When you return home after having heart surgery, you may have questions about your recovery and what to expect. The cardiac specialists at Palo Alto Medical Foundation have compiled the following information to help you navigate your post-operative experience. If you have any additional questions or concerns about your recovery, please call (650) 366-0225.
Your Daily Routine
It’s important to return to your daily routine, as much as you can without overexerting yourself. Your daily routine should include showering, getting dressed and leaving the bedroom. Spend your day in the living areas of the house, not the bedroom. If you encounter stairs during the day, you may use them, resting if necessary.
Eating a Healthy Diet
You don't need to learn new recipes after having heart surgery. Most everything you made prior to surgery can be modified to accommodate a heart-healthy diet. Check out heart-healthy cookbooks or visit our heart health and wellness section for guidance.
Feeling Fatigued
Fatigue is very common after heart surgery. It can last for days or even weeks if you don't get back to participating in routine physical activities. Exercise is the best treatment for fatigue.
Walking and Exercise
Walking is probably the single most important activity you can do to hasten your recovery. Begin on flat, level ground, avoiding hills for about four weeks. Your first walk should last five minutes. After several days, increase your walk by three minutes every two to three days. Take it slow at first if you have to, this is not a race. At the end of one month you should be able to walk 20 to 30 minutes nonstop. Remember that the key to a cardiovascular workout is getting your heart rate up and keeping it there for at least 20 minutes. As part of your daily routine, activity around the house is good, but what is most beneficial is continuous exercise.
Caring for Incisions
Soap and water alone will heal your incisions. Keep the incision uncovered once the bandages are removed. It's okay to shower but please avoid hot baths and hot tubs until your incision heals completely in about four to six weeks. Pat your incision completely dry with a soft towel after showering. Do not use lotions, creams or vitamin E ointments unless instructed by your doctor.
Weight Gain
A weight gain of two pounds or more overnight could be an indication of water retention. It’s sometimes common to experience minimal swelling in your legs, especially if an incision was made on one of your legs to accommodate a catheter. To combat this mild swelling, keep your legs elevated. Do this by lying flat on your back with your head up on pillow and your legs propped up above the level of your heart. Don’t sit in an easy chair or recliner with your legs up.
Ready for Sex
Sex is okay when you feel ready, but avoid putting too much pressure on your chest. Sexual relations are fine whenever you have recuperated enough to desire sexual interaction.
Experiencing Pain
It is common to have some continuing soreness across the chest area, which may extend to the shoulders, neck and back. Your leg incision may also continue to cause discomfort. Sometimes people have more aches and pain as the days go by and think something is wrong, but there is a good reason for the soreness. While in the hospital, there are many people doing things for you and you're not quite as active as you are at home. Once you get home you usually start doing more, which includes getting in and out of a flat bed. With this increased activity, which is good for you, comes soreness.
You will be discharged with a prescription for pain medicine. Oftentimes Extra Strength Tylenol is all you need. Try alternating the two; taking pain medication, then in the next six to eight hours taking Tylenol.
Understanding Limitations
The biggest limitations after heart surgery are due to the fact that your breastbone was broken in order to operate on your heart. Any broken bones generally take six to eight weeks to heal and therefore, you should not drive a car (you may be a passenger) for at least four weeks. Also, no heavy lifting, pushing or pulling of more than 10 pounds for at least six weeks.
Returning to Work
Your employer may be able to ease you back into work gradually. The average time away from work is six to eight weeks. If you need longer or want to return sooner, please discuss this with your doctor.
Safe Travels
Auto or commercial air travel is fine. Unpressurized aircraft should be avoided for at least a month as well as travel to elevations of more than 5,000 or 6,000 feet unless you normally live there. On long road trips, try to stop every one to two hours to stretch your legs for a few minutes.
When to Call Your Doctor
Please call us at (650) 366-0225 if you should experience any of the symptoms listed below. If it’s after regular business hours, our answering service will pick up the call and get in touch with your physician.
- Sudden or severe pain
- Extreme dizziness or lightheadedness
- Temperature higher than 100.6 degrees
Swelling, tenderness, oozing or redness around incisions - Chest pain (angina)
- Nausea, vomiting or diarrhea
- Increased swelling of legs, ankles or hands
- Sudden, fast or irregular heartbeat
- Shortness of breath while resting or with minimal exercise
- Overnight weight gain of two or more pounds