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Things To Expect Once You’re Home After Heart Surgery

Thousands of people in the United States undergo open-heart surgery every day that not only leaves them with a long chest incision, but also a lengthy recovery. Everyone heals at a different rate, and the time it takes to fully heal depends on the individual’s age and overall health, and of course, how complex the operation was. One needs to work closely with their doctors. Most of the healing- usually about 80 percent- happens in the first 6-8 weeks after surgery.

Coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) is the most common of all heart surgeries, which uses a blood vessel taken from another part of the body to go round a blocked heart artery. Open-heart surgery is also recommended and performed to repair or replace a faulty heart valve or to repair damaged or abnormal areas of the ticker.

No two patient experiences will be the same, here are some important things that you should be aware of when recovering from heart surgery:

Changes in eating habits- Loss of appetite or feeling too tired to eat are common for every patient. Your appetite will soon be back to normal, until that try eating small meals throughout the day at regular intervals since proper nutrition is essential for your body to heal and get stronger. Experts recommend a diet high in protein (fish, eggs, nuts, dairy and beans), and low in fat, cholesterol and sodium. Your salt intake should be no more than 2,000 milligrams a day.

Managing Pain- With heart surgery, the younger you are, the more pain you may feel since the chest incision tends to be more painful in people in their 50s and 60s because of having more muscle tissue with good nerve distribution as compared to an 80-something person with lax chest muscle.

Post-surgical pain can’t be avoided but can be managed in various ways. Most physicians prescribe acetaminophen (Tylenol) or ibuprofen, or a two-week course of oxycodone to help ease sharper pain and help people to fall asleep at night. For pain management, some patients may require opioids while some may not depending on one’s condition. Talking about opioids, doctors cannot prescribe no more than a seven-day supply to patients at the time of their hospital discharge. Other options for pain management include oral and topical analgesics, such as acetaminophen (Tylenol) and Salonpas patches, and relaxation techniques such as meditation can also play a huge role. If you are on long-term opioids, wean down to the lowest possible dose always in consultation with your doctor.

Sleep Problems- After heart surgery, many individuals complain of having trouble sleeping, which might be due to effects of anesthesia, stress from personal concerns, discomfort related to healing, etc. Do not worry as normal sleeping patterns typically return in 2-3 weeks.

Emotional Health- Besides physical healing, recovering from open-heart surgery involves emotional healing as well. You may experience mood swings including depression, anxiety, loneliness, fear, etc., lack of energy or motivation, inability to concentrate, get easily frustrated, feel more sentimental than usual- in the weeks after your operation. Experts have laid down some guidelines like getting plenty of rest, joining a support group, resuming hobbies and social activities you enjoy, etc. for you to follow for good self-care.

Most surgery-related sensations like numbness, tingling or even hypersensitivity are common during the first few months after surgery. There’s nothing to worry since these sensations are part of the normal healing process of the small nerves that were severed during the surgery. These symptoms imply that these nerves are regenerating.
Call your doctor right away if you notice any increased redness, swelling, warmth, fluid discharge, or pus.

Contact CPR Kansas City on 913-998-7499 to sign up for a CPR program.
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