Returning to Sailing after a heart bypass op

[Leighb]

I suspect the recovery time would be longer after surgery than a stent

That is for certain! With a stent they will have just punctured an artery in your leg to thread everything through. Leg will fell a bit bruised for a few days.

With a by-pass - unless done in a few centres where they are now doing it using keyhole techniques - your sternum (breastbone) will have been sawn in two down the centreline and the whole rib cage spread apart to gain access to the chest cavity. At the end the sternum has to be fastened back together again using stainless wire ties around the sternum.

Like any fractured bone this takes around 6 weeks to heal satisfactorily, and until then it is important not to put a great strain on the area by loading the upper body. I was advised by my surgeon not to lift anything heavier than a half full kettle for a month.

He also told me a true grisly story of a patient of his who felt so high when he got home - the heart lung bypass does affect your mental state for a while - that he did some pressups He then noticed that his chest felt rather odd when he breathed and went back to the surgeon. The wire around the sternum under this excess load had done a cheesewire act and the sternum was now diced. He had to go back to theatre to have this all refastened.

As another poster has mentioned you also have a long incision down your leg where they have harvested the vein, and this can be quite sore for a while. (Some surgeons use pieces of artery from the arm instead).

The worst thing after surgery is to get a cough as I did. Coughing is hell I found a rolled towel held against the chest firmly helped.

 

[scottie]

I was ok about going to have my bypass (perhaps because I did not really know what was going to happen and how) until I saw an TV program that included the sight of an 85 yr old lady being opened up with an angle grinder / rotary saw
However I slept through it all had minimal pain and was out in 5 days and yes had a huge high.

 

[Scotty_Tradewind]

I was ok about going to have my bypass (perhaps because I did not really know what was going to happen and how) until I saw an TV program that included the sight of an 85 yr old lady being opened up with an angle grinder / rotary saw
However I slept through it all had minimal pain and was out in 5 days and yes had a huge high.

My office pal had 6 bypasses some 2 years ago.
The secret seems to be, 'heed the experts advice and do as they say'!
He reckons he did feel high just after and felt he wanted to go out and do things he knew he shouldn't. He then felt low for a while, one of the signs of coming off the drugs apparently.
He is now attending gym 3 times a week and doing more than he has usually done in the last 15 years, but following the experts advice to the letter.

Best of luck, sounds as if you've got a good few sailing years ahead of you according to those posting above.
S.

p.s. lay off the beer, there are no decent breweries in the West Midlands anyway!

 

[Grahamm462]

Update

Just a quick note to the forum. Things are going great and I have returned to sailing (mainly alone). Exploring my abilities up to a couple of miles out of Dartmouth so far but hope to complete at least one short passage before the winter. Best wishes to everyone.

 

[mainmarine]

Pleased to hear that you are well again, keep at it, I'm sure like me you will keep getting stronger, try not to overdo it.

 

[Leighb]

Well done, you will continue to feel better and better. Coming up to 11 years down the line, I don't know I have had it done.

 

[scottie]

Hi good to hear that you are back in the swing of things

 

[planteater]

My only advice would be to avoid swing moorings. Having struggled rowing back against a strong wind we were enjoying a good laugh at another club member in an Avon getting absolutely nowhere - up until somebody mentioned his recent bypass.

 

[Rowana]

Graham
I don't know where you live but in my area and I assume others, the local hospital or council provide a rehab service to get you back into shape, they are worthwhile attending if you are offered them, as you get to do a gentle workout routine with people who have similar problems, supervised by people trained to help and monitor your welfare, you soon begin to feel fitter and more confident, there are also organized "walking for health" groups, which also help.
best of luck

I couldn't agree more!

I had a valve repair op about 4 years ago, and after about 8 weeks of having to do nothing so that the breast bone could heal, I went to the rehab exercises. I still maintain that this is what really got me up and going again, and I was encouraged to continue with plenty of exercise after the end of the rehab programme.

I now take my Daughter's dog for a long walk each day while she is at work, which is good for both of us. I sail my Macwester Rowan 8 metre single handed, and have just come back from a "circumnavigation" of the Moray Firth - Peterhead, Whitehills, Wick, Helmsdale, Cromarty, Lossiemouth, Whitehills, Peterhead, all single handed.

The last time I went to the hospital for a check-up, I was told to stop wasting their time and not to come back as I was in perfect health! I'm 63 BTW.

Go for it !

 

[Scotty_Tradewind]

Hi Graham,
really pleased you'r doing so well and enjoying being afloat.
One of the great joys of owning smaller yachts is that you can usually get on with things alone even if the poor old body is past its best, as mine feels all too often.....
S.

 

[jimduncan1]

Best of luck with your ongoing health and lifestyle management, hopefully it will just be about finding the balance that's right for you and your circumstances so that you enjoy your leisure activities while keeping those manufacturing guys at work on the straight and narrow!

You have more fellow alumni than you realise. Enjoy and live to the fullest!

 

[SV-Apres]

Thanks for this Thread! I know it is old, but I had a triple bypass about 3 wks ago (at 47) and it is great to hear so many back to being fully operational on the boat. I have a fractional rig 33.5' Hunter and was worried about hoisting my large mainsail, especially on my own. I was sailing 5 times per week last summer, at least 3 of those were single handed. I was definitely out of breath after hoisting the main. Sailing season starts here in the Great Lakes in May, so I hope that gives me enough recovery time!

 

[Zing]

Thanks for this Thread! I know it is old, but I had a triple bypass about 3 wks ago (at 47) and it is great to hear so many back to being fully operational on the boat. I have a fractional rig 33.5' Hunter and was worried about hoisting my large mainsail, especially on my own. I was sailing 5 times per week last summer, at least 3 of those were single handed. I was definitely out of breath after hoisting the main. Sailing season starts here in the Great Lakes in May, so I hope that gives me enough recovery time!

You poor sod. You are far too young. It’s a great shame.

Why are all these people suffering screwed up health? It is because they have spent a lifetime of eating the wrong foods, Too much sugar, too many carbs, too much veg oil, not enough meat or animal protein and fat. Basically you are following the best expert medical advice. Don’t do that, it’s bad advice. Do the opposite of what the ‘experts’ tell you.

 

[coopec]

21 Dec 2017 — The 78-year old, who underwent open heart surgery in 2015, achieved yet another historical milestone in an extraordinary sailing career.

Jon Sanders completes a record 10th circumnavigation

 

[lauriel]

I had quad bypass in 2015. Present fitness at age 72 is better than when I was 60. Apart from single handed sailing in 32ft boat I go ocean swimming a few days a week. Water temp near Sydney ranges 16C in winter to 25C in late summer.
Follow your rehab advice, don't rush things. Walking and even running should soon be no issue but the repair to the sternum takes many months. It's only a few loops of fence wire holding everything together. So follow your expert's advice and don't pull ropes until given all clear. I was told not to hang clothes on a line for at least 3 months. That's a lot less stress than hauling up a mainsail or jib sheet.
Look forward to the future it will be good.

 

[vic008]

Can you look at your boat with an eye to it being more user friendly? ie electric winches, if a bridgedeck remove and make walk thròugh.

 

[TSB240]

It's good to hear of others positive outcomes as I am booked for an angiogram on Wednesday. I should then get an idea of when and what heart surgery will be undertaken hopefully in a few months time.

I will follow the cautionary advice from the professionals and thank posters for their advice and observations of their own course of recovery.
Steve.

 

[Stemar]

Another fitness recovered story.

I had a valve repair and triple bypass following sepsis and endocarditis. I was a month in hospital and lost nearly 20kg in weight. They told my wife that they weren't sure I'd survive the op, but if they didn't do it, they were sure I wouldn't.

It took the best part of 18 months to get back to my previous fitness, but I got there in the end.

 

[coopec]

I am recovering from a heart bypass op about 3 weeks ago. Wondered if anyone else in the forum may have have experienced the same and can describe how they got on returning to sailing. I have a Sadler 25 I have not seen for about two months now. I hope to make a tentative first post op visit in about 8 - 12 weeks after the op with a sail after 12 weeks. I am a concerned how things will stand up with all the pulling on sheets and mooring line etc, etc, etc. .....

I was interested to find out the life expectancy of people undergoing heart surgery and transplants so did a bit of research. You might be interested in this research. According to the article you should lead a normal life.

If you click on the following "link" you will get the full research article

Many good years after heart bypass surgery, but something happens after ten years: The probability of continuing your life following bypass surgery is close to being the same as for the population in general - once a patient has completed the procedure. But a study from Aarhus, Denmark, shows that mortality increases after 8-10 years.

"The study shows that the rate of survival has improved over the last three decades, so that the probability of continuing your life following bypass surgery is close to being the same as in the general population.

 

[Tranona]

Another good news story. I had one kidney removed because of cancer in 2010 - unfortunately the "better" one. Sort of OK after that but aware that would need heart surgery to repair a leaky mitral valve. That was early 2015 and although that was a success my other kidney failed and I spent nearly 2 years on dialysis awaiting a transplant which took place in November 2016. 5 years on still good - even getting "better". Throughout this continued to sail and even bought a new boat in mid 2015!

Important with the boat to do all you can to reduce the effort required and be aware of your limitations.