Happy Heartaversary to me. One year to the day, aortic valve replaced along with part of my aorta.
My biggest take away, after being constantly reminded ...Read more
Happy Heartaversary to me. One year to the day, aortic valve replaced along with part of my aorta.
My biggest take away, after being constantly reminded to be patient, slow down, allow your body to heal, I can tell you confidently....be patient....slow down...allow your body to heal. Listen to your body.
Really hard for me to just sit, but you will heal, you will have small victories and pretty soon you find yourself on top of a mountain enjoying life again.
I a going to do all I can, see all I can, love my family and my God as best I can. This slowed me down, but it never stopped me. We have one life, do not let it go to waste. I have hope and a future here on earth and in heaven. Going to enjoy it all.
Amanda Ryan Happy Heartaversary to you, Luke! You look like you are doing great!
Susan Jones Love your attitude. Something I aspire to for this life and the next
Andrew Dial Happy anniversary! Great update, thank you
Ana Brusso Hi Luke, congratulations on your anniversary. Keep up the good work and God bless you
Pamela Gregory Happy Anniversary !!! Sounds like you are doing really well and have life figured out beautifully
Rose Madura Happy Anniversary Luke. That year flew by, didn't it? Your outlook is marvelous. And your prioritie ... Read more
Rose Madura Happy Anniversary Luke. That year flew by, didn't it? Your outlook is marvelous. And your priorities are renewed. Godspeed!
Susan Lynn Happy Anniversary! Good advice! Glad you're doing well and enjoying life!
Deena Elani Happy, healthy, anniversary! Glad that you checked-in. So good for those going into and healing fro ... Read more
Deena Elani Happy, healthy, anniversary! Glad that you checked-in. So good for those going into and healing from surgery to hear your advice.
Deena Elani and....where are your trekking? Looks delightful!!!
Luke Rodriguez Deena, I live in Phoenix Arizona, this was taken at Lake Pleasant, a bit northwest of where I live. I ... Read more
Luke Rodriguez Deena, I live in Phoenix Arizona, this was taken at Lake Pleasant, a bit northwest of where I live. I love hiking in Arizona and I get up to Utah at least once a year.
Wondering what the consensus, thoughts and opinions are regarding the covid vaccines and boosters. I never got them, never got sick. The more I read about side ...Read more
Wondering what the consensus, thoughts and opinions are regarding the covid vaccines and boosters. I never got them, never got sick. The more I read about side effects the happier I am with my decision.
Rose Madura Hi Luke, I got the vaccine, booster 1 and 3. Can't remember why I skipped booster 2. Still, in Augus ... Read more
Rose Madura Hi Luke, I got the vaccine, booster 1 and 3. Can't remember why I skipped booster 2. Still, in August 2022, I had a mild case of Covid. So who knows?? 🤷 But I did not have any side effects other than a sore arm with the first shot.
Travis Ederer As a public safety guy, I had to toe the line a little more during the pandemic so I am vaccinated an ... Read more
Travis Ederer As a public safety guy, I had to toe the line a little more during the pandemic so I am vaccinated and did receive the first 2 boosters. I had no noticeable side effects (so far). I never contracted COVID, and did plenty of testing. Nonetheless, I think you should do what you're comfortable with, as long as the facility and doctor you want to use are not being hardnosed about it. For what it's worth. Any sickness could complicate your surgery and recovery, but we can't live life for all of the what ifs....
Richard Munson Had the first booster now i’m done. Agree with luke. The president had a few boosters, enough said. ... Read more
Richard Munson Had the first booster now i’m done. Agree with luke. The president had a few boosters, enough said. Lol.
Jason Hyrup I got covid in Aug 2021. I was not vaccinated at the time. I was waiting for the fda approval, that j ... Read more
Jason Hyrup I got covid in Aug 2021. I was not vaccinated at the time. I was waiting for the fda approval, that just got approved right before i got it. I dont know if getting a shot or not would of helped me but i was in icu for 40 days. My wife was told i was going to die, and to come and say your goodbyes. All i can say is, if there is a chance it will keep you from getting deadly sick, its worth the little side affects that i got from the shots. I Now have my first series, plus the updated booster. Covid messed up my lungs, kidneys, and heart. I Was in a wheel chair for months after i got home. Its no joke.... if your one of the unluck people that get hit hard with this virus.
It was a hell of a ride i can tell you. Now i need a Aorta Valve Replaced, and adsending Aorta repaired!!! I'm still not fully back to normal from covid. Its hell getting older. Hopefully i can get all this behind me and start living again.
Brady Busch I'm up to date with all the boosters.Everything was Pfizer.The last one,in December,caused a little w ... Read more
Brady Busch I'm up to date with all the boosters.Everything was Pfizer.The last one,in December,caused a little weirdness,along with pain at the injection area,maybe because they gave me a flu shot at the same time.What concerns me,is the long Covid.
Richard Munson Not sure how old you are jason but it only gets worse my friend.
Susan Lynn Oh no, Jason! I'm so sorry to read about your experience with Covid. Glad you recovered. That mu... Read more
Susan Lynn Oh no, Jason! I'm so sorry to read about your experience with Covid. Glad you recovered. That must have been such a difficult time for you and your family.
Luke - I had the initial two shots, but I don't think I'll know for awhile if I had any long-term reactions. I know several people who refused the shots and are doing ok, so far. I also know a couple people who received the vaccine and, unfortunately, succumbed to that terrible virus.
Pamela Gregory I have had all the Moderna vaccines and boosters. I got sick for a day with the first 3 but the last ... Read more
Pamela Gregory I have had all the Moderna vaccines and boosters. I got sick for a day with the first 3 but the last booster just a sore arm. My Cardiologist said to get it
. I'm not to old, i'm turning 52 in March. I didn't have any major medical problems, until 2017. It all started with kidney stones, from a weight loss diet, And snow balled from there. Gallblatter stones and removal, kidney stones with Surgery, Covid and now bavd. I hope it get better after my recovery.
Thanks Susan- Yes.... it was a stressful time for my family, and myself, after i woke up from my induced coma.( I don't remember anything from that time). But i did have some weird dreams. I'm just getting back to my old self, and now i will have to have valve replacement surgery. I will have to start all over. I hope i have a good recovery that some people here had have. There storys do help. ... Read more
. I'm not to old, i'm turning 52 in March. I didn't have any major medical problems, until 2017. It all started with kidney stones, from a weight loss diet, And snow balled from there. Gallblatter stones and removal, kidney stones with Surgery, Covid and now bavd. I hope it get better after my recovery.
Thanks Susan- Yes.... it was a stressful time for my family, and myself, after i woke up from my induced coma.( I don't remember anything from that time). But i did have some weird dreams. I'm just getting back to my old self, and now i will have to have valve replacement surgery. I will have to start all over. I hope i have a good recovery that some people here had have. There storys do help.
9 months out from my surgery, aortic valve replacement with a mechanical valve and partial aorta replacement. Thoughts.
My heart still feels like its booming....heart rhythm good, bp good. My cardiologist said that this is common for mechanical valves. So I guess it is what it is.
Blood pressure, historically my BP has always been low. All this time I have been on BP meds to control heartbeat...I got off of one almost immediately, for months I was on amiodarone and metropole. Got off of both and was put on diltiazem. 120mg which absolutely wrecked me. Doctor kicked it down to 60 mg...30 at night and in the morning. That lasted two days and I decided to take myself off of it myself. My bp got as low as 75/54. Now I am back to normal which is about 111/75 on average. I FEEL INCREDIBLE!!! This is the boost everyone talks about getting post surgery. This morning I woke up at 5am, cleaned up my kitchen and reorganized the cabinets.
I still have some sternum pain when I move the wrong way but it is not a constant pain. I am thinking it comes from my incision scar or just beneath it. Cardiologist said that is normal.
I feel normal...like I used to, maybe even better.
For those with fear and trepidation....I encourage you to not let your heart be troubled.....there is a whole new life on the other side of this. Sometimes you have to wander in that desert before you get to the promised land.
Tom Everson How is your heart rate now. I assume the diitiazem was for that but caused your very low B/P. I ... Read more
Tom Everson How is your heart rate now. I assume the diitiazem was for that but caused your very low B/P. I found your system changes and adjusts to your NEW YOU. Less pills the better if you are aware of your body ( but keep the doctors informed)
Angela Meletiadis Hey Luke, I'm glad you're feeling good. Anytime you want to come over and clean my kitchen and reorga ... Read more
Angela Meletiadis Hey Luke, I'm glad you're feeling good. Anytime you want to come over and clean my kitchen and reorganize my cabinets, you're most welcome. I'll provide coffee and baklava.
Klara Čičić Haha Angela :))) Hi, Luke, we have missed you, nice to hear from you. It's amazing how one strongly m ... Read more
Klara Čičić Haha Angela :))) Hi, Luke, we have missed you, nice to hear from you. It's amazing how one strongly memorizes those people whose stories are read first, in that preoperative state of fear and the unknown... Your posts stuck with me. Continued good health and all the best!
Rose Madura Luke, glad you are doing so well! It took quite a while to get on the regimen of meds that worked we ... Read more
Rose Madura Luke, glad you are doing so well! It took quite a while to get on the regimen of meds that worked well for me. Tom gives great advice. Thanks for the update and positive post!
Ana Brusso Good to hear from you Luke and that you are doing well. Continued good health and God bless you
Luke Rodriguez Tom - My heart rate is about 15 bpm lower than pre surgery. I agree with the less pills is better. < ... Read more
Luke Rodriguez Tom - My heart rate is about 15 bpm lower than pre surgery. I agree with the less pills is better. I have not posted in a while because I've been visiting elderly parents and was just too busy. Dad is 89 and mom is 87. I was giving my sisters who live near them a break over the holidays. My main goal is to lose the 20 lbs of weight I put on during recovery and over the holidays. Visiting family ensures you get plenty of food too good to resist....my family is from south Louisiana so lots of amazing food. Now back to diet and exercise. Next time I wont wait so long to post.
It's been 5 and a half months since my valve replacement. My only complication was heart flutter. I was put on amiodarone 200 mg and Metoprolol 25mg. I have ...Read more
It's been 5 and a half months since my valve replacement. My only complication was heart flutter. I was put on amiodarone 200 mg and Metoprolol 25mg. I have had no issues at all since. I work out three times a week attending a body pump class. When my heart rate gets too high I get super dizzy and have to back off what I am doing. My average heart rate has been steadily dropping and last night it was 61bpm and went as low as 51bpm. My bp is chronically low, it was low prior to surgery. My cardiologist is keeping me on both meds and will let me drop Amiodarone Dec 1.
I want off these meds, I feel like my Cardiologist is treating me like I'm 88 instead of 58. Am I just being impatient? A butt?
Angela Meletiadis Luke, you should tell him that. You're not impatient. Perhaps you need a good explanation to set your ... Read more
Angela Meletiadis Luke, you should tell him that. You're not impatient. Perhaps you need a good explanation to set your mind at ease. I usually write my questions down before I go for a follow up, because I forget. You have a right to know what's going on.
Marie Myers I agree with Angela. Maybe he will cut the dose on the metoprolol next time you see him if you stay o ... Read more
Marie Myers I agree with Angela. Maybe he will cut the dose on the metoprolol next time you see him if you stay out of flutter…
Luke Rodriguez We did discuss it...he said he was being cautious. In December he is setting me up with a take home ... Read more
Luke Rodriguez We did discuss it...he said he was being cautious. In December he is setting me up with a take home monitor after I am off the Amiodarone. WHY? Because I am taking a conservative approach was the answer. If my out of pocket on insurance was not already maxed I may have pushed back harder. But OK....I will do this. Four months ago I work a take home monitor and zero.....ZERO issues. I was on another blood pressure pill that I had to stop because I was almost passing out when I stood up. I was at my GPs office and they took my BP three times, two different machines because it was too low. My GP stopped my BP med and my Cardiologist was OK with it. I am on enough meds and I am tired of not being able to push myself.......
Having said that, my energy level is off the charts but when I push hard the meds...I feel like its the meds....make me have to back off.
Rose Madura Take it easy Luke. Best to err on n the side of caution. Trust your doctors. They've been through thi ... Read more
Rose Madura Take it easy Luke. Best to err on n the side of caution. Trust your doctors. They've been through this many times with other patients and while no two people are alike, recovery can have some similarities. All will be ok soon.
Four months post aortic valve replacement surgery, mechanical valve and aorta, my wife and I went to Yellowstone National Park and Grand Tetons. Spent a week ...Read more
Four months post aortic valve replacement surgery, mechanical valve and aorta, my wife and I went to Yellowstone National Park and Grand Tetons. Spent a week driving around, hiking, shopping. I felt great, my wife said I had more energy...and I didn't feel all that tired.
It sucks that anyone has to go through this but life gets better. It can feel overwhelming when you are on the wrong side of surgery but take heart, you will heal, recover and overcome this and you will be a much stronger person than you were.
Klara Čičić Thanks Luke for words of encouragement. I am happy you are feeling better and enjoying life!
Tom Everson Great recovery , great pictures and a great attitude. Congratulations
Deena Elani Great way to celebrate the healthier you and the miracle of this surgery, Luke! Awesome. Soon Klara ... Read more
Deena Elani Great way to celebrate the healthier you and the miracle of this surgery, Luke! Awesome. Soon Klara and Tom will be able to say the same. . 😎
Rose Madura Good to hear Luke! Congratulations on your successful surgery. Isn't it great to feel better?
Sensitive subject, but we're all adults here. If you Google coumadin and ED meds the first result says it's fine to take both...the second result says absolutely ...Read more
Sensitive subject, but we're all adults here. If you Google coumadin and ED meds the first result says it's fine to take both...the second result says absolutely do not take both. I'm just wondering if anyone has personal experience...or better, a,"friend's " experience. Lol
Richard Munson I have so many wise guy answers swirling around in my devious mind, i decided to just shut up as my w ... Read more
Richard Munson I have so many wise guy answers swirling around in my devious mind, i decided to just shut up as my wife often tells me.
Richard Munson Luke, sorry i did not see your comment that we are all adults. I failed that one as i often do.
Rita Savelis Nothing is too sensitive to be talked about. Most men can take both anticoagulants and meds for erect ... Read more
Rita Savelis Nothing is too sensitive to be talked about. Most men can take both anticoagulants and meds for erectile dysfunction. But you might want to ask your doctor if you fit into the category of "most".
Five weeks after aortic valve replacement, open heart. My incision site is sensitive and tender. Is there anything I can put on it to help or do I just need ...Read more
Five weeks after aortic valve replacement, open heart. My incision site is sensitive and tender. Is there anything I can put on it to help or do I just need to wait. Tylenol and muscle relaxers are ok but I find hot showers and ice packs help too. Am I doomed to wearing old man button up shirts forever? T-shirts hurt. Before you ask, yes I'm doing too much. I forget about pulling or pushing, I fall asleep on my back and wake up on my side very stiff and sore. I want some kind of numbing spray but maybe that wouldn't help. I'm neither patient nor sedentary. But it's not like I'm doing push ups or even light housework. How long does this annoyance last?
Rose Madura I dare say Luke that it may be that you are doing too much. If I were you, I'd try to knock it down... Read more
Rose Madura I dare say Luke that it may be that you are doing too much. If I were you, I'd try to knock it down a notch or two and see if it doesn't get better.
Luke Rodriguez I know, I'm the problem....I hate sitting still and I hate the constant pain. Just put me in a com ... Read more
Luke Rodriguez I know, I'm the problem....I hate sitting still and I hate the constant pain. Just put me in a coma. Lol
Adam Baumgartner Mine was somewhat sensitive for about 7-8 weeks.
Sandy Harvey You will heal. I would not worry about the few accommodations you have to make to protect healing or ... Read more
Sandy Harvey You will heal. I would not worry about the few accommodations you have to make to protect healing or your scar. I had a full sternotomy in March and it's my stamp of the strength I had had to ensure and survive a major event in my life ... be proud of yourself for beating the odds. We all heal at a different pace and it requires patience. 🙏🏼
Marie Myers You could try an over the counter lidocaine gel or ointment to see if it desensitizes the scar. Look ... Read more
Marie Myers You could try an over the counter lidocaine gel or ointment to see if it desensitizes the scar. Look in the topical pain relief section at the pharmacy. Hope it helps!
Richard Munson The trouble with a pain killer is that it is only masking the problem, not fixing it. When you get sl ... Read more
Richard Munson The trouble with a pain killer is that it is only masking the problem, not fixing it. When you get sliced open, a lot of stuff gets cut. It takes time to heal. I agree with rose to cut back a notch and give it time to heal. It will. Bite your tongue, i wear t shirts at 80. They just look different on me now. Lol.
Deena Elani You will get there, Luke, need another 4 weeks. I had a sternum cut too and found a heating pad on th ... Read more
Deena Elani You will get there, Luke, need another 4 weeks. I had a sternum cut too and found a heating pad on the low setting was helfpful.Use your legs for movement and less your arms🤪
Linda Hanson Luke you sound like me 3 1/2 weeks and every time I do too much I pay with muscle pain chest and arm. ... Read more
Linda Hanson Luke you sound like me 3 1/2 weeks and every time I do too much I pay with muscle pain chest and arm. Take it easy.
Dear Luke, I agree with Rose and God help me with Richard. Chill out heart warrior. Learn a little pa ... Read more
Dear Luke, I agree with Rose and God help me with Richard. Chill out heart warrior. Learn a little patience and don’t try to do too much. You have been blessed with a successful surgery and brought into recovery, now make the necessary changes to your routine so your recovery continues. I’m very impatient but that had to changed after my surgery. You can do this Luke, be gentle to yourself it’s worth it. You are in my prayers and wish you a smooth recovery. God bless you
A month and a few days from surgery and I am back at work beginning tomorrow. Part time, but I can start tackling the 650 emails in my inbox. It feels so ...Read more
A month and a few days from surgery and I am back at work beginning tomorrow. Part time, but I can start tackling the 650 emails in my inbox. It feels so good to be moving back in to normal life. Part of me cannot believe how far I've come in a month and part of me can't believe it took so long. Every week that goes by I look back in amazement at the progress...the human body is amazing, the healing touch of the hand of God, the warmth of family and friends...all got me to this point...cannot imagine where I'll be in another month.
Klara Čičić Wow Luke, this sounds amazing...gives me hope and positivity
Rose Madura Luke, I love this post! Glad all is so well. The human body is amazing and medical knowledge is am... Read more
Rose Madura Luke, I love this post! Glad all is so well. The human body is amazing and medical knowledge is amazing and God is most amazing g of all!
So great to hear your amazing recovery Luke. Yes you will feel good to be back at work even if it’s ... Read more
So great to hear your amazing recovery Luke. Yes you will feel good to be back at work even if it’s part time. Congratulations
External cardioversion....I have heart flutter and the cardiologist wants to do this procedure where they go up the leg, find the nerve causing the flutter ...Read more
External cardioversion....I have heart flutter and the cardiologist wants to do this procedure where they go up the leg, find the nerve causing the flutter and zap it. Anyone have thoughts?
Rose Madura It sounds like an ablation? I had one in 2007 for Supraventricular tachycardia (SVT) which was unrela ... Read more
Rose Madura It sounds like an ablation? I had one in 2007 for Supraventricular tachycardia (SVT) which was unrelated (as CD ar as I know) to my valve replacement because that came 10 years later. It was successful and have not had issues with it since
Andrew Dial I had an ablation done about 8 weeks ago to remove an accessory pathway. All went well and was a succ ... Read more
Andrew Dial I had an ablation done about 8 weeks ago to remove an accessory pathway. All went well and was a success. Nothing crazy about it, just need a few weeks tort the entry point heal up.
Marie Myers External cardioversion is a different procedure than ablation. Ablation is intended as a hopefully pe ... Read more
Marie Myers External cardioversion is a different procedure than ablation. Ablation is intended as a hopefully permanent fix to the arrhythmia, whereas cardioversion is an immediate but not always long-term solution to getting your heart back into normal rhythms.
You go Marie, thank you for clarification. ❤️🙏
Marie Myers I just corrected my answer. Sorry about that!
Delanee Durham I also had a heart flutter. It was actually an extra beat that felt like a flutter. Mine started gr ... Read more
Delanee Durham I also had a heart flutter. It was actually an extra beat that felt like a flutter. Mine started gradually after a bout of Afib and progressed to a extra beat every 3-4 beats. I was very concerned but my cardiologist reminded me that the heart muscle does take time to heal and my heart had just been through a major surgery. Plus the fact because of the severe stenosis my heart had to always work harder and now it was having to adjust. I do take metoprolol to manage my heart rhythm and Pradaxa because of the potential Afib. I had the flutter for a couple of months and it gradually got better and now my heart beats in normal rhythm. Hang in there.
Three days after and feeling much more energetic. Walked the hallway three times so far...pain is almost gone, Tylenol is fine. Still lots of fluids in ...Read more
Three days after and feeling much more energetic. Walked the hallway three times so far...pain is almost gone, Tylenol is fine. Still lots of fluids in my drain but I'm amazed at my progress.
So good to hear of your progress Luke, it’s one day at a time and try to be patient with your body. ... Read more
So good to hear of your progress Luke, it’s one day at a time and try to be patient with your body. You are doing great. You are in my prayers always. 🙏❤️
Tom Everson That is great. Take the time and learn sbout the NEW U. One thing I found is my food preferences cha ... Read more
Tom Everson That is great. Take the time and learn sbout the NEW U. One thing I found is my food preferences changed after my surgery and my weight stayed steady. ( 15 pounds+less)
Going to see my surgeon tomorrow...for those who have already had surgery... what questions did you not ask the surgeon that you wish you had asked?
Richard Munson Can it be done robotically vs. the minimally invasive i had. Plus there is a clot forming appendage t ... Read more
Richard Munson Can it be done robotically vs. the minimally invasive i had. Plus there is a clot forming appendage that often gets snipped during maze procedure. They did not snip it. Not complaining you understand. I found adam after my surgery. You are on site prior to.
Erik W. So are you a candidate for a minimally invasive procedure or will it be open heart?
I have my surgeon appointment on 4/20. Additionally, I have a 3d heart imaging and a carotid scan. When I looked up why they did a carotid scan I read that ...Read more
I have my surgeon appointment on 4/20. Additionally, I have a 3d heart imaging and a carotid scan. When I looked up why they did a carotid scan I read that 1 in 5 people who have valve disease also have carotid disease. I had no idea. While I think I will be OK because my angiogram showed zero blockages maybe that is a false sense of security.
Anyone care to share if they had carotid issues or any insight they may have?
Timothy Andre Stay positive Luke, I don’t have any knowledge of carotid disease but will pray for you. Try to tru ... Read more
Timothy Andre Stay positive Luke, I don’t have any knowledge of carotid disease but will pray for you. Try to trust the process and take any news as it comes with a good attitude. Your strong and will get through all of this with flying colors 🙏🏽
Rose Madura They checked mine prior to surgery and it was ok. I did not know that 20% of people with valve issue ... Read more
Rose Madura They checked mine prior to surgery and it was ok. I did not know that 20% of people with valve issues have that problem as well. Thank the Lord I was ok. Please keep us posted. Good luck with your appointment this week!
Has anyone heard of a mechanical valve that does not require blood thinners? Apparently it's a thing. Wondering if anyone has information about it.
Alexander Casler The only thing I'm aware of are the valves being produced by Foldax. They are being marketed as havi ... Read more
Alexander Casler The only thing I'm aware of are the valves being produced by Foldax. They are being marketed as having the durability of a mechanical valve but without the need for anticoagulation.
Last I checked the aortic valves are in the clinical trial phase, and the TAVR version will be being tested soon as well.
Driven by a passion to help patients, Foldax created Tria™ heart valves, made with revolutionary new LifePolymer™ material and designed to last a lifetime.
THC (tetrahydrocannabinol) This is not meant to be a controversial question but it might be. Has anyone incorporated THC (marijuana) in to their pain management ...Read more
THC (tetrahydrocannabinol) This is not meant to be a controversial question but it might be. Has anyone incorporated THC (marijuana) in to their pain management strategy? I could definitely see a downside of smoking it or anything for that matter, but there are drops and edibles available. Have not asked my doctor about this yet. I used THC drops prescribed for kidney stone pain at night and it was very helpful as a sleep aid. Hopefully this is not too controversial of a subject.
Marie Myers I would ask your doc what he/she thinks about it, and take it from there. I think most docs would not ... Read more
Marie Myers I would ask your doc what he/she thinks about it, and take it from there. I think most docs would not want to mix post op narcotics and THC. Post op pain was not a huge problem for me, but sleep was a problem. I might have asked about THC for a sleep aide. I left the hospital with a script for 10 Percocet, but only used about 3 of them. Tylenol was enough for most pain, and if I did take 1/2 of a Percocet, it was at night to help with sleep. Interesting topic!
Richard Munson Try crsw, works better. Chivas regal scotch whiskey.
Luke Rodriguez LOL funny Richard. I have central sleep apnea and I sleep with a BIPAP machine....basically my brai... Read more
Luke Rodriguez LOL funny Richard. I have central sleep apnea and I sleep with a BIPAP machine....basically my brain doesn't tell my body to breath on a regular basis but you just wake up and breathe and go back to sleep, I am totally unaware of it. I say this because alcohol at night has a negative impact on the apnea where the THC does not. Plus my liver thanks me. I didn't plan on mixing narcotics with THC, I guess this is post narcotics.
Also....does everyone sleep on their back until healed? Seems like sleeping on your side would hurt.
Richard Munson I got so used to it, i still sleep on my back. Snoring is a by product. It drove my wife to another r ... Read more
Richard Munson I got so used to it, i still sleep on my back. Snoring is a by product. It drove my wife to another room of course.
Rose Madura I slept on my back during recovery. I'd sleep about 4 hours, wake up and go downstairs to the reclin ... Read more
Rose Madura I slept on my back during recovery. I'd sleep about 4 hours, wake up and go downstairs to the recliner with my travel pillow. I'm a side sleeper but now I find I still sleep on my back from time to time. We just adjust to our circumstances. Your questions are great! Keep asking.
Rose Madura Personally, I wouldn't take THC in any form, nor do I drink alcohol. Personal choice. As Marie sug... Read more
Rose Madura Personally, I wouldn't take THC in any form, nor do I drink alcohol. Personal choice. As Marie suggested, have a candid talk with your doctors.
Patsy Stewart Luke, this might sound a tad bit crazy, but I didn’t have that much pain in the chest area. I did s ... Read more
Patsy Stewart Luke, this might sound a tad bit crazy, but I didn’t have that much pain in the chest area. I did struggle a bit with back pain. I was told that this was where they held/pried😳 your chest open during surgery. I was like Marie. I ask for Tylenol instead of the hard stuff while I was in the hospital. It made me loopy and everything on the wall was moving.😵💫They sent me home with a prescription, but I didn’t use any of it. The doctor suggested taking the Tylenol right before I went to bed, and that it would help as a sleep aide. I would usually sleep a couple of hours and then have the wide~awakes and lay there for several hours until I could drift back off to sleep. I use a C-PAP and I notice that when I’m not fighting that mask, I can sleep better using it. I remember struggling with weakness more than I did with anything. I honestly felt like a rag doll with only stuffing. I could have used a few prop sticks. 🥳 In my opinion, OHS is nothing compared to the pain associated with kidney stones….or shingles. (Yay for you surviving the kidney stones!!) Double OUCH!! That’s the two worse painful things that I’ve ever struggled with in my entire life! I think you’ll be ok using Tylenol and not have to have THC. I’m sure there are lots of different view points. When I was in the hospital in January, the doctor gave me a prescription of Marinol. I’m very low weight and have been told for several years that I HAVE to gain. I just simply can’t seem to gain anything. They explained to me that the Marinol would give me an appetite and that I could experience the munchies and get kind of high. I’ve never taken the first pill because I was afraid of it. I imagined myself like a squirrel with its cheeks stuffed full and bouncing from one branch to the other….and possibly breaking the branches from all the weight I was going to gain. 😂 No thank you! Ha!!! As for sleeping on your back, start practicing now and get used to it before hand. I’m a side sleeper. You can kind of prop yourself up using pillows if your body insists on rolling to your side. I find myself sleeping on my back anymore. It’s crazy how your body adapts! Talk to your doctor, and I wish you the very best of luck!
Jose Villarreal Hi Luke read through your story. I wish you the best of luck with everything. I am a Pain Speciali ... Read more
Jose Villarreal Hi Luke read through your story. I wish you the best of luck with everything. I am a Pain Specialist and this question on THC is unsettled science, However I will say that THC has no known mechanism to provide true "analgesia" which is essentially blocking pain signals. The process by which people feel comfort is likely dissociative, which means in takes your thoughts away from your brain. For that to be comforting you essentially have to be intoxicated. That is probably not recommended in the acute postoperative setting. Hope that helps.
Phyllis Petersen Interestingly, I brought this up to my doctor for other pain, especially at night. He said no smoking ... Read more
Phyllis Petersen Interestingly, I brought this up to my doctor for other pain, especially at night. He said no smoking, but he didn't have a problem with edibles. I'm in Tucson, so have the option.
I'm new here, my surgery date isn't scheduled yet. Just saying hi.
Welcome Luke, we are here to support you, help you sort things out if we can, give you information i... Read more
Welcome Luke, we are here to support you, help you sort things out if we can, give you information if we have and just plain help in whatever we can. If you have questions ask away. Keep on writ ing
Katherine Berry Welcome, Luke. This is supportive knowledgeable community during a complex time of life and beyond. W ... Read more
Katherine Berry Welcome, Luke. This is supportive knowledgeable community during a complex time of life and beyond. Wishing you well.
Luke Rodriguez Thanks for the support. What I know so far is I have a bicuspid aortic valve and it has crud on it. ... Read more
Luke Rodriguez Thanks for the support. What I know so far is I have a bicuspid aortic valve and it has crud on it. Have seen two cardiologists who both agree, seeing a third who is a surgeon who will do the surgery. Has to be open heart. I read Adam's book, extremely helpful. My biggest questions that cannot yet be answered is how long will it take to get back to work, and, how difficult my recovery will be. Having said that....am in pretty good shape for a 57 yr old. I have had a history of kidney stones and I have passed dozens of stones including a 6 mm stone. Wondering if anyone can compare kidney stone pain to what awaits me. The more information I get, the more at peace I feel...with the exception of watching a youtube video of the procedure and it was worse than SAW or any horror movie Ive seen. LOL While I am not symptomatic, I want to get this over and done and move on. I have two friends who have had open heart surgery and both said the respiratory therapy was key to getting back on your feet.
Feel free to give me helpful tips.
Ginny Turner Luke, everyone's experience is different, but my recovery from open-heart surgery with full sternotom ... Read more
Ginny Turner Luke, everyone's experience is different, but my recovery from open-heart surgery with full sternotomy was not bad at all, and I'm 16 years older than you. I had very little sternum pain. Only took OTC Tylenol for pain by the 2nd day after surgery. Mostly just a little sore and slow; coughing didn't even hurt. I did tire very easily in those first weeks and had trouble sleeping. I didn't watch any videos prior to surgery - too much information for me! I read what I needed to know and left the rest up to the experts. I'm at 9 weeks now and feeling great. You'll do just fine.
Karen Marvenko Hi Luke, same age and your situation sounds very similar to mine, bicuspid valve requiring replacemen ... Read more
Karen Marvenko Hi Luke, same age and your situation sounds very similar to mine, bicuspid valve requiring replacement and also had as aortic root replacement to fix an aneurysm . I was not symptomatic but wanted to get it taken care of so I could move forward. So full sternotomy, and had set backs with fluid in the lungs (sometimes can happen when you’re a younger patient), something I wasn’t aware of prior. I’m 8 weeks post surgery and finally on the recovery path. Still on advil/Tylenol alternating as needed for pain of the pericardial effusion I had. But I’m starting to walk and slowly getting back to normal. All of our stories are different but I will say this has been a constant source of information and strength when you need it.
Rose Madura I've never had kidney stones but I'd imagine that is more painful than OHS. I had very little pain. ... Read more
Rose Madura I've never had kidney stones but I'd imagine that is more painful than OHS. I had very little pain. You stay ahead of it with pain meds and switch to Tylenol as soon as you are able to. The worse pain for me was shoulder pain. I was 59 when I had surgery. While I did have complications, the doctors knew what to do and I'm fine now. It was well worth it. Godspeed!
Richard Munson Rose, if you have never had kidney stones you haven’t lived. They make ohs a walk in the park.
Civita Fahey same as Rose with me, I was 55. My 5 year anniversary is on the 24th of this month! I had no sternum ... Read more
Civita Fahey same as Rose with me, I was 55. My 5 year anniversary is on the 24th of this month! I had no sternum pain at all, but felt like I had chopped a forest down for the first week or so. My shoulders and back were killing me. It did eventually get better. the only thing I think I had to get used is the exhaustion. I was so tired for the first two weeks, I could hardly talk ( and I can talk through anything lol). but after the 2 weeks things got better. You will know what your limits are pretty quick. Some days you have so much energy and the next, you can hardly get out of the chair. I did go back to work to a desk job at 10 weeks. I was pretty tired the first week or two but again, slowly it gets better. I havent had kidney stones either but work in the medical field, so, yeah, you've got this.!
Luke Rodriguez Thanks for that comment Richard. For my kidney stones I ended up getting lithotripsy on both sides i ... Read more
Luke Rodriguez Thanks for that comment Richard. For my kidney stones I ended up getting lithotripsy on both sides in Dec 2021 and Jan 2022...had an 8 mm stone on one side and 6 mm on the other with a sprinkling of smaller ones on both sides. Iv'e passed a 6 mm stone and once I gave birth to it I felt like I needed to name it and register it with a birth certificate. LOL I can tell you as far as pain meds go, Urologists and ERs are very, very stingy with pain meds (normally I would get 8 to 12 pills with no refill) and the handful of times I have been in the ER with stones they don't keep you until the stone passes and you end up right where you were in the first place except with a big hospital bill, so I learned to deal with the pain, self medicate with beer and THC drops and gut it out. I have worked (I work from home as an IT Project Manager) while passing stones and it's a matter of mentally battling back the pain and refocusing one something else while little elves take knives and constantly stab you.....all that said, sounds like I'll be OK as far as pain, seems like they are generous with pain meds.
Richard Munson Luke, i had mine a couple of years ago. And it got stuck in between my kidney and bladder requiring s ... Read more
Richard Munson Luke, i had mine a couple of years ago. And it got stuck in between my kidney and bladder requiring surgery. I was rolling on the floor with pain. I think i told my wife to shoot me. After surgery, he showed me the stone. Almost needed a microscope to see it. I may have said “ are you blanking me? All that pain from that grain of salt”. Hopefully no more in my lifetime.
My biggest take away, after being constantly reminded ...Read more
My biggest take away, after being constantly reminded to be patient, slow down, allow your body to heal, I can tell you confidently....be patient....slow down...allow your body to heal. Listen to your body.
Really hard for me to just sit, but you will heal, you will have small victories and pretty soon you find yourself on top of a mountain enjoying life again.
I a going to do all I can, see all I can, love my family and my God as best I can. This slowed me down, but it never stopped me. We have one life, do not let it go to waste. I have hope and a future here on earth and in heaven. Going to enjoy it all.