What helped you postop after OHS

aundy
  • By aundy · October 25, 2012 at 10:49 pm · 22 replies
  • In Advice for other women with heart disease
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I was wondering what sort of things that helped others after having heart surgery and how long its been? I need all the advice/tips I can get and maybe we could help each other during our recovery so here is mine:
3 weeks 1 day post op
My heart shaped pillow; I carry everywhere
Shower seat; way to tired at the beginning to stand to long; also helped with shaving legs.lol
Pick up/reach claw
stretchable bras that fasten in front
not trying to sound gross but suppositories; which hazel and sitz bath
I know there's much more but thought maybe would start with a few and hopefully get some ideas from others being this is going to be a long journey.
Thanks!

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22 replies   

junebug50 (Inactive)
  • By junebug50 (Inactive)
  • Reply 3490156
  • October 25, 2012 at 11:46 pm
  • Report post

my pain pills! chuckle. Using hand towels I could not lift a regular towel.

MargaretMCI5

My wonderful husband who looked after me from the get go. I don't know what I would have done without him.

Insulated drink container with screw lid and hole for a straw. I had little or no appetite for weeks, so this was handy to put a healthy smoothie in that I could sip when I felt like it.

Stretchy sports bras - one size too big. Buy several, you'll need them to sleep in as well.

Shower chair, body wash and pouf - was easier than bar soap. The gorgeous fragrance is a bonus.

Those pill containers that hold a weeks worth of pills separated into days, then am & pm.

My iPad! The Inspire site!

shamrock7

Stool softners twice a day while I was on pain meds. I used colace and it never allowed me to become constipated. Colace doesn't make you go it just makes it easier for you to go. You might want
to talk with you doc about it Aundy, because suppositores are treating your problem from the bottom up and and not
softening the stool. Colace is working it from the top down. Sorry to be so graphic but it is such an important topic. I also got myself into a daily routine which of course I did in stages. I would get up eat small breakfast and rest about 1/2 hour. Then I would take my shower daily and wash and dry my hair two days a week. Of course I did this all in stages with rest periods in between. I kept a chair in my bathroom so I could sit down in front of my two vanity sinks and rest my right elbow on the edge of the sink to dry my hair without raising my right arm to high. I also kept my hair short so I could dry it quickly. All of this made me feel better about myself and gave me a feeling of independence.
I sat in my livingroom and had a table near me with all of the things I needed too Aundy. Like a bottle of water, telephone, computer, meds, and my Pillow to squeeze for coughing and sneezing. Those sneezes can be doozies can't they? I also had my incentive spirometer handy and continued to use it daily to keep my lungs well aerated and clear. It has now been 15 months for me and I can honestly say it took me about a full year to physically recover because I ran into a few problems here and there requiring further hospitalizations for atrial flutter and graft failure (which required me to get a stent) but I feel great today.
I bought a treadmill so I can exercise on it about five days a week and I am trying to eat more fruits and vegetables to help lower my cholesterol and triglycerides. All and all it has been quite a journey, one that would have been more difficult for me if it wasn't for the great people on this site. Shamrock

itseybit

I had a aortic aneurysm surgery in 08, I had the aorta replaced,when they went to do surgery I had blew a blood clot that attached to lung something my doctor had never seen. I died in surgery but Thank God I came back so I had been though alot but when I came home I thought after a few weeks I should be in high gear (wrong) I called doctors office and told it could be over a year before I was back well I must tell you if ya'll listen to your body it will let you know when you have to quit or slow down. I wish ya'll a blessed day .

itseybit

Don't let anything or anyone upset you,I don't do stress!!! Prayers are much better!!!

katie_colorado

I'm 17 days out from aorta w/proximal arch replacement. The week after I get a cold (i think thats what it is) that settles in my chest. I had xray showed some infection. Ive also having some irrregular heart beats that go all the way thru my back, like my heart is flopping around back there. But all the things mentioned, I agree has helped.

aundy

Dr has me on colace but the pain pills still give my system problems and then causes other problems if you know what I mean. Ughhhh! that part was getting better until Ive had to start back on 2nd pain pill.
Another thing that's helped is using my moms kindle; keeps my mind occupied and laptop to heavy.
Thanks; every little bit helps.

Ponygirl

Hi there: First and foremost--you need to keep walking every day--even when you do not want to or feel like you are dragging. If you can only shuffle along slowly at first for 10 minutes at a time, but do it 3 or 4 times a day and increase if you have a stronger day. This is what gets things moving along in your body--mainly your circulatory system and also gets the blood pumping up thru your legs. Also, when you are under anesthesia, your lungs actually "forget" how to work properly, so you need to use the blowing device with the balls that they gave you on discharge from the hospital to get them "working" again and get rid of the fluid that will build up and cause problems. Those two items are the most important in getting back to "normal." You need to balance this with rest. The healing process takes at least a year and when you ask about recovery time b/f the surgery the standard answer is always 6-8 weeks--NOT!! OHS is an enormous ordeal and knocks the stuffing out of you, but you need to be stubborn and just keep putting one foot in front of the other and walk-walk-walk (no lifting of any kind). That will strengthen both the heart and body. That and jigsaw puzzles. Please take care--it will get better--but slowly. Hugs!! --PG

dk40

Button or zip up shirts so you don't have to lift your arms up over your head... dry shampoo for the first few days. Lots of tissues too! I became a little overwhelmed at times. Don't plan on reading too much, I had all these great books I was going to read but the meds kept me from focusing on things. Movies are better. Also, give your family/friends a schedule for calls.. if I was sleeping and didn't answer, my mother would be worried! And you need your sleep/rest. Touch base with close loved ones before a nap so you can turn your phone off and get the rest your body will need. :)
And lastly, have faith.. faith that a few months from now you will be able to do everything and maybe more with a new and improved ticker! The first few weeks are the toughest! Hang in there!!! God bless!

Bailey29

Totally agree with Pony Girl - walking and using the blowing device were the 2 most important things my cardiologist told me to do. I'll never forget my first walk outside with my husband on one side and my daughter on the other. I felt like I was walking a marathon - just to get to the end of my street was an extreme effort. But each day would get easier and easier. And yes, it will take you a year before you finally feel yourself. Our bodies are amazing when it comes to healing - however, you have to be patient and give yourself time. Just take it one day at a time - if you're tired "take a nap" - don't push your body if its not ready.
Good Luck and remember to walk a little each day and use blowing device to get your lungs back to working again.
your heart friend,
Marlene

itseybit

Marlene:
Good advice. I had the surgery in 08 and my grandson was counting as I used lung deal and I wasn't up to par so he would change # so I would end up doing many more then I thought. He thought it was funny but it did me good. It's been over 4 years but I still have to rest I'm a workaholic on my place but my body lets me know whae I have done enough and need to rest. Debbie

KimFaith

Ahhhhhhh! Almost 4 weeks post op and my days are good and bad. One thing I find frustrating, is if I have a "good day" my family thinks that I'm better. That is true but every good day is usually followed by a bad day! They do not understand.
My biggest issue right now is my incision. I can not seem to get it to heal properly. It is still draining yucky stuff, and hurts like a bitch. I'm on my second week of horse size antibiotics, and it still does not seem to be getting better. Anyone else have these issues?
Kim

Bailey29

Kim,
What you are going through with your "good days and bad days" is extremely common. I had my surgery Jan. 2011 and I still get a "bad day" occasionally. You should talk to your family about this and let them know that your body went through extreme trauma & is healing slowly and it will take up to a year before you truly feel like yourself again.
As for your incision - I did not have this problem, but suggest that you call your surgeon and let him/her know what's going on & see if they want to change your antibiotic. Good Luck and stay stronge - be patient with yourself and give your body time to heal.
Marlene

itseybit
  • By itseybit
  • Reply 3497432 · In reply to 3495823 by KimFaith
  • October 28, 2012 at 8:51 pm
  • Report post

KimFaith you are going to have good and bad days,I had my surgery 08 and I still have times when I over do and my body lets me know. Now you may not have this later I may be older then you and that may have something to do with it. May I ask is your middle name Faith? Mine is Faith also. Just remember your not alone there are alot of us out here if you just need to vent.

KimFaith
  • By KimFaith
  • Reply 3497558 · In reply to 3497432 by itseybit
  • October 28, 2012 at 9:46 pm
  • Report post

Yes Itsybits Faith is my middle name! It has helped me through many a rough road! Nice to meet you!
Kim

Hettie

Hi Aundy,

Most of the things others have written helped me too.
I am 3 months out from OHS, .....not a picnic is it?
I agree, the Drs say 8 week recovery, what a load of...
My most helpful things were,
hand towels to dry with,
pain meds
pain meds
pain meds
patience
perseverance
hehehehe
Not expecting too much of yourself.
Inspire
Inspire!!!!!!!
The biggest help are the wonderful
people on here that listen to all the
moaning, and groaning without judging
and with absolute understanding.


Funny, now that it is 3 months, my
family think my heart has been mended
and i should be back on top. And i am
getting better all the time, but still not
100% I am frustrated by how sore i still
get especially when i do too much. And
surprised by how emotional this brutal
surgery has made me. I am thankful to
be alive, but sad at the same time, that i
am still struggling to get back to being me.

Sneezing is a nasty experience...still :-)

Best of luck Aundy,

Hettie

Dgrant

It will be 5 years for me in December since that dreadful CABG surgery!!

I couldn't wear a regular bra for a few months, so I actually bought one of those Spanx kind of undergarment -- except I bought it in a size 2X or something ridiculously large. That way, it did give me a little support, but it was not binding like a girdle or anything. It just gave me enough support that I could go out in public and not feel like I didn't have a bra on!! I couldn't wear the front-fastener bras because my incision got irritated when I did. So I did the Spanx thing (only it was an off-brand -- cheap as I could find, because I would have normally worn a MEDIUM, not a 2x).

Family support. When I had my heart attack, we were in the middle of redecorating our family room. So, we had the old furniture AND the new furniture int he room at the time. So, the new sectional was on one side, and the old comfy couch was on the other, making a U-shape. For the first SIX weeks post-op, my husband slept on one side of the sectional, my daughter slept on the other side of the sectional, and I slept on the old comfy couch.....needless to say our redecorating was put on hold. So, for the first 6 weeks, all I had to do was whimper, and someone was asking me what they could do for me!!! ha ha Believe me, they didn't wait on me hand and foot, but they were there for me to kind of make me work a little bit on my own to do things -- it really did help -- and having them there was encouraging to me. So I recommend FAMILY!!

CARDIAC REHAB -- That was the VERY BEST thing I could have done for myself. First of all, they assured me that I was not the only woman to ever have CABG and break down into tears at any given moment. I thought I was going crazy for a while. But once I found out it was NORMAL to have emotional meltdowns after CABG surgery, amazingly I did not melt down so often!! Plus, exercising with a crash cart in the corner was somehow oddly reassuring......LOL I strongly advise cardiac rehab as soon as your doc releases you to do it -- and if he doesn't recommend cardiac rehab, CHANGE DOCTORS!! It's the BEST thing you can do for yourself after CABG surgery.

Oh, and what everyone else said -- PAIN PILLS. LOL I changed cardiologists shortly after my surgery, because 2 weeks after surgery, I went to his office for the planned followup. He asked me how I was doing. I told him I was doing great, and that I was down to 1 Percocet at night.....HE EXCLAIMED "WHAT??? I have women who are much older than you are who are off all pain medications by the time they leave the hospital!!" I replied "good for them!! I'm not one of them!" --- not to mention I had an infection in my incision, for Pete's sake. SOOO, don't overdo the pain meds, but don't go off of them until you're ready!! keeping pain at bay aids in your healing process. So,if you need a pain pill, TAKE A PAIN PILL!!

And never forget your heart-shaped pillow.

Eat a balanced diet.

Keep your meds in one of those weekly pill organizers. I screwed up and took my evening medications twice one night shortly after my surgery. I started to panic, and I called the pharmacist. Of course, my dosages were low enough that it would not hurt me, but you never know about these things......the very next day I purchased one of those organizers. No more panic. LOL

Most of all, try to keep a positive attitude. It will also help with healing. And walk, walk, walk, walk, walk. As much as you can. I started walking the day I got home from the hospital (Christmas eve). Just up and down my street (I live in the desert, so it was warm). By 2 weeks I was up to a mile. Stayed at a mile for a while.......then cardiac rehab started, and I was ready to go!! I feel very blessed that I had a pretty quick recovery health wise -- emotionally was not so quick, but I did eventually heal emotionally, as well.

Blessings as you go through this journey. It's not fun, but it can be done.

Dana in AZ

jbt0413

Good and bad days ahead but keep walking and pushing forward little by little each day. Stay positive knowing you have us all behind you for support. What helped me through is some easy access to snacks and fresh fruit to keep you healthy and give your body energy. Someone brought over a mix of cheerios's, dried cranberries, slivered almonds, and honey roasted peanuts all mixed up in a snack container. Easy to get down on yourself when you feel tired and out of breath from just getting up and trying to get ready for the day. Do your hair each day and wash your face to freshen up. Take baby steps... you will get there - just like the rest of us!

Best of luck in your recovery and may you have healthy days ahead.

Bertsnffy

I hope I can remember everything! First of all, I could not have done this without my husband and family. That being said, I needed help for EVERYTHING and finally learned it was ok to receive it. I wasn't used to being on the receiving end...
My surgery was emergent, Feb 2012.
Exercise was very helpful. I did twice/day walking, starting with 3.5 minutes that exhausted me but my hubby made me do it (or I would not have) and we added 1 minute each day. Cardiac rehab was very important but I didn't start that until about 5-6 weeks after my surgery. I now swim about twice/week doing laps for 30 min and walk 3-4 times/week for an hour.
The spirometer was helpful too (I am a nurse, knew it was important but HATED it). I think I used that 3-4 times/day.
Lots and lots of water to drink (my hubby again).
We cut a mock turtleneck shirt down the front. I wore that and button down-the-front pj's for quite awhile. I didn't even wear a bra for I don't know how many weeks. And used the bear (heart pillow) when I walked. I could not raise my arms for quite awhile.
I didn't feel like eating for the first few weeks, nothing tasted good and it just took too much energy. I think that's why I was supposed to eat anything that first month before starting my heart-healthy diet. I've read that is common. People brought food every few days which was very helpful for my family.
I definitely took my pain meds the first week or so, then going to tylenol and just the stronger ones at night to sleep. And I slept in a single bed my kids put next to our double bed so I could be alone but not alone. I used many pillows, almost in a sitting position and gradually lowered myself as the days went on...
And then I discovered this website, found out I was not alone and it REALLY helped me!!!
Hope this helps! Deb

ca0371

I couldn't have done it without my protective husband. My surgery was emergent following a traumatic event 16 months ago. I found out who cared the most & am eternally grateful for their support.

Pillows & pain meds! I still use extra pillows. We have a phone with a do-not-disturbe feature. When It was nap time, the phone was shut off. I would still get the messages but the ringing wouldn't disturbe me.

My dog. She was so good about keeping me company & sane.

My Therapist. Talking about my emotions & feelings has been extremely helpful. OHS is a traumatic event, planned or not.

I went bra-less for months. Recently found out that was a bad thing to do. However, I found a bra that is comfortable & doesn't irritate the incision. I also found out that my bra size changed! So, buying the right size helped too. ;)

My surgery was in late spring. Sitting outside in the shade was very comforting.

I'm sure i'm forgeting something... <3

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