Hello all,
I am new to the group and have some questions and will try not to whine too much! I had my quintuple bypass about 8 and a half months ago and still don't feel well. I have pain with every breath where one of my drain tubes was, at least that is where I think one was. The pain has been the same since the surgery, just not as intense now. It is on my left side, in the back. I also have terrible digestion issues that I can't seem to resolve. Seems like nothing wants to move along, so to speak. I have tried everything that I can think of and that my doctors have advised.
I was depressed right after surgery and they put me on wellbutrin for a few months, that did pass and I feel angry at times that this is all happening, yet actually I just want to stop hurting and start going!
I do work out at the gym 3 times a week and they told me I have to do it 4 times. I have always worked out 3 times and can't seem to get that 4th one in.
Any helpful suggestions would be appreciated.
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Trying not to whine
- By lostinwoods
- Posted June 2, 2009 at 7:33 am · 5 replies
- In Life after heart bypass surgery
- Shared with the public
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5 replies
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- Newest first
- By bookman58
- Posted June 3, 2009 at 10:45 am
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Dear Lost:
Those of us who post here all feel like we have found a safe place to say whatever we need to say. I hope you already sense that you are not alone. I can certainly identify with feeling good before my surgery. I had some symptoms a month or so before surgery, but the day before I went to the hospital I had cut my grass and walked a couple of miles. I also had a long bout of pain in my chest. In my case it was the result of the removal of the mammory artery. I am four years post surgery and it was a good two years before I felt like my old self. Too many people who have not had this surgery want to make comments and they don't have a clue. As we get more people on this site we will get more responses to our questions. Glad you found us.
- By TripleCher
- Posted June 7, 2009 at 9:50 pm
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Hi lostinwoods,
I'm new too. Had triple bypass just this past April. I hope you do start to feel better. I'm not sure how long it takes to feel better. I feel great except when I lie down. I still have a lot of pressure in the chest area. And also the left side of breast is uncomfortable, probably where the internal mammary artery was.
How are your workouts at the gym going?
- By lostinwoods
- Posted June 7, 2009 at 10:19 pm
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Hey there TripleCher,
April of 2009 was your surgery and you feel good already? That is so great. My left chest area is still very tender on my breast. It finally feels great above my breast. I think that losing the mammary artery is a huge deal for us and my pain level seems to be going down weekly. I don't mean the amount of pain, I mean the area of pain is now just on my left breast and I think that will go away totally as the blood supply is returned to the breast.
My workouts are going great. I worked out before the heart surgery for years, though I never enjoyed doing aerobics and I still don't, but now I must do them. Last week was the first week I did not go to the gym 3 times since I started cardiac rehab. My son was married in Mexico 2 weeks ago and my doctors would not allow me to travel there, and next weekend is his reception here and I just have so much to do, I was unable to make it. This week I have scheduled 2 workouts only and that bothers me, yet I know that I will be back on track in another week.
I don't recall feeling pressure in my chest, I do recall feeling every heart beat and feeling like my heart was moving side to side when it beat after I laid down. I don't feel that anymore, now I take my pulse to make sure it is beating!
I am going to my cardiologist tomorrow because my heart rate is so slow that I think they need to lower my medication again. I think it takes a lot of time to regulate our meds, especially as we get healthier.
Thanks for the reply! I hope you continue to feel well.
- By Kimberly40
- Posted June 16, 2009 at 9:39 pm
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Hi TripleCher,
I will be 7 months post op triple bypass tomorrow. I still have the tenderness and needlestick feeling pain on the left side. I get the fluttering some times when I lie down also. I spoke to my cardiologist and he assured me that it was normal from the surgery. I will be so glad when I am back to normal. I enjoy this site and reading everyone post because it lets me know that I am not alone in how i feel at times. I still have exhausting days that I am falling asleep at my computer while working.
- By lostinwoods
- Posted June 16, 2009 at 10:00 pm
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Hi Kimberly,
Boy am I glad to hear that you have some of the same symptoms I have. I saw my cardio on Friday and after wearing a monitor, my heart is good. I do feel the occasional flutter and he also told me that is normal. My LDL is now 51 and my HDL is 58, I guess I am doing OK, though it wasn't high, to start with.
They did tell me that my white blood cells have been decreasing since the surgery, no clue why at this point. I keep wondering if it is one of the meds. Any one else have this problem?
Lori
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