EMAIL BAG – PROBLEMS WITH SLEEP AFTER OPEN HEART SURGERY & TOPROL?

April 5th, 2007

CHUCK NOLAN FROM GEORGIA WRITES IN…

Adam,

I read and enjoyed your book last month. Since then, I decided to have a heart valve replacement with a Medtronic stentless valve implanted on Feb 28th by Dr Ed Chen at Emory U hospital in Atlanta…..along with a section of my dilated aorta….5 weeks today. I decided against the RP mostly because I am 54 yrs old, but would have gone Ross Procedure if I were younger.

I have some questions for you. I got off the pain meds quickly but, I am having problems sleeping….Any suggestions? Also, I am on Toprol XL 100 Mg 1xday….not a big deal, but I have noticed that I am very fatigued for several hours during the day and seem to perk up late afternoon or early evening, so I’m wondering if the Toprol could be the culprit….any thoughts?

Chuck

ADAM’S RESPONSE TO CHUCK:

Chuck,

Nice to hear from you! Glad to hear you enjoyed The Patient’s Guide To Heart Valve Surgery. And, congrats on your procedure and the quick departure from pain meds.

You raise a great question about sleep. I had serious problems with that as well. As you might recall, I needed Halcion to get me through the night for the first 6 weeks. I don’t suggest going that route. Any dependent pill behavior can trigger or compound cardiac depression.

Instead, I would suggest that you try to tire yourself out during the day so that you sleep at night.

I know you might be thinking, “Tire myself? But, I’m fatigued during the day?”

This is the problem with the first few weeks for some patients… You’re fatigued in the day but can not sleep at night.

That said, you need to push through the fatigue, avoid napping, and get back to your old routine pre-surgery. As I know and you know, that is much easier said than done. But, it will work! (I have to thank Nurse Chris from Dr. Vaughn Starnes office for this therapeutic guidance. )

So that you know, the “fatigue” you reference is very common. I was fatigued for the first eight months following my Ross Procedure. And, I was not on Toprol

Keep on Tickin!

Adam

About The Author: Adam Pick is a double, heart valve surgery patient and author of The Patient's Guide To Heart Valve Surgery. This unique book integrates clinical research with the personal experiences of 135 former patients to help future patients and their caregivers better understand the problems, the opportunities and the realities of heart valve surgery. To learn more about Adam and his heart valve surgery book, click here.