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bypass surgery

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konaboysteve

Apr 22, 12 16:07

Post #1 of 26 (1517 views)

bypass surgery	Quote \| Reply

I'm headed in for bypass surgery this week. I've read several places that studies show survival rates are not different for those who have and those who do not have surgery. I'd like to do something non-invasive but it doesn't seem like there's a lot I can do. I already eat well and exercise. I don't have a lot of symptoms and it was discovered inadvertantly as I was tapering for Boston. It also scares me to think about how far this will set me back. Intellectually I can understand it needs to be done but I don't feel the need at a physical or emotional level.

My Doc seems to think I be back training in four or five weeks. At 62 I don't come back as fast as I once did and setbacks are costly.

Does anyone have any experience with this kind of surgery?

jacobus

Apr 22, 12 16:51

Post #2 of 26 (1497 views)

Re: bypass surgery [konaboysteve] [In reply to]	Quote \| Reply

Google
Cheyenne pepper

psoasminor

Apr 22, 12 17:00

Post #3 of 26 (1483 views)

Re: bypass surgery [konaboysteve] [In reply to]	Quote \| Reply

i was thinking gastric bypass, but of course its cardiac bypass.
good luck!

darkwave

Apr 22, 12 17:10

Post #4 of 26 (1479 views)

Re: bypass surgery [konaboysteve] [In reply to]	Quote \| Reply

konaboysteve wrote:

Hi - I have some, in that my significant other had a quadruple bypass in November. He was a mostly sedentary smoker at the time, though, so I can't really advise about how hard it will be to get back into training. I'm happy to share other parts of our experience. Just ask away.

A few things I can advise:

Keep in mind that part of bypass surgery is opening the chest cavity (breaking the sternum), which means that your chest will need to heal afterwards. I strongly doubt you'll be swimming before 6-7 weeks -- the first few weeks, you can't do ANYTHING with your upper body, lest you reopen the sternum (and then you'll have REAL problems). Cycling will also be barred for this reason unless you can sit upright -- you can't use the handle bars.

Also, you really will need help around the house for the first 2-3 weeks, due to the prohibitions from raising arms up, or lifting pretty much anything. I basically played live in maid for that time, as he couldn't grocery shop, do laundry, vacuum, take out trash, etc.

If your house has stairs, make sure that you have stuff set up so that you don't need to take them for the first few days. We had no way to avoid him going up and down stairs (nature of his house - you had to climb stairs to get from street to house) and it really added a layer of difficulty.

TriBeer

Apr 22, 12 17:14

Post #5 of 26 (1467 views)

Re: bypass surgery [konaboysteve] [In reply to]	Quote \| Reply

I know a local triathlete that did LPIM about 10 years ago, and after this IM, he had bypass. Saw him a couple weeks ago and he is training as hard as ever and in great shape. He's an amazing athlete and he is about 63 years old today. :)

Bmanners

Apr 22, 12 17:14

Post #6 of 26 (1467 views)

Re: bypass surgery [konaboysteve] [In reply to]	Quote \| Reply

Not much to say but good luck and hope you a speedy recovery
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konaboysteve

Apr 22, 12 17:27

Post #7 of 26 (1450 views)

Re: bypass surgery [darkwave] [In reply to]	Quote \| Reply

Thanks for the warning and thoughts. It's hard to get my mind around the whole breaking my sternum thing. I broke three ribs last summer and that was tough.

devashish_paul

Apr 22, 12 17:39

Post #8 of 26 (1439 views)

Re: bypass surgery [konaboysteve] [In reply to]	Quote \| Reply

Just wanted to wish you the best I am a bit younger than you, but have high cholestorol and do everything right. It is hereditary and my dad had triple bypass at 58, but at 74 he's walking 5K per day (never really did much before). I'm hoping that I can do better than him because I'm living a much cleaner lifestyle than he did through middle age. Also, Brian Keast (goes by Overdistance) on ST had bypass only 1 year after winning the Kona 45-49 age group. He returned a few years later to re qualify for Kona at IM Arizona in M50-54.

cannondale.com |infinitnutrition.ca | bushtukah.com
Whiteface Hill Climb + Epicman Lake Placid 3k/180k/21k June 6/7 2013, Epicman Tremblant 10k/260k/42.2k 11-13 July 2013

carbonsport

Apr 22, 12 17:47

Post #9 of 26 (1427 views)

Re: bypass surgery [devashish_paul] [In reply to]	Quote \| Reply

dev-if you have high cholesterol and a bad family history "doing everything right"means medication (Lipitor or Crestor) if you can tolerate this medication.These modern statins in high dose can actually REMOVE plaque volume from arteries .Carbonsport(vascular surgeon)

devashish_paul

Apr 22, 12 17:58

Post #10 of 26 (1418 views)

Re: bypass surgery [carbonsport] [In reply to]	Quote \| Reply

This has also been my father's experience (very low cholesterol now on medication). My doctor has (till now) held off on medication because everything else is working well and I'm still pretty young (46) and show no other symptoms. But I suppose Brian Keast was in the same boat? (FYI, all my grandparents lived into 80's and 90's also with high cholesterol, however they had pretty low stress lifestyles). My stress load is mainly work driven. In general I'm not too worried, however, I suppose that's what everyone says who drops dead from a heart attack.

cannondale.com |infinitnutrition.ca | bushtukah.com
Whiteface Hill Climb + Epicman Lake Placid 3k/180k/21k June 6/7 2013, Epicman Tremblant 10k/260k/42.2k 11-13 July 2013

lcreswell

Apr 22, 12 18:16

Post #11 of 26 (1394 views)

Re: bypass surgery [konaboysteve] [In reply to]	Quote \| Reply

Steve,

Best of luck with your upcoming operation. I'm a heart surgeon and I fully appreciate your comments.

Your doctors will be in the best position to offer advice about return to exercise, training, and/or competition after the operation. As others have noted, each patient's recovery is individual.

There are many triathletes who've returned to active participation after bypass surgery. One potential resource for you could be Ironheart Racing, a national (and even international, I suppose) team of endurance sport athletes who have some connection to heart problems. Check them out at www.ironheartracing.com.

Larry
Larry Creswell

Olive

Apr 22, 12 18:24

Post #12 of 26 (1382 views)

Re: bypass surgery [lcreswell] [In reply to]	Quote \| Reply

Steve, one more helpful forum -- I had a heart attack/AF/Stent in December and I'm back training for the 70.3 at IMMT... you're surgery is in a whole different world... don't push -- heal first and then find a good "athletic" cardiologist that's opened to being questioned. The site below has a number of US followers, but it's global... I did a 15K with this group in Cincinnati in March -- mostly runners, but a wealth of info... "Cardiac Athletes"... best wishes! O

http://www.cardiacathletes.org.uk/forums/index.php

Dreadnought

Apr 22, 12 18:41

Post #13 of 26 (1365 views)

Re: bypass surgery [devashish_paul] [In reply to]	Quote \| Reply

devashish_paul wrote:

In general I'm not too worried, however, I suppose that's what everyone says who drops dead from a heart attack.

Death is nothing, but to live defeated and inglorious is to die daily.
Napoleon Bonaparte

FatandSlow

Apr 22, 12 18:53

Post #14 of 26 (1347 views)

Re: bypass surgery [konaboysteve] [In reply to]	Quote \| Reply

No personal experience, but my Dad had quad bypass at age 60 in 1984. He lived another 26 years. The prior posters comments about the broken sternum are accurate. My folks lived in the Keys at the time. Dad had the procedure at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester. It was late when they arrived in Miami and the only rental car left was a Camaro. Mom drove him home to Marathon, but he couldn't get himself out of the car. It's like 1 or 2 am. She told the story about having to sit on the console with her legs against the door and pushing him out of the car. Makes me smile when I think about it.

Best wishes for a successful procedure and a speedy recovery.

konaboysteve

Apr 23, 12 7:32

Post #15 of 26 (1260 views)

Re: bypass surgery [FatandSlow] [In reply to]	Quote \| Reply

Thanks to all for your thoughts and shared experiences. I'll take them with me this week. Surgery is going to be at Mass General and I have a great deal of confidence in the Docs involved. I'll share some updates as I move forward and look forward to seeing everyone at the races.

devashish_paul

Apr 23, 12 7:36

Post #16 of 26 (1256 views)

Re: bypass surgery [konaboysteve] [In reply to]	Quote \| Reply

konaboysteve wrote:

Thanks for sharing and best wishes for the surgery and recovery and do keep us posted on the recovery. Imagine how fast you will go with cleaned out pipes in the future....you were obviously already doing fine given that you were in Boston shape. Well done!

cannondale.com |infinitnutrition.ca | bushtukah.com
Whiteface Hill Climb + Epicman Lake Placid 3k/180k/21k June 6/7 2013, Epicman Tremblant 10k/260k/42.2k 11-13 July 2013

Allie

Apr 23, 12 8:23

Post #17 of 26 (1227 views)

Re: bypass surgery [konaboysteve] [In reply to]	Quote \| Reply

konaboysteve wrote:

Will they be doing the traditional vein grafting or using the endoscopic vein harvesting? We always noticed that folks were better at getting up and moving without as much difficulty with the endo harvest. I am sure your MD's will be top notch and you have given them a huge head start by living clean. Follow what those rehab nurses say and you will be good to go :)

I took care of a few endurance athletes post-op and they seem to bounce back rather quickly compared to their counterparts who had not been so careful with their diet/exercise.

Keep us posted!

Allison

alittleslow

Apr 23, 12 10:27

Post #18 of 26 (1192 views)

Re: bypass surgery [konaboysteve] [In reply to]	Quote \| Reply

First of all good luck with your surgery, hope all goes well. A quick couple of questions.

How was it discovered during your taper for Boston? Did you have symptoms or was it discovered as part of a routine exam?

Mike

konaboysteve

Apr 23, 12 17:46

Post #19 of 26 (1122 views)

Re: bypass surgery [alittleslow] [In reply to]	Quote \| Reply

Thanks Mike!

It was very inadvertent. I had a PET scan for something else which showed a lot of calcium in my arteries. I saw a cardiologist who wanted to put me on statins. My LDL at the time was a little below 120. I decided to get a second opinion and the recommendation was to have a heart CAT scan which revealed substancial calcification. The blood work for the second visit had my LDL at 99. I was in no rush as these visits occured over a period of months during the winter, nor were my docs in any rush, until the heart CAT. Subsequently an angiogram two days before Boston revealed five blockages (one of 98%) and the Docs decided that stents would not be the best choice, and recommended bypass. So Weds. is the day

The scary part is that I feel good. I raced a 5k, a 10k, 2 half-marathons and a 20 miler and PRed in every race this winter. I feel like I could race an IM tomorrow. Retrospectively I have noticed that my swimming has dropped off a little this winter. I have a hard time keeping up and maybe a little tightness in my chest. My buds would probably just think think I'm getting a little older and until the diagnosis I felt like I needed a little more time in the pool.

I think as athletes we do a good job of dealing with discomfort. We have to. But this is why heart disease is called the silent killer. As frightening as the anticipation for the surgery is, the alternative is . . .

Steve

konaboysteve

Apr 23, 12 17:51

Post #20 of 26 (1118 views)

Re: bypass surgery [Allie] [In reply to]	Quote \| Reply

Thanks Allison!

Those are questions I'll ask tomorrow when I meet with my surgeon.

I'm hoping to bounce back quickly. I'm signed up for IMLP and have hopes that I can make a go of it. I might not be 100% but I'd like to get after it as best I can

Steve

shope1125

Apr 24, 12 0:37

Post #21 of 26 (1070 views)

Re: bypass surgery [konaboysteve] [In reply to]	Quote \| Reply

Steve,

Best of luck Wednesday and Thursday, day one post-op is something of a beast in it's own right. Couple of things you might consider... 1. bypass is kind of a big deal. We do it every single day but even still. 2. IMLP will be there next year... it really will. After all they are going to be holding and suturing grafts to your still heart so that you can come back strong and last long. Be good to yourself. You have nothing to prove and much to gain from a patient recovery.

Robert

Apr 24, 12 0:42

Post #22 of 26 (1068 views)

Re: bypass surgery [konaboysteve] [In reply to]	Quote \| Reply

Good luck, Steve!

-Robert
"How wonderful it is that nobody need wait a single moment before starting to improve the world." ~Anne Frank

need2tri

Apr 24, 12 20:00

Post #23 of 26 (1022 views)

Re: bypass surgery [konaboysteve] [In reply to]	Quote \| Reply

Don't hesitate to get the surgery. They have have come a long way and have remarkable results. You will be back to training before you know it.

The the first 45 years of my life I lived a very sedimentary lifestyle, smoked 2 packs a day for 30 years and eventually was 60 pounds overweight.....then they stopped my heart from beating to cut open my chest for Quad By Pass Surgery. The thought of letting down my children and wife gave me the motivation to change my lifestyle. I finished my last Cigarette getting into the elevator for surgery, eat only healthy food (lost the extra 60 lbs.) and started to walk...then run... then bike...then swim...then Sprint Tris and now I am training for my first IM NYC on August 1. Has your Doctor offered or is Robotic Assisted By Pass Surgery an option by chance, they go in between your ribs and don't have to crack the chest.

Good Luck- you will be fine. PM me or email me if I can be of any help or encouragement now or after the surgery. need2tri@gmail.com

Russ

Epix Gear Brand Ambassador
In Training- IM NYC -U.S. Championship 8 11 12

konaboysteve

May 3, 12 13:52

Post #24 of 26 (895 views)

Re: bypass surgery [need2tri] [In reply to]	Quote \| Reply

Thanks to everyone who shared experiences and warm thoughts. Surgery went well and today is day 8 post surgery. I'm a pretty hardworking and committed triathlete and I have not had strong thoughts about doing much of anything yet. Although I did go for a couple of walks today. I'm feeling like I need to see a chiro but am sure that will be a few weeks down the road. Looking forward to the morning I wake up and am anxious to train. Right now patience and slow healing.

Has anyone ever used one of those electro-stim units in recovery to try and keep muscle tone?

Steve

twrench

May 3, 12 15:03

Post #25 of 26 (870 views)

Re: bypass surgery [konaboysteve] [In reply to]	Quote \| Reply

konaboysteve wrote:

Has anyone ever used one of those electro-stim units in recovery to try and keep muscle tone?

Steve

I had a major eye surgery that kept me off the bike and weights for 3 months, I purchased a Compex trainer and it worked for my legs but of course not my heart.

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