Returning to Sailing after a heart bypass op

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Grahamm462

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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. .....
 
By pass op.

No experience yet but some encouragement, a friend had this some years ago but after a suitable break was able to carry on racing his J35 for a number of years. When I crewed with him he did tend to avoid grinding etc. but was happy with helming though the crew did try to make sure he did not have to get involved in extreme exertion, he has stopped racing now but carried on cruising. Take it easy, good crew will help, good luck.
 
I had a triple 16 years ago and sail my Southerly 100 regularly and usually single handed.

For your first outing or two it might be wise to have some one with you and just see how it goes. My surgeon told me not to take it easy and carry on as before (much to my wife's disgust but she got over it). He said that he had done the op so that I did not have to take it easy.

Enjoy your future sailing. You will probably have much more energy and not tire so rapidly. Do remember that others may not be able to keep up with your new levels of endurance. Live is for living get out there and live!
 
I'm now 65, I had my op in Jan 2004, I spent the time when I couldn't do anything strenuous planning alterations to the boat and passages in the future. I spent the summer/winter after the op renovating a boat, new decks, superstructure and total refit, sailed her the following year, sold her and renovated another the following year, including stripping off all the old antifouling by hand and epoxy coating the hull, I sail her whenever I can, usually just two of us. I have found that I have got stronger as the years have gone by, my body tells me when I have had enough and I take it easy, I now do a part time job, for some friends who own a bakery, delivering bread, up at 0500 every morning finish around 1100, hopefully it keeps me fit and active.
 
Heart Op

I had a valve replacement two years ago, Surgeon vetoed single handed sailing for a few months, ( he is a sailor) but I am now back to normal - better than normal and doing everything as if I was 100%% fit Take it easy and then go for it.

Best of luck

David
 
Thanks everyone. I'm very encouraged from your descriptions. I think I had the tiredness thing before the problem was diagnosed and put it down to old age (56 !). Hopefully I will regain my full fitness plus some. Good luck.
 
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 had a triple 11 years ago, in early December, was able to do the fitting out of a wooden day racing yacht the following spring, and compete successfully the following season - we won the series. One of the other helms said "We all hoped it might at leasy have slowed you down a bit"

Go for it, take it a bit easy the first 10 - 12 weeks, after that you should be able to do pretty much anything you want.

I have had a lot of surgery over the years, by accident or design always in the winter, and have not missed a sailing season yet. At present I am recovering from my second hip replacement, and fully intend to be sailing again next spring.
 
Try not to sneeze for a few weeks and do take any rehab offerred.
Its not the heart but the damage done getting to it that you have to recover from and that takes time . I was told it was similar to a bad front end car crash. Safetey belts are uncomfortable without padding for a while . Wives can be be a bit iffy about joint exercising .Watch out for statin side effect though.
 
scottie said:
Try not to sneeze for a few weeks........
Click to expand...

You dont really get a choice. Sneezes are unstoppable!!! :)

Not a heart bypass, but I had a pretty serious op to remove my oesophagus last year.

About 6 days after the op, I felt a sneeze coming.... knew it was going to be painful - and it was!! I think you would have heard me scream at the other end of the hospital.

Cleared my tubes though! and, as sneezes got less painful, I knew I was getting better.
 
I had two stents inserted three monthes ago and am sailing every Sunday.Winding in the sheets and pulling up anchors ,is for me just as it always was. You will be fine.
 
I had triple bypass in June this year at 71 .Went back to Turkey early november for 10 days and cut two 4 inch holes inmy stainless steel water tank and got the boat ready for the winter . Did not have time to do an oil change so left that till February .
Before that I put new covering on my shed roof and fell of ladder into compost bin . NO obvious after effects apart from smell . Also built a rockery with large boulders I am now in stage 4 of recovery programme . Nice physiotherapist

One thing to note is that use of heart lung machine causes some loss of short term memory .


So what was the question again?
 
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You Should Be Fitter Now

Graham,

My wife is a cardiac rehab specialist and getting her bypass patients up to a level of fitness above and beyond where they were before is one of the most rewarding parts of her role.

In my non-professional knowledge, assuming your bypass was to deal with ischemia (angina) rather than following a heart attack, you should eventually feel much fitter and more able than before.

As others have said take all the rehab advice you can, your profile doesn't show where you are but assuming you are not somewhere very remote your discharging hospital should have referred you to someone like my wife. They are usually very good at their jobs (and nice people to boot!). They'll talk to you about your lifestyle including diet and exercise.

You're only 56!! All being well they will oversee your progress to stage 4, which is running around a gym doing circuit training. If you can do that a bit of rope pulling every now and again will be a walk in the park.

Good luck, you've got a lot to look forward to. :)

Tim
 
Re-hab

Thanks Tim. I start my re-hab programme on Jan 6th next year. As you say I fully expect the re-hab team to be as friendly and helpfull as everyone I have encounterd during this journey. Including everyone replying to this forum thread. Thanks everybody. Keep your stories coming. I think PBO should consider a article on this subject. What do you think ?
 
Good Idea!

It sounds like an excellent idea for an article.

If PBO want to run with it I may know someone who would be ideal to ghost write it for them!! ;)
 
Returning to sailing

Hi there,
Four years one month after a heart attack and angioplasty I went out and bought my first large yacht, a 3 year old 35' motor sailer !
I've been attending, and enjoying, rehab gym once a week for all that time.
At 56 your a youngster, if you were reasonably fit before bypass there is no reason for you to not get back sailing. Get your confidence back and go for it and Good Luck !

Regards,
Moonshine
 
scottie said:
I suspect the recovery time would be longer after surgery than a stent and might not be what the OP was asking
Click to expand...
The main difference is they crack your sternum open to take your heart out with a by pass, which is why your are advised not to do anything too strenuous. The last thing heal up on me was the cut down my leg where they harvested a vein, they left part of a swab inside.
 
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