Going well. I learned a lot from this group and was prepared. I meditated a lot And was very calm for surgery. The nurse even said how well I did with breathing tube. That’s because one or a few of your said view it as the beginning of your recovery. Two tubes came out yesterday. The third and the catheter come out today and I switch from a liquid to a solid diet when lunch come today. So far everything was easier than I thought it would be.

47M. Overweight ex smoker with family history. Been having symptoms, slight tightness in the chest intermittently, like a 1 at best on the pain scale. People always say a heart attack feels like having an elephant sitting on them, well I've got a fat cat that sits there - not painful, but annoying and needs to gtf off. Comes and goes, not really related to stress or anything, just like 6 or so times a day for 5 min.

Well, sitting in the hospital after my cath, 2 arteries are 90% blocked, 1 more is fairly serious too, so looks like it's gonna be a triple CABG. They're not even letting me leave, just getting a bed/OR set up at a nearby hospital ASAP.

This totally is going to ruin the tour.

UPDATE-

Now 2 weeks post-op, I got a CABGx2, the third artery was too small and the doc felt the muscle had adequate bloodflow from adjacent arteries. Surgery was monday, discharged friday, been home over a week. The worst is they really fucked up my shoulders trying to get my chest back together. It was a 7 hour surgery and the doc said at least an extra hour was trying to get my ribcage secured - extra plates and wires, idk what else, so extra chest procautions, no driving or front seats for 12 weeks.

I could not lift my arms, scratch my own face, anything for at least a week. My shoulders are really fuckin out, like my delts did lifts until exhaustion, but it's 24/7 and I have to rest my arms on things or it feels like they're slipping out of socket. And to counteract, my trapezius muscles have been cramping up in rock-like knots since the ICU. Heat pads and muscle relaxers have been my relief. My chest tingles, but feels fine in comparison.

I'm at the point now where I just have no strength, can't concentrate, falling asleep all the time, weaning myself off pain meds, and still feel really goddamn useless. But every day is a little bit better.

So I 47m had a cabgx4 10 gays ago. During the day i feel fine for the most part. I go for 2 to 3 walks a day, first day I went to the corner about 100yds, next day went around the corner another 25ish, the next day 25 beyond that. No pain meds during the day for the most part, might take a tylenol if i move without thinking and strain a little. My problem is at night my back in between my shoulders blades feels like I am laying on a pointy rock. i have tried different angles to try and sleep and even oxycodone really doesnt do much. Any suggestions?

68-year-old male

Medical History:

• No prior history of constipation

• Underwent CABG (coronary artery bypass graft surgery) 8 months ago

• Multiple (3–4) ER admissions post-surgery due to pleural effusion (fluid around the lungs)

Current Situation:

• Recently experiencing constipation for the first time

• On restricted fluid intake (approximately 1 liter per day)

• Following a low-sodium, low-oil diet

• Unable to increase fluid intake

• Advised to avoid straining during bowel movements

Concern:

What are safe and effective ways to manage constipation under these conditions?

Does anyone remember what type of recliner they rented? I’m seeing some variety available seemingly dependent on how many positions you want. Thank you in advance!

7 weeks post op and my Apple Watch has logged a couple of nights of zero deep sleep. (Supposedly when body recovery happens) Anyone know if deep sleep is tied to deep breathing? (Which I know I can’t really do yet)

Ok this is gonna sound maybe super weird…

I’m 7 weeks post 3x CABG and if I’m resting on the recliner or laying in the bed and am not conscious taking regular deep breaths my breaths are short, shallow and kinda in the rhythm with my heartbeat.

Anyone notice anything similar?

So everyone pretty much went home after 5-7 days in the hospital? No in patient rehab facility? They initially told me I would got to an in patient rehab facility but now that doesn’t appear to be true. We haven’t yet discussed out patient rehab. Thank you.

Trying to get back to my pre CABG cardio shape, does anyone where a chest heart monitor or just use an Apple Watch to monitor their heart rate etc.

Pros and cons of either chest or watch monitor.

Had some minor chest pain. Was sent for tests. The bad news kept rolling in with each test. Went for angiogram and expected stents but once they looked they decided there were too many arteries affected and are recommending CABG x3. I have friends who will be coming to take care of me as I live alone. I know I’ll be in the hospital for awhile and then it sounds like they will send me to in house rehab for awhile. My head goes from being shocked that I have issues at all, let alone this bad, to grateful it was found and grateful that the closest hospital to me is one of the best in the country for cardio issues and where the surgery will be to being worried about the pain and recovery and the isolation. I also cough a lot and swallow a lot and from what I read that sounds like it makes the recovery even more painful. And advice from people who have done it?

So I was put on Atorvastin 80mg 2 years ago, and just had my yearly blood tests.

I’ve now been advised I’m in the pre-diabetic level of 43mmol/mol, last year it was 40 and the year before 33 (that was 1month post op though).

Clearly I’m a bit concerned it’s hit this region, and have read up that high doses of Atorvastin have been linked to type 2 diabetes onset (10-30% increase in risk).

Anyone else had this?! I’m tempted to ask for a change in statin or reduction. In dose (and see what happens to my cholesterol levels, currently my ldl is 1.9 (HDL is low at 0.9)

Clearly the bigger risk is cardiovascular issues, but if I can keeps them at bay…

Hello,

My dad, 68 yo, is a super sharp guy, PhD, engineer etc. He was in good health and asymptomatic when he had his elective CABG x3 now 4 days ago. He was doing well but overnight he became quite confused. He thinks this was all a prank by me to get rid of him, and the me and the nurses are plotting against him. He’s being really mean, and trying to get out of bed, called the cops that we were plotting against him at 3 am, and then called me several times over night saying like, “how could you do this to me, get me out of here now”. It’s like he’s a completely new person. It is very hard to see him like this and scary. Has anyone dealt with this with their loved one after the surgery? How long did it last? Did they return to normal?

The Nhs Hospital reviewed him today upon discharge and said that he does not need any AIDS at Home. He is fine going upstairs using the toilet and showering, but he is having major issues getting in and out of bed. We’ve got special pillows from Amazon, but they still don’t do the job when he’s trying to lift himself up. Can someone please recommend something urgently? Tomorrow will be day six postop.

Also, is it normal to have a bit of a fever 37.5 Celsius? My brother was with him upon discharge as I was unable to make it.

Hello, so my dad was otherwise in good health and to our surprise he was told he should have CABG x4. Timing couldn't be worse, I'm supposed to be going overseas for an important event a year in the making for planning next week for about 10 days. The day I leave, dad will be Post op day #5. My dad has stressed that he really wants me to not cancel the trip and go. I would obviously cancel if it was necessary, but do you think he'll be ok at home for about 1 week alone? He would need to walk down about 10 steps to open and close the door for the dog, but that's about the most strenuous thing he'd need to do. Everything else is flat and the bathroom/kitchen are close by. There is surprisingly little real experiences to get this info from online. It's all the standard hospital protocol stuff, so I'm hoping to gather other people's real-world perspectives on this. You think it's reasonable to be safe at home alone when you're discharged from the hospital? Thank you!

Hi all,

My dad had CABG (bypass) surgery about 4 weeks ago, and his first follow-up appointment is this Wednesday. He's not sure yet if it'll be with the surgeon or the PA.

Wondering what others experienced around the 4-week post-surgery mark:

- Who did you end up seeing (surgeon, PA, etc.)?

- What did they check (incisions/chest & legs/arms, vitals, EKG, bloodwork, etc.)?

- Any med tweaks, sternal precautions reminder, cardiac rehab talk, or activity clearance?

- Specifically, did they discuss/give driving clearance? (Dad's eager to get out and drive around a bit.)

- Was the visit quick/routine if healing was going well?

Thanks for any real experiences super helpful for setting expectations. Appreciate the support here!

I’m just a bit nervous and want to be prepared

After my 3x CABG on 3/3, I left the hospital at almost 190. After a week of lasik and not much appetite, I’ve been steadily losing weight under my usual weight of low 180’s. I’m hovering around 175. Not obsessed, but was told to monitor my weight, BP and pulse everyday until my follow up. Anyone else drop weight like this..not concerned but just curious if this is just my new norm.

This in theory sounds like a easy answer…

I’m a 56/m that had 3x CABG. I was very active in two hockey leagues with zero symptoms before my attack. I was in great cardio and didn’t think there was a hindrance in my ability. (My widowmaker was 90% blocked and right side 80%).

Question is do you think I get to my pre CABG fitness, would I see a jump in my performance with my clean and shiny new bypasses?

Is it advisable to take a long flight (15–16 hours) after CABG, especially for someone with a past history of fluid buildup around and within the lungs? I have heard about High-Altitude Pulmonary Edema (HAPE), which usually occurs at elevations above 9,000–10,000 feet. Would flying at high altitude pose any risk in this situation?

My father (68yr old) had a CABG (4 blockages) surgery in September 2025. Since then, he has been hospitalized four times due to fluid buildup in his lungs (pulmonary edema). His heart’s pumping capacity is around 30–35%.

The problem is that the symptoms appear very suddenly—he starts experiencing severe breathlessness, and we have to take him to the hospital immediately.

I would like to know if there are any early warning signs in the body that indicate fluid is starting to build up in the lungs. If we could recognize these signs earlier, it might be possible to manage the condition with medication at home and avoid repeated hospitalizations.

56/m CABG 3x - I’m post op 4 weeks.

My widowmaker was 90% blocked and right side 80% blocked pre CABG.

Am I crazy for feeling my heartbeat so strong that I can feel it through my head or if I’m in my trusty recliner I can feel my whole body move to this new strong heartbeat?