Heart Surgery Recovery

Heart surgery recovery is not something that happens overnight. It's a process--which means that there are many things your patients need to do (and some things they're not supposed to do). Since all of that information can get a little overwhelming, we've compiled a few quick tips to help your patients remember how to keep their recovery on track.

Safe and Comfortable Recovery

Heart surgery recovery requires much communication--and all the information you give to your patients is going to be crucial information. However, while it's important to explain all the details at first, it can sometimes be helpful to provide patients with "quick tips" later on--essentially, some well-organized and straightforward reminders to help them recall the rest of your instructions. (For example, you might provide a quick review on how to use a wound stability harness.)

It's important to be patient during your heart surgery recovery period, allowing yourself ample time to recover. From replenishing your blood supply to regaining your pre-surgery strength and endurance, your body has a big job ahead. Expecting too much too soon can put unnecessary strain on your body and even lengthen your heart surgery recovery period.

Like many others who've gone through heart surgery, you may experience some feelings of sadness or depression. Your feelings may range from sadness and anger to guilt, loneliness, confusion, or stress. While these feelings are common, it's important to guard your emotional health after surgery.

What to Remember

Your emotional health after surgery can have an impact on your recovery. Feelings of isolation and sadness can also affect your future health.

Here are some signs that it's time to ask for a little help:

After heart surgery, it's natural to wonder about your post-surgery life. How soon can you expect to feel like yourself again? When will you be able to resume your normal activities? While the answers to these and other questions vary widely between individuals, there are steps patients can take after heart surgery to shorten recovery time and get back to everyday activities.

Improving Your Odds

Here are some steps your doctor may recommend to improve your odds of successful recovery after heart surgery.

After surgery, pain management becomes a priority, and prescription medications like opioids are typically the first line of defense. For many, the idea of using opioids is concerning -- after all, we constantly hear all the terrible stories about the opioid crisis. While some medication is necessary in most cases, there are several other alternatives for pain management. Always talk to your doctor about your plans for pain management. Here are some of the best options to consider.

Support Harness for Pain Management After Heart Surgery

Heart Hugger is a sternal harness that lets patients heal from heart surgery. It offers wound stability and sternal support in addition to on-demand pain management during recovery at home. The Heart Hugger can help reduce complications and reliance on pain medication.

There is an ongoing discussion about how to best address the needs of patients who are recovering from heart surgery. With new technology, new medications, and continual anecdotal support for certain techniques, it’s no surprise that in our digital age there is a demand for more options and more evidence.

One type of post-op recovery support available is the Heart Hugger, a patient-operated harness that helps with pain management in addition to wound stability and sternal support.

It’s a good idea to start making a recovery plan for your heart surgery as far in advance as possible. This gives you the opportunity to make sure everything is planned for – from finances to help at home to pain management. Here are some of the things you’ll want to cover on your plan.

Hospital Stay

As you prepare for surgery, one of the first areas to cover is your hospital stay. This is one of the most comprehensive checklists to cover, but here are some of the key items:

Preparing for heart surgery is just as important as setting yourself up for a successful recovery. Once you leave the hospital, it will be up to you to make sure your body is healthy. Heart surgery recovery does not need to be overcomplicated if you take the right steps. Here are three things to know.

Answered Questions about Recovering from Heart Surgery

1. When Can I Go Home?

Following surgery, it will take up to a week before you can leave the hospital. After four or five days of rest, you should be able to walk around and go up and down stairs. Patients do not leave the hospital with pain medication any stronger than Motrin or Tylenol so by the time you can go home, you will still be sore but not in an excruciating amount of pain.

Open-heart surgery- Those three words, in particular, are often shrouded in misunderstanding, discomfort, and worry--so today we'll explore the basics of open-heart surgery, in hopes that understanding will lead to a bit more comfort.

Understanding Open-heart surgery as the patient

Open-heart surgery is complicated and delicate, yes, but the details tend to get exaggerated in the public mind (which is fair, considering that open heart surgery used to be something very different than it is now). The truth is that open-heart surgery may not be simple, but it's not as bad as we tend to think. Here are some details that might change the way you see this procedure.

It is critical to prepare for recovery after heart surgery and determine how you will aid your body. Here are two simples ways you can improve recovery after heart surgery.

1. Make Beneficial Eating Choices

• High-Fiber Foods: A high-fiber diet will normalize bowel movements while lowering cholesterol levels. You can find natural fiber in whole grains, oatmeal, and fruits and vegetables that are not canned.

• Fruits and Vegetables: Loading your plate with fruits and vegetables increases your intakes of fiber, vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants. Try leafy greens like kale or spinach and citrus fruits high in vitamin C.