Father diagnosed with 2 blocked arteries, booked for double heart by-pass in 2 months advice please.

[snowaddict]

My father has been told he has to take it very easy up to the operation. How much realistically can he do without putting his heart under unneccessary stress. The coronary care nurse told him he should not do as much as pick a kettle up.

But he usually does a lot of driving and cooking and pottering around.Is there anyone with any advice. Thanks

He shouldn't rush, or over-eat, as both of these are dangerous.

My father carried on as usual and died 9 weeks into a 12 week wait for an urgent by-pass, so I would urge you to stress to your father how serious this is

Overeating?? Why?

Apparently it was a contributory factor to my father's death They did tell me the science behind it but it was a long time ago and I've clearly blocked it. Puts the heart under strain if you've already got a problem- doesn't affect healthy people.

Catweazle - I'm very sorry to hear that. Thats very sad. I must say I feel like we have a walking time bomb on our hands. I have told my father to think about what the nurse said but he is so stubborn.

Digesting a big meal is hard work - your liver and gut both demand significantly increased blood flow, which means the heart is working harder.

Rest, light meals - no extremes of emotion, if possible.

I do think it is appalling people are made to wait months for these operations.

Has he had a heart attack recently?

Hi, my Father has just come out of hospital after having a triple heart by-pass. He had a heart attack in August and was scheduled to go in in October, but that was cancelled at the last minute. He was put on medication to lower his blood pressure and statins and before the operation was managing to walk 3/4 miles a day. He said for the first half mile he would get angina pains, but his doctor told him just to stop and then start again. After half a mile he could continue without any pain. I appreciate that everyone's situation is different, but I wanted to reassure you about the operation, my Father had the surgery on a monday morning, was up eating his dinner on monday night and came home on Friday. It was remarkable and he says he's feeling ten years younger!

Timbuktu- Thanks for your comments thats very uncouraging to hear. Unfortunately my father can't walk very far without getting breathless.Hes been given a load of tablets to make vessels dialate. He has'nt had an heart attack, the doctors referred him because of his chest pains and breathlessness.

It sounds as though his level of activity will be dictated by how breathless he is feeling. He should continue with pottering about at home, but avoid the more strenuous aspects of housework, for example, vacuuming, changing duvets,carrying heaby shopping and obviously avoid anything that brings on chest pain. If he gets symptoms at rest or when he's driving, then he must stop driving until after his op.
The meds he's on should help to keep his angina symptoms under control, however,
if he is getting CP that doesn't go with his GTN spray, or lasts for more that 15 minutes, then he needs to call 999. It's also worth keeping an eye on the frequency and severity of any episodes of CP - if it becomes more frequent, or pain is getting more intense, then I'd get in touch with both his GP and the cardiologist and/or surgeon he's been referred to.

Stanustaurus - thanks for detailed advice. that very helpful. I will pass it on to my family and keep a very close eye on him.

My dad had a double heart bypass last summer after it was found that he had blocked arteries. They wanted to keep him in that day to do the operation but he refused and went in 4 days later. In the meantime, he did go back to work, but against our wishes and the advice of the doctor.
I would suggest that he takes it easy - he is, afterall, needing to avoid putting his heart under any strain until the operation.
On a positive note, however, my dad now has a new lease of life, apart from the odd complication from infection in the scars.
I wish your father all the best of luck with his operation, and he is lucky to have a family that care so much for him.

My father had a triple bypass about 5 years ago and it was a new lease of life for him.

Goodness me I can't believe that they can make him wait that long if he can't even pick up a kettle. My father had a quad bypass about 7 years ago - he was fine (had experienced chest pain when cycling up a very steep hill in cold weather) and they did him in 2 or 3 weeks I think.

I would see if you can get him bumped up the list somehow

I think (but have no evidence, just from memory) that you have to be more careful when it is very cold