My open heart recovery is not getting better. Am I alone?

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In April 2017 I underwent open heart surgery to repair my mitral valve and a quadruple bypass. My recovery started off normal but quickly went south as I continued to suffer from pleural effusions in both lungs. Long story short it took me 3 months to get back on my feet again and back to work. In July 2017 I suffered from my first symptoms of heart block and since then I have suffered 3 more times of symptoms of heart block with the most recent one last week. Since the surgery, my resting heart rate is around 108 and during the times of heart block symptoms, besides the irregular heart rhythm, my heart rate drops down between 45 and 60. 

I am now trying my third cardiologist this year due to the frustration of hearing that they don't understand what is wrong. They have ruled out constrictive pericarditis and I have not experienced any pleural effusions since May of 2017. They still have not been able to understand why my resting heart rate is so high and why I sometimes experience heart block symptoms.

I continually read stories of people after open heart surgery and how they feel 10 times better than before. My surgeon and doctors all told me that it would happen to me as well. However, it has been a year since I first went to the ER when I suffered Congestive Heart Failure and a small Heart Attack. I feel worse today than a year ago and I am unable to still to do any major exertion to my body since the surgery. I walk every day with my dog and daughter around the park and I am eating healthy than I ever have in my life. 

Am I alone here? Has anyone else experienced this and do you have any suggestions? I am 44 years old with a 3-year-old daughter. I want to be able to run around with her again and do the things a father does with their kids at that age. 

What can I do to better my life?

p.s. My heart disease was the cause of radiation treatments when I was 12 for Hodgkins Disease cancer. 

1 like, 2 replies

2 Replies

  • Posted

    I'm so sorry your going through this at such a young age. I don't know much about your condition as I have never had it. I have diastolic dysfunction heart failure and im 36. which is controlled with a beta blocker. Would a beta blocker help? I thought that's what they put people on after stuff like that.

  • Posted

    I have never had open heart Would a second doctor opinion help

    Would using more online  internet  Discussions help

     

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