I had my first visit back with the Internalist that initially diagnosed my BAV and started the process to surgery and valve replacement. Originally my GP had referred me to him for a treadmill stress test, but he said "I always check before doing that, and in your case it was just as well because your valve was so bad we could have lost you on the treadmill."
Anyway, he was pretty happy with where I am in the healing process - snap, crackle and popping in the sternum not withstanding - this is completely normal, he says, and will settle down in due course. He released me to drive, yay, and to take baths (I HAVE been showering but enjoy lolling in a hot bath with my rubber duckie!).
He also reviewed the meds that were prescribed when I left the hospital and we agreed that I can come off some of them. We reviewed the dosing of Metoprolol (112.5mg twice a day) that I was given. His first reaction was that they had made a mistake and had intended to prescribe 12.5mg twice a day! however, I particularly recall the doctor in hospital reviewing the dosages and specifically saying 112.5 twice a day. Anyway, this is a pretty high dose and we have agreed on a 40 day schedule of stepped down dosages to hopefully wean me off Metoprolol completely - assuming that I don't go back in to A-Fib or develop a racing pulse at any of the reduction plateaux - my resting pulse had been dropping into the low 40's with the high dose - a bit disconcerting! I will be going in on Tuesday for the treadmill stress test - this time he is pretty sure I will make it!!
Other than the odd twinge or pop in the sternum, there are now long stretches in the day and night when I feel completely normal. I am walking more and more each week, including some hills - the home visiting Cardiac Nurse is a slave driver on walking outside, albeit a very nice one. I feel like I can walk any distance on the flat, but still feel a bit SOB and weak in the legs when tackling hills - should improve with practice!
Wifey is arranging a 6 week post op "Meet the Cyborg" party for next weekend which should be fun!
Cameron
Anyway, he was pretty happy with where I am in the healing process - snap, crackle and popping in the sternum not withstanding - this is completely normal, he says, and will settle down in due course. He released me to drive, yay, and to take baths (I HAVE been showering but enjoy lolling in a hot bath with my rubber duckie!).He also reviewed the meds that were prescribed when I left the hospital and we agreed that I can come off some of them. We reviewed the dosing of Metoprolol (112.5mg twice a day) that I was given. His first reaction was that they had made a mistake
and had intended to prescribe 12.5mg twice a day! however, I particularly recall the doctor in hospital reviewing the dosages and specifically saying 112.5 twice a day. Anyway, this is a pretty high dose and we have agreed on a 40 day schedule of stepped down dosages to hopefully wean me off Metoprolol completely - assuming that I don't go back in to A-Fib or develop a racing pulse at any of the reduction plateaux - my resting pulse had been dropping into the low 40's with the high dose - a bit disconcerting! I will be going in on Tuesday for the treadmill stress test - this time he is pretty sure I will make it!!Other than the odd twinge or pop in the sternum, there are now long stretches in the day and night when I feel completely normal. I am walking more and more each week, including some hills - the home visiting Cardiac Nurse is a slave driver on walking outside, albeit a very nice one
. I feel like I can walk any distance on the flat, but still feel a bit SOB and weak in the legs when tackling hills - should improve with practice!Wifey is arranging a 6 week post op "Meet the Cyborg" party for next weekend which should be fun
!Cameron
