Well guys, its been exactly 3 months since my myectomy. How do I feel? Well, there are some positives and some negatives:
As some of you know, I had cardiac bleeding the day after surgery and had to be rushed back to the operating room to be opened up again and the bleeding stopped. Unfortunately, this not only sent me into a-fib but also made me feel very tired and ill for several weeks.
However, the a-fib was stopped after electric cardioversion, 5 days after it started. Unfortunately, it happened again 7 weeks later, just when I was starting to feel better. This lasted for 4 days; again, I had to be cardioverted.
Some doctors have told me to expect more a-fib, which is bad news since I never had it before sugery. My surgeon, however, reckons its just post-op a-fib. Who knows? Right now I am in sinus rhythm, but have to take the dreaded Amiodarone, which according to one source I read, "is the most toxic drug in medicine".
What about symptoms? Well, my mean resting pressure gradient is down from around 60 to just over 10. The systolic anterior motion (SAM) has gone from severe to "mild residual". This has clearly benefited my heart, because I no longer get chest pain, even after eating a big meal.
However, I still feel slight discomfort in my breathing, sometimes even at rest. I am almost certain this is related to diastolic dysfunction and the resulting left atrial pressures. I am very frustrated at this, because the breathing issue was THE reason I wanted to do a myectomy.
I can only pray that the myectomy will improve my diastolic function, lower left atrial pressure and ultimately, get rid of the breathing discomfort. I've read this is supposed to happen post-myectomy, but that it may take several months to realize the full benefit, as the heart remodels positively. Three months out though, I can't really notice too much of an improvement in this area. Time will tell.............
Well, that's about it for now. Have any of you myectomy veterans had a similar experience, particularly in relation to the breathing issues? Did your dyspnea eventually improve, or did you notice an immediate benefit or none at all?
Perhaps after 6 or 9 months I will report only great news??
For now, take care.
Paul
As some of you know, I had cardiac bleeding the day after surgery and had to be rushed back to the operating room to be opened up again and the bleeding stopped. Unfortunately, this not only sent me into a-fib but also made me feel very tired and ill for several weeks.
However, the a-fib was stopped after electric cardioversion, 5 days after it started. Unfortunately, it happened again 7 weeks later, just when I was starting to feel better. This lasted for 4 days; again, I had to be cardioverted.
Some doctors have told me to expect more a-fib, which is bad news since I never had it before sugery. My surgeon, however, reckons its just post-op a-fib. Who knows? Right now I am in sinus rhythm, but have to take the dreaded Amiodarone, which according to one source I read, "is the most toxic drug in medicine".
What about symptoms? Well, my mean resting pressure gradient is down from around 60 to just over 10. The systolic anterior motion (SAM) has gone from severe to "mild residual". This has clearly benefited my heart, because I no longer get chest pain, even after eating a big meal.
However, I still feel slight discomfort in my breathing, sometimes even at rest. I am almost certain this is related to diastolic dysfunction and the resulting left atrial pressures. I am very frustrated at this, because the breathing issue was THE reason I wanted to do a myectomy.
I can only pray that the myectomy will improve my diastolic function, lower left atrial pressure and ultimately, get rid of the breathing discomfort. I've read this is supposed to happen post-myectomy, but that it may take several months to realize the full benefit, as the heart remodels positively. Three months out though, I can't really notice too much of an improvement in this area. Time will tell.............
Well, that's about it for now. Have any of you myectomy veterans had a similar experience, particularly in relation to the breathing issues? Did your dyspnea eventually improve, or did you notice an immediate benefit or none at all?
Perhaps after 6 or 9 months I will report only great news??
For now, take care.
Paul
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