Before surgery I came across comments about how awful sneezing can be after open heart surgery. This became a great fear of mine. I even researched and found ...Read more
Before surgery I came across comments about how awful sneezing can be after open heart surgery. This became a great fear of mine. I even researched and found ways to stop them. Pinching my nostrils and pushing up on the base when I felt one coming on worked every time! So yesterday I am 6.5 weeks post surgery with one week of cardiac rehab down, I feel great, and then it hits me, a super strong urge to sneeze. I start to panic and try to stop it, but at the last second I decided to let it go. Not only was it a strong one, it was 2 in a row, and OM.......nothing, ABSOLUTELY nothing. No chest splitting pain like I read about, not even a sore muscle twinge. Thanks to my research I knew to keep all of my airways open and not try to keep it in. It was more like an Ah-Chaw, instead of an Ah-Choo. Funny how something as little and insignificant as a sneeze can cause such fear. Wishing painless, stress-free sneezes for everyone!
Amy Steele I am glad you were spared sternal pain when sneezing... Sounds like you're healing well!
So I'm 4.5 weeks post MVR. Way back in October 4 months before it was decided I needed surgery my voice started to get hoarse. It was a come and go situation, ...Read more
So I'm 4.5 weeks post MVR. Way back in October 4 months before it was decided I needed surgery my voice started to get hoarse. It was a come and go situation, and by surgery time it was mostly gone. My voice was very faint, talking took a lot of effort, and caused fatigue and shortness of breath. It led me to a pulmonologist who hesitantly diagnosed COPD most likely brought on by pulmonary hypertension. That's how I ended up at the surgeon, who in all his experience, never had a patient with hoarseness as a symptom. Very frustrating, however after surgery he referred me to an ENT voice specialist who sent a scope down and discovered my left vocal cord is paralyzed. Possible diagnosis is Ortners Syndrome. A rare situation where the vocal cord nerves that typically run through and around the area of your heart and arteries get compromised when there is enlargement due to pulmonary hypertension, mitral valve stenosis, or severe regurgitation (my case). Good news is that now that the cause has been repaired my voice should return to normal although it may take 6 months to a year. In the mean time, there are injections that can help plump up the weak cord but they have to go through the outside of the throat to do it, and the procedure has to be repeated every 2 months! Ummm, yikes! Does anyone have a similar experience? I'd love to hear about it!
Steve Farthing Thanks for this write-up. Very interesting. Glad you are on the mend.
Lina Gilliland Hello Billy,
I know about vocal chord paralysis and the procedure you are talking about. I had to wai ... Read more
Lina Gilliland Hello Billy,
I know about vocal chord paralysis and the procedure you are talking about. I had to wait 6 months and my left vocal chord did not spontaneously come back so I had to have the Radiesse injections to help fix my vocal chord. I still have a small gap so I have to be careful when I drink fluids-I can't tip my head back too far or I will choke. Occasionally food will slip through and cause a problem.
However, I am soo grateful to have a voice and to be able to breathe! I literately was unable to breathe at all it was a horrible experience. The injections worked really well for me.
I wish you all the best!! Glad to hear that your heart valve surgery has been such a success.
Lina
Things are going great! Pain med free for five days now, up and around no complications (knock on wood). A couple of questions though: how long did you carry ...Read more
Things are going great! Pain med free for five days now, up and around no complications (knock on wood). A couple of questions though: how long did you carry your heart pillow around? I'm ready to go to Walmart and have a Dr. appointment next week. Can it stay up n the car? Also how long does it take for the steri-strips to fall off, I've only lost one so far.
Cathleen Weed I only kept a pillow close for a couple of weeks. Once you get used to coughing/sneezing without it y ... Read more
Cathleen Weed I only kept a pillow close for a couple of weeks. Once you get used to coughing/sneezing without it you won't need it. It's really just a comfort thing. You can brace your chest with your arms or hands if you need to.
Congrats on a successful surgery and recovery ❤️🙌!
Ellen Leng I carried my heart pillow for several weeks, and then kept it in the car for the shoulder belt for a ... Read more
Ellen Leng I carried my heart pillow for several weeks, and then kept it in the car for the shoulder belt for a few weeks after that! I think it was mostly family making me take it with me, but it did give some security :).
No steri-strips for me, but they typically take 7-10 days to fall off. Just let them be and they come off.
Holding up this phone takes effort! They were able to repair my valve! Day1 out of surgery was surprisingly wonderful, I couldn't believe that I had just recovered ...Read more
Holding up this phone takes effort! They were able to repair my valve! Day1 out of surgery was surprisingly wonderful, I couldn't believe that I had just recovered from surgery. They removed my breathing tube before I was awake which I was nervous about. Day 2 meds wore off and I kept looking for that truck that ran over me, but they kept telling me it would be the worst day and get better. Woke up feeling great yesterday then they took out my catheter and chest tubes. I wouldn't call it pain but a yucky discomfort! Rest of the day was just a generally uncomfortable day. Today I have made 2 complete laps around the floor and practiced steps. I am beginning to feel more secure in this new body. Thanks for the support along the way!
Preadmit day today, surgery Thursday. I wonder how many times I will have to talk myself out of throwing up?!
Civita Fahey I know the feeling .. I have about 3 weeks til surgery and its hard.. best of luck to you Billy.. ple ... Read more
Civita Fahey I know the feeling .. I have about 3 weeks til surgery and its hard.. best of luck to you Billy.. please keep us posted.
Cathleen Weed I think the upside to all the worrying is that by the time they are rolling you in for surgery you a ... Read more
Cathleen Weed I think the upside to all the worrying is that by the time they are rolling you in for surgery you are SO ready for a nice sleep that you almost don't mind that it's happening lol. Prayers for Thursday xo. You're going to feel so much better after surgery. A whole new healthy life.
❤️❤️❤️
Civita Fahey that's so true Cathleen.. its probably the best sleep you'll have for a while. lol
Marie Myers Best wishes for smooth sailing thru your surgery!
It is so easy to get wrapped up in a "Poor me, I'm having open heart surgery," funk. Then your mentor and friend loses her battle with cancer leaving behind ...Read more
It is so easy to get wrapped up in a "Poor me, I'm having open heart surgery," funk. Then your mentor and friend loses her battle with cancer leaving behind a special needs adult child. Reality check, yes I have a serious problem, but it is fixable! Blessed for that reason!
Good news, mammogram follow up was clear, recheck in a year!
Linda Richards i had a mamo 3 months after OHS we moved a bit and I was 3 years over due... I had minimal .. with i ... Read more
Linda Richards i had a mamo 3 months after OHS we moved a bit and I was 3 years over due... I had minimal .. with it was all good. I am sorry for your friend.
Steve Farthing Sorry for your loss and you are right about getting in that funk which can make a fixable valve probl ... Read more
Steve Farthing Sorry for your loss and you are right about getting in that funk which can make a fixable valve problem seem worse than it is.
In less than three months I went from, "You can wait about 5 years before we need to consider surgery," to, "Your symptoms are signs of early heart failure, ...Read more
In less than three months I went from, "You can wait about 5 years before we need to consider surgery," to, "Your symptoms are signs of early heart failure, and you need surgery ASAP." My head is still spinning as surgery is set for April 6th. And of course I get a call back because my recent mammogram has a suspicious area that needs a closer look! Going check on that tomorrow. When it rains it pours! What a way to get my mind off of surgery nerves!
Matthew Russo Plenty of positive prayers and thoughts being sent your way Biily. Hopefully the news re the mammogra ... Read more
Matthew Russo Plenty of positive prayers and thoughts being sent your way Biily. Hopefully the news re the mammogram is good and you can focus on relaxing for the upcoming valve surgery.
Civita Fahey yes Billy it does.. I had the same thing happen to me.. I'm scheduled for surgery on April 24th and a ... Read more
Civita Fahey yes Billy it does.. I had the same thing happen to me.. I'm scheduled for surgery on April 24th and after I found that out, I also had a mammogram that needed follow up. Thankfully these days they pick up thing so early that about 60% of people get call backs.. It was nothing to be concerned about and I wish the same for you.. Best of luck.