As far as the recovery from a heart bypass surgery evolves it may be in the region of 5to 8 weeks. The moment you leave from the hospital you are going to get a set of instructions in relation to post-surgical care. This would make the healing process easier and at the same time you feel better.
Wound Care
The wound which is part of the surgery needs to be dry and kept clean. Ideally it is possible to have a shower or take a bath within a couple of days. You should get in touch with your doctor if there shows any signs of infection
- If you notice more oozing or drainage than the normal self
- Warmth or redness around the region of cut
- If the edges tend to pull apart
- If the fever happens to be greater than a prescribed level
- In fact you need to be able to get in touch with your doctor, if you feel that the breast bone shifts. It could even crack when you are on the move as well.
Pain Relief
The moment you are about to leave the hospital, the doctor will prescribe a set of pain relief medicines. There is going to be some degree of discomfort along with numbness around the muscles and the cut. These points to itching around the region of the wound as well. All this is going to be normal and it should not hurt so much as before the surgery as well.
If you might have had a bypass, the legs are going to hurt much more than the chest. Here you would need to check the fact whether the surgeon goes on to use leg veins in the form of grafts or not. The stiffness or soreness is going to eradicate over a certain period of time as well. Some amount of gentle exercise is going to help you at the same time.
Driving And Activity
In the weeks after the surgery and these points to 5 to 7 weeks you need to work upon your activity levels. It would indicate household chores. Doctors are of the opinion that
- You should not stand in a single place for more than 15 minutes at a single go
- You should not life weights that is more than 10 pounds
- Do not pull or push heavy things as well
This should be followed by walking sessions every day. At the same time you need to follow the instructions that have been provided by your specialist. Till the time you have been instructed you should not go to climb stairs.
The doctor is going to educate you on when you can start to drive all over again. This is going to be within a month or so after the surgery is over. It could be even smaller if the surgeon happens to undertake the surgery with a small cut only. The heart bypass surgery cost in India stands to be among the lowest in the world.
