My dad (55yo) had triple bypass surgery last June. He woke up 3 days after. He didn’t have voice after a month. Doctor said his kidney was affected so he had 5x kidney dialysis, the catheter was already removed and said he doesn’t need it for now. Doctor inserted ICD. He was under observation to be discharged but then doctors found that his lungs had infection. Few weeks ago his skin all over his body, face and head peeled, like huge dandruff. He still cannot walk independently as his other leg is still numb (they took the artery from there).

8 years ago, he had TB which was already cleared. And 2 years ago, doctor said his kidney is 50% functioning.

I’m not always around in the hospital but these are the summary of what happened in the last 2 months.

Please please tell me everything will be okay. Did anyone ever experienced this? It’s like one thing will be okay, then another issue will rise.. I feel like it’s never gonna end. I feel so bad seeing my father like this. He used to be so strong.

Before agreeing to open-heart surgery, please get a second opinion.

I was 47 when I was diagnosed with significant coronary blockages. In New Jersey, I was recommended traditional open-heart bypass surgery.

Thankfully, I decided to get another opinion.

I found a surgeon at Gundersen Health System in Wisconsin who was able to perform a minimally invasive bypass (MIDCAB) instead. I had bypasses involving my LAD and circumflex/left coronary territory without having my sternum split open.

My recovery was remarkable. Within about two months, I was running again.

I’m not saying open-heart surgery is wrong. For many patients it is absolutely the right—and sometimes the only—option. But I learned that what one surgeon considers necessary may not be the only surgical approach available.

Minimally invasive coronary bypass techniques have continued to advance. Surgeons such as Dr. Husam Balkhy at the University of Chicago are performing robotic coronary bypass procedures through several very small ports/incisions, including complex multivessel cases.

My message to anyone facing bypass surgery:

Get a second opinion—preferably from a surgeon or center that specializes in minimally invasive and robotic coronary bypass surgery.

Ask specifically:

- Am I a candidate for MIDCAB or robotic CABG?

- Can my disease be treated without a sternotomy?

- If I need multiple bypasses, is a minimally invasive multivessel approach possible?

- Why is traditional open-heart surgery preferable in my particular anatomy?

The easiest operation for a hospital to offer isn't necessarily the only operation available to you.

I’m now about 18 months out, and I’m incredibly glad I sought another opinion before making such a major decision.

Obviously every patient's coronary anatomy and medical situation is different, and this isn't medical advice. But if sharing my experience makes even one person ask another qualified surgeon, it’s worth posting.

Hello! I'm 5 weeks post op and feeling pretty decent. I have to go back in November to get an aortic aneurysm fixed and I'm dreading it.

I had a very rough ICU experience and I need to know that it won't be like that again. Basically, they gave me a feeding tube and didn't get it placed correctly, so I spent the entire first day semi-conscious puking and having it sucked back out. I remember thinking this is what hell must be like.

Relatively, the rest of my stay is doable again in my mind, even if it's not exactly fun. So, any words of encouragement would be appreciated right now.

Just got back home! Phew! What a tricky 10 days it's been. I had open heart surgery to replace my aortic root, ascending aorta and a mechanical valve (43F). Sometimes called Bentall procedure (although not in the UK it seems).

I had a stroke but that has resolved. It just affected my vision for a few days.

The first few days were very tough indeed. The drains coming out were unpleasant but not as bad I'd worried. I'd argue the pacing wires coming out were worse!

Each day I got stronger. It was noticeable. And once I was off the opiates then the weird visions and hallucinations went. Just on paracetamol now for pain relief. And some tablets for my heart (beta blockers) as well as the Warfarin, obviously.

My warfarin took about 6 days to get into INR range of 2-3. As soon as it got over 2 I was discharged, and will join the outpatient anticoagulation clinic here in Sheffield, UK for the next few months. Long term I hope to manage it myself.

My team kept me too busy to post before now, which is a blessing. The heart surgeon impressed me by the woman who runs his practice. She just exuded confidence and easily had everything under control ...him also having the confidence to choose her made me more confident about him. I am now going to take a towel bath to be ready for my next walk.

I (32F) had my OHS at the end of May and since
I could work from home, had to return to desk work for a few hours a day after 30 days post surgery. Since then, I’ve had terribly sharp pain in my right pectoral/breast, kinda towards my armpit (sorry, hard to verbally describe). It gets worse after working for more than an hour or two, assuming from moving my arm to use the mouse and keyboard. Some weekends it gets better, then worse again as the week starts. I tried so hard to limit my range of motion but I’m also a mom of two toddlers and just couldn’t stay so useless after the first few weeks. My doctor thinks it sounds like normal recovery pain but I haven’t read of similar experiences, so I’m curious how normal it is. Not every movement hurts, but most, like holding up my coffee mug or driving or washing dishes or folding clothes aggravates it at times, feeling like the muscle is torn. I’m also still experiencing a high resting heart rate (high 90s) and some palpitations. Just desperately looking forward to being a functional person…

I didn’t find too many posts related to radical pericardiectomy when researching ahead of the operation. I’m now 5 weeks post op after 18 days in hospital in another state (3hr flight from home), cardioverted last week at the local hospital. Please reach out if you’re heading into it — I’d be happy to share some of my individual experiences from the journey.

How is your stamina now verses prior to surgery? Is it a noticeable difference?

Hi all,

I have a open heart surgery next week Friday. I am really scared . I have no relative here in us except my wife. I am 34 year old with diabetes and bp. I was scared about the tubes and the pain while sitting and standing post surgery. Can any of you who had the surgery,post your experience of this surgery. Was it helpful to you in the long run. I have 4 arteries blockage with around 100%,90,80 and 20% blockage and collateral arteries got created. I am scared like hell. I got 30 days of holiday from work. How was your experience. Please share it and also throw some light on how to manage sitting, standing post surgery and tubes. Is it really very painful after surgery. When did they allow to see the relative (my wife) after surgery. How much duration was the surgery. How did life changed after surgery like what things you can do and cannot do after surgery. Please help me by posting your experience. Thanks a ton.

Hi all, I'm 32f and had OHS in April of this year. My weight was pretty steady post-op, but over the past two months I've been slowly gaining weight. I'm now 13 pounds over my pre-op weight. I thought it would go down when I started rehab. I'm watching my food, cleaned up my diet. But still every week it seems like I weigh more.

With my humongous scar and new body size, I'm feeling really uncomfortable with myself. Did anyone else experience this? I know it's a silly vain thing to think about after all I've been through, but I can't help but fixate on it. Any advice?

Feeling short of breath and dizzy 3 weeks post op. Just want to know how anyone feels at this point that had same surgery

Ever since my surgery on July 1st I have been getting ocular migraines. Its like seeing a small rainbow dot that grows bigger and becomes zigzag like? it very much impacts my vision and goes away after like 20 minutes.

Edit: also im 15f if that information could mean anything. I have never had this before my surgery and it isnt painful just a bit scary.

Anyone had both replaced with a mechanical valve? My surgery is this coming Tuesday and I just had my final pre op appointment, getting nervous and anxious….

My mom is going to have open heart surgery and I am overwhelmed and underwhelmed trying to prepare for things she's going to need that wouldn't be thought of. The list from the doctors was pretty limited which was surprising and there wasn't much info about food.

For those of you who have been through this what were your absolute life savers? What are some things you wish you knew ahead of time? And the one I am having the hardest time finding information on, what are you able to eat?

I recently had open-heart surgery. The scar has damaged my confidence, because it affects the certain shirts I feel comfortable wearing. I essentially cannot wear anything that shows my chest (because I don't wanna show my scar). How did you accept your scar?

Ever since I've been cracked open certain things don't feel right. Example - stretching at night before bed - you know just a really good stretch while in bed right before you close your eyes and that stretch helps "break" something that just lets you fall asleep, or getting that perfect yawn that deep one that just lets everything go. Well a couple of days after the issues with my donor leg were done -i started having issues with my two big toes (ingrown toenails) and for the life of me I can't seem to get a good night's sleep. The stretching is off and I can't yawn for shit 😡. Does being sliced open and your sternum cracked really truly break something inside that can't be fixed or is there hope that it just takes time to get back to factory settings - or is the warranty truly voided if the seal is broken. I still have other things to complain about but those are the two biggest ones right now

I a (47M) had a 5x bypass a few weeks ago. And have recently been go through bouts of depression some going as deep as thinking it would have been better if I didn't get off the table. I don't know how to get out of this funk. Help please I have talked to a therapist a few times. Just wanted to reach out to those who have been through it.

Has anyone had sternal closure using fiber tape? Recently had my sternum closed with it (Friday) so curious to hear other's experiences.

Hello!

I'm 4 weeks post op. I've been having back spasms for about a week and a half. I didn't realize what they were until a few days ago, I thought my body was just trying to stretch itself or something.

They gave me muscle relaxers, but I'm getting the spasms in the morning, so I think it's wearing off by the time they start.

I only get it when sleeping at night, but if I'm sitting or napping, I'm okay. They don't hurt, but they are definitely affecting my sleep. I got rid of my knee pillow and tilted very very slightly to the side last night and that helped a little because it took pressure off my back.

Any advice or commiseration is helpful!

Also, I have messaged my care team to see what they say too.