Hi Jan, Sorry to hear all the bad news. Hope things start looking up for you. Good luck with your rehab and that it helps with the tiredness. Better luck to ...Read more
Hi Jan, Sorry to hear all the bad news. Hope things start looking up for you. Good luck with your rehab and that it helps with the tiredness. Better luck to you.
For the long haul
Linda H
Jan Beale Hey Linda,
Thanks. Hope you are doing good.
Jan, Sorry to hear the news about your friend and your sister. From my experience, it takes time (and patience) for that tired feeling after surgery to subside. ...Read more
Jan, Sorry to hear the news about your friend and your sister. From my experience, it takes time (and patience) for that tired feeling after surgery to subside. Keep up the exercise, take naps, and be sure to eat plenty of nutritious food.
- Jim Smith
Jan Beale Jim,
Thanks.
Good advice. I do feel better after exercising.
Jan,
This is in response to a pretty old post of yours, that I just ran across looking for Charlotte people. First, the warning about the cost of Home Health ...Read more
Jan,
This is in response to a pretty old post of yours, that I just ran across looking for Charlotte people. First, the warning about the cost of Home Health - thanks for that heads up! I have good insurance and the surgery is well-covered, but I hadn\'t thought of the Home Health - will check it out.
Second, what is ScarGuard? I don\'t remember reading about that from other journals. I haven\'t even had my surgery yet, but I would think one would start using it fairly soon after healing begins...?
Thanks! Vel Turner
Jan Beale Vel,
I have Blue Cross but when I paid the 44. for one visit, I was glad I didn't have them come twic ... Read more
Jan Beale Vel,
I have Blue Cross but when I paid the 44. for one visit, I was glad I didn't have them come twice a week as recommended.
ScarGuard was recommended by my doctor. It is like Mederma. I had an allergy to Mederma. People tell me that my scar is almost invisible. However I had an excellent surgeon too.
Good luck. You will be glad to have it behind you.
Way to go Jan!! I am so glad to see that you are on your way back. It feels great.
I agree about the home care. I saw my at home care nurse once when they ...Read more
Way to go Jan!! I am so glad to see that you are on your way back. It feels great.
I agree about the home care. I saw my at home care nurse once when they dropped off some machines to record my vitals and then I saw them again when they came to pick them up.
Keep up the great work and feeling great!!
Jimmy Johnson
Jan. going back to work is a slow steady process don\'t over due it.
It takes time. I\'m 9-10 weeks post & traveling & doing presentations. But still ...Read more
Jan. going back to work is a slow steady process don\'t over due it.
It takes time. I\'m 9-10 weeks post & traveling & doing presentations. But still get wiped out.
So you need to come first
Just was with some folks from charolette. Nice people
Stay well & glad thing are better for you & mom
Hugs nancy. Avr. 2-9-12
Jan,
I have been meaning to write you for some time, to thank you for talking about your surgeon BY NAME in your journal. I had been given his name plus one ...Read more
Jan,
I have been meaning to write you for some time, to thank you for talking about your surgeon BY NAME in your journal. I had been given his name plus one other as two starting possibilities for my upcoming valve surgery, and started googling. It was through that activity that I discovered HVJ! So thank you! (Actually, I responded to one of your journal entries soon after that, and didn\'t realize that those emails apparently go to no man\'s land...)
Even though my problem is MVR, I have continued to follow your story because you, unknowingly, introduced me to this wonderful site. I finally have chosen a surgeon (from same group as yours) and am scheduled for a valve replacement on May 16, at Presby Main here in Charlotte. Just signed up to journal last week, but have read tons of journals over the past weeks.
Glad to see today that you are doing better and back to work!
Vel Turner
Hi Jan, so sorry to hear all the things you are dealing with, I hear these things and it truly makes us realize how lucky we are. I\'m glad your recovery has ...Read more
Hi Jan, so sorry to hear all the things you are dealing with, I hear these things and it truly makes us realize how lucky we are. I\'m glad your recovery has gone well. Prayers for you and everyone in your life!!!
Cindy Pastrano
Hi Jan, Wow what a sad story. Hope everything gets better for you and your family. Glad to hear you are doing better. It seems like I hear all of these things ...Read more
Hi Jan, Wow what a sad story. Hope everything gets better for you and your family. Glad to hear you are doing better. It seems like I hear all of these things and always find out there is someone worse off than you. Hope your Mom is doing better.
Best wishes to you.
For the long haul
Linda H
Hi Jan,
Just wanted to stop by and check in on you..How are you doing? It\'s been a while. Hope you are feeling well and deep into recovery now.
Let us ...Read more
Hi Jan,
Just wanted to stop by and check in on you..How are you doing? It\'s been a while. Hope you are feeling well and deep into recovery now.
Let us know how you are!
Jimmy Johnson
Hi Jan,
Thanks for the reply and advice.....especially about the sports bra.
I am waiting to hear back from Cleveland Clinic as to when I go in for surgery. ...Read more
Hi Jan,
Thanks for the reply and advice.....especially about the sports bra.
I am waiting to hear back from Cleveland Clinic as to when I go in for surgery. I need my aortic valve replaced and I hope that\'s all, but I will find out after the heart cath I guess. I hope I don\'t have to wait too long because as you said that\'s probably the worse part.
Hope you are feeling much improved now.
Joan D.
Hi Jan - I had the same back a neck issues. Mine was bad it hurt when I would breathe. My neck pain would shoot pain into the base of my head. I would take ...Read more
Hi Jan - I had the same back a neck issues. Mine was bad it hurt when I would breathe. My neck pain would shoot pain into the base of my head. I would take tramadol instead of the Percocet. That took the edge off. It would also hurt to walk. That started to ease up after 3 weeks as well as my neck pain. I am now walking 4 miles a day with no issues.
I still have a few challenges sleeping but it\'s getting better. I see Dr Andrews next Thursday for my follow up. Hope that goes well.
Hope you start feeling better soon
Jimmy Johnson
Jan Beale Jimmy,
Thanks for the info. Since this is week 3, maybe next week will be the turnaround.
I\'m two weeks post-op too. A couple of days ago I started having problems with post nasal drip, which seems to cause a dry cough, which of course hurts like ...Read more
I\'m two weeks post-op too. A couple of days ago I started having problems with post nasal drip, which seems to cause a dry cough, which of course hurts like ****. I\'m having back pain too, off and on. I checked w my surgeon\'s office first. They said the post nasal drip is a normal post op side effect and recommended very basic cough syrup (I have DM which they said is fine), plus cough lozenges. I saw my PCP today to check my INR and asked him. He said the cough is probably due to my lungs partly deflating so it\'s important I keep in the spirometer. I had slacked off before this started, so it makes sense. He also said keep liquids handy and sip often to keep my throat moist. I\'ve been doing that. It all helps, but I\'m supposed to be going to sleep and my cough is back. Not as bad. One thing that helps my back is ice packs. No drugs;-) I\'m not opposed to using my Oxy, but I only have 2 doses left so as long as tylenol does it, I\'ll save them. Hope some of this helps.
Jan,
It\'s hard to keep a smile on when you\'re hurting, so pain medication is important. There are lots of options and something is right for you, it just ...Read more
Jan,
It\'s hard to keep a smile on when you\'re hurting, so pain medication is important. There are lots of options and something is right for you, it just might take awhile to find it. I couldn\'t tolerate the bad vibes I got from percoset and other similar meds, but did OK on tramadol, a different class of drug. I also had a big problem with depression, starting about 2 weeks out. I think 2 weeks is as long as most of us have ever felt really sick, so we hit a wall when that time is up. I didn\'t know about this website until I was about 5 months post-op so I struggled for a long time alone (I live in a rural area and my local cardiac rehab had no valve patients, really no patients under 75, so little comraderie there!). I am finally coming out of it, but it needn\'t take so long if you recognize it for what it is, which I didn\'t. I spent months trying to forget the surgery had ever happened, but now I know that\'s not realistic. We have gone through a little personal 9/11 and life will never look quite the same as before. Sometimes you just need someone to talk to who has been there. I check the site most every day so let me know if I can help.
Vicki Pierson, mitral valve repair June 2011
Jan Beale Thanks Vicki, Sorry you had to go through it alone.
Tramadol is one med the dr gave me. I felt so ... Read more
Jan Beale Thanks Vicki, Sorry you had to go through it alone.
Tramadol is one med the dr gave me. I felt so good for 2 weeks. I was thinking it is a piece of cake. Then, everything hit me.
I was really surprised to see how many young people have the surgery. Guess my old body will take awhile longer to heal.
I guess we just have to be thankul that it was something that could be fixed.
Take care of yourself and enjoy the country. That mut be very relaxing.
HI Jan, You are still doing great. The post nasal drip. Remember you live in the Carolinas and it has been all over the news about allergies from all of our ...Read more
HI Jan, You are still doing great. The post nasal drip. Remember you live in the Carolinas and it has been all over the news about allergies from all of our beautiful trees and flowers. They said it was going to be bad this year. My daughter, when she had her surgery, about the same time out, he voice changed. She sounded like Minnie Mouse. Her doctor said it was from the breathing tube. It stayed that was for about a month. Keep up positive thoughts. Get your husband to take you out to a nice dinner and good movie something fun. Good luck to you.
For the long haul
Linda H
My husband has been great. We drove to the Blue Ridge Parkway last week and walked on the flat trails. We have a greenway close to us so have been walking daily.
The only way I can sleep now is to lie lat on the bed without a pillow.
I just can't imagine starting exercising again. Maybe I just need to see a pix showing that I am growing back properly.
Hi Jan,
Try to remember that you are just out of a really big surgery. You are probably still doing very well, but pain is getting you down. What kind of ...Read more
Hi Jan,
Try to remember that you are just out of a really big surgery. You are probably still doing very well, but pain is getting you down. What kind of pain medication are you taking? I was given a patch to put on any area that hurt, so I did not have to take pills that made me feel sick to my stomach. It was a prescription called Lidocain and I cut the patch in half and put it on the spots that hurt, like chest and neck or shoulder area. You can only use it for 12 hours a day. I don\'t think it is as strong as a heavy duty pain killer, but it was better for me.
Too bad you don\'t live closer, I have most of them still in the box.
Be kind to yourself. It is really only the beginning of your recovery.
Take some walks even if it is just around your yard or the block. It won\'t make the pain worse, but might lift your spirits a little.
Jane (surgery 12/5/11)
Jan Beale Jane,
The dr gave me tramadol. Also hydrocodone but I haven't taken that. I am going to ask the dr ... Read more
Jan Beale Jane,
The dr gave me tramadol. Also hydrocodone but I haven't taken that. I am going to ask the dr about the patches.
Part of my problem may be all of the injections I have had in my left arm. I have had to have blood drawn from my arm for INR since Dec. on a weekly basis. After surgery, my arm is black and blue. The dr said it will just take time to heal.
Hi Jan,
Back pain is par for the course. Take pain meds as prescribed . . . don\'t let them wear off.
So sorry you\'re feeling down. 80% of heart patients ...Read more
Hi Jan,
Back pain is par for the course. Take pain meds as prescribed . . . don\'t let them wear off.
So sorry you\'re feeling down. 80% of heart patients get depressed. You\'re in the majority! Talk to your doctor about antidepressants and some counseling. Don\'t delay . . . the sooner you get some help, the sooner you\'ll start to feel better.
Are you walking? And getting out of the house? That will help too. The weather in the Carolinas has been beautiful. Get some sun . . . it makes everything feel better.
I hope you start feeling better soon.
Ricki Shine
Jan Beale Ricki, I am getting out and walking. Between doctor appointments yesterday, I had to find a bench to ... Read more
Jan Beale Ricki, I am getting out and walking. Between doctor appointments yesterday, I had to find a bench to sit on because my back hurt so bad.
We've definitely had beautiful weather. Couldn't have timed it better.
I got a new pain med today so maybe it will work better.
Hi jan. trust you are doing well. It seems to getb better every day ! I\'m now 5 weeks post & loving it.
Hope to hear from you that all is good.
Time ...Read more
Hi jan. trust you are doing well. It seems to getb better every day ! I\'m now 5 weeks post & loving it.
Hope to hear from you that all is good.
Time to get back o. That bike ! Ha ha
Best. Nancy. St Louis mo. 2-9-12.
Yeah, my nose seems to be running all the time post surgery, but only one side. Weird huh? I am almost 6 weeks post op and still find I am much more sensitive ...Read more
Yeah, my nose seems to be running all the time post surgery, but only one side. Weird huh? I am almost 6 weeks post op and still find I am much more sensitive to temperature than I was pre op. I seem to get colder much easier and more often. It has gotten better since surgery, but I still have it a bit.
Good luck with your recovery.
-Mitch Friedman
Jan,
I had a St Jude aortic valve and aortic graft on 9/20. I never had post nasal drainage before my surgery. I had really bad post nasal drip after my surgery, ...Read more
Jan,
I had a St Jude aortic valve and aortic graft on 9/20. I never had post nasal drainage before my surgery. I had really bad post nasal drip after my surgery, AFTER I ATE!!! For awhile I wondered what they had hooked up wrong. It will eventually subside. Just think of this as something to laugh about. At the end of the day, weirdness could be worse!!
I am from: Charlotte, North Carolina
Thanks. Hope you are doing good.
We are both better than we were back in March.
Take ca ... Read more
Thanks. Hope you are doing good.
We are both better than we were back in March.
Take care of yourself.
Jan