First Winter Post Surgery

[Laggard]

For those of you who like me live some place with nine months of winter, what was the first one like after your surgery. I'm four months out and it's getting cold again and am wondering how it will effect me.

Thanks

 

[JimL]

I was warned by a well-intentioned therapist in the hospital to avoid the cold because of my heart surgery. It took a while to sort out the details and realize that yet one more was treating me like a CABG patient instead of a BAV patient. When the veins from the legs are put in the chest, strange things happen in the cold. When your valve is fixed, you can breathe better even in the cold. Anyway, I shoveled snow the first winter after surgery, along with most since. (Wishing now once again that we could have another winter like last winter, one without snow!!!!) I went for a walk this morning, temp was way up to 27, but the sun was shining and it was wonderful! And summer is on the way.

 

[Jkm7]

I live in the northeast with long, cold winters and my first OHS was end of December while my second was February. I did my walking and healing and recovery during the cold of winter both times with no apparent problems. On very cold days when I was walking, I would wrap my scarf over my mouth and nose to not breath the freezing cold air. My cardio saw DH and me out walking several times as his office is not far from our house and he was delighted to see us exercising. He fully approved and said 'my body was used to it' so there was no harm.

I had CABG the first time (but not the second - my arteries remained clear), so I don't know what the comment about CABG vs valve surgery patients above this post is supposed to mean? Mass General encouraged me to walk after both surgeries valve and CABG.

 

[epstns]

I, too, did my initial recovery during the last part of a (Chicago) winter. For the first few months post-op, I didn't exert myself - too many complications from surgery. The following winter (last year), was really a non-winter. I had absolutely no issues, being a full year out from avr, and 6 months after rehab. This winter, after a few adjustments to my beta blocker dosage, I think I'll be feeling better and able to do more than I could for several years before surgery. Take it slow, let your body tell you how much to push. You'll be fine.

 

[Forrest]

My AVR was right before the start of a colder than average winter so my recovery was basically a winter event (Washington state has definite seasons, but usually just upper 20’s to upper 30 degree temps in the lowlands, compared to your cold stuff).

I noticed for the first two winters (and even stormy spring time weather changes) my sternum was kind of barometer to changes in the weather. In other words, I felt some twinges in my breast bones, kind of like an ocassional mild arthritic pain. It wasn’t that bad, since I’m already accustomed to my gnarly and sometimes itchy sternum wires (I'm thin so wires protrude). It seems to get better each winter, but occasionally I think my sternum wants to compete with the local Doppler radar and predict changes in the weather . But other than that the winter months are no different for me, I do yard work out there and still play golf in very cold weather. It’s really not a bother, just glad to be living a second chance. Since our operations, bodies and medical histories vary, I imagine folks can experience different weather related reactions, from none to very noticeable.