Heart multiple bypass surgery

[Michael Weber]

For those that have had it, I'm curious about how you felt after all the recovery was over and you were getting on with your life. Not that I have a chose to refuse just hope it's all going to be worth it. Thanks,
Mike (anxious but not too scared) in Arkansas

[David G Baker]

Michael,
I wish you the best of luck and many happy and healthy years after your procedure.
A 70 year old neighbor of mine when I lived in California had multiple bypass surgery. After recovery he faithfully walked 10 miles every day. I helped him dig up a bunch of tree roots in his yard and I watched him re-roof his garage. This was over 10 years ago and according to my ex-wife he is still going strong while several neighbors that are younger and were couch potatoes are dropping like flies.
From observing friends that have had bypasses a lot of the life after surgery depends on the persons state of mind, their willingness to follow the doctors advice and stay as active as your body will allow.
My family on both sides have histories of serious heart problems so I have tried to modify my lifestyle hoping to beat the condition or at the very best increase my chances of survival with some quality of life.

[Mitchell Andrus]

Ya do what ya gotta do.

Good luck. I'm sure there will come a time you don't even think about it anymore.
.

[Ken Fitzgerald]

I have a friend who found out strictly by accident that he needed multple coronary bypasses. Truly a professional accident. He had the bypasses and has been retired for 3 years now. I don't hear from him often as he's having too much fun in retirement. He's quite active physically.

[Brian Kent]

For those that have had it, I'm curious about how you felt after all the recovery was over and you were getting on with your life. Not that I have a chose to refuse just hope it's all going to be worth it. Thanks,
Mike (anxious but not too scared) in Arkansas

My dad lived a long life after bypass, but he wished someone had warned him that there can be post surgery depression. Not the bummed out kind of depression, but the shift in brain chemistry that a pill can actually help. Once he identified it he told the doctor and got the right prescription, and told us to let people know!

[Michael Weber]

Thanks for the positive outcome testimonials. I'm only 63 and have too much to do to our new old house yet. Lucky in a way. No heart attack and my hoped outcome is more energy to get the home projects done faster than I am now. I have been advised to look out for depression as well as possible personality changes. My wife says that might be a good thing:D

[Thomas Hotchkin]

15 years post-op still going strong. Do all that your doctor tells you too do. Find some time for yourself, and do some WALKING, work up to three miles or more a day. Enjoy life. Tom

[Bob Lloyd]

Michael

My uncle had it done, he felt better almost from day one. 15 years later and still gong strong. Good luck.

[Myk Rian]

Had it done in 2005, Nov. along with an ASD closure (hole between upper chambers) and a MAZE procedure for A-fib. It took a few months before I was able to lift weights, but all-in-all I feel great now. Some pain in the chest from where they took part of a vein for the by-pass. I take half a vicodin every now and then for that still.
It was weird having my sternum click and clack, but that lasted only a month or so.
I found it amazing that after having my chest cracked open like a walnut, I was home in a week. Get your huggy pillow signed by everyone.

[Jim Becker]

My dad has had five of them including a couple multiples. In a sense, the recovery is somewhat the same for them doing one or doing x at the same time since it's the physical trauma from opening you up that's the most discomforting. These days, bypass surgery is pretty routine and recovery is generally reasonably quick. As Mik, mentioned, they don't have you hang around too long in the hospital (and that's a good thing in so many ways) and get the ball rolling pretty fast with the rest.

[Bob Rufener]

Whatever you feel is a moot point when you consider the alternative to not having the bypasses done.

[Barry Rhoads]

Michael,
I had a massive heart attack called the Widow Maker in December of 2006. Left the hospital with 48% of my heart working. Also found out that I had an aortic aneurysm and a bi-cuspid valve. All this at the ripe old age of 46! Never had any cholesterol problems, high blood pressure, weight problem, non-smoker and non-drinker. Always very physically active! In March of 2007 I had a cardiac MRI....no damage was found. God through prayer healed me completely. I am known as the miracle man at St. Thomas Heart Institute. As was pointed out in one post there is a chemical imbalance that occurs during a heart event; heart attack, stints, by pass surgery etc. I would strongly encourage you to not ignore this. I believe that this was the hardest thing about recovery for me. God bless.

[Michael Weber]

Thanks again everyone. Tomorrow is the day. Still concerned but not fearful. Have gone over lots of financial and other stuff with my wife just in case but have little reason to expect nothing but a positive outcome. Was that a double negative, triple? :confused: Well, you know what I mean.

[Myk Rian]

Good luck, and don't mess with the nurses, too much. :):D

[Matt Meiser]

My wife had a couple heart surgeries as a young child and right after we were married she had another for a valve replacement. It was actually quite surprising how quickly she recovered. In fact, our daughter was born 13 months and 2 days later. In addition to the physical for her it was mentally/emotionally a very traumatic time for both of us.

[David G Baker]

Best of luck to you Michael, you will be in our prayers. Expect to get a post from you in the very near future.

[Cody Colston]

Michael,

I had a triple coronary bypass in 2001. The surgery was done at 05:00 Thursday morning and I went home the following Sunday. Full recovery took about 6 weeks. For the first week or so, I felt like a bug...if I laid down on my back, I needed help to get up. I slept in my recliner for a couple of weeks. There was little to no pain.

I was a smoker until that event and quit May 19, 2001 when I came in from offshore with my left elbow hurting. I subsequently gained 50 lbs from the 158 I weighed going into the hospital to the 208 where I am now. BTW, I'm 6'1" tall, too. I had been skinny all my life until after the surgery and smoking cessation.

I stay active but have never been able to do what I could before the bypass. Part of that is the weight gain.

There will be numbness in the chest afterwards which will gradually go away as the nerves that were severed heal themselves. You will likely be able to feel your heartbeat much more easily. When lying down, sometimes it feels like my head is bobbing with the beat. My surgeon said that was not unusual following the procedure.

Bypass surgeries are performed every day but I wouldn't exactly call them routine. Having your chest cracked open and then wired back together is not my idea of fun. However, like someone wrote, it is much better than the alternative.

[Ken Werner]

Michael, good luck and get well again soon.

[Ken Fitzgerald]

Thinking of you Michael.

Looking forward to your post procedure post!

[Chris Kennedy]

I have no immediate experience, so take this with a grain of salt . . .

My FIL had emergency bypass surgery at the same time that my wife (his daughter) was diagnosed with pneumonia. She couldn't fly out to see him immediately because she was too sick. By the time she arrived three weeks later, he was doing his required walking around the church parking lot, leaving her in the dust as she was gasping for breath recovering from the pneumonia.

Just recently, my 71 year old colleague had a quintuple bypass. He was back at the office after three weeks, pestering to take over his old duties. Now, I think he came back earlier than really was a good idea (he would come in late in the morning, and look exhausted by 2PM after simply working lightly at his desk), but he was ready and raring to go. It's been a few more weeks now, and he is clearly recovering very well.

Cheers,

Chris