Post Surgery Update!

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Hey Scott, take it easy. Rhythm issues are common after surgery, and better they happen while you're in the hospital. You're doing great, even if it doesn't quite feel that way to you yet. Aren't you glad it's over?
 
Congratulations Scott, :thumbup: glad to hear from you. Did you get an OnX? As far as the nausea, did they give you anything like fenegrin? That usually helps. Sometimes they can give you a shot as it works faster than pills. For the other end, I took a stool softener while in the hospital and for a week or so afterwards as I was still on pain medication. Drink lots of water, that helps move things along too. Each day gets better, but there is no place like home.
 
Hi all. I made it home for about 12 hrs. Enough time to sleep one night in my bed, then back to the er Monday morning with a 155 pulse rate. Turned out to be a-flutter. They ran tests for about 24 hrs, changed my meds and said I could go home. They are hoping its because of surgery and low iron. They said only time will tell. They actually stopped my heart in the er. Not fun. Going to bed. Talk more later, Scott
 
Scott said:
Hi all. I made it home for about 12 hrs. Enough time to sleep one night in my bed, then back to the er Monday morning with a 155 pulse rate. Turned out to be a-flutter. They ran tests for about 24 hrs, changed my meds and said I could go home. They are hoping its because of surgery and low iron. They said only time will tell. They actually stopped my heart in the er. Not fun. Going to bed. Talk more later, Scott
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Thanks for the update Scott. Like you said NOT FUN! The beginning of recovery is NOT FUN! TRUST ME IT GETS BETTER IN THE UPCOMING WEEKS! Rest my friend, sleep my friend, eat my friend, and we will pray my friend.
 
Good to hear from you again Scott, but sorry not under better circumstances. I'm sure there are actually patients with complication free surgeries, but I just sort of get the feeling that nearly everybody runs into at least one significant post-surgery complication/obstacle. It may feel like you're not making much progress, or taking steps backwards, but big picture, recovery should still work itself out long term.

Ditto to Julian's words above. We'll keep you in our thoughts, and hope things settle down more and more each day.
 
Cardioversion??? eh....not the worst thing in the world, if that's what you mean by stopping your heart. Nice way to re-set the rhythm. Boy, you have been through the ringer...which means you must be close to being out of the ringer!!!!! You are still in my thoughts and I look forward to hearing about more positive happenings!!! My rate is not exactly stable yet either. Chin up dude!!!!!
 
Hey Scott, hope to day is the start of better days. Keeping you and your family in my prayers. Hopefully things will begin to settle down. The heart is a grumpy muscle when messed with. Just walk, eat, drink lots of fluids and rest when needed, then repeat and repeat. Best Wishes to you.
 
Hi all. My first night back lightning shook my house. It blew breakers and took out my phone line from the street to the house and the modem. They replaced everything today. So that's why I have not replied. I did get the onx valve, 25mm. my inr has been above 3 for days I am taking 2.5mg a day. My hematologist is looking at my dose because it was 5.0 mg. My blood platelets have been going back up but my iron and hemoglobin are still low. In the morning I feel pretty good, but I am amazed how when I start feeling tired it's like hitting a wall. I am afraid I wont get back in the house or to the car before I need to just sit on the ground and take a break!
Well it's my 45th birthday so I'm going to go see my family.. I just wanted to touch base with my friends here.
 
Wow, 25mm big boy! I know what you mean about the walking, it was hard walking short distances or doing anything for that matter the first couple of weeks after surgery, I'm now walking 2 to 3 miles a day! At least you respond well to the ACT. As you become more active with the exercise and eating in the weeks to come your body should metabolize the drug faster and you will probably need more to keep yourself in range. Iron and hemoglobin will get much better in the upcoming weeks as well. I started feeling noticeably better after I stopped taking the extra iron, folic acid, colace, pepcid after 4 weeks. I'm now 8 weeks post op and feel even better than I did 4 weeks ago. Thanks for touching base!
 
So, what's the old saying: lightning never strikes twice. So you Scott should be set from here on out... :)

Glad to hear you were able to get the mechanical valve after all. The "wall" you mention is very familiar. It will get further and further away each and every day, though.

Happy Birthday! It will be an easy one to remember, huh?
 
Scott, I had a similar story in that I was readmitted to the ER after A-flutter. I had three bouts of it, and then they put me on a month of amioderone. I came off after a month, and haven't had any heart rhythm issues since then. I still take metoprolol, but I think that this will end tomorrow at my six-seven month doctor visit. I hope that you have no more bouts of A-flutter!
 
Hi Susan. I just got back out of the er yesterday. This time for four days. My cardiologist changed my script from matoprolol to bistolic on Wednesday morning. By Thursday morning my blood pressure was 53 over 32 and I was back in a-flutter. I almost passed out in the bathroom. Went right to the floor! I thought I just got out of bed too fast. I went to my hematologist that morning and she freaked out. She wanted to call an ambulance. I refused and was driven back to the er. After they stabilized me the first day they gave me the shock treatment on the second. Then they said my hemoglobin was too low for me to be released and were thinking of giving me a transfusion. On the forth day they said my inr wasn't high enough (1.9) and they wanted to keep me another day. I won that argument and got to go home. I cant remember what they have me on now but no a-flutter for about 5 days now. I think in the last three weeks I have only been home about 6 or 7 days. But I am feeling better today. Thanks for asking. I am afraid to do too much now, so I mostly have been trying not to sit and walk around the house a lot.
 
Hi Jason. Just got back from the er yesterday from my second visit for a-flutter. I still have the shock/burn marks to prove it. I hope that was the last.
 
Ok, Scott, enough of this tough guy stuff already, you're already a hero for goodness' sake, no need to keep proving it over and over! :)

Obviously, you are not alone in this, and certainly there are folks here who can attest that it will get better in time. Glad you are home again and feeling better today, that's a start. Hope you get this frustration behind you as soon as possible, and on to a more steady and smooth recovery.
 
Scott I am glad to hear that you are backed home. Today I go for a visit to my hematologist. Next week on the 13th I am going to Emory to have my valve repaired or replaced with a tissue valve. I pray that my surgery is smooth sailing. My favorite song is “Blessing” by Laura Story. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dKgktNz6ICs&feature=related Mark Jones does a great job singing this song. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q9CADS9h_RI&feature=related We need to have a valve replacement reunion in Atlanta. God blessed you.
 
Rebecca, I will be thinking of you all day on the 13th. I heard someone else say they had a great song in mind when it came time to go into surgery. I forgot all about it and had a small meltdown when my family left. It only lasted 30 seconds and they gave me the sedative. I woke up in recovery. The surgery and pain was better than I expected. Just all my issues after have been the problem. If I could do one thing over I would ask for a mild pain reliever instead of the super drugs. They didn't offer any so I thought it was my only choice. I was sick for three days. I finally refused the pain meds and felt better within a few hrs. Are you going to Emory Midtown? They are both great hospitals.
You will be fine. Get those last few things done at home and get ready for some book reading and tv watching. If your like me, you wont be able to walk a lot for a few weeks. Just try to get up and move around whenever you can. Yesterday was my 3 week mark. I have been in the hospital about two weeks of that, but yesterday I went to the mall and walked for about a half hour. I feel a little better every day. I'm sure you will too.
 
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