Brian Drives Past Cardiac Depression And Heart Palpitations

Brian. Thanks for sharing this info. I am a recent heart value surgery patient, and am in my 5th week of recovery. It (I am experiencing cardiac depression) is the hardest thing I have ever done. I am hoping it gets easier as time goes by, thanks for the positive outlook.

Kevin

For what it is worth 2 weeks ago, approaching my 4th ‘anniversary’ of aorta valve replacement, ALL my anxiety attacks stopped–I now take lorazepam just to go to sleep at night and am starting to wean off that–still have other problems but can’t tell you how relieved I am to not have anxiety attacks anymore!

This is encouraging! My husband, age 47 and a vigorous, otherwise healthy guy, is facing surgery to replace his mitral valve and aorta. Like Brian and others, he repeatedly says that it’s not the surgery he fears, but the recovery–sitting around doing nothing and not being able to do work. Maybe if he sees this, perhaps he won’t be so down.

Hello, I am wondering how many folks have experienced anesthesia psychosis or as most MDs call it “ICU psychosis”. For me it lasted the better part of two weeks. A week in the ICU and another in general recovery. I’m 75 now and I have done most of the 60′s drugs,- during the 60′s. I have never experienced the horrific nightmarish visitations of the two weeks following surgery.

Nicole,

Your husband had surgery almost the same day as me. I had a Ross Procedure on November 13. About two weeks after that I started getting atrial fibrillations, which was treated with 50mg Toprol. I did notice that it made me feel down — not totally depressed, just down. Right after surgery, I felt fine, but my surgeon said that if depression was a problem he could give me something. Eventually the down feeling went away.

It has only been a few months since his surgery. These things take time. He may think he can’t do what he used to. Anyway, you should talk to your doctor about this. If he is depressed it will hinder his physical recovery. Hope that helps.