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wryan

Member
Joined
Dec 20, 2010
Messages
13
Location
Tucson, AZ
Hello and Thanks to all that responded to my post on the pre-surgery forum. I made it! Had my surgery on the morning of Jan 5 and was back at home by Jan11. It was a helluva a journey. There were a couple of bumps but I am feeling okay and relatively pain free even though the rehabilitation has just begun.

Thanks to all that gave me encouragement. It meant a lot to me. I got the CE Pericardial Tissue Valve 23 mm Model 3000TFX for those interested on what I finally ended up with. I feel good.

Listened to my heart with a stethoscope for the first time the other day and was amazed at the difference before and after.

I hope to get the max out of this valve as I don't want to do this again for a very long time. Do I need to post something to the tawdry shirt forum?

W Ryan
 
It is good to hear from you and that your recovery is underway. Oh, for what it's worth, we have the same valve...same model, same size. When I first heard mine, I couldn't help being struck by the difference in sound; just as you describe, no whooshing! This of course can be a somewhat touchy time for you now that you are beginning to feel better because you can easily over drive the chest muscles, however, you have probably already discovered that there are consequences for doing so. Be gentle with yourself while the initial healing is going on and let us know how you are doing in a few days.

Larry
 
Glad to hear the good news. The first few days are rough but, your out of the woods now.Take it slow.
 
I haven't put a stethoscope on my chest, but I've "eavesdropped" on my heart sounds during 2 post-op Echo Cardiograms. At least to my ears, I've been surprised how SIMILAR the sound seems to what it sounded like pre-op! I'm told that my new AV has a reasonable-sized opening (OK, a little on the wimpy side, but WAY bigger than my stenotic BAV pre-op), and that there's NO regurg through my new piggy AV. But what I've heard through the Echo-cardiogram speakers still sounds more like "lub-WHOOSH" than "lub-DUB"! Maybe it's something about where they jam that microphone when they're doing the Echo -- or maybe I've got a "tin ear", at least as a cardiologist!
 
It's not a pleasant experience, but it's worth it. So glad you're doing so well :)
 
The sound is definitely different. No whoosh at all. I had for years listened to the whoosh and now the sound I hear is to me essentially the same as my wifes and sons. My wife who is a respiratory therepist also hears a normal heartbeat. She knew very well what my murmur sounded like all these years. I can hardly wait to go for an echo to get some new measurements. My appt. with the surgeon is on the 25th and cardiio a few days later.

On another note I can't believe how sore I am around my neck, wrist and back. I guess its from the catheters. How long before most of you were able to lay off the pain meds. I still take one vicodin every once every six hours with a tylenol but still start hurting like in the middle of the night or after a nap. Sometimes I have a hard time finding a comfortable position. I wish I could sleep on my side but after about 5 min that position hurts too much. Larry I know what you mean about ovedoing the chest area. I'm taking things very slowly/cautiously. I want this recovery to go right.
 
Hi, glad to hear your surgery went well. I didn't have any pain meds other than extra strength tylenol after my surgery. I don't know if I was just one of the lucky ones who didn't need it or what.. there was pain but not enough that I felt I needed to ask for something stronger. It took me almost 5 months before I could sleep on my side with out having pain. I am now 6months out and can sleep on my side again.. its heaven.. :)
Wishing you a bump free recovery from here on out.. take care
 
Wryan, MANY parts of the post-op recovery seem to vary hugely from one individual to the next. Pain is DEFINITELY one of those. Like Penny, I was lucky, and my OHS was LESS painful than any of the three much more minor surgeries I'd had before. I took almost no narcotics at all post-op, and I stopped the Extra Strength Tylenols ~3 days post-op, when they said I didn't HAVE to take them. No pain AT ALL unless I coughed or shifted in bed or otherwise stressed my sternum. I don't think anybody knows why our experiences are so different.

Comfort in bed, needing to sleep in an easy chair, . . . all those things are also hugely varied. We get what we get, and we go from there!
 
You are going to feel like you got run over by a truck.But, everyday will get better.Everyone is different-take your pain meds as you need them.There is no sense in being in pain.You will feel better soon.
 
Regarding your pain med question, you're not even two weeks out, right? I took Tylenol (extra strength) for a week after I got out of the hospital, primarily so I could do my spirometer exercises; it hurt too much otherwise. And I couldn't sleep on either side for a while, and then I couldn't sleep on my left side for a longer period of time, not comfortably anyway, and my heartbeat was particularly loud too when I laid on my left side for a long time; but it all got better. Continued best wishes :)
 
Actually I never took pain meds after I left the hospital. I did enjoy the recliner as it was just the right position for me. Easy does it toward recovery. My shoulders and neck were really sore and a massage helped that loads. You might try that..
 
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