Pre-surgery changes?

[pillarpaul]

Just found this site today and I'm already two hours late for work! What a fantastic forum! I am scheduled for aortic St. Jude valve replacement on April 9th. I'm 52, asymptomatic and in great condition but with an enlarged heart now. Have read so much about my condition, surgery, etc., I could almost do the surgery myself (yeah, right). Anyway, one thing I am confused about though is what changes, if any, should I do over the next six weeks to increase my chances for a shorter hospitalization and quick and full recovery? Should I excercise more to have my heart at optimal strength or should I slow it down? Should I stop taking vitamins and supplements, esp. if any thin the blood? I'm doing visualization, etc. to get me through this period but as the owner of my own business (non-manual labor) I want to do everything possible to get back healthy and soon (don't worry, I won't rush it - I do want to milk this a little). Thank you in advance for any suggestions. Paul

 

[Ross]

Hello Paul and welcome to the VR family

How good of shape are you in now?
I would suggest doing a lot of walking before surgery, if you don't already. It'll keep your legs in shape as well as help with the breathing. As far as what to take and not take vitamin-wise, consult your Doctor. They usually want you to stop everything 7 to 10 days before surgery. Your probably good to go as it stands, but a little extra exercise before hand wouldn't hurt.

 

[wlaldridge]

Welcome to the best place to be with your condition.

I had a very uneventful surgery and recovery(except for the dread and anxiety). Physically I was overweight but in good condition. I walked 3 miles a day till just a week or two before the event. I also had not smoked in 22 years. I think these factors coupled with the help of everyone here made my recovery easier than it might have been.

I too, was never symptomatic only the echo numbers and the doc scared the hell out of me, more than the anxiety about the surgery.

Ross is on the money, you are likely good to go.

Do you smoke? I had a friend years ago that went to the Cleveland Clinic and they would not touch him till he had quit smoking for 30 days. I always thought about that. They must have really believed it hurt the statistics to treat smokers! Don't think they are that way now but it can not hurt to quit.

You are with some of the finest people on this planet when you come to this forum. Ross is among the finest of the group.

Welcome again and join in with any questions or venting or whatever.

Best

 

[Rain]

Are you having it done in Denver?

Are you having it done in Denver?

Hey Paul,

Who is doing your surgery? Are you having it done in Denver? I had mine done at The Medical Center of Aurora, with Dr. John Propp. He is an amazing person and doctor... you?d absolutely love him. He really knows his stuff and is an easy person to talk to. I?m sure you could travel all over the US and not find a surgeon any better. And his anesthesiologist... the guy with the cowboy boots!! Ya gotta have him there to! My cardiologist up there was Dr. Greenburgh, he did my angiogram... he was way cool too. He explained the whole procedure to me as he was doing it and let me watch it on a tv screen. And guess what?! My surgery was on April 6th!

I think any changes you might want to make to your life style are very unique to YOU. Just see Dr. Propp... my hero...lol he?ll explain it all to you. I was back home and driving my daughter to Brownies a week after my surgery... DON?T TELL DR. PROPP!!

Honestly, waiting for the surgery was one of the worst times of my life. Like you, I learned everything I could about my condition, even watched a video of a heart surgery (not sure that was a good idea!) But once you get to the hospital and let my favorite cowboy put you to sleep..... it all gets easier from there.

 

[Nancy]

Hi Paul-

Welcome to this fantastic website. Everyone here is so wonderful and supportive. You'll feel right at home.

There are all kinds of posts to help you with any kind of info. from pre-surgery to post-surgery and even some fun thrown in.

The best advice I can offfer is to read as much as you can, and feel free to ask all kinds of questions. We love to help when possible.

best wishes

 

[sylviayasgur]

hi paul!
as you can already see, everyone here is very welcoming. this is such a wonderful, informative and supportive place; i'm sure you will find it helpful in many ways.

i agree that being in good shape before any surgery can only help you in recovering faster.
my husband, joey, however, took a long time to feel better. he was up and around, but was uncomfortable for some time. he is (and was presurgery) a runner and very fit and active. he was surprised that he did not recover faster.
if you need to, just take it easy after the surgery and just walk as much as you can. that really helped get joey back on track.

please keep coming back and let us know how you are holding up (while you wait for your day).
as rain said, the waiting is the absolute worst part of this. i imagine your visualization exercises must help; i think that's a great idea.
wishing you all the best, sylvia

 

[Bill Hall]

Paul - Welcome the web site. I don't have a very good answer. I think you will be in the hospital for about a week no matter your good or bad shape. If you don't otherwise have problems, you should get better pretty quickly.

 

[pillarpaul]

Thank you

Thank you

Thank you all for those fast replies. Good info and thanks for the welcome to this community. What an incredible resource to have, especially the sharing of personal stories. One thing that seems to come through on all these is that there are only three universal truths of this surgery: 1) The waiting is tough; 2) Everyone looks for the license plate number of the truck that hit them the day of the surgery; and 3) No two people recover at the same pace (Rain driving a week later? -Wow).

One story to relate about that waiting. I found out a month ago from my cardiologist that I HAD to have the surgery very soon. Even though I knew it was coming I was devastated. I decided to go down the road from the his office and have a latte and a cry. I got the latte and then ran into one of my best friends from another city that I hadn't seen in 12 years. I forgot about the surgery. Then a week later I met with the surgeon and that really hit me (no backing out now, partner). Went back to my office to close my door and have a cry. Answered my voice mail and found out our company got selected for a very large contract that we had been bidding on for four months. I have not been able to be depressed the whole time! I'm taking that as a sign.

I'll have to get a photo up - nothing spectacular but I like putting a face with name.

 

[Granbonny]

Hi Paul

Hi Paul

Welcome to the forum....I only had to wait 3 days..aneurysm found on Thursday..Monday surgery. I had mine at St. Joseph's in Atlanta....Must have had Rain's guy in cowboy boots. NO pain. woke up 2 days later in Private room..Still no pain. Must have been on some good stuff ...recovery is different for each one of us..but remember my girlfriend Rain, in Co., probably took her daughter to Bownies on horseback. I was afraid to drive for 6 weeks. Live on top of a mountain Hope the weather will be nice so you can get outside and walk when you come home. Helps get the nasty stuff out of you body Bonnie

 

[terry40]

pillarpaul

pillarpaul

You have a great attitude, so I think you'll do fine.

You did mention that your heart was enlarged, I would consult with the cardiologist before increasing your exercise routine, just to be on the safe side.

I stopped all vitamins before my cardiac cath, and since surgery was the following week, I just stayed off of them. The doctors have a list of meds and vitamins you should avoid pre-surgery.

I amazed also how each one of us heals at a different rate, it could have a lot to do with the heart condition before surgery.

It's sounds like you have angels on your shoulders diverting you from getting down and depressed, but a good cry can also do a lot of good too.

Keep us updated,

Terry40

 

[Nancy]

Hi Paul-

I agree with Terry40 about the exercise. I would run it by your cardiologist. Isometric exercises, which could raise your blood pressures might be a no-no. Walking would probably be OK, as long as you don't get short of breath. But let your doc decide what you should or shouldn't be doing.

 

[epstns]

Hi Paul!

Hi Paul!

Hi Paul, nice to "meet" you.

I'm waiting, too, but don't know for how long -- recent diagnosis and not at the surgery consult yet. I am, however, a runner/jogger, and discussed it with my cardio at last visit. He basically told me to keep doing what I have been, no more than that, though. He asked me to keep track of effort level, ability, how I felt, etc., so we could use that to help track progress of stenosis. I do 3 to 4 "easy" 9-minute miles, 5 days a week, and as long as I'm not having a downer day, it is fine with me and the cardio.

To sum up his comments, "As long as it still feels good, do it." He agrees with Nancy, though, about isometrics and weights. He told me to limit weights to about 40 lbs. and not to do isometrics. Not much of a limitation for me, as I never was Arnold's cousin. . .

Now, the real important item -- where can I get some of whatever is protecting you? Sounds like there really is someone watching over you! He really is watching over all of us, just shows it in different ways to each of us.

 

[Rain]

Yeah, but it was an ?iron horse? Vroom, vroom

Yeah, but it was an ?iron horse? Vroom, vroom

But you see, Bonnie, Colorado cowboys don?t think ya oughtta waste a lot of time sleepin. I remember them pulling warm blankets out of an oven kinda thing while I was still in recovery and hearing them talking about my blood pressure being low. I was trying to figure out what it would take to get out of that place by day two! My surgeon guy kept telling me I had to climb the stairs to the next floor before I could go home... I really think he was kidding....but I did it!! On day 4!!

Paul, I clearly remember driving home (45 miles) in a blizzard, all by myself, and crying after my wonderful cardiologist told me my heart wouldn?t survive heart surgery. It was my first appointment with a cardiologist in my life. My heart was very enlarged too and in atrial fibrillation, all kinds of stuff going on with it. I?d been on no meds up to that point, he said he had to put me on meds for a while... then we?d talk about scheduling heart surgery. WOW! I was not prepared to hear that. It?s amazing I didn?t die in a car wreck that day! My mind certainly wasn?t on the snow packed mountain roads I was driving on.
Its a day I'll never forget. Amazing all the things that go through your mind right after you're told something like that.