Valve Replacement & Tiredness

[RonP]

Hey Gang:

I'm just curious as to how many of you who have had your valves replaced have recaptured the energy level you used to have, or one greater than your old level.

Even though it's been two years since my surgery now, I still tire easily and that really frustrates me. When I get tired, it hits quick and hard and I have to quit whatever I'm doing. You reach that certain point and that's it for the day. I can get 8-10 hours sleep and then put in 3-4 hours working and be ready for another 10 hours sleep.

Do any of you have the same feelings? If so, share them with me. Am I expecting too much, or did I just wait too long for the surgery?

RonP.

 

[JBriau]

Hi Ron:

I had my mitral valve replaced in Oct. 99. It took about 6
months for me to bounce back. Because I had endocarditis.
I was very sick. After that I felt good but made sure I
got to bed early every night and ate balanced meals.
Just the last six months I have become tired again and
that is not caused by mitral valve it is caused by my
leaky aortic valve which they didn't replace in 99.

Judy

 

[Srosier]

Being tired

Being tired

Hi, I still have days where I would like to nap a bit in the afternoon and sometimes I do eve for an hr if I can get my 4yr old busy watching a vidio or something. i don't go to bed when I should because i am stubborn and like that quiet time to myself.
I find when my diet stinks and i do not excersize I feel much worse. make sure you are getting some other excercize in other then work and sleep. It really does increase your energy level.
Sue

 

[Jean]

Tired?

Tired?

Ron,

I am the bloomin' idiot that has really been charged up since surgery...1-00. I take a short (15-20 min.) nap just because I like to and I am ready for bed by 10 or 11, but I get up at 5:15. I teach high school and then do some farm chores. I think the others are right...get some exercise...even walking will give you even more energy. Good luck!

 

[Kevin M]

Ron, after my first surgery when I was 23, I actually gained energy that I'd never felt before. It was wonderful.

After this second time around, (age 35), I found my recovery hit a plateau and I still haven't achieved the energy level I had a few years ago. It's not that debilitating, so my situation may be different than yours.

I have resolved myself to the fact that I may never have that full blown energy level of a healthy person my age, but with a lot of exercise, an extra hour or two of sleep a night and the occasional luxuriuos nap I find myself not really caring to much.

I've made lifestyle changes that allow me to appreciate what I do have. No more 15 hour work days, 50+ hour work weeks, high stress levels that last for days - I've tried my best to ditch all these things in favour of enjoying every moment as best I can.

No, I can't do some of the things I used to - but I now enjoy life far more.

It sounds a bit cliche, but by changing my attitude towards my lack of ability, my enjoyment of life is more pronounced.
Kev

 

[Bill Hall]

Hi Ron -

I don't have as much energy as before surgery, but it is close enough that it doesn't impact my lifestyle. I get tired in the afternnoons during work and it would be nice to lie down for a short nap. On the positive side, I don't have any problem sleeping.

 

[Zipper#5]

Energy!

Energy!

Hi Ron! It takes awhile to regain your strength and energy- did you do cardiac rehab after the surgery? That is very tiring in itself! Even after all the rehab though it wasn't until I joined the gym and worked on a low inpact weight regime that I felt my energy and strength come back. It takes a long time. I lot depends on how fit you were prior to the surgery. Good luck!!

 

[Sam Scholz]

Hey fellow clickers, I too get tired but I attribute this to getting up early. 4:00 am, walking the hound, feeding the cat, wrestling the hound so he will be tired enough to go back to sleep, so he won't wake everyone else up. Riding my bike to the train, 5:30 am and riding and hour into the city, sometimes I doze but lately I have been to glued to various books or projects I am doing. Upon entering the city I walk 15-20 minutes to work. Same thing after work, only 8 hours of work for me, I konk out on the way back, but usually wake up on the bike ride home. I take 25 mg of Atenenol, not much I know but it is enough to make me sleepy at the end of the day. By 8:30 or so I am ready to go to sleep, occaisionally I will take the big crash, 7:00 pm.

This is 2 years after AVR replacement (St. Judes) and a mitral repair. The previous 2 valve replacements I was never really tired, but never on Atenenol either (porcine valves) . Excercise helps.

Sam

 

[RonP]

Thanks

Thanks

Thanks for all the imput. I'm going to increase that walking and see if that helps. From what I've read here, I feel a lot of my trouble may be caused by the arrhythmias the pacemaker isn't taking care of. I'll talk to my doc about that the next visit and keep you posted. Thanks again!