypass on December 18, 2008. I was back to work in 3 weeks (part time for the first 2 weeks) and feeling good. But when March rolled around I felt like everything hit and I had just had the surgery. Aches, especially the ribs, and what appeared to be heartburn. My cardiologist and my GP don't appear concerned so I am curious...have others experience this? I feel like the marithon runner who has hit the wall and would like to know this is not unexpected.
Hi I had a triple bypass surgery on Sept 18,2004,
One good thing about bypass is you will be able to breathe better, and you will feel alot better.
my enegry level is on the low side however.
but you will feel like running a marathon at first. but slow down it takes time to heal and make sure you do everything the dr tells you and get into cardio rehab, good information, and alot of help.
Barb A
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