2 weeks today...

[Alex B]

I'm 2 weeks today and I've been actually pleased at my progress, but it has slowed down some. I'm walking around a lot. I can walk quite fast now, the dog can barely keep up. I'm quite happy too!

Things I've noticed and questions:

- Spirometer: I'm going to ask the Dr. today if I should continue to use it much. I'm at about 3200 ml and seeem to have peaked out, but I didn't use it pre-op, so I'm not sure where I should be? 6'1" male. Any advice?

- Sharp, painless intakes of breath. OK these don't hurt at all, but about once an hour I will suddenly very sharply suck in a deep breath. I have no control over it at all. If I'm talking it makes me sound like I'm sucking wind hard, and my wife get's worried, but it doesn't hurt at all?

- The ticking of my mech valve is quite annoying, I hope it gets better, I hear it constantly. Sometimes it sounds irregular and that scares me, but I'm going to have the cardiologist check everything out in a couple weeks to make sure that the ekg is still fine. I heard you can get a mobile heart moniter and keep it overnight, so they can get an entire day of readings, I might request one of those, but I may be paranoid too!

- pain. I've been good here, and started skipping the pain meds almost as soon as I got home, but I'm not sure if I should. I have a very high tolerance to pain, and maybe at some level I should be still taking them. I would rate myself at a pain level 1-2 most days. I have noticed that I'm more apt to walk when on the painkillers. Advice?

 

[Bina]

I knew you would do well.
Spirometer----no advice----I sucked at it, or maybe it was blew. Whatever.
Sharp Breath intake---I had those often too----kind of embarrassing, but it subsides.
Ticking----It dimishes also, now I thump. No actual tick.
Pain-----I only took regular Tylenol for a few days, but I suffered alot.
You are doing great.

 

[netmiff]

OK, here goes :

spirometer - no idea, I never had one and don't know anything about them

Ticking : Hah! When I woke up in ICU, someone had put one of those ticking BigBen alarm clocks on a metal tray just out of my range of vision. If it hadn't been for the good pain meds, it might have driven me crazy. Well, I moved up to the step-down unit, a lot more noise in general. As I was settling down for sleep that night, didn't I hear that dang alarm clock again! Then I thought, no wait a minute, that is ME ticking! Within a day or two, I had ceased to hear it much, only at night in bed when it is quiet.

Sharp, painless intakes of breath Don't remember if I did that or not, so I would say not . . .

pain probably one of the areas where we are all mor different than we are the same - I took nothing for pain after I got home except extra-strength OTC Tylenol, maybe something stronger at night to help me sleep (I need LOTS of sleep normally).

Seems you're about normal for 2 weeks out, some do a bit faster/better at one thing than others, and a bit slower/longer at others. Like babies, some walk at 8 months, some wait until they are 14 months - it's all normal!

 

[BAVD John]

Congrats on your recovery. I'll be 3 weeks post op myself this Wednesday. Sounds like you are doing great. I still use the spirometer, although not as much as I probably should, I believe it helps expand your lungs and that is a good thing. I can't comment on the ticking, as I have a tissue valve, no ticking for me. No pain for me when breathing hope fully that will subside for you. I too don't like taking the pain meds. I take them at night to help me sleep. For the most part I'm pretty much pain free except for quite a bit of numbness in my chest and the pain meds do relieve that when I try to sleep at night. I'm still having a difficult time trying to sleep on my sides. Good luck to you.

 

[DebbyA]

It sounds like you're doing really well!

If you're walking that fast, you probably don't need the spirometer, but that's my opinion, and you should get your doctor's.

The sudden breath--I had something like that for a long time, but mine was more like a little gasp that only I noticed. It was completely involuntary. I thought of them as "catch-up" breaths.

What do you mean you've been "good" for not taking pain meds when you have pain?!? If you have pain, take them!

 

[Marguerite53]

Hello!! You sound great!!

I kind of remember that sudden breath thing. I think I may have just tossed it up to getting so much better oxygenated with the new valve and improved blood flow (if that even makes any medical sense.....probably not! ) Or maybe it was just leftover from being on a vent and the body just going into brief, confused spasm. ?? Certainly worth a mention to your surgeon or cardio or Physician's Assistant (at the surgeon's office) if you feel like you want an answer. My guess is that it will just wane away like so many other odd things that we feel post-surgery.

Spriometer -- I'm surprised they did not measure you in the pre-op. I blew right "over the top" because I sing all the time and I guess my lungs are good (although everyone around me's ears are hurting!!). I was back to normal within a few days. That's a call to the Physician's Assistant -- they will have a number for you.

Ticking -- tissue, can't help

Pain -- geez, enjoy the pain meds!!! I stayed on a very reduced amount for over a month. Then I may have switched to Tylenol Arthritis strength for awhile, you might try those. I just felt better, less achey, so why not?

Basically everything else..... you will question many many sensations. Some may be a viable concern, most are not. Your body went through hell in there.... what an onslaught. It is really "recovering" from the shock, torment, duration, invasion. It's going to respond in some weird ways. I guess what I did was to try to remember what good, solid strength felt like and kind of direct all my energies to those feelings. Talk yourself well, in a way. But do listen to your body. And never ever be timid about calling your doctors with a question. Don't hesitate a minute. When you need to know, you need to know. That's what they're there for.

Another gorgeous day out there!! Went to the Bijou for breakfast at our daughter's request (it's her birthday). Some wonderful omelettes there!

Keep up the great work!!

Best wishes.

Marguerite

 

[hensylee]

AS OUR dear Bonnie would say: breathe - walk - breathe - walk.

ask your dr how long on the spirometer. they never told me how long.

the ticking - you always want to hear it!!

You sound really good. Blessins..........

 

[ctyguy]

my two cents....

Spirometer - used it during my stay at the hospital, kicked it to the curb when I got home, no issues.

Uncontrolled breathing - thinking back I had some of this too, didn't think much of it at the time and I don't even remember when it stopped. but it did stop.

ticking valve - I didn't hear mine at all for probably 8 months but my hearing isn't all that great anyway (ask my wife she says I never listen). Others, including my wife, could hear it. The only time I hear it now is if Im lying on my left side, ear against the pillow. So needless to say I sleep on my right side.

painkillers - keep em handy because if you do too much too soon your gonna know it. I cut back after a few weeks but had a bout of pericardial effusion that set me back a bit and they gave me some vicodin to help with the pain of it.

Sounds like your right on schedule. I still think within a few weeks your gonna be doing more than walking, jogging isn't too far out of your future.

 

[Alex B]

Hello!! You sound great!!

I kind of remember that sudden breath thing. I think I may have just tossed it up to getting so much better oxygenated with the new valve and improved blood flow (if that even makes any medical sense.....probably not! ) Or maybe it was just leftover from being on a vent and the body just going into brief, confused spasm. ?? Certainly worth a mention to your surgeon or cardio or Physician's Assistant (at the surgeon's office) if you feel like you want an answer. My guess is that it will just wane away like so many other odd things that we feel post-surgery.

Spriometer -- I'm surprised they did not measure you in the pre-op. I blew right "over the top" because I sing all the time and I guess my lungs are good (although everyone around me's ears are hurting!!). I was back to normal within a few days. That's a call to the Physician's Assistant -- they will have a number for you.

Ticking -- tissue, can't help

Pain -- geez, enjoy the pain meds!!! I stayed on a very reduced amount for over a month. Then I may have switched to Tylenol Arthritis strength for awhile, you might try those. I just felt better, less achey, so why not?

Basically everything else..... you will question many many sensations. Some may be a viable concern, most are not. Your body went through hell in there.... what an onslaught. It is really "recovering" from the shock, torment, duration, invasion. It's going to respond in some weird ways. I guess what I did was to try to remember what good, solid strength felt like and kind of direct all my energies to those feelings. Talk yourself well, in a way. But do listen to your body. And never ever be timid about calling your doctors with a question. Don't hesitate a minute. When you need to know, you need to know. That's what they're there for.

Another gorgeous day out there!! Went to the Bijou for breakfast at our daughter's request (it's her birthday). Some wonderful omelettes there!

Keep up the great work!!

Best wishes.

Marguerite

ooooh I can't wait to get to Beasaws for oatmeal pancakes!

 

[Alex B]

thanks guys! I talked to my Dr yesterday afternoon and he looked at me like I was from outer space when I told him about the sharp intake of breath, but with a bunch of others on here saying they had it too, it makes me feel better. I agree it could have been brought on by a lot of things including increased blood flow, or of course all the deflating and inflating of the lungs that is NOT normal. The Dr did say that I'm pretty much done with the spirometer though, so maybe that will make the breathing more consistant too!

 

[Woodbutcher]

Congratulations on doing so well, two weeks is no time at all to get used to a strange new valve ticking away inside of you, I was almost too scared to go to sleep at first for fear of it stopping, but of course it dosn't it just keeps right on ticking away annoying you !
I did the sharp intake of breaths too, I'd forgotton about them, I think it's just your body just bypassing your brain when it wants to grab a little more air ?
You're on the road to recovery now, well done..
Ps.. The ticking still annoys me a bit !

 

[Mentu]

For the past two years I've experienced the sudden deep breath that comes out of nowhere. My GP says it can be caused by any number of things including spasms of the diaphram that she associates with OHS. With me, she thinks it is my body's attempt to improve oxygenation. Since my AV began deteriorating rapidly, it is happening much more often now and occurs several times an hour. Fortunately, there is nothing wrong with my lungs but my body doesn't seem to know that.

 

[Marguerite53]

Omg! I have never been to besaws! How can that be?! Guess I always thought the best oatmeal pancakes were at salishan! I'm more a potato pancake lover and that has to be on Barbur Blvd at the Original House of Pancakes. You should go out to have some! Celebrate! Just try to choose a time when there won't be much of a wait. I first went out to dinner to a very fancy place (my mom wanted to celebrate at her favorite place,Amadeus on the river. It took forever and i really wasn't ready for a huge,long meal and did get very drained. Much of that,though, was having to wear female lingerie over the scar at great discomfort,something you don't have to worry about! Gtg. Spilled milk and cookies on my Mac and am typing this up on my clattery iTouch.
Enjoy this last, hot day!

Marguerite

 

[realkarl]

- Spirometer: I'm going to ask the Dr. today if I should continue to use it much. I'm at about 3200 ml and seeem to have peaked out, but I didn't use it pre-op, so I'm not sure where I should be? 6'1" male. Any advice?

My (smaller) spirometer maxes out at 2500 ml. I am only at 2000 ml, but always had reduced lung capacity due to radiation treatment. I wish I knew my pre-surgery capacity though, since I wonder if my left lung has expanded back into the space they drained 1300 ml fluids from 10 days post-op.

- The ticking of my mech valve is quite annoying, I hope it gets better, I hear it constantly. Sometimes it sounds irregular and that scares me, but I'm going to have the cardiologist check everything out in a couple weeks to make sure that the ekg is still fine. I heard you can get a mobile heart moniter and keep it overnight, so they can get an entire day of readings, I might request one of those, but I may be paranoid too!

I am pretty skinny but can not hear my On-X unless I just walked up the stairs, or sit in a quiet room. Surprisingly, others can sometimes hear it when I can't, and my hearing is still pretty good. When I hear it, I am annoyed at my currently higher than normal resting pulse 90-95, but it's regular.