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Original poster

heart bypass - anyone got any positive stories?

21 replies

oxocube · 28/09/2006 19:00

My dad (aged 65) is booked in to have a quadruple bypass on Tuesday next week. He has been on the list for 3 months, has v high blood pressure, angina, high cholesterol etc. He is obviously on medication for all of these but is otherwise, at least it seems to everyone else, in good health. He does a fair bit of physical work (has just laid a new patio and works every day on his allotment (sp?) but knows he needs this op. He is very positive and is looking fwd to a life with fewer pills etc. and feels it is much better to have the operation now when he feels strong. I hear everything he says. I'm still really frightened. Does anyone have any good news re bypasses? He is reckoning on a 3 month recovery. Is this reasonable? Thanks everyone

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Smurfgirl · 28/09/2006 19:06

My Grandad and uncle have both had one, changed their lives for the better. Both have a million times more energy. And both recovered pretty quickly.
My uncle was 60 when he had his, my grandad was in his late 70s.

anniediv · 28/09/2006 19:13

My dad had one 15ish years ago (triple, not quadruple). The first couple of days he said he felt like he'd been knocked over by a bus, very bruised and sore, and nervous about coughing etc. He had it done on the Monday and amazingly was home on the Friday.

All I can remember was seeing him when he had it done and thinking, 'wow, my dad is pink again' I had got so used to seeing him blue/grey.

Incidentally he is now 73, also has just had 2 artificial hips done, he is my dds bionic grandad!

It is very frightening though, I remember sitting with my mum for the duration of the op absolutely terrified, but he's never looked back since having it done.

Hope your dad's goes really well.

marthamoo · 28/09/2006 19:13

My Mum had her bypass 13 years ago, when she was 52 (after 2 heart attacks and suffering unstable angina). She did take a while to recover from the operation - she had various complications (including gallstones!) but 13 years on she's doing really well. I'm so glad she had the bypass, even though it was a terribly stressful time for us all, as without it I don't think she would ever have met my 2 dses. I wish your Dad all the best - in many ways it's worse for you, all waiting (I've never cleaned so much in my life - I scrubbed and scrubbed that day while waiting for her to come out of theatre...)

sallystrawberry · 28/09/2006 19:17

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Elibean · 28/09/2006 19:33

I know four men who've had quadruple bypass, all are doing great and are much healthier since. But all of them, and their families, were scared beforehand - your feelings are really normal!

Wishing him a smooth op and a fast recovery...

Original poster

oxocube · 28/09/2006 19:40

Thank you so much for your kind messages. Its worse in a way because I'm in Holland and he is in England. I'm here with my 3 kids and both he and my mum have said its best if I don't go over to see him for a couple of weeks. They mean well and I know they're right- there wouldn't be much I could do apart from playing taxi driver as my mum doesn't drive, but my brother lives 10 mins away and will take mum to the hospital and do any heavy shopping if necessary. I've just booked a flight to go over with my youngest dc (4), leaving the older 2 with friends, for a weekend about 2 and half weeks after the op which is what my parents wanted. Its hard being miles away and just worrying. I know thousands of people have this done every day, but they're not my dad But thanks again for the positive vibes

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stitch · 28/09/2006 19:42

my father was told he had to have an emergency bypass. they operated straight after the weekend.
usually an emergency is in a few months.
anyways. that was six and a half years ago. he s fine

Original poster

oxocube · 28/09/2006 19:46

interesting re the gallstones Martha, thats how my dad found out how bad his heart was. He had a really bad gallstone attack and thought he was having a heart attack and went into hospital. He didn't know he had gallstones. Are the 2 conditions related?

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Pruni · 28/09/2006 19:49

Message withdrawn

Original poster

oxocube · 28/09/2006 19:56

Oh Pruni, my dad used to smoke but gave up over 30 years ago after having an artery stripped in his leg and getting a huge health/reality check! He drinks maybe a can of beer or a few glasses of red wine a night and eats lots of fish, fruit and veg as well as exercise like gardening and walking. I don't think his lifestyle should be a problem. Another positive

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marthamoo · 28/09/2006 20:13

I think gallstones are caused by too much cholesterol - so, yes, I guess the two can go together. My Mum didn't know she had gallstones either. She had her bypass and the 'angina' attacks continued afterwards. Everyone was baffled as - as she was still in hospital - they could get her rigged up to an ECG pretty quickly and it wasn't showing anything. Tbh, I think they thought it was psychological. She kept having these terrible bouts of pain - and so they wouldn't let her come home. She was in almost 10 weeks (other complications too) and she got weaker and weaker and these attacks were coming twice a day sometimes. She kept telling the doctors that the pain seemed to come after eating - but no-one really paid much attention as she was on a cardiac ward, was a cardiac patient etc.

Then some bright spark of a junior doctor decided to scan her for gallstones...she had keyhole surgery and was home a few days later.

I've learned since that it's pretty basic to rule out gallstones as a cause when people present with heart attack type symptoms - the pain is identical. But because Mum had had two heart attacks and did have angina as well it was never considered.

Anyway - for most people it's not as complicated as all that

Celia2 · 28/09/2006 20:56

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Rumpel · 29/09/2006 14:48

My FIL had his first triple about 12 years ago - it was an emergency as his artery burst during a angioplasty. It didn't work properly so he has another triple bypass about 7 years ago now. He is fine - his recovery second time around was much better, he is 66 now.
Why don't you try taking some Bach Flower Rescue remedy or aconite homeopathic remedy for yourself - these will help to calm your fear so that you can be strong for your Dad. I am sure he will be scared too - it is only natural, however, surgeons these days are soo highly skilled I am sure he will be well looked after.
Good Luck!

anniediv · 29/09/2006 14:53

oxocube, after reading Runpel's post I just wanted to add to mine and say that I had a great conversation with my dad's surgeon who said that although this was a really major, massive thing for us to deal with as a family, these ops are his 'bread and butter' and totally routine and normal for him, and are something he is totally proficient and skilled at doing. Made sense, and was quite reassuring. I hope you are feeling less scared as a result of reading through the thread.

sugarfree · 29/09/2006 14:56

My grandad had a triple and two valves replaced in the May and was up doing Scottish country dancing at my wedding in the August.He must have been 72.

fairyjay · 29/09/2006 14:57

My dad had two bypasses, the first when he was 61 and the second when he was 71. The speed of recovery for the second was loads faster than the first, even though he was so much older, and much sicker beforehand.

Unfortunately Dad died three years ago when he was 78, but it was not his heart that failed.

You're bound to be worried, but I'm sure it'll be fine, particularly as he's pretty active now.

Would it be possible for you to make a quick day trip during his first week, if it would make you feel better?

Original poster

oxocube · 30/09/2006 07:16

Thanks so much everyone for you kind and reassurig messages. The surgeon's 'bread and butter' story is one my dad tells me a lot . Will let you know how he gets on - Tuesday is the big day! x

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Original poster

oxocube · 30/09/2006 07:17

reassuring even

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YeahBut · 30/09/2006 07:27

Oxocube, dh's gran had a quadruple bypass 15 years ago when she was in her seventies. Without it, she was told she'd only have a couple of years left at most. After the op (which she had no problems recovering from) she has had all these "extra" years. She's lived to see two of her grandchildren marry and become a great-gran five times over! Obviously, she's getting very old now and she has lots of other issues, but her heart is still going strong.
I think sometimes these procedures are harder on the families than the patient, IYSWIM. The patients have to get on with it but the families are left to worry. Lots of luck to your dad and best wishes for a speedy recovery.

Original poster

oxocube · 30/09/2006 09:02

I think I will send this page to my dad so he can read all your good luck wishes. How nice you all are

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Original poster

oxocube · 05/10/2006 19:29

Hi everyone. I just wanted to post that my dad has his bypass (triple not quadruple in the end) on Tuesday and he is doing really well. He is very tired and a bit down today, probably due to the anaesthetic and fact that he hasn't really slept since the operation, but physically, the doctors are really pleased with his progress and are talking about sending him home on Sunday or Monday . He says he can't wait to be back in his own bed with home cooked food. I am stressing as I'm not with him but my mum has told him I'm ringing several times every day and she's giving him little bits of news about his grandchildren which make him smile. I'll see him in a couple of weeks and can't wait.

Thanks so much to you all for your support. xxx

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