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Hi guys, time for a one month update on my recovery.
I am finally starting to feel better, just as many of you said I would (thanks Jim, Pam, Dan, Felix etc. - sorry if I missed anyone else who gave me advice). It has been - without doubt - THE MOST difficult and traumatic experience of my life. Of course, things may have been different if I didn't have to go back in for emergency surgery to stop bleeding the day after my myectomy (not to mention 5 days of A-Fib). For those of you who will have a myectomy in the next month or so, don't be put off because my myectomy ended up being very complicated and not usual. But be aware that it is a major operation and that it will take a number of weeks of recovery before you start to feel better. But just knowing you will get better should be a major comfort.
Anyway, my energy has improved significantly - my energy levels are perhaps 75 - 80% of what they were prior to my myectomy. The blues (depression) are largely gone and I have not had any noticeable episodes of angina. I have been doing a bit of walking each day (in my neighborhood and at the mall). Exercize definately helps improve energy levels.
On the downside, there are a couple of times when I have felt a bit of SOB - nothing serious, just that old sensation of not been comfortable while breathing. This may be a temporary thing, or it may that the surgery has not helped get rid of this problem. I've read that 30% or more of myectomy patients still have SOB (largely because of diastolic dysfunction, even thought the pressure gradient may be gone).
I am also having a couple of nasty arrhythmias each day, which make me dizzy.
But on the whole, I am making progress and feel much better than one or two weeks ago. I will just be happy to get back to how I was prior to the surgery and the whole post-op nightmare: any improvement of symptoms is a bonus!!
More updates will follow in the coming weeks.
Paul
I am finally starting to feel better, just as many of you said I would (thanks Jim, Pam, Dan, Felix etc. - sorry if I missed anyone else who gave me advice). It has been - without doubt - THE MOST difficult and traumatic experience of my life. Of course, things may have been different if I didn't have to go back in for emergency surgery to stop bleeding the day after my myectomy (not to mention 5 days of A-Fib). For those of you who will have a myectomy in the next month or so, don't be put off because my myectomy ended up being very complicated and not usual. But be aware that it is a major operation and that it will take a number of weeks of recovery before you start to feel better. But just knowing you will get better should be a major comfort.
Anyway, my energy has improved significantly - my energy levels are perhaps 75 - 80% of what they were prior to my myectomy. The blues (depression) are largely gone and I have not had any noticeable episodes of angina. I have been doing a bit of walking each day (in my neighborhood and at the mall). Exercize definately helps improve energy levels.
On the downside, there are a couple of times when I have felt a bit of SOB - nothing serious, just that old sensation of not been comfortable while breathing. This may be a temporary thing, or it may that the surgery has not helped get rid of this problem. I've read that 30% or more of myectomy patients still have SOB (largely because of diastolic dysfunction, even thought the pressure gradient may be gone).
I am also having a couple of nasty arrhythmias each day, which make me dizzy.
But on the whole, I am making progress and feel much better than one or two weeks ago. I will just be happy to get back to how I was prior to the surgery and the whole post-op nightmare: any improvement of symptoms is a bonus!!
More updates will follow in the coming weeks.
Paul
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