Has anybody here had a bypass? Want to know what to expect (bladder, pain)

[marlinfshr]

I am scheduled to have a cardiac bypass surgery next Wednesday, after my blood thinners (plavix) wear off. I have been reading up on what to expect and all the sites give basically the same generic info, which seems good. But what I want is real world expectations from those who have gone through it.

So, if anybody here has had one, what should I expect pain wise? How long were you in pain afterwards? how long before you could resume at least a semi normal life? Any other advise?

Thanks

[Boxter01]

I had quadruple bypass last March. As each person experience is different, I can only detail how I experienced mine. Sometimes, not knowing may actually help.....

So, ok if your still reading here I go. I had mine done at Sentara Heart Hospital in Norfolk Va. It wasnt too bad. After the operation I awoke in ICU with the tube in my esophagus and pretty much paralyzed from the antesthetic. You'll have this heart shaped pillow that you'll carry around with you for a couple of weeks. You have to hold onto this if you ever cough for obvious reasons. Anyway, once you regain movement moments after you awaken you will want to remove the tube from your mouth. The nurse will see this and tell you not to do this. It'll take a minute or so for the nurse to make sure you can breath on your own then it will be removed. You will be pretty much out of it for the next several hours to overnight.

They will wake you later to remove one of the tubes in your neck. One stays in for a couple of days so they can inject antibiotics directly to your heart. You'll come to realize there are tubes coming from your chest connected to a slim box thing
that collects the drainage. This was more annoying then painful. And you'll have a catheter for urinating. Being male I found this uncomfortable and had it removed a day early. They'll probably have these air bladder controlled things on your legs to keep the circulation going.

I was amazed how much the procedure made me feel like I was bedridden for a month. You'll get to walking, you will just take it slow. You will be on painkillers. Percoset made me nauseous. Vicodin/Norco or hydrocodone didnt. You will be taking sleeping pills to help with sleep. The painkillers and sleep aids will make it difficult to have bowel movements. Dont push, obviously.

You'll find it's not easy breathing due to your lung cavity swollen and with the drainage and all. They will give you a plastic thing with a tube and a float ball thing to do your breathing exercises. You'll need to do this hourly as its helps expand your chest cavity so you can breath easier. I could actually hear the popping noises in my chest and the drainage swish around and the drainage tubes drain the fluid out of my chest.

A physical therapy person will come and make you walk little at first with you, with a wheelchair. At times I think I could actually hear the new blood flow in my ears now that I had new "pipes".

In a few days they will remove the dressing. They remove the pacing wires first (didn't feel anything). Then the chest tubes - I didnt think it was painful at all, just surprising. And then the tube out of your neck (this I was most glad to have removed). and any other IV's.

When you get home you will need someone to help you. Getting in and out of bed you must have help because you dont want to turn too much or use your arms to leverage yourself in or out. I would slide off to the side and use my legs to get up. Since Im somewhat younger and I am a weight-lifter (bigger chest muscles) I was sore for about a month after. It was very uncomfortable wearing anything over the incision. It will mostly feel a weird kind of numb.

You'll really improve once you start cardio rehab.

All in all, It wasnt as bad as I thought it would be. The leg incision for the vein they harvest I didnt even notice much. The left side of my chest though where they took the mammary vein is still numb.

Just remember to take each day one day at a time. If you have any more questions let me know as its almost 2:00am right now and Im getting sleepy.

I think you will do ok

[marlinfshr]

Thanks for the input. I'm one who likes to go into things with some kind of a clue as to what it will be like. I understand we are all different but it gives me an idea.

I had an operation years ago to re inflate a lung due to cancer which had spread. I remember the chest tube they used before hand and the pillow on chest as well as the breathing/blowing into a tube to see how far the ball would rise. I think that operation hurt for a couple of days afterwards in which I was fine. A week later I had a testicle removed (it was testicular cancer) and that operation, though a lot simpler, bothered me for a longer period of time. I think it was because of all the movement in that area which kept bothering the incision site. Whenever I'd move my legs or sit up or lay down---pain.

But the idea of them cutting and spreading open my rib cage (?), breast bone or whatever they call it gives me the heeby-jeebis. I just don't look forward to it at all.

[Boxter01]

God bless you, sir. I think you'll do fine then. And the as for the ribcage opening, I dont think that will be a a bother at all.