CABG - recovery not going to plan

[DickyC]

Double heart bypass June 2023 at age 69. The heart surgeon said before the operation I would have 'at least four' bypasses, but afterwards spoke about two bypasses being the best compromise, which I didn't question.

My recovery went well until January or February this year. I was walking nine or ten thousand paces a day, including a two mile walk, and continuing my weekly cardio exercises from the cardio rehab course. I was still having trouble with inclines; hills were tough. After the operation, I imagined my upward recovery graph would eventually meet my downward 'deteriorating with age' graph and things would level off. Instead, at seven or eight months after the operation, I started to have trouble with my two mile walk; I had to stop for a rest. Then two rests. Then I started to get breathless while doing anything even remotely energetic, like tying my shoelaces or pulling up a few weeds. Then I started panting at random times, like sitting watching television.

The NHS have been fantastic with my heart problems and when I rang to make an appointment about my breathlessness, I was seen on the same day. The GP sent me to see a cardiologist who made arrangements for me to have an E bike electrocardiogram. In her report to my GP, the cardiologist states she advised me take more exercise and eat less animal fat despite me telling her about the exercise I was doing and how my diet now has virtually no red meat and very little butter or cheese. I was very disheartened by this, threw all my spanners down the road and abandoned my exercise routine. Yeah, I know Child.

Anyway, the odd thing is, I've started to feel better. By not trying to increase my exercise, but staying active, still managing 7,000 plus incidental steps a day, walking occasionally and still minding my diet, the random panting has stopped and last week I did manage a two mile walk without stopping. I do still get breathless after bending down.

The most recent cardiologist told me the reason I hadn't had more than a double bypass was my arteries are too small. It was in the surgeon's report that I hadn't seen. The double bypass was a compromise but not, as I imagined, a compromise based on my age and the length of the operation versus recovery time. They simply couldn't do it and I'm on statins and gawd knows what for the rest of my life.

My follow up appointment with the cardiologist is in a couple of weeks. What am I going to say to her? "Thanks for everything but actually if I exercise less I feel better" ? That can't be right.

Until a year ago I did no regular exercise. Active, yes. Regular exercise, no. As a lad I wasn't sporty but I could go on a sponsored walk of thirty miles without any bother at all. I had hoped by steadily increasing my exercise, in the form of longer and longer walks that I would regain a good level of fitness. In light of what has happened recently, I seem to be doing this without the walking.

Anything else? I don't enjoy swimming and I can't cycle due to losing my balance due to ear trouble. The heart episode was a shock. I did a big concretey garden DIY project in the autumn of 2022 but by the spring of 2023 I couldn't walk 100 yards without stopping for a rest.

Something I thought was odd was the cardiologist saying my breathlessness and random panting are the same thing. They don't feel the same. The panting is fast and shallow and the breathlessness is deep and slow and borderline panicky.

Have I found my level? Was the seemingly modest plan to keep increasing my walking too ambitious at 70 years old? Should I do more than I am now but not every day, you know, five days on two days off? I am so grateful to the NHS for what they've done and I don't want to tell them they were wrong. Have we - the NHS and I - between us inadvertently found what's right for me? Or is the patient finding what's right for them, by any means, the doctors' intention all along?

Edited by DickyC on Tuesday 20th August 07:56

[The Mad Monk]

You are seeing the cardiologist in a couple of weeks. I suggest you compile a list of questions and see what she says.

It's relatively early days, I suggest you don't rush things.

I wish you well.

I had a triple CABG 34 years ago. Still keeping my fingers crossed.

[DickyC]

The Mad Monk said:

You are seeing the cardiologist in a couple of weeks. I suggest you compile a list of questions and see what she says.

It's relatively early days, I suggest you don't rush things.

I wish you well.

I had a triple CABG 34 years ago. Still keeping my fingers crossed.

34 years! Good news.

The first cardiologist said, "Have the operation. We'll get you another twenty years." The second cardiologist said, "Have the operation. We'll get you another ten years." I've been careful to avoid predictions since then.

[55palfers]

I had a triple 13 years ago.

I too was told it would last about 10 years.

On the flat I can walk for ages. Up hill, like you I struggle. I also get very tired and often take an afternoon nap.

I've come to accept my heart is damaged from two heart events and I'm not as young as I was.

The cocktail of daily drugs keeps me ticking over OK and I'm happy to still be here.

Just keep thinking "every day is a bonus" and plod on with whatever you feel happy doing.

[Handbag]

I can't help but hope you find some answers and a resolution.
I'm just about to start along the CABG path having been informed I need a double bypass at 50 after a failed stent attempt. I developed chest pain whilst walking the Offa's Dyke trail some 18 months back which has steadily worsened. I do lots of walking and until about 9 months ago, would cycle a couple of times a week for a few hours. Annoyingly I've recently bought an e-bike thinking I'd be able to get out after my stent procedure last Friday, but it wasn't to be.

[DickyC]

Thanks everyone. The realistic tone of your posts is encouraging. Where I've been doing some DIY in the garden this week and counting that as my exercise I've been feeling better than if I did that and walking. Previously, when I was pushing myself to complete my steps and two mile walk, in addition to whatever else I was doing, may have been a bit too much. As I said at the beginning, I was never sporty so pushing myself physically is completely alien to me. I may have been overdoing it a bit. Not by much! I'm still here! Finding the balance is the key. I shall take my list of questions and explain my ramshackle solution to the cardiologist and see what she says. And try and wring an acknowledgement out of her that my diet isn't that bad. I call it the Don't Eat Anything Nice Diet.

Thanks again.