Update 7 months post op

[offwego]

As posted in a recent thread, I had a echo last week and a blood test yesterday. My doctor put me on Diovan for high blood pressure and it has been working..It helped to buy a new blood pressure monitor as my old Omron was really not accurate!

The echo showed a lower than normal EF..it is around 40%..The cardiologist (and anther cardiologist friend of mine) both feel that the EF can and should improve with medication and a bit more time. That's a bit of a relief.

The best news is that the repaired Mitral Valve (second time) appears to be fine.

I am scheduled to see my doctor on Friday.

I don't feel horrible but I don't feel all that wonderful either. My tolerance to heat and humidity is worse than ever and I seem to sweat more under even mild exertion.

I have not been diligent at all about any sort of regimented exercise and I was told not to exercise until the blood pressure was under control. Seems to be now and hopefully I will finally start taking this more seriously.

The doctor is not convinced that I am feeling bad because of any heart related issue. It's frustrating as how can I really know? I do have MS as well, although it's as light a case as I've ever heard and fairly under control with a medication I inject daily.

Fatigue is so complicated...it can easily be any number of things or more likely a combination of mental, physical, post op, age and who knows what else?

I don't feel horribly at all..and I don't work any more being lucky enough to pretty much retire at around age 50..

I am divorced, friends with my ex and have 2 great children...I have had a pretty bad break up with a woman i was engaged to three years ago...We've reconnected in January and again two months ago but that relationship if any relationship could hurt one's heart, it was that one that did it..

but I do tell all ex gf's that they broke my heart.

I had a blood test yesterday and received a call from the covering doctor from the hospital asking me how i felt. I was very surprised that he would call.

he said my red blood count was high...a 19 and the max range is 18...he didn't even know what i was being treated for and when i told him he just said to tell my doctor.

I have done a bit of research and it appears that higher red blood counts are perhaps related to cardiac problems.

It's not a surprise and I don't know anymore than that right now.

I wish someone would definitively say that I am feeling like I feel due to heart issues and that I might feel better eventually...or not!

What I am getting so far is that it's mostly in my head! and it's been maddening.

Thanks for reading if you made it this far!

 

[Julian]

Hey offwego. BTW I read your whole post. Ya I'm basically 1 year post open and I thought I would be feeling like Superman by now. Just like you said I don't feel horrible but I don't feel good either. Sometimes I do feel pretty good but it kinda goes in cycles throughout the day. I can say I feel better today then I felt a year ago but I was very symptomatic then. Just like you said with the fatigue who knows what's to blame. I've been exercising 3 days a week and it has helped but hasn't been the miracle answer either. I have my year follow up with the doctor in a couple of weeks, I'll bring up my concerns to him. Just like you I expressed my concerns with how I was feeling at the 6 month follow up and he dismissed it as me needing more time to adjust. Anyway just want to let you know your not alone.

 

[offwego]

Thanks Julian,

I am going a little nuts thinking about it...It's wearing me out...I just went out for 1/2 hour...had to stop at Fed Ex, right across the street...sweat was pouring off of my forehead and upper lip, it was almost embarrassing.

I am so hot all the time..even if I am in my air conditioned apartment, if I take a shower and do a bit, before I know it, I am sweating...My doctor dismissed the heart as being related to this and he should know better than me..But it 'feels' like it's my heart...and just discovering that the EF is only 40%, perhaps my body is working harder to compensate...I'll never know.

I do know it is hard to motivate with this..but I'll keep pushing and taking better care of myself...The high red blood count might be related to the heart not functioning well...I'll see what the doctor says on Friday.

It's all not that bad but it's not that great either...and it's depressing as I want to take a vacation with my kids and dread that I will be wiped out and sweating from minimal exhertion...mental exertion is as 'sweat' producing as physical it seems!

Just had to vent and thank you for listening!

 

[chaconne]

Guys,

The fatigue thing can be a mystery, and caused by many things other than heart problems or recovery. I'm 8 months post-op and I pretty much feel 100%, but I do get fatigue from time to time. Before OHS, I thought it was symptoms of the BAV regurg. but now I'm starting to think it wasn't heart related. I am slower than I was years before OHS when I exercise vigorously, but it may be that I'm just out of shape, getting old, and lacking a consistent training regimen.

I've noticed that when the fatigue comes, I can still push it in exercise and I'm none the worse. Does this correspond with your experiences at all?

 

[offwego]

Guys,

The fatigue thing can be a mystery, and caused by many things other than heart problems or recovery. I'm 8 months post-op and I pretty much feel 100%, but I do get fatigue from time to time. Before OHS, I thought it was symptoms of the BAV regurg. but now I'm starting to think it wasn't heart related. I am slower than I was years before OHS when I exercise vigorously, but it may be that I'm just out of shape, getting old, and lacking a consistent training regimen.

I've noticed that when the fatigue comes, I can still push it in exercise and I'm none the worse. Does this correspond with your experiences at all?

I've been feeling pretty good post op...not as energetic as I'd like but overall pretty good...I don't help myself by not exercising but living in NYC, I do (did..ugh) walk a fair amount...often 2-3 or more miles in a day...

It seems that 3 weeks ago after a very long walk (4 plus miles but slowly) the next day I felt absolutely horrible...I went for a walk and could not walk more than 2 blocks...I had to take a few stops to get home...It was pretty profound and not blood sugar or anything.

that is what pushed me to see the cardiologist and I was past due for a post op echo anyway..

WHen I went to see him last week just to check bp I was sweating so much they called him in to check me out..I felt so awful!

Clearly my BP was elevated...perhaps due to taking Solumedrol/Prednisone but that was almost a month prior..but it can and does raise BP.

I can push through as you say and force myself to do more but then I need more recovery time...

My biggest complaint is this hot and sweaty feeling I get so easily..that and lack of energy...

The elevated red blood count I found out about yesterday (might) be a result of a not well functioning heart..that reading was high but not off the chart...

Two doctors have assured me that the low EF WILL improve...wiht meds and perhaps with exercise.

I'm 55 years old...175 pounds, non smoker and sleep 8 hours every night..

You're not getting old at 42..haha!

It's maddening as people tryiing to be helpful suggest it's all in my head..While I understand that can and may play a part, I had hoped I'd feel much better than this..

WHo knows what this is? I may never find out...Could it be hormonal? MS? Heart?

argh.

COuld be worse though!

 

[Jkm7]

Thanks Julian,

I am going a little nuts thinking about it...It's wearing me out...I just went out for 1/2 hour...had to stop at Fed Ex, right across the street...sweat was pouring off of my forehead and upper lip, it was almost embarrassing.

I am so hot all the time..even if I am in my air conditioned apartment, if I take a shower and do a bit, before I know it, I am sweating...My doctor dismissed the heart as being related to this and he should know better than me..But it 'feels' like it's my heart...and just discovering that the EF is only 40%, perhaps my body is working harder to compensate...I'll never know.

I do know it is hard to motivate with this..but I'll keep pushing and taking better care of myself...The high red blood count might be related to the heart not functioning well...I'll see what the doctor says on Friday.

It's all not that bad but it's not that great either...and it's depressing as I want to take a vacation with my kids and dread that I will be wiped out and sweating from minimal exhertion...mental exertion is as 'sweat' producing as physical it seems!

Just had to vent and thank you for listening!

I'm sure your cardio discussed Ejection Fraction with you but a great many people lead very full, active lives with EF well below 40. Yes that is lower than 'normal' but it is very variable the impact it has on each patient. Many would be thrilled to get to 40.

As to the sweating, some folks are just like that. It might be heart related but that does not necessarily say it is anything to be concerned about other than the discomfort it causes. It may not be a symptom of anything important or that needs attention.

Perhaps you need a good sit down with one of your doctors to get some clear, pertinent to you questions answered. It might be very helpful for you to visit your cardio again with a list of questions.
Best wishes and good luck.
Let us know how you are doing.

 

[offwego]

I'm sure your cardio discussed Ejection Fraction with you but a great many people lead very full, active lives with EF well below 40. Yes that is lower than 'normal' but it is very variable the impact it has on each patient. Many would be thrilled to get to 40.

As to the sweating, some folks are just like that. It might be heart related but that does not necessarily say it is anything to be concerned about other than the discomfort it causes. It may not be a symptom of anything important or that needs attention.

Perhaps you need a good sit down with one of your doctors to get some clear, pertinent to you questions answered. It might be very helpful for you to visit your cardio again with a list of questions.
Best wishes and good luck.
Let us know how you are doing.

I want to stress (pardon the expression haha) that the cardiologist made sure to tell me (more than once), in a very short phone call, that the ejection fraction was 'a little low' and that he was CERTAIN (they don't say that often) that it would improve. He said this more than once and he's not exactly a 'warm and fuzzy' type.

Look at the end of the day, I know how lucky I am, I really do. I never expected the 2nd operation to end in a repair and had planned for a replacement. The head of surgery performed the surgery at NYU in NY. He said it was an 'easy' repair and he expected it to hold up. The operation was smooth, the recovery was excellent. Incredibly fast and so much better than 8 years ago.

I guess I got lax and didn't follow up as swiftly as I should have and somehow something did change for me 3 weeks ago and it might just be the combination of unrelated high blood pressure (which know seems to be under control) and perhaps (my guess) is a sensitivity to my heart simply not functioning as well as it should..The high blood pressure was making me feel horrible. wow..trouble concentrating as well.

I do connect the malfunctioning heart to the sweating, although clearly I probably will never know for sure and I realize I could just as easily be wrong.

The fact I have MS makes it all that much harder to know what is going on with mysterious symptoms.

I have not yet seen the cardiologist, I only spoke to him briefly when he called me and read me the riot act for calling 3x...He is an excellent doctor but after my next appointment, if he is rude or makes me uncomfortable, I am just going to have to find someone else. It's a terrible dynamic that I have never experienced with a doctor before but at the same time I do trust his judgement in medication and prognosis, which is the most important thing of course.

Thank you for the response. I'll update Friday after my appointment. Hopefully I get the green light to exercise as that's a key and missing component to my recovery post op.