Tee's Journal

Rose Madura  Glad you will meet with your doctor this week. I'm curious as to what he/she says. My former cardiologist who has retired told me once that an echo is only as good as the technician. Not sure I agree with that though. Please keep us posted.

Kim Owen  I had a cardio doctor that said the same thing. I have heard the technician, the the time of day, your mental state etc. can cause a fluctuation in echo’s. They always ask how do you feel? My ejection fraction has gone up and down. Your doctor should be able to tell you more about it. I wish the best out come for you.

Tee Ad  Thank you so much Rose and Kim! The doctor said she thinks I'm fine but when I pressed for more info on the changes in the echo results, she was kind of vague and not helpful. I really need to find a cardiologist I like. She saw me through the surgeries, but was always annoying to deal with. My cardiologist before her, who I loved, moved out of state!! Thanks and I'll keep you posted if I learn anything new.

Susan Lynn  I'm sorry you need to go through surgery, but you will hopefully see dramatic improvement afterward. We'll be here cheering you on and looking forward to those graduation pictures! You've got this! ❤

Marie Myers  Hoping this is the answer to the recurring effusions, and that you get to your daughter's graduation! How long will you be in the hospital?

Tee Ad  Thanks so much for the encouragement! Hopefully just 3 days. Then I’m released with one chest tube in place, which comes out after 4 days, hopefully.

Catie B  That's been a lonnng time to suffer with a pleural effusion! So sorry, Tee! Prayers for smooth surgery and quick recovery...

Tee Ad  I was able to go to my daughter’s graduation! It was lovely. Finally home again. Exhausted and ready to get better! Lung surgery is much more painful than OHS! I was on 3x more pain meds. But I am already cutting back a bit on the pain meds. Breathing deep and being thankful for good medical care, family, friends, and fellow heart warriors!

Catie B  Yay for getting to her graduation! Sooo sorry for your post-op pain after the lung surgery--hope you feel heaps better soon. It's good to hear you're breathing well...

Louanna Miller  I had a thoracentesis to drain fluid from around left lung. They removed nearly 3 cups. I had discomfort for about 24 hours, and some soreness more localized to where they inserted the catheter.

Catie B  Tee, I'm so sorry you're hurting. I had a thoracentesis of lower right lung while in the hospital. I also had pleurisy and there was pain with breathing for quite some time after I got home. I dearly hope you feel better soon!

Tee Ad  Thanks folks! I feel better today. I just wish my doc had warned me that I would need some tylenol and icepacks!

Tee Ad  Thanks. I’m going to see a specialist on Tuesday cuz still have some pain and fluid. I decided it’s time to bring in the pro!

Catie B  It sounds wise to get checked. I hope the appt goes extra well and that you'll be on the mend shortly!

Phyllis Petersen  It could be a medication. I was on metoprolol for a couple of months after surgery and that kept my HR lower. After going off that, my HR and BP went on a wild roller coaster ride for months. It's pretty normal now. But if you do have any concerns, discuss this with your cardiologist. S/he may be able to adjust medications or at the least reassure you that this is not a problem.

Jennifer McInerney  My chest pain came back. At first cardiac rehab said it was a displaced rib but turns out it is a Costochondritis, an inflamed chest wall. Common complication for sternums that have been tortured. I just have to wait it out.

Tee Ad  Thanks! Jennifer, did using an ice pack on your sternum area help? How long did it take to get better.

Tee Ad  I meant to write that I wanted to see if others had afib after valve surgery and a maze procedure. I had an echo last week one month post op and it said I have afib and my left atrium is markedly dialated.

Susan Lynn  Tee - I know several heart warriors experienced afib after surgery. Hopefully, one will reply. Hang in there- it may be temporary while your heart adjusts to the increased blood flow. Please keep us posted. ❤

Barbara Wood  Hi Tee, I had a maze & a mitral repair & had afib start about 2 weeks after surgery. I had afib a few times before surgery too & really feel it when it happens - very fatigued & short of breath. I went back to the hospital for a few days & was converted back to normal sinus rhythm & started on amiodorone for a few months. felt immediately better & have not had afib since - close to 2 years now. There have been others here who have waited it out, it is pretty common after mitral surgery, but I just didn't want to do that & my doc concurred.

Diane Maher  Tee...I had 2 afib episodes right after my first discharge from AVR in Aug....nothing previous though. With the first my BPM shot to 200 and was not responsive to two cardioversion attempts at A&E and was diagnosed as ‘chemical induced’ afib and was finally corrected to sinus rhythm after several hours on IV. Two days later, the next episode occurred which required transportation by ambulance and a 10 day hospital stay until they could get all my bloodwork, etc. stabilized. I was put on Metoprolol and finished the course in mid November and after 2 echos, and no further episodes, I have been released by my cardiologist until next year.

Judy S  I didn’t have any water issues but I know I had trouble walking and talking at the same time in the first few weeks.

Tee Ad  One other tip: don’t feel like you have to eat in the ICU. I thought I should force myself to and felt nauseous when a nice nurse said “no one eats in the ICU!”

John Morales  Thanks Tee for the update i still have to wait till March 11for my surgery widh will be very similar to yours , hope your improving every day and look forward to your updates Gods speed and all the best.

John Morales  Thanks Tee for the update i still have to wait till March 11for my surgery which will be very similar to yours , hope your improving every day and look forward to your updates Gods speed and all the best.

Susan Lynn  Tee - I ate mostly fresh fruit after my surgery. I wasn't repulsed by food, but I craved only certain kinds. Eat whatever will keep you going - your appetite will return. Best of luck.

Tracy Simmons  Hi Tee. I can totally relate to how you're feeling related to your loss of appetite. My family was concerned because I didn't return to my normal eating habits once I was home from the hospital. However, it has since returned (kinda wish it hadn't :)). I think it's pretty normal. One tip that my regular doctor provided was to stay hydrated. So even though you may have lost your appetite, try to drink lots of caffeine free beverages. Best of luck -

Dianne A  My post-op appetite experience is from orthopedic surgery, but I found it hard to get the calories I needed. What finally worked the best for me was never ending snacks and frequent small meals. And, eat whatever you fancy. I always craved bacon, fruit and Italian 5 Grain bakery bread toasted with real butter!

Tracy Fallu  Don’t worry, your appetite will come back. Right now, make sure you keep yourself hydrated and eat whatever sounds good.

Catie B  I suffered nausea for 2-3 weeks and ate whatever I thought I could keep down. I ate a lot of yogurt parfaits and admittedly some not-so healthy stuff.

Dan Baltazor  I also had nausea and no appetite. Hang in there. Just eat whatever you feel like in the moment. It will come back.

Kim Boardman  Chicken noodle soup and ice cream shakes sounded the best to me, just eat what sounds good and you can stomach.

Tee Ad  How long did it take for your appetite to come back? I’m still losing weight though I’m really trying to eat.

Catie B  I'm sorry you're still struggling, Tee. I don't know whether you've used Enlive by Ensure nutritional drinks or considered asking your physician for something to increase your appetite. For me, I think my low appetite/nausea lasted about 3-4 weeks. I hope you feel more like eating soon!

John Morales  While I cant answer your question im still on this side , congratulations and best of luck on your recovery so happy your thru that part of it. Im sure there is help here if you don't get answers there is a facebook page that is quite active.

Susan Lynn  Tee - I'm sorry to hear you're in pain. You probably should discuss all of your symptoms and concerns about the pain killers with your surgeon or nurse case manager. There may be other alternatives to provide you some comfort. Don't lose your optimism - every day you're closer to being healed and the pain will subside. I wish you the best of luck. ❤

Sara Colosimo  Tee- congrats on successful surgery! I too take Tramadol. I've only been taking one at night before bed to help me sleep. I feel like I should start weaning myself though. I was always an 8 hour sleeper. Since surgery, I woke up at 1:30am. Every night... 1:30am. I'm not even sure what wakes me. I reposition and back to sleep I go (normally).
Also, my arms are still sore my my iv's too! 2 weeks post and I can still feel where I was poked for bloodwork and where my 2 IV's were. My groin, from the line they had in, is still very very very bruised as well. Guess it takes a while to heal! Best of luck as you continue to recover!

John Isham  Tee....Congrats on a successful surgery and now into recovery! The Body takes a TOLL during these operations and everybody reacts differently. I was lucky because I only had a MINI T which means my spin and recovery time is greatly reduced. My experience with pain meds if I needed them I certainly took them. I would not get too hung up on stopping the opioids too quickly....if you still need them...then take them. Now, if you have a history of opioid abuse (taking pain pills) then your Doc needs to know that.
Glad you are your way to a great recovery!

Louanna Miller  I agree with John. If you need the painkillers take them. It’s better than you get relief from the pain so you can heal. I was on Hydracodone for 7 weeks post discharge. I was in the hospital 10 days. At first I needed it around the clock for pain management. My MD worked with me to adjust it down over time gradually. We are all unique and heal differently. Listen to your body and be gentle with yourself.

Mary K  Personally, I feel that of any time, post heart surgery is the time to take Tramadol if you are tolerating it. Yes, it is a controlled substance, but the control is to keep it away from those who would abuse it. You are not in that category! Take the pain control that you need to stay ahead of the pain. Healing is faster if you are not stressed with pain. Heart surgery is hard enough, without unnecessary suffering. :) Happy healing.

Lisa Guinan  I didn't stop taking my tramadol until my pain had reduced a lot. I think I took it regularly for the 1st week. After that, I took Tylenol PM since I did still have some pain at night. That also helped me sleep. Everybody is different. Don't just try and suffer through the pain.

Thomas Brusstar  I found that Tramodol made me so groggy that I didn't enjoy it. So on day 3, I found that 2 regular tylenol every like 4 hours was adequate for the pain. The pain with tylenol was manageable, and it avoided the side effects of the opioids. But that was just me, you need to be able to go to sleep well with the drugs, or there's something wrong. On the IV site, I had one terrible site in my left forearm, where we eventually realized (like day 3 out of 3 in the hospital) that the IV had been placed badly, so the fluid was "infiltrating" into the tissue instead of just the vein. It was very sensitive and red, and hardened in a big lump around there. So by a couple day after I was home, my IV site was my biggest source of pain! I guess it's good if that's the biggest problem. I was very annoying, like a totally unnecessary source of pain. Just a bad placement. And a month later, it was still kind of hardened tissue under there. Probably still there 2 months later. BUT now, 6 months later, I really can't feel any evidence of that bump, and there's no pain. So it's probably just localized swelling from infiltration of fluid, but definitely ask doctors/ nurses about it.

Rita Savelis  Pain is really personal. I didn't take opioids, because I had no pain, just incredible discomfort and exhaustion. But if you need them, take them. Your pain is personal. The same with sleep. It can be hard to get good sleep for weeks, months after OHS, so take something if you have to. Your body needs the rest. Take care.

Tee Ad  Thank you everyone for your advice and encouragement!! So helpful and heart warming. I figured out the cause of my temporary insomnia: my hubby accidentally gave me regular (not decaf) tea after dinner!

Gina Fiorentino  Hi Tee! I've been following your posts, and so glad to hear your doing well. I took Tramadol for about a week before weaning off, and then started alternating with the Tylenol, until I could just tolerate the discomfort using the Tylenol by itself. The Tramadol made me very groggy, so I was happy to transition to the Tynenol. I remailed on Tylenol every 4-6 hours for a few extra weeks at least. As far as sleeping, I never was able to get more than 2-3 hours of sleep at a time during the beginning of my recovery-- and had very restless legs at night for weeks.
Once I stopped taking the Metropolol, the restless leg reaction disappeared... but I had read that while heart patients need a lot of sleep post-surgery, to not be alarmed if you can only get rest in small chunks of time. I just trusted what my body was doing and tried to keep myself relaxed and comfortable. I didn't have arm pain- but I do remember the line I had in my neck was sore for a while. I also had a lot of back discomfort for the first week- which I also hear is normal (due to positioning during surgery). Time passed, and every week I felt stronger. I wish the same for you too!

Patti Kinsey  I sincerely agree with Mary K.
I had my aortic valve replaced December 2016 and then had to have my sternum redone because it didn’t heal 8 months later. Tramadol is very helpful. And I still use it daily, but the dosage and frequency change day to day because sometimes I can go several hours. I had trouble with gabapentin that was given to me for nerve pain. I was reducing it without knowing the side effects and had some difficulty.