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rehabbing after mitral valve repair

Posted , 6 users are following.

dezh
dezh

Is it normal to have(after 3 weeks)crampy pains in the heart area?

How far should I be walking?

0 likes, 16 replies

16 Replies

  • derek76
    derek76 dezh

    Posted

    I had my aortic valve replaced and did not have any of that type of pain. Are you taking paracetemol? I used to take two at night as my chest was painful when stretched when lying down. You should ask your Doctor about the chest pain or phone the ward you were in at the hospital as they are usually very helpfull though the usual  answer is 'It is part of the healing process"

    Did they not give you an exercise preogramme? I think by three weeks I was having two twenty minute + walks a day.We live on the fourth floor and I used to painfully walk up one flight before taking the lift. 

    • dezh
      dezh derek76

      Posted

      Thanks Derek,

      Will contact hospital to see if they can advise.

      Cheers

      dezh

  • linda346
    linda346 dezh

    Posted

    I did get a few pains after my heart valv repair, the heart has been messed about a lot during the long op! However, do ring the hospital cardiac unit and check with them to make sure.  I was told to walk every day, each day for longer - ending up with at least a 30 minute walk a day but you must always walk slowly when you start out to warm up and slow down again to warm down after the walk - don't just stop and sit down!  However it is very early days for you yet so just take it slowly, you won't be ready for half an hour just yet! The hospital should have arranged for your cardiac rehab exercise classes (you are entitled to 8) when you were discharged which you usually start when you have your 6 week check.They will give you the confidence to exercise without worrying and they will give you an exercise sheet when you finish. I prefer to do the exercises instead of the walk as it can be a bit boring!!!  You will still be feeling tired and sore especially in the chest area as your ribcage is starting to heal.  Best wishes and hope all goes well.
    • dezh
      dezh linda346

      Posted

      Hi Linda,

      Thanks for your advice. When discharged -10 days after op. was not given any info! but am due back for post op. review 2 weeks from now and hope they will be more forthcoming with advice . It helps to share info especially as all this is new to me. Thanks again. Des -Ireland.

    • derek76
      derek76 linda346

      Posted

      Were you resticted to eight?

      I did not start until about four months post surgery as I had a problem with my hip after the operation and I did not want to go anyway:-)  I was pretty much recovered by the time I started and back to my normal activities. The exercises were so light that I felt them a waste of time for me and I was 77.They kept on stopping me when I wanted to do more.  Some who had been very unfit prior to surgery, overweight and those who had never walked a mile in their lives were struggling.

      The second half of the sessions devoted to health awareness I felt was a blame game where they blamed the participants for having made themselves unhealthy. I don't consider aortic stenosis to self caused by lifestyle. I was surprised that many there had only had stents fitted.

      They asked me back for their next sessions when they were going to step up the pace.

      A neigbour older than me who had a quad bypass and AVR declined their invitation. He had a tough homecoming as he lives on the second floor in the annex of our building and it does not have a lift.

      Another neighbour (ex Army Major) recently had a triple byass. I wonder how he will like the rehab classes after being used to military exercises:-) 

      I found that the toughest thing after surgery was my day two walk. They marched me along the long hospital corridor to the stairs where I was allowed to catch my breath before I struggled up two flights of stairs. A brief sit down and then the return journey.

      I joked that their post op leaflet said that you are fit to have sex when you can climb two flights of stairs.

    • dezh
      dezh derek76

      Posted

      Derek,

      Thanks for all your time and info.It is very assuring and encouraging.

      Much appreciated 

      Sincere Thanks

      DEZH

    • derek76
      derek76 dezh

      Posted

      That's what we are here for:-) At first it feels like very slow progress.

      My Mitral valve is not all that good but they did not want to replace it. Guess they thinkit will see me out. I always recognise it's sound when I have an echocardiogram.

      As you were in for 10 days did it all go smoothly? I had AF and twice fluid on a lung others were out in six days  but I was there for ten. My neighbour went in before me and was bed blocking me as he was in for about ten weeks due to complications.

  • matt68432
    matt68432 dezh

    Posted

    Hi when I had aortic valve replaced I did experience a tightness around my chest but i would ring the ward you was in to make sure its ok. 3 weeks is not long and it will take time for everything to heel. They tell you to walk as much as possible but don't over do it. I would walk to the shops, chemist, doctors etc but if weather was bad I would give them days a miss and walk the stairs at home a few times.

    Its been 4 months now and I feel fully fit.

    • derek76
      derek76 matt68432

      Posted

      Had you had a heart defect from birth or did artic stenosis affect you in later life?
    • matt68432
      matt68432 derek76

      Posted

      It was from birth but only discovered last year had a blood pressure check in the gymironically. was fit and healthy with no symptoms (was 30 at time).
    • derek76
      derek76 matt68432

      Posted

      Amazing that one can go so long without it being found. How did the BP check show it up? Irregular heartbeats?

      Presumably like me you were asymptomatic at that time but it must have been quite bad to be operated on so soon.

      When mine was disovered my mind went back to 1952 when I had a National Sevice medical. The doctor doing it glanced up and asked if I had rhuematic fever as a child. I said no, and he went back to listening intently. I always wondered why he had asked that.

      I had echocardiograms in 2000, 2001 and 2005 when it evidently did not show up but in 2001 before having an angiogram a very junior doctor was exited when hearing a murmur and all the students wanted to listen.  

    • matt68432
      matt68432 derek76

      Posted

      My bp was high and I was asymptomatic. Also I have coartation of aorta which hopfully can be treated by having a stent put in, don't want anymore open surgery if I can help it.
    • derek76
      derek76 matt68432

      Posted

      Good luck with that. You were fortunate that it was discovered.

      I have an aortic anuerysm but it has only gone from 3 cm to 3.2 the eleven years or so since it was found.

    • dezh
      dezh matt68432

      Posted

      Matt,

      Appreciate your advice and find it very re-assuring Had op 4 weeks to-day and seem to be turning the corner .Have been told that  I will be part of a recovery group soon

      sincere thanks

      dezh

    • dezh
      dezh derek76

      Posted

      Derek

      Sorry for intruding but thought I might shed some light on mitral valve problems. I was what I considered to be a healthy 65 year old-walking10-15

      kms on the hills weekly,playing golf (badly !!!!!!!!!!)coaching youth Rugby regularily when I went to the doc with a gammy hip,which he told me was muscular and as an afterthought he checked my heart with his stethoscope only to find a murmur ! He referred me to a cardiac surgeon who did an ecg and then a angiogram which showed a mild to severe mitral regurgitation. Said he would refer me to a specialist for surgery.

      He thought I might have had rheumatic fever when I was 6/7 years old.

      I do recall being sick and kept isolated but the doctors were not aware

      of the disease or failed to diagnose it.It seems that mitral valve is associated with leaking mitral valves.

      Anyway my health insurance was insufficient to be operated in a private hospital(unless I came up with 13,500 euro !!!!!!!!!!!!) So I was put on a waiting list for 9 months!!!!!!!!

      Anyway its all done now and I am very gratefull

      Hope this is of interest

      Cheers

      Dezh

    • derek76
      derek76 dezh

      Posted

      Only nine months! I was 54 weeks. After the angiogram they forgot to refer me to the other hospital for surgery. It was only when I  phoned to see where I was on the list that I found out.

      I went to see a surgeon privately and he quoted £22,000 and said it would be eight weeks. I said that I would wait for the NHS. His secretary phoned back and said that he could fit me in ten days time and do it on December 27th. I did not fancy spending Hogmanay in intensive care so waited.

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