A triple by-pass.
I just got the results after going through a stress test, an echo scan, nuclear imaging and an angiogram. One artery is completely blocked, a second is 80% blocked, the third is 30% blocked.
I have an appointment with a heart surgeon next week to set a date for the operation.
I’m okay with it, but my wife and kids are in a bit of a tizzy.
Has anyone here had this procedure? What am I in for? Length of recovery? Lifestyle changes?
I suppose I’ll get more info from the surgeon, but I’d like to hear from my fellow dopers. My friends are my age (50) and none have had it done, so any information you can share would be appreciated.
Wally, I’m sorry that you have to have this. But it’s wonderful what doctors can do now. It is about a six weeks to three months recovery time…depending on you. After the surgery you will be encouraged to start walking to build up your heart. Do it. It makes a world of difference. Having to have this surgery doesn’t mean that you stop living, if anything you increase your life. You will have to change your diet probably. But I know several several people that have had it very successfully and they live a very happy active life right now. But please don’t put it off.
Best, best, best to you and your family, Wally. It may be of dubious value to you, but I’ll say a prayer for you. Assuming that wouldn’t actively offend you. If it would, I won’t. (You never know, around here.)
Wally, I’m sure you have probably already done a web search for information, but here’s a couple links anyway. I know only one person who underwent this surgery recently. The father of a friend of mine had a triple by-pass about two years ago. He had been an avid skier for about 50 years and finally his health had deteriorated to a point where he was unable to ski any longer. He said that within several days of the procedure he felt better than he had in 10 years. The gentleman in question is about 70 years old now and back on the ski slopes and enjoying it well enough to have bought a new condo in Golden, Colorado.
While the procedure is serious, it’s pretty darn successful and can actually revitalize your life.
I’m wishing you the best of luck and the finest surgeons available.
Wow. A few weeks ago, I thought I might start a thread just like this one.
I just underwent a full cardio investigation a few months ago. I have a slightly irregular heart rythm that is checked out periodically (say, every 5 years or so). The stuff freaks me out everytime. I just KNOW that my heart isn’t the strongest part of my anatomy.
For some reason, the evidence is against me - luckily. All scans, measurements, what have you, all say the little f***er is beating as good as new - it just FEELS different to me. The only thing that came out of the last investigation was: “You have a slightly high cholesterol level. Oh, and please stop smoking”. Which I did.
So no real worries here. But to some extend, I know what it is to be unsecure about your heart. You only have one, right?
WallyM7, the best of luck to you. You are one of the most inspiring people on this board (well, in a corny, one-linerish way ) and I am planning to enjoy your posts for a long time !
And for what it’s worth, the triple by-pass you descriped is supposedly a rather drastic, yet relatively risk-free operation. At least, that’s what they’ve always told me.
Once again, best of luck pal. The e-mail adress is right under your nose if you wanna talk or have questions.
Wally, without you, who could I play the “can you top this” one-liner game with?
The operation is a very serious but quite standard one. Expect to be weak and to feel substantial chest pain (but not angina) afterwards – having your breastbone broken and your chest surgically dissected is not a bit of fun. But you should come out of it feeling much more “lively” after a short recovery time. Walking, as noted, is a good move…a cardiac exercise program, if available near where you live, is even better, IMHO.
A useful link, despite the offputting title and intro., is the following from LDMB invasion days: http://www.straightdope.com/ubb/Forum7/HTML/000896.html Manhattan hijacked the thread, and I and Sue (Majormd), among others, added comments.
Way to make him feel better, kellibelli. You crack me up.
Wally, my boss had a bypass (just one) a couple of years ago. It sounds scary, but these docs are experts and your surgery will be successful.
But please, please, please, for the love of Pete, follow the lifestyle guidelines they give you after the surgery. You could end up right back on that table again if you don’t.
You’ve got some healing vibes coming from Minnesota, Wally. Everything will turn out fine.
I’m afraid eloquence is escaping me today (must be Monday)- so let me just state that my highest hopes and warmest wishes are for you, today. Keep in mind that Letterman’s prognosis is good after a quintuple bypass, that George Burns lived another twenty-five years after his bypass, and that if someone who so abused his body with drink and drugs as George Harrison can survive getting stabbed in the chest, you’re pretty well safe.
Hell, the fact that Keith Richards still walks the earth probably guarantees that you’ll live to be one hundred and twenty.
Besides, the SDMB couldn’t afford to lose you. If it did, there’d be a massive civil war as every poster tried to usurp the title of “Best One-Liners” and soon the civil, intelligent discussion would collapse into a free-for-all flame war over who could claim to be your successor. Eventually, Phaedrus would win by having twenty sock-puppets proclaiming his brilliance, and everyone else would leave the board in disgust.
So stay healthy, goddammit.
JMCJ
Just confirming that my ass is, in fact, the wisest part of my body.
Wally honey, I can’t help but wonder if our ummm well, you know, hasn’t put a strain on your sweet heart… I promise not to be so energetic in the future!
Ok, I’m being silly (in hopes it puts a smile on your face, if only for a moment). Do what your doctors tell you and you’ll come through this better than ever (modern medicine can do some really amazing things these days). Know that I’m sending my very best wishes your way for a safe and rapid recovery. {{{Wally}}} :*
StoryTyler
“Not everybody does it, but everybody should.” I Spy Ty.
Wally, no first-hand experience here, but my friend’s father had a triple bypass and now he’s as perky as ever.
The one thing I see working against you is that you’re too nice. It seems like it’s the mean SOB’s that live the longest. Start throwing around some more insults in the BBQ Pit, that might help you.
:::Sending good vibes to Wally:::
I’ll think of you and send you a good vibe and a prayer every day till we hear you’re better. Then, when you’re up to it, we’ll have a party for you at Bucky’s…
-Katy
WallyM7 has a heart??? Hmmmph. Woulda lost a bet on that one.
I’m kidding of course.
I haven’t had a bypass (yet), but Poly got most of it as best I can recall from talking to numerous friends who have. While a serious operation, advances in the past decade or so have moved the procedure squarely out of the “settle your affairs just in case” memories that we have about our older generation’s experience with it.
Depending on your general physical condition, you doctor may admonish you to use your new liveliness to a greater or lesser extent in the post-recovery period. If you’re generally sedentary, ask the doc about the risk of overextending yourself after the post-op pain has gone. You don’t want to get a bypass and a back operation in the same year just because you started feeling peppier.
They are getting so good at this that you probably won’t be in the hospital for more than a couple of days, so you probably won’t need wireless internet access to keep up with the boards (which is really the important thing, no?). Just schedule the surgery for a Friday, and you’ll be back on-line by Monday.
Ye gods, Wally. Since you were first accused of sucking up to me by Shpaiers, with your beautiful follow up to my Palidors bashing post, to your usurping of the Dark One’s sig, through the constant barrage on smart-aleckiness, you have been one of my heroes here.
Get well, man, get well. We need you.
I opened this thread, and the first words out of my mouth were a bit too strong to type in MPSIMS. Wally, you know you’re one of my faves, and you’re in my thoughts. After you recover, we’ll start a new Guy Stuff thread–a really tame one, with no smoking and no drinking.
“The quickest way to a man’s heart is through his ribcage.” --anonymous redhead
Hey Wally. Awfully sorry to hear that news, just remain positive and calm. Doctors really do know what they are doing.
Yes, I am only 24 years old but I have also had heart surgery, but a completely different kind. I had what is known as Wolfe-Parkinson-White syndrome (WPW). Affects about 1 in 10,000, and of the affected only 1 in 10,000 need surgery.
Long story short, it basically means you have extra electrical nodes (I only had 1) in your heart. So, instead of the electrical charge going from top to middle to bottom, it can start cycling in the middle to the tuneof 300-600 beats a minute. It is often triggered by heightened heart rate, so the fact that I was an athlete playing on a major level made it all the more dangerous. Thankfully, I never had symptoms, it was discovered during a routing NCAA physical. During the procedure, they had to induce a heart attack to find the node, then zapped it using fiber-optics. I have no scars and was actually able to start reffing games 3 days later.
While mine may not have had the recovery time yours will require, I do understand the feeling of going into surgery. If you have any questions, feel free to write.
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) and I am planning to enjoy your posts for a long time !