steve's Journal

Ana Brusso  Good job Steve, paying it forward. Hope your employee is doing well. So glad you are feeling much better and ready to go and play some golf. God bless you

Susan Lynn  Steve - I was on a very small dose of metoprolol and it made me dizzy. I especially noticed it when I got up from a reclined position quickly. I initially didn't think it was the drug, but I didn't have the issue after I stopped taking it. Good luck. I'm sure you'll be off it, soon.

Peter Matthews  Hello Steve, I am on two metoprolol a day and Yes it can catch you out sometimes anytime of the day. I become dizzy often, but it only lasts a few seconds or so.

John Lant  I have been taken Metoprolol 100mg Extended Release since my AVR in June. Yes it can make you feel light headed at times for a few seconds and then it passes.. Maybe your cardiologist can change your meds if you tell him about your symptoms.

Barbara Wood  Yes! My dose was 12.5 mg/day & it would make me dizzy...I found staying hydrated & drinking Gatorade really helped...best wishes on the ablation!

Bob Fessler  Glad to hear everything went well. That was my experience too. Not much pain...only discomfort. Recovery tiredness as you probably are experiencing now was a big surprise for me but is tolerable.

steve godbey  I am four weeks out and I feel really good. I keep catching myself sleeping on my side or stomach and that upsets me, not knowing the consequences.

Phyllis Petersen  Apparently, pain is subsiding nicely or you wouldn't be able to roll over. If you're worried, maybe you need to roll up a couple of large towels and put them at your sides to keep you on your back.

Rose Madura  I think it's normal to try to talk ourselves out of it. It's no picnic in the park but once it's over and you are feeling better, you'll be thankful for having the surgery. Hit them straight!

Gina Fiorentino  Yes, my brain was pretty sure I was fine just where I was- but when a surgeon told me where I'd likely be in 5 years (with symptoms)... I felt pretty lucky to go into this feeling fine.

Helen Daw  I went for a hike two days before my surgery and could not believe that I was headed for an open heart. I felt great and practicals had no symptoms besides the shortness of breath. So I know your feelings. I was in complete denial. But to be honest, it wasn’t bad at all. I just went for my first hike this past Sunday and felt great. Good luck!!

Barbara Wood  Yes, I felt just like that...I was pretty asymptomatic too. Glad I went into it feeling good, it makes recovery easier I think!

Susan Killian  I walk 10,000 steps a day, feeling fantastic but I know that valve could fail at any time. Also why wait until heart is damaged. Other than slight left atrial enlargement mine is good ( mitral valve excepted).

Michael Cline  I do 30 minutes a day on the elliptical and mix in some Yoga. Better to go into it feeling good and in good shape.

Michael Meyer  Steve :
I found it a great idea to do something fun to take my mind off the surgery and spend some time with my family. At the point where it has been determined you need surgery, there is no benefit in waiting in fact there is research that a longer wait can produce some undesired results.
Michael

Meredith Bray  Yes, I did. I was ready to cancel the surgery. But I kept taking naps.....so deluded myself many times.

Gina Fiorentino  Hi Steve, my thoughts are with you. I was super nervous about intubation too, but happy to report that all went smoothly. I do hear a lot of people say they don't remember that moment (coming out of anesthesia), but I was anxious, and so I asked the anesthesiaologist if he would keep a close eye on me when I was waking up... which gave me a little more peace of mind. Also, my post-op discomfort was very manageable as well. Best of luck... I'm also in California (San Francisco) if you would like to chat more feel free to email me and I will share my phone number.

Willie Radl  Steve, wishing you well. I have a had a few months now knowing my surgery is coming and nerves are normal. I have been doing okay, mainly because I've been quite busy lately but as each day passes it all becomes more real. The more I tell people about my surgery the more I hear stories of relatives or friends that have had surgeries and live totally normal lives. We'll be okay!! I agree the intubation/post surgery period will probably be the worst but it will go by quick.

Bonnie Stone-Hope  Hello Steve,
Have absolutely NO recollection of the intubation. It was a non-issue, so hopefully, that will be the case with you also. Post op pain was also not an issue.
Hope your surgery is a complete success.

Rose Madura  Hi Steve. I think we all worry more than necessary. It's normal. I did wake up with the breathing tube because I was having problems breathing on my own at the time. At first it freaked me out but once
I was awake, the pulmonary guy came right in and they took it out. I dont remember a whole lot since I was groggy. It will probably come out before you wake. At that time, you probably won't care too much about it. You will be happy and relieved to be finished with the surgery.

Anna Jones  Hi Steve, I spoke to my surgeon, Dr. Lawrie about this. I said: "I have some fear..." and he said "oh! the breathing tube. Don't worry." Haha, so we all fear it and they've heard it before.

He said this: Years ago they used a different anesthetic and it took a while for patients to go under and to wake up. So they woke up with the breathing tube and once they were awake they stayed awake.

However, now they use propofol (the drug that Michael Jackson used). He said that patients go under immediately and that they also wake up from it pretty immediately once it is turned off. So, at the proper time the anesthesiologist will reduce the propofol so that you come to, the surgeon will check your responses to squeezing his hand and some other things, and you will be asked to take a deep breath. Depending upon how much oxygen gets into your system you will be put back to sleep and the tube will be removed, or you will be woken again later and they will try again.

Helen Daw  I dont even remember the tube. I was breathing on my own before I was awake. I was in your shoes 6 weeks ago and I wish I had listened to the people on the site. It wasn't that bad. Good luck

Deb Lewis   I definitely feared the intubation tube pre-surgery and it came out while I was still under anthesia. I liked the suggestion of telling your anesthesiologist your fear.

Laura Jacobs  As a claustophobic person, my worst fear was waking up with the breathing tube, and that was exactly what happened. You have to be breathing on your own a certain length of time before they take it out. When I work up, it took a minute to force myself to close my eyes and think about something else. When I did, I started to relax and it was much easier. It turned out to be nothing to fear at all. Plan and visualize your relaxed self and go with the flow. It is not as bad as you think.

Carmel Power  Hi Steve. I don’t remember them removing my breathing tube but I did wake up when I was having the TEE procedure. I was aware of them removing the tube but it wasn’t uncomfortable. All the best for your coming surgery.

Susan Killian  I had one with the TEE too and remember waking up before they took it out but it did not bother me. My surgery full sternotomy for mitral valve repair is on April 11 at UPMC Shadyside in Pittsburgh PA.

Civita Fahey  I was terrified of the intubation and waking up knowing I had a tube down my throat.. I did wake up with, but, to be honest it wasn't as bad as I thought. I remember trying to swallow and felt that I couldn't, and then I heard the nurse say, cough and it will be out.. I cant tell you how much time elapsed from when I awoke and when she took it out.. so, honestly, you will be pretty drugged and you wont really notice it.. good luck!

Rita Savelis  There are usually things we think will be the worst and then they aren't the worst.
There then are other things we never thought of may give us discomfort.
The breathing tube usually comes out while you are still asleep/sedated. It is just a precautionary measure.
There is a lot to freak out about though.
And that's what patients do.
It's the way it is.
Breathe deeply and enjoy those grandkids.

Don L  The thought of it is much worse than reality in my experience. My reaction after they had me cough to take out was not bad at all. You will be happy to post the same reaction here after surgery.

steve godbey  Thank you all for your kind words and thoughts, I am so pleased to be part of such a warm caring group like this.

steve godbey  three weeks after surgery, I am feeling good. I do although have some discomfort in my chest when I wake up in the morning, I try my best to stay on my back all night, I catch myself on my side around 3 or 4 am. I would like to know when I can sleep on my side without consequences?

Rita Savelis  You can sleep on your side when it feels okay to do so... (This is what my doctor said). It's hard to sleep on your back as we all know. But I slept on my back for so long that now, years later, it's a new sleeping position for me.... I also still find myself hugging a small pillow all night. It still feels nice to have something between my chest and the world.