“How Long Is Heart Surgery Recovery, Really?” Asks Jesser

I’m so glad this topic came up now. My aortic valve replacement was June 23, and I still don’t feel 100%. Even though I read your book and did other research, nothing prepared me for the recovery.

One piece of advice I’d offer is to rest all you need to when you first get home from the hospital. One of the R N s told me that for every day I spent in bed, I would have an extra three day recovery period. Consequently, I spent way more time sitting in my chair than I did in bed. I was so weak that I couldn’t walk the 95 steps from my bed to my chair without stopping to rest. I’ve since found out that I had it reversed: I should have stayed in bed and taken short sitting periods during each day! Don’t try to be superman, just recover at your own pace. This is not like any other surgery you may have had. For example, I had back surgery last year on a Friday, was discharged from the hospital on Saturday, and went to church and out to eat for Mother’s Day on Sunday. Nothing close to that is going to occur after your valve replacement. Just hang in there–hopefully you’ll get stronger day by day. I know that’s starting to happen for me.

Jesser,

Sneezing and coughing generate very high intra-thoracic (inside the chest) and abdominal pressure which can cause significant pain for quite a while after chest surgery. Prior to these maneuvers try holding or compressing the painful area(s). Many times this does help ease the pain. The pain does get less as time passes.

I have a bicuspid aortic valve with stenosis and an aortic root aneurysm which is being monitored closely and will need a valve and ascending aorta replacement in 1 to 3 years.

Many years ago, as a recently graduated respiratory therapist, I treated many open heart patients at a major university teaching hospital. I recently read Adam’s book and do recommend it to all valve replacement patients and their caregivers. What to expect port-op was quite insightful.

There is a big difference treating open heart patients and BEING an open heart patient.

I endorse Adam’s enthusiasm for a planned physical (cardiac rehab) recovery program. I am a keen cyclist (mid-40s), and was riding up to 150 miles/week before discovering in a routine medical exam I needed urgent surgery on my aortic valve.

My Ross Procedure on April 8 turned into a Bentalls Procedure (mechanical valve) during surgery (oops!). I got the same over-optimism from the doctors about recovery initially – “a couple of months”. I think they say this to avoid people spiraling into depression – I reckon it’s more like a year at my rate of progress.

Pre-operation, I approached a specialist sports-rehab group here in Melbourne to build me a program above and beyond the hospital-led one – which frankly was too short, very conservative and moved at the speed of the lowest common denominator.

At nearly 5 months I am back to a 40 mile ride on Sundays, a weekly 1 hour Gym session (rehab), and commuting by bike (5 miles) to work 2 days a week. I have to be careful to balance this with rest accordingly, extra sleep being the best medicine. I am weak in the chest and neck, but it’s muscle wastage from inactivity not structural issues. A sneeze still occasionally hurts.

If I had not worked with a trained rehab/ sports specialist I doubt I would have been as measured, daring or pro-active in my recovery work. Their support and interest has been key to my avoiding going emotionally downhill as well – an easy outcome having gone from ‘athlete’ to ‘patient’ mentality in a matter of weeks. I have days when I feel more vulnerable than I did (I carry a medical kit when riding); I have to check my expectation that one day I will wake up as ‘Steve Austin’ and be back to my old self (or more!) – but it’s easy to do when I balance my joy at having this second chance.

Be patient, be active.

I am also glad that this issue has been raised i also did a lot of research but was prepared for the time it takes to recover i am 15 weeks postop but still have pain and i am not yet 100% so good luck and do take time to recover and listen to your body.
Fazilat

I had a St. Jude’s valve put in on March 6, 2008. I have been walking, going to Cardiac Rehab and trying to ease into recovery.

Don’t rush it. Listen to what your body is telling you. I also have pain in my incision site as well as discomfort in my right shoulder and arm.

We all have to remember that our bodies have been put through a tremendous operation and it will take time to heal properly. Take your recovery day by day.

Just a note to say that on August 14th of this year I climbed a Mayan Ruin in Cozumel Mexico in 112 degree weather and when I stood on top of this beautiful place I cried not for the beauty but for the accomplishment I just did, something that before valve surgery I would have never been able to do. I thank god everyday for giving me a second chance to live life.

My recovery was long, and I too suffered from Cardiac Depression eventhough I did not know that what it was called at the time. But the minute I went back to work and realized that I was not going to die it disappeared.

Have faith in yourself, listen to yourself and by all means take recovery seriously and listen to your body.

Andi

Thank you for this information. As my mitral valve worsens, it looks like I’ll be needing a valve replacement soon, and this is one of the questions on my list.

Adam, first, you are great and thank you for all your work for us and I am honestly trying to not freak-out here. From all I’ve read, it’ll take at least 3 weeks before I can do stairs and 6 weeks before I can drive. And I’ll definetly need lots of help in the first 2 to 3 weeks post op at home. Well, I live alone in a second floor condo and need my mitral valve fixed before this winter according to my cardiologist. I am trying to be OK with the scar down my sternum even though, truthfully, I am not as I’ve seen my Dad’s from his valve replacement about 10 years ago. Should I be looking into local nursing homes or what for the first 3 weeks post-op? Mybe I need pre-op counseling? Is there such a thing?

I had open heart surgery 6 months ago. Repaired mitral valve and did a double bypass. I feel much better but my doctor told me it would take me a year. My friend, a nurse practioner said it would take more than a year so the 18 months sound like it might be the right answer. I have had problems with the meds they put me on for pulse. I never had high blood pressure and no symptoms til last Dec. when I developed pneumonia and they found the heart murmur, then I had a high rate of pulse – given Mavik to regulate til I had surgery. They put me on Lopressor 25 mg per day after surgery and that did a fair job of regulating my BP and pulse but at 5 weeks, I developed irregular heart beat. Was put on Digoxin for 2 months and then 12.5 mg of Lopressor for another month. This no longer worked to keep my pulse down and was bottoming out my BP which had been a problem with all meds. I went to my primary who changed my meds to Atenolol 25 mg per day but again, it lowered my BP too much even though it kep my pulse good. So I’ve had to cut it back gradually. I now take 1/8 of 25 mg at noon and 1/8 before bedtime and have to watch my BP to make sure it doesn’t go too low. I’ve noticed lately that I’m also getting a little irregular heartbeat but it doesn’t last. I am going to the YMCA on the treadmill and walk when I can. I able to walk so much faster and have more energy but still not back to what I was 20 yrs. ago. I had rheumatic fevel apparently when I had really bad strep throat at age 20 and didn’t get to the doctor early enough so it took 45 years to develop the mitral valve vegetation and I never knew there was a problem. One symptom my doctor thinks might have been heart related instead of back was back pain in upper mid back which radiated down both arms and sat on my chest. This has since gone away. I too still feel some pain in my incision, more like a stretching and still feel my lungs aren’t totally back. But I can honestly say, I am thankful I’m as good as I am and hope to be back to 99% soon. I am a “young” 65 yr. old female!

An additional note. If you are concerned about the incision from open heart surgery, ask your surgeon if he can do a cosmetic incision which is lower. They didn’t use staples. They wired my sternum back together with wire and did stitches that desolved, then they glued me back together. I was careful when I showered not to get the incision too wet and only used a soft washcloth when washing it. I didn’t try to remove the glue until 6 weeks when it just peeled off. It is 6 months now and my incision is barely visible. Put Vit. E on it and zinc oxide oinment after the glue comes off. I can wear lower cut tops now. My incision down lower is still red but not visible and is still sore but it is getting better. It is rough recovering but keep in mind the results and take it one day at a time. Your body will tell you what you can do. I was back at work on the 16th day after surgery but only doing light computer work and was driven back and forth to work. I only worked 3 hrs. for 2 days the first week and then gradually worked back up for 20 hrs. per week which is my normal. Stay positive!

I am into my ninth week of aeortic valve replacement surgery. Sometimes when I talk I am loosing my voice as I feel my voice cords are pulling. Is this commen?

I am a 54 year old woman in Houston, TX, who had an aortic valve replacement last September. I chose the organic valve. However, after the surgery, my heart is no longer functioning without a pacemaker. Is that very common after a valve replacement? (My aortic valve had a congenital defect and was also covered in dangerous calcium plaque.)

Since I found out that pacemakers can be recalled and can fail to operate, I have been scared that I could die at any moment…if my pacemaker gives out! I have been afraid to return to my normally active lifestyle, and am definitely not feeling my chipper, happy, optimistic old self. I am not depressed…I am frightened! What can I do to get over this fear? Thank you for responding!

I had aortic valve replacement and membrane removal 2 weeks and three days ago and am doing well. I still have the tape over the incision and my neck still aches sometimes, but overall I feel pretty darn good which says a lot coming from a person who was fairly asymptomatic and not crazy about having surgery in the first place. I drove the day after returning from the hospital and spent that entire first day out and about. Tired me out completely. I’ve been taking it easier since then. I can sneeze with no discomfort and moving the arms is no problem. I can take deep breaths with no pain and make it up the stairs without getting out of breath. My surgeon was brutally honest when he told me I would at first feel like I had a semi parked on my chest. A double long semi — yes. Fortunately, no one skimped on the pain meds. Within three days after the eight hour surgery, I felt much better. (I talked the nurses into letting me stay in bed with catheter in longer than usual.) For anyone having this particular type of surgery, there is definitely light at the end of the tunnel. If the organic valve lasts and the membrane doesn’t grow back, I will be even more fortunate (barring any other illness).