New Cardiologist - totally deadpan. No smiles, nothing. I guess he missed "empathy week" in med school. He only made one mistake (ejection fraction) in discussing ...Read more
New Cardiologist - totally deadpan. No smiles, nothing. I guess he missed "empathy week" in med school. He only made one mistake (ejection fraction) in discussing my case, so progress, indeed !
Richard Munson Dump him like a bad habit. Who needs serious. My cardiologist laughed when i asked him if he could do ... Read more
Richard Munson Dump him like a bad habit. Who needs serious. My cardiologist laughed when i asked him if he could do a valve job on my car. My urologist chuckled when he said my prostate biopsy might have sexual side effects. I reminded him i was 82.:
J Alexander Lassally I like your sense of humor, Richard and would have needed you there to break him down. I wore a suit ... Read more
J Alexander Lassally I like your sense of humor, Richard and would have needed you there to break him down. I wore a suit to intimidate him a bit, and it worked !
Yumiko Ishida I just got a new cardiologist, too! I’ll pick a serious one over a personable one anytime. My first ... Read more
Yumiko Ishida I just got a new cardiologist, too! I’ll pick a serious one over a personable one anytime. My first one was very charming and everybody seems to like him, but when he changed practice, I did not follow him.
Rita Savelis I've had the same cardiologist for 15 years and I can't say I love him but he answers any emails I se ... Read more
Rita Savelis I've had the same cardiologist for 15 years and I can't say I love him but he answers any emails I send him on the same day.
Kathy Ozio I definitely appreciate a good sense if humor.
Richard Munson Got to have a cardiologist with a sense of humor. My cardiologist got caught by the police robbing a ... Read more
Richard Munson Got to have a cardiologist with a sense of humor. My cardiologist got caught by the police robbing a bank. They called it cardiac arrest.
Hi Valerie - Echoing Laurent. This is your moment. Your Cleveland Clinic moment. Soon, you will be an alum, too. Savor the preop. synchronicity. The prep ...Read more
Hi Valerie - Echoing Laurent. This is your moment. Your Cleveland Clinic moment. Soon, you will be an alum, too. Savor the preop. synchronicity. The prep and hold was cool, so don't be nervous. Tell them just what you want for relaxation meds. Also remember those ice chips are your best friend in the first hours of extubation. I'll be thinking of you.
A question. Do any other post sternotomy patients have shoulder cracks and pops from regular movements? I'm about 4-5 months out and ...Read more
Warrior shout out.
A question. Do any other post sternotomy patients have shoulder cracks and pops from regular movements? I'm about 4-5 months out and have quite a lot of left side shoulder cracking/popping with movements. Not the sternum. It is isolatable to the shoulder.
Presumably it is due to the 'Jesus Christ' surgical positioning for 4-5+ hours, but curious if others do have shoulder issues post surgery? Any and all experiences welcomed.
Yumiko Ishida I am having shoulder issues, too. Went to see my chiropractor as soon as it was okayed by the surgeon ... Read more
Yumiko Ishida I am having shoulder issues, too. Went to see my chiropractor as soon as it was okayed by the surgeon. Chiro helped with my lower back, but left shoulder keeps going out of alignment, so I started physical therapy recently. Not quite at the point of retraining the muscles in the area, but ultrasound therapy and the massage I get at PT really helps.
Grace Mason I have a lot of pops and cracks in what sounds like the base of my neck, to me. Just shoulder pain ... Read more
Grace Mason I have a lot of pops and cracks in what sounds like the base of my neck, to me. Just shoulder pain for a bit for me that resolved. I also went to chiropractor and had some mild adjustments with an activator only.
Ana Brusso Yes, shoulder still hurts after both of my surgeries. One four years and the other almost two years. ... Read more
Ana Brusso Yes, shoulder still hurts after both of my surgeries. One four years and the other almost two years.
Rose Madura I have shoulder pain after surgery for quite a while. It's fine now but I don't remember how long it ... Read more
Rose Madura I have shoulder pain after surgery for quite a while. It's fine now but I don't remember how long it took to go away. It is from how you are positioned on the operating table.
Valerie Allen My 2 cents though I have not had surgery. Acupuncture has truly helped me with various ongoing aches, ... Read more
Valerie Allen My 2 cents though I have not had surgery. Acupuncture has truly helped me with various ongoing aches, pains and strains. Be sure to find a good one.
Yumiko Ishida Good idea, Valerie! I am waiting to be off warfarin before going back to my acupuncture doc. 4 more d ... Read more
Yumiko Ishida Good idea, Valerie! I am waiting to be off warfarin before going back to my acupuncture doc. 4 more days!
Anna Ma I woke up by my left shoulder pain last night. I think I Will definitely do more shoulder exercises w ... Read more
Anna Ma I woke up by my left shoulder pain last night. I think I Will definitely do more shoulder exercises when my sternum is healed and I’m given the green light to do so.
Svetlomir Ivanov I had it, even with right side approach, i.e. without sternomy, but after 4 month it is gone maybe 90 ... Read more
Svetlomir Ivanov I had it, even with right side approach, i.e. without sternomy, but after 4 month it is gone maybe 90 %, but still I am not able to put my right side behind my back as high as the left arm. But it is improving
Anna Ma After following the movement exercise from the UK NHS heart surgery recovery guide I found online, I ... Read more
Anna Ma After following the movement exercise from the UK NHS heart surgery recovery guide I found online, I feel much better now for my left shoulder.
Spring - the season of hope is here! Again, worth reminding how helpful HVS interactions are both before, during, and after surgery. We're like a hidden society ...Read more
Spring - the season of hope is here! Again, worth reminding how helpful HVS interactions are both before, during, and after surgery. We're like a hidden society of people who appreciate and share common experiences the rest of the populations does not quite grasp.
Valerie Allen What a great description, J Alexander! Hoping you are feeling better all the time!
Deena Elani So true! There really are layers of physical and emotional shedding and rebuilding going on. I under ... Read more
Deena Elani So true! There really are layers of physical and emotional shedding and rebuilding going on. I underestimated the long-term emotional impact.
Karen Hadden I love this! It has certainly helped me feel a bit better, even if my comfort is short lived with th ... Read more
Karen Hadden I love this! It has certainly helped me feel a bit better, even if my comfort is short lived with the roller coaster of emotion going on right now . But I love the hope that everyone gives just by commenting ❤️
Sue Maize So true! And so grateful for you all! ❤️🩹🙌🏻
Hello Warriors of Spring. (Sounds like a screenplay...eh?) I'm still tweaking, altering, experimenting, and exploring my beta blocker situation post mitral ...Read more
Hello Warriors of Spring. (Sounds like a screenplay...eh?) I'm still tweaking, altering, experimenting, and exploring my beta blocker situation post mitral surgery. Not twerking though.
For those of you post valve surgery (mitral/aorta), were you given any specific thresholds for resting heart rate and BP where it was OK to drop the metoprolol?
For example, if your resting heart rate was at 80, or 70, was this a threshold?
Similarly, can you remind me when you dropped or pulled back on it? They say it needs to be tapered but also wondering about that....
Any and all personal situations or past advice welcomed.
Yumiko Ishida I was sent home without any beta blockers because of my low BP. Resting HR was over 100. It was very ... Read more
Yumiko Ishida I was sent home without any beta blockers because of my low BP. Resting HR was over 100. It was very uncomfortable, so I asked the cardiologist if I could go back on propranolol and he said yes. I take just enough to keep the resting rate below 95 and systolic BP above 95. Those goals are mine, based on past experience. Electrophysiologist says it’s going to be months before HR is going to normalize. He also warned me that, now that I’m back on a beta blocker, I need to be careful weaning off. Sudden reduction can cause things to swing in the other direction. So I started at 80mg a day, increased to 100mg when HR wasn’t budging, and now am at 60mg. Each time I reduced the amount I stayed at the same level for at least a week. I tried 40mg every other day last week, but the resting HR was creeping up to 100, so I think I’ll be on 60mg for a while. I think most people are on beta blockers to control their BP though, so you probably should consult a cardiologist. I’ve been balancing my HR and BP for a while now, but the initial experimentation took place in a hospital.
Valerie Allen No advice. Just wanted to say I’m glad you are not spending your time twerking. 😂
Deena Elani I was told for my resting BP to be below 100, though I thought below 90 was more reasonable. Wasn't ... Read more
Deena Elani I was told for my resting BP to be below 100, though I thought below 90 was more reasonable. Wasn't informed about tapering, so did not do so. That said, if you are on beta blockers for a long time and/or high dose, I can see how tapering would be prudent. Definitely a question to ask of cardiologist.
Grace Mason No advice given to me on resting HR, just that it was normal to be high for a while post surgery, whi ... Read more
Grace Mason No advice given to me on resting HR, just that it was normal to be high for a while post surgery, which it was(95-100), for around 3 months. Now(6 months)it has leveled down to 56-67 bpm at rest. I was only told to keep Systolic BP around 110. No tapering/change of any meds since discharge. Still on 25mg of metoprolol in morning and 25mg of Losartan in evening.
J Alexander Lassally Thank you all - my core advice buddies. I promise - no twerking, Valerie!
Sue Maize Good to not be twerking I imagine….but if it is something you enjoy, it could be a recovery goal pe ... Read more
Sue Maize Good to not be twerking I imagine….but if it is something you enjoy, it could be a recovery goal perhaps? 😉
Susan Lynn I went home on a small dose of metoprolol. I was weened off of it bt my surgeon and then put back ... Read more
Susan Lynn I went home on a small dose of metoprolol. I was weened off of it bt my surgeon and then put back on it by my cardiologist to aid in heart remodeling. I was taken off of it again, for several years, and put on the extended release when I developed PACs. I'm still hoping to get off this drug or to have the dosage reduced. Whatever you do, don't abruptly stop it.
Today, I'm being a cardio bad boy: skipping rehab and going to the park with a friend, instead. Its almost a scene from the movie Grease. I promise not to sing. ...Read more
Today, I'm being a cardio bad boy: skipping rehab and going to the park with a friend, instead. Its almost a scene from the movie Grease. I promise not to sing.
Certainly not complaining by any means, but rather sharing that this part of journey - for me - has been surprisingly difficult.
Out three months now, post sternotomy, I indeed feel like a hamster on a wheel - chasing an invisible food pellet. It is hard to calibrate how one should feel with how one does feel. My local doctors and medical teams are far from enlightened.
The beat does goes on, though !! Thanks fellow warriors.
Susan Dunne I'm hi, I think when I get there if I am not getting the experienced,I hoped for It
That I look around for a different method of getting my rehab...a different facility , a self designed plan. I am sending good vibes for your continued recon
Susan Dunne I'm hi, I think when I get there if I am not getting the experienced,I hoped for It
That I look around for a different method of getting my rehab...a different facility , a self designed plan. I am sending good vibes for your continued recon
Valerie Allen I’m sorry for the challenges you are having. Have you considered returning to CC for 3 month check ... Read more
Valerie Allen I’m sorry for the challenges you are having. Have you considered returning to CC for 3 month check to get better feedback? I plan to do that.
Rose Madura The journey is long or can be. Three months out, I was on my fourth re-hospitalization so everyone i ... Read more
Rose Madura The journey is long or can be. Three months out, I was on my fourth re-hospitalization so everyone is different. Hang in there. It will get better. What are the local doctors saying?
Rita Savelis There is no specific way one should feel. Everyone is different. And recovery is hard. I hear you. It ... Read more
Rita Savelis There is no specific way one should feel. Everyone is different. And recovery is hard. I hear you. It's hard to be prepared for things that can happen. Surgery itself can be a success but one still has to recover and there can be setbacks. Much empathy for you.
Larry Peterson J Alexander, I'm just past 3 months post OHS for aortic valve replacement and aneurysm repair. It ha ... Read more
Larry Peterson J Alexander, I'm just past 3 months post OHS for aortic valve replacement and aneurysm repair. It has taken all of those three months to recover to the point where I feel fairly normal now. Sleeping normally in a bed, working out strenuously at cardiac rehab, and not worried about my chest splitting open all the time. Everyone keeps asking if I have more energy now - only after I work out, otherwise not too different than before surgery.
Jennifer Fuller I’m at 4 months post surgery, and still having pain at my incision. At this point, I’m feeling pr ... Read more
Jennifer Fuller I’m at 4 months post surgery, and still having pain at my incision. At this point, I’m feeling pretty good, but hoping for better by about 6 months, though for some people, it can take a full year to truly, fully recover from OHS.
I am finding that my sleep quality is diminished on days of cardiac rehab. Perhaps it is the extra stimulation of exercise - I can deal with that after all ...Read more
I am finding that my sleep quality is diminished on days of cardiac rehab. Perhaps it is the extra stimulation of exercise - I can deal with that after all of this hell, but.... Why am I paying someone to watch my heart rate on second class treadmills when I can do this on my own?
I also do not like the "class structure" of my program - so wondering if I would do better with a trainer, 1:1? There is zero camaraderie among the others (passive aggressive crowd).
It seems like this experience should feel positive and it does NOT- at all. It feels like some kind of twisted high school assignment - I am kind of done with suffering !!! (Plus, I am paying almost $200 a session for this with a high deductible in insurance.).
Andrea Babcock Maybe you would be better off going on nice long walks in nature with friends and family. You can ch ... Read more
Andrea Babcock Maybe you would be better off going on nice long walks in nature with friends and family. You can check your heart rate yourself. Sorry that you are having such lame gymmates. That is just not right. You don't need this negativity. They are probably just jeleous because you are doing better than them. Hang in there.
Rose Madura A trainer isn't a bad idea as long as he/she knows you are recovering from heart surgery. Andrea's s ... Read more
Rose Madura A trainer isn't a bad idea as long as he/she knows you are recovering from heart surgery. Andrea's suggestion is good too. I had so many post operative complications that I didn't go to cardiac rehab. Just did walking on my own.
Yumiko Ishida Is there another facility in your area? I’ve been to two. First one was small and I had to go at a ... Read more
Yumiko Ishida Is there another facility in your area? I’ve been to two. First one was small and I had to go at a particular time. They called it “class” but it was really just a way to limit the number of patients at any given time. I just went and did my thing, while others around me seem to enjoy having company. The one I go to now is much larger, and it functions as an open gym. If you do have options in your area, I suggest you check them out and if you find one that suites you better, ask your doctor to send the prescription to the new place. I like being monitored. Heart rate is easy enough to monitor myself, but checking BP on the go no so much. Also if something does go wrong, there is someone there to help you. I have seen people push themselves too much and needed medical attention.
J Alexander Lassally Thanks guys. I agree to all the above. Today is a down day for me, and I am going to follow my emotio ... Read more
J Alexander Lassally Thanks guys. I agree to all the above. Today is a down day for me, and I am going to follow my emotions and make some choices for myself.
Rita Savelis No need to continue if it makes you unhappy. Many patients don't do rehab. You sound angry and that a ... Read more
Rita Savelis No need to continue if it makes you unhappy. Many patients don't do rehab. You sound angry and that along with sadness is a common and very understandable emotion to have after all you've been through. I couldn't relate to most people in my rehab but it was a time for personal reflection and observation. There were also group counseling/learning sessions where I was able to express my anger about some of my surgical experience (unexpected pacemaker, etc). Which was helpful to me. And rehab was 100% covered by national insurance so I was not expecting to get value for money. Take care.
Rich Butela My cardiologist told me I didn't need to do rehab. When the time came, I had basically progressed fa ... Read more
Rich Butela My cardiologist told me I didn't need to do rehab. When the time came, I had basically progressed far enough on my own that it would have been redundant. All I did was walk consistently building up speed and distance over time. monitored my heart rate on my Apple watch.
Richard Munson Your bio says boston, i live close by with my own nortic trac, treadmill i used since my surgery at m ... Read more
Richard Munson Your bio says boston, i live close by with my own nortic trac, treadmill i used since my surgery at mass general. Come on down.
Grace Mason Hi J, Sorry to hear your rehab is not as you hoped. I found I didn't have a lot in common with the pe ... Read more
Grace Mason Hi J, Sorry to hear your rehab is not as you hoped. I found I didn't have a lot in common with the people I attended with either. I had met my deductible, so I didn't have to pay out of pocket for the experience. I had to make the effort to talk to others there, because there was no one promoting camaraderie for sure, and I ended up meeting some nice people but nothing that proceeded beyond the class. I did feel like the class gave me confidence in pushing myself, knowing that someone was "watching me", but once I gained confidence I felt I could do the same easily at home. I already had equipment at home from previous new years resolutions, and the Covid exodus from the local gym. Once the new year kicked in and it was going to cost me $400/session, that is what I decided to do. If you are already paying $200 a session I think going to a personal trainer might be worth the consideration.
Rich Butela I joined the local 24 hour fitness place for $50 a month. So far so good
Thank you all for the frameworks and feedback on the target HRs with beta blocker. Honestly, you provided substantially more insight perspective and... Read more
Thank you all for the frameworks and feedback on the target HRs with beta blocker. Honestly, you provided substantially more insight perspective and explanation than my "new hometown cardiologist" - so feel free too put a MD after all of your names.
Hey Warriors - I'm curious how those of you who have done post valve surgery rehab and been on Beta Blockers have received advice on when you hit the "sweet ...Read more
Hey Warriors - I'm curious how those of you who have done post valve surgery rehab and been on Beta Blockers have received advice on when you hit the "sweet spot" of aerobic activity while working out.
With being doped up on metoprolol, the traditional HR pulse escalation curve does not really hold. I just stay pretty flat in the 120 range after moving steadily through the 100s.
Any tips or insight from your cardiac rehab folks? I'm not super confident of my rehab center yet, so asking around.
Thanks...
Yumiko Ishida When I had rehab last year after my valvuloplasty they didn’t want my HR above 110. Not sure if tha ... Read more
Yumiko Ishida When I had rehab last year after my valvuloplasty they didn’t want my HR above 110. Not sure if that is typical or because I technically still had stenosis and they were concerned about too much pressure. I think it depends on your goal. Burning fat was not my goal at that point in my life - my goal was to increase my stamina and put on muscle, so I was glad the beta blocker kept my HR in check. I would have been too exhausted otherwise. If you have the energy and want to be in the fat burning range, you probably need to talk to your cardiologist about adjusting your meds. I think the rehab people are essentially following your doctor’s orders in terms of what is permissible for you.
Allen Carkner Up to your rehab nurse. On the strong heart rate lowering beta blockers my rehab experience was that ... Read more
Allen Carkner Up to your rehab nurse. On the strong heart rate lowering beta blockers my rehab experience was that I should mostly rely on rate of perceived exertion or RPE. I don’t remember what numbers out of 10. But it was something moderate for me after AVR.
Brady Busch 118 bpm and over on the treadmill was my target and holding in the 130's,for about 20-30 minutes.
Grace Mason In my rehab they had a formula to determine my target rate. It takes various factors into account. My ... Read more
Grace Mason In my rehab they had a formula to determine my target rate. It takes various factors into account. My target heart rate was calculated to be 109-132 and my surgeon said to keep my BP during exercise below 140 systole. If having a hard time raising my heart rate on the treadmill it was recommended to me to increase the incline if at a comfortable speed. I'm taking 25 mg metropol/day.
c w Alan - thanks, RPE makes sense now… had not thought about how the drugs most of us are on would aff ... Read more
c w Alan - thanks, RPE makes sense now… had not thought about how the drugs most of us are on would affect HR / BP.
Deena Elani IF you are pushing yourself as HARD as you can and maxing at 120 H.R., then I expect it is your bet ... Read more
Deena Elani IF you are pushing yourself as HARD as you can and maxing at 120 H.R., then I expect it is your beta blocker doing it’s job that’s ok. That said, have you asked your cardiologist about lowering the amt of blocker or would your HR go too high? I was told when off the blocker to not go any higher than a 144 HR, but nationally renowned surgeons on this website have said no greater than 140 so I follow that.
Yumiko Ishida Both rehab centers I’ve been to use Borg’s RPE scale, which goes from 6 to 20. During my first ro ... Read more
Yumiko Ishida Both rehab centers I’ve been to use Borg’s RPE scale, which goes from 6 to 20. During my first round they set my goal as 40% improvement while in exertion level 12-14, which I think is 4-5 on the 0 to 10 scale. On this second round I’m only a week in, so my goal hasn’t been defined yet, but now that I have a “perfect” valve, I imagine I’ll be allowed to push myself a little more.
J Alexander Lassally Thank you all for this discussion. I feel much more informed and armed with knowledge now. Much appre ... Read more
J Alexander Lassally Thank you all for this discussion. I feel much more informed and armed with knowledge now. Much appreciated.
Isabella Heart Happy for you! With everyday you will get stronger! The worst part is behind you!
Sue Maize Little victories are still victories! I can't wait to experience no shortness of breath again!
Jennifer Fuller I know, right! My husband wasn’t home, and it was trash day, so I had to drag the big, heavy can up ... Read more
Jennifer Fuller I know, right! My husband wasn’t home, and it was trash day, so I had to drag the big, heavy can up our long steep driveway. And it was fine. No pounding heart or shortness of breath!
Valerie Allen So good to hear and yes, the little victories are the big victories!
Christine Maiorano Sooo happy to hear you're making such wonderful progress! I'm on my way to Cleveland with Dr Gillino... Read more
Christine Maiorano Sooo happy to hear you're making such wonderful progress! I'm on my way to Cleveland with Dr Gillinov on 4-10. for mitral valve repair .
Dan S-otts Great to hear about your progress. Dr. Gillinov’s surgical talent, knowledge and team are amazing. ... Read more
Dan S-otts Great to hear about your progress. Dr. Gillinov’s surgical talent, knowledge and team are amazing. Fortunately, my recovery went extremely well. As a very active person it was hard getting past the first few weeks. I constantly asked myself if I had made the right decision to have the surgery. Now, 1 year out I feel 30 years younger. No shortness of breath, I’m running, swimming, biking & 2 5k’s in the books. There is a light at the end of the tunnel, and it’s well worth the journey. Take good care!
9 weeks now, first evening sleeping in a bed post sternotomy. Fairly awkward. Side sleeping was not nice.... I feel like I am learning to ride a bicycle once ...Read more
9 weeks now, first evening sleeping in a bed post sternotomy. Fairly awkward. Side sleeping was not nice.... I feel like I am learning to ride a bicycle once again!!
Yep - time to do some heavy duty pillow shopping !
Sharon Behl Here is a "training wheels" version of side sleeping: pillows behind your back so you're sort of on y ... Read more
Sharon Behl Here is a "training wheels" version of side sleeping: pillows behind your back so you're sort of on your side, but not all the way. I find it a welcome change from sleeping flat on my back. Yay for milestones!!
Deena Elani J Alexander, congrats for entering your next immersive phase to the "normal life". I actually fou... Read more
Deena Elani J Alexander, congrats for entering your next immersive phase to the "normal life". I actually found the constant sleeping on my back the second biggest challenge for me post -surgery. (#1 was the mega-exhaustion.) Pillow fort arranging became a constant for me.. As Sharon says, placing a pillow behind your back when you are on your side, does help. At nine weeks, I have a feeling you will soon be able to do more sound side sleeping; you're almost there. Awh, the simple life.
Grace Mason I hope your beginning "ride" with the side sleeping is at least better than a bedroll out of the recl ... Read more
Grace Mason I hope your beginning "ride" with the side sleeping is at least better than a bedroll out of the recliner! It does get better. I found the first week on my side I could just do short periods of it at first. Pillows helped achieve a semi side sleep to ease into it 🛌🏼. Before you know it you will trying the next position-laying on your stomach
Ana Brusso I used a lot of pillows too. Deena, my hvs godchild, I remember your description of a pillow fort ... Read more
Ana Brusso I used a lot of pillows too. Deena, my hvs godchild, I remember your description of a pillow fort 😂. J Alexander, continued good health. God bless you 🙏❤️
Larry Peterson Thanks for all the advice, folks - I thought I was the only one still having a hard time sleeping in ... Read more
Larry Peterson Thanks for all the advice, folks - I thought I was the only one still having a hard time sleeping in the bed after 7-1/2 weeks in a recliner! I can make it all night in the bed, but side sleeping still leaves me with very stiff shoulders in the morning and I wake up a lot. But like most things in this recovery, it seems to get a little better each week!
J Alexander Lassally Larry - Yes, the shoulders are the brutal part!!! Glad this is a shared experience.
In a quest to expand knowledge of managing rapid, racing heart rates post surgery, I wanted to share;
Now 7 weeks out (sternotomy) my new cardiologist was a bit concerned about my rising resting heart rate, now in the 95 bpm to 100 bmp range. He upped me to 3 times daily Metoprolol and is switching me to the Succinate extended release version for some time to see if it evens things out.
I will certainly share how this goes. My BP is nice and low mostly, but the resting rate is not. I know there has been a lot of recent discussion among fellow recent surgery warriors of this topic, so wanted to share.
Richard Munson Good luck with the metropolol. I take the extended release 2 a day since surgery in 2021. Assume i wi ... Read more
Richard Munson Good luck with the metropolol. I take the extended release 2 a day since surgery in 2021. Assume i will continue till they dig the hole.
Paul Lebel 7 weeks for me too from minimal invasive, and exact same HR as yours. Got back to the pool for the ... Read more
Paul Lebel 7 weeks for me too from minimal invasive, and exact same HR as yours. Got back to the pool for the 1st time in 7 weeks, and HR was 117 just standing on the deck! My resting used to be 50.
None of the Mayo docs are concerned. Just had a follow-up with the Cardio Electro Physiologist (EP). He said that as my cardio fitness returns the HR should come down some, to maybe 70bpm, which, he said, was a totally healthy/acceptable HR.
Valerie Allen Gee that’s got to be annoying and somewhat scary. I’ve considered changing cardiologists but seem ... Read more
Valerie Allen Gee that’s got to be annoying and somewhat scary. I’ve considered changing cardiologists but seems a delicate time. When did you change?
Sharon Behl I hope the increase in metoprolol does you good!
Daneen Douglas Please keep us posted and hope the meds help!
And then there was the SNEEZE. No elegant way to do this as a recent sternotomy patient. Just clutch and bear it !!!!
Susan Lynn Oh that's wicked! I didn't have my sternum cut and the sneezes were rough. I don't know how much... Read more
Susan Lynn Oh that's wicked! I didn't have my sternum cut and the sneezes were rough. I don't know how much discomfort is related to the entry or the procedure, but those heart-shaped pillows aren't just souvenirs - that's for sure! God bless you! Gesundheit!
Greg Lewis I know some people have, just like, "dainty" little sneezes too...not me! I am FULLY invested when I ... Read more
Greg Lewis I know some people have, just like, "dainty" little sneezes too...not me! I am FULLY invested when I sneeze. AAAAHHHFRIGGINCHOOOO! ...feels like a crowbar is prying you open! Where's that damn pillow! ..oh shoot. Sorry, sorry, to those waiting...ummm, don't worry. You will not sneeze.
Klara Čičić Oh that was painful. A big pillow pressed against my chest my someone nearby helped a bit.
J Alexander Lassally So true all. I was all in, Greg, too - although I experimented with rubbing my nose with tissues rapi ... Read more
J Alexander Lassally So true all. I was all in, Greg, too - although I experimented with rubbing my nose with tissues rapidly as I felt it come on - and that helped avert about 40-50% of the sneezes !
Pamela Gregory I dusted my house before surgery to its most spotless cleaning since we have lived in it to try and ... Read more
Pamela Gregory I dusted my house before surgery to its most spotless cleaning since we have lived in it to try and avoid "the sneeze"! I didn't sneeze for over a month and when I did it wasn't too bad
Sharon Behl I'll have to try the tissue trick...never heard that one before! And my pillow seems to be across th... Read more
Sharon Behl I'll have to try the tissue trick...never heard that one before! And my pillow seems to be across the room when I'm about to sneeze. Crossing my arms and tucking my hands under my armpits seems to help in a pinch. Bless us all!!
Happy New Year fellow friends and warriors. Just a shout out to say I hope the new year brings lots of good things to you all...
Grateful for the encouragement and support this past year.
I'm mostly having a linear recovery (now 5+ weeks post MVr). Holding my breath until my follow up Echo this Friday. Then, I can exhale !
Ana Brusso Hello J Alexander, thank you for the good wishes. Your echo is going to be normal and you will have a ... Read more
Ana Brusso Hello J Alexander, thank you for the good wishes. Your echo is going to be normal and you will have a normal recovery. Stay positive and know I’m continuing to pray for all of us to have a great recovery. God bless you 🙏❤️❤️🩹
Valerie Allen Sounds like you are feeling good so I bet your echo looks good! Hope you are home now.
Sharon Behl You must really be a champ on your spirometer if you can hold your breath until this Friday😂!
J Alexander Lassally Sharon - great one. I was actually a bad boy often - not doing it as much as I probably should. I pre ... Read more
J Alexander Lassally Sharon - great one. I was actually a bad boy often - not doing it as much as I probably should. I preferred my own deep breaths and pursed lips ! Were you a good girl?!
Sharon Behl I threw away the spirometer and did my own yogic breathing
Raj K Great news on the recovery - keep at it/keep it up - the hardest part is over.
J Alexander Lassally Thanks Raj - I will send you an email also ! Appreciate this note, Happy 2024~
I flew to west coast for Christmas from Cleveland on Saturday and had a bit of nasal congestion and a sporadic cough ...Read more
Good evening HVS Warrior friends.
I flew to west coast for Christmas from Cleveland on Saturday and had a bit of nasal congestion and a sporadic cough once I landed. (Not covid and no fever)
For sternotomy patients, did you find that coughing caused sharper pains on the right side of incision. So not the heart side, but right side. For me, kind of a focused pain right of the sternum incision. Seems muscular.
Just curious what others experienced when coughing - I did not cough one bit the first two weeks post surgery, so this is new to me.
Thanks again - always value learning from others what they experienced.
Abhishek Sharma Yes coughing cause pain on incision, its very common after surgery that's why patients use chest supp ... Read more
Abhishek Sharma Yes coughing cause pain on incision, its very common after surgery that's why patients use chest support belt.. hope ur doctors also recommend to use that..
Pamela Gregory Did you have a sternotomy? I had a "mini sternotomy" where part of the way down they cut over towards ... Read more
Pamela Gregory Did you have a sternotomy? I had a "mini sternotomy" where part of the way down they cut over towards the right to expose the valve. I had discomfort where they cut over (right side) for some time especially if coughing or anything like that on that part of the bone.
Sharon Behl Coughing & sneezing are no fun. Be sure to hold a pillow or something tightly over your chest if ... Read more
Sharon Behl Coughing & sneezing are no fun. Be sure to hold a pillow or something tightly over your chest if you feel a cough coming on. My pains seem more randomly distributed right now. Don't hesitate to call your cardiologist.
Rich Butela I coughed a lot for the first 6 weeks, caught a cold or flu or whatever. It really hurt in my solar ... Read more
Rich Butela I coughed a lot for the first 6 weeks, caught a cold or flu or whatever. It really hurt in my solar plexus area. (still does)
Hi friends and fellow warriors - Just an update from my side - 13 days post MV repair at Cleveland Clinic.
The first week home has been an exercise ...Read more
Hi friends and fellow warriors - Just an update from my side - 13 days post MV repair at Cleveland Clinic.
The first week home has been an exercise in patience. With sternotomy, the fatigue is real and ever present. I find the fatigue just a background to the entire day. Resting helps.
Pain management has gone well. I'm off oxy and the only real pain I have is in my shoulder and back. The incision is not a problem. Today was the first day (day 13 since surgery) where it improved.
Lots of random visual disturbances which I cannot predict.
Still some breathing resistance on deep breaths, but I'm continuing to do this and every day.
Lots of little walks. I can do around 30 minutes now and a few smaller walks. They feel good. The first trip to the grocery store was hard - and now I find it much easier - so progress!
Strange right side lower diaphragm pain which I can't explain yet. Right above hip. Watching this.
Thanks again to all. I find the past shared experiences helpful to frame my expectations going forward !
Lastly, the recliner chair is essential. I did have a "funny" malfunction one night on it where the cord pulled out - and I had to be extricated, but otherwise it has been an essential. At least I know I can hospital bed roll out if needed !!!!!
Happy Sunday.
Rich Butela I had the visual disturbances too. Very strange but thankfully they were brief and seemed to have st ... Read more
Rich Butela I had the visual disturbances too. Very strange but thankfully they were brief and seemed to have stopped now.
Grace Mason J Alexander, it is good to hear you are seeing improvement in your stamina 👍🏼 and if you can al ... Read more
Grace Mason J Alexander, it is good to hear you are seeing improvement in your stamina 👍🏼 and if you can also bed roll out of a recliner you are doing great 😀. Hopefully your "strange" pain subsides.
J Alexander Lassally Thanks Grace ! I was indeed proud of my self rescue operation! haha
Larry Peterson Sounds like you are doing well, J Alexander. I'm with you on the recliner- I have mine surrounded wi ... Read more
Larry Peterson Sounds like you are doing well, J Alexander. I'm with you on the recliner- I have mine surrounded with everything I need: tablet, phone, charging gear, water bottle, kleenex, portable urinal, three different weights of blankets, cough drops, spirometer, thermometer, pulse-ox finger gauge, large LED clock, sound reduction headphones, tylenol, and a remote controlled light behind the chair with six light strengths and six color temperatures. Two pillows, one big and one small, that I have learned to arrange exactly right as I sit and extend the recliner. My chair has separate controls for feet, back, and head, which I have memorized positions on so I can do it in the dark. Not sure what I would do if it powered down on me like yours did! Have a great week!
Pamela Gregory Love the recliner too! It was a saving grace to me! I also had weird vision episodes. Seeing stars p... Read more
Pamela Gregory Love the recliner too! It was a saving grace to me! I also had weird vision episodes. Seeing stars periodically and blurry lines occasionally. Still see stars once in a while but not as bad as the first few months. Hope you continue to have steady improvement !!!
Barbara Cimaglia How long did you have to stay at cleveland clinic? Did you fly?
I had my post discharge follow up today. I will be working in my deep breathing and hoping the inflammation around my heart subsides. But overall, very ...Read more
I had my post discharge follow up today. I will be working in my deep breathing and hoping the inflammation around my heart subsides. But overall, very good.
We had a fascinating conversation about how our bodies get confused and angry post surgery - so mundane things like basic temperature regulation or vision quality can be impacted in subtle ways.
I used a wheelchair today at the CC as too large to navigate on foot just yet.
Sharon Behl Way to go J. We will make it through! And every day is a gift even if we don't like what it brings ... Read more
Sharon Behl Way to go J. We will make it through! And every day is a gift even if we don't like what it brings 🙄
Susan Lynn J. Alexander- I agree our bodies are angry. I never quite heard it put that way, but it definitely m... Read more
Susan Lynn J. Alexander- I agree our bodies are angry. I never quite heard it put that way, but it definitely makes sense! Take your recovery one day at a time. You'll see weekly progress. I guess our bodies don't stay angry for too long.
Larry Peterson Thanks J - you are right about all of the little disregulations.. I have been having strange little i ... Read more
Larry Peterson Thanks J - you are right about all of the little disregulations.. I have been having strange little images flash across my eyes just prior to opening my eyes after dozing off. Then poof they are gone. A photo I looked at a few hours ago or a crossword I just finished, etc. Odd.
Rose Madura Glad all is going well with your recovery. I agree with you as well about our bodies being mad. Inte ... Read more
Rose Madura Glad all is going well with your recovery. I agree with you as well about our bodies being mad. Interesting way to put it. May the rest of your recovery go smoothly.❤️🩹💪
Shelly Hubbard Glad you received good news. I used wheelchairs for quite sometime too as Mayo is a lot to navigate, ... Read more
Shelly Hubbard Glad you received good news. I used wheelchairs for quite sometime too as Mayo is a lot to navigate, too.
Dawn Neal Commenting on how our bodies are confused…
I’m 2 weeks post-op minimally invasive MVR, and ... Read more
Dawn Neal Commenting on how our bodies are confused…
I’m 2 weeks post-op minimally invasive MVR, and beginning to think about other things besides pain. A few funny things I’ve noticed-my taste buds are off. It’s frustrating when I’m hungry, but my food tastes weird. At first everything tasted sooo salty. Now it’s just a disappointing taste. The second thing is the skin numbness. My incision is on the right side underarm area. Started out as excruciating sort of nerve spasms but have dulled to the point of just being numb yet sensitive to touch. I’m sure it’s a process of nerve repair. These are just minimal issues; not complaining.
Hello friends and happy Sunday. I am now 6 days out of my mitral valve repair at Cleveland Clinic, and happy to update and color my ...Read more
Awaited Update -
Hello friends and happy Sunday. I am now 6 days out of my mitral valve repair at Cleveland Clinic, and happy to update and color my week. There are many things to share so I'll keep it fairly brief and try and make it interesting. Kind of a top 10 list, Letterman style:
1.) Strategy Shift - had a resection planned but my P2/P3 was so big and messy, that Dr. Gillinov went with a chordal only repair (multi-chords). I was so glad that his range and skill was on demand for this critical decision.
2) Small amount of residual MR still which should be ok, and the Cardiac Fellow who opened/closed it, calling it a "perfect" repair. I hesitate to make such declarations yet, but hey, why not?
3.) Breathing Tube drama - my extubation was quite the drama. I really struggled with the transition part - and was restrained and foaming at the mouth as they say. I remember hearing voices and sensing the suffering but not computing that was happening to me.
4.) Had my big speed bump Morning One when they first got me up, I passed out in the chair and they discovered EKG abnormalities. I faintly recall being in an ER scene, moved by sheet back to the bed with a dozen folks around me and IVs and emergency Echos. (To be clear => they thought I was having a heart attack!)
5.) Pericarditis remains, which they says is transitory, and related to immune response. I'm not worrying yet!!
6.) Remainder of ICU was heavenly. I had a private room and exceptional care.
7.) Step down was a little rough at first. Mostly due to equipment issues (the bed freaked out, but we got it sorted) and one nursing team was lackluster, but that was the exception.
8.) Step down got better, and learned to advocate for myself specific needs and "proactively plan" meds with nurses. They were very open to that.
9.) PT and mobility folks were super nice - I did not obsess with walking but pushed every day more
10.) The home recliner is a Godsend - spent the first night at home - up every 60-90 minutes, but the recliner made it possible.
Yep - resting heart rate is super high which I know is routine from this site. I am at 85 to 88 bpm sitting, and on metoporol.
Now I am binging Ozark on Netflix.
Thanks to all - more to come.
Valerie Allen So glad to hear from you that you are now on the mend! Congrats! Not clear on the abnormal EKG -did t ... Read more
Valerie Allen So glad to hear from you that you are now on the mend! Congrats! Not clear on the abnormal EKG -did they do anything or it corrected itself?
J Alexander Lassally Hi Valerie - Thank you for the notes and I so appreciate it. So they thought I was having a heart ... Read more
J Alexander Lassally Hi Valerie - Thank you for the notes and I so appreciate it. So they thought I was having a heart attack. The pericarditis can impact EKG behaviors which can be indicative of the heart attack. Really, no, they gave me more IVs and say it will resolve. They did two echos post surgery....
Larry Peterson Great update. I'm on day 5, so this was really helpful!
Valerie Allen J Alexander, maybe watch something calmer than Ozark 😉
J Alexander Lassally Valerie - Maybe Ozark can be causing my resting heart at 90 ! hahaha
DeWayne Adamson Good news overall. Sorry we missed you at CC.
Bruce Blair Great update. Glad to hear that you're getting stronger each day. I am 11 weeks from my bio Bentall ... Read more
Bruce Blair Great update. Glad to hear that you're getting stronger each day. I am 11 weeks from my bio Bentall procedure at Cleveland Clinic. Everything went on plan - Not being able to lift more than 10 lbs. for 2 months or so was a challenge.
Grace Mason Great news you are now resting at home J Alexander! Sounds like you kept everyone on their toes early ... Read more
Grace Mason Great news you are now resting at home J Alexander! Sounds like you kept everyone on their toes early on, and wow glad all is well now. I agree with Valerie about your choice of shows to binge being less than calming 😄 Best wishes for continued smooth recovery and healing ❤️🩹
Jill Porter Sounds like a roller coaster ride. So glad you are stable and home. Netflix is a great aid to recover ... Read more
Jill Porter Sounds like a roller coaster ride. So glad you are stable and home. Netflix is a great aid to recovery for sure!!
Deena Elani J.A. - your early stay gets a capital D for Drama. Better upfront than at discharge, but still… It... Read more
Deena Elani J.A. - your early stay gets a capital D for Drama. Better upfront than at discharge, but still… It never seizes to amaze me that after serial echos, TEES, and CTs, the surgeons will say your valve looked even worse than they thought. —Mine said the same. I have yet to hear a surgeon remark that your valve(s) looked better .
Welcome to the surreal world of recovery!! Moonwalking takes on a new meaning. 🤪Splurge on delicious food; enjoy the short strolls and embellish on life's delights. You deserve it .
Rose Madura Great update and glad you are doing well. 💪❤️🩹
Kathy Ozio Great news. Glad you are home- and yes, the recliner was my best friend the first 2-3 months!
Rich Butela I'm on the last season of Ozark myself. What a great show. God Speed on your recovery