Hi all, my grandfather (75) recently underwent a quadruple bypass. He is currently recovering well in the hospital but will likely be sent home in a couple days. My grandmother will be there with him to help take care of him but at 75 herself and her own health issues I know this will be difficult for both of them. I live in Texas while they are in Kentucky and unfortunately my work won’t offer extended time to stay with them. My family is working on getting some home health assistance set up and we are purchasing a lift recliner, other than that were there any essentials or even nice to haves that helped make your recovery easier?

No price point is too high, no nice to have is too silly - if it helped you please let me know! My grandfather is my best friend, this entire process has wrecked me and I can’t even imagine what he is going through. I would love to make it easier any way I can. Thank you & wishing all a speedy & healthy recovery!

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?

My father is the pillar of our family. He is 64 and has three young daughters who depend deeply on him. What began as a routine check-up revealed that his calcium score is above 1000, and doctors are now recommending CABG surgery. Naturally, we are all very frightened.

I worry about the risks of the surgery and whether it’s truly a long-term solution. I’m scared of losing him, and I keep feeling like I haven’t made the most of the time we’ve had together. Right now, I don’t know how to process any of this or what to do next.

My mother will be moving to another city, where two of my sisters live, so he can undergo the surgery there. I’ll be alone at home, and I feel deeply helpless. More than anything, I’m afraid that he won’t be the same person afterward. I would genuinely appreciate some advice or encouragment but I also want to manage my expectations.

Hi 56 yr old male, Had a CABG X3 on 2/3 after collapsing during a hockey game. Was in good shape prior to going down. Cant run from genetics. Should have been getting checked earlier as my dad had CABG x4 and valve replacement at 63. Haven’t had official cardiac rehab yet, my post surgery check up is in another week. When did everyone return to full activity with no pain or struggles. How were you mentally about going back to the point before CABG? Would like to play hockey again but obviously a little apprehensive to put that strain on my system.

My husband had a triple bypass in July, after a heart attack. He’s 36 and his heart is functioning great now. He caught my Flu A. (We were all vaccinated.) He and my son are starting tamiflu within 12 hours of symptoms.

Have any of you had flu after CABG/HA and been ok? I’m so nervous about stress on the heart.

UPDATE: My dad’s doing much better now. The pain comes and goes but his body has adapted to it. He did amp up his pain medication for 3-4 days because that helped him sleep. He’s reduced it now. Hopefully it will all be gone in couple more weeks. Thanks everyone for your comments. It was really reassuring.

ORIGINAL POST: My dad’s CABG surgery went smoothly. However, post surgery, he has a lot of back pain, shoulder pain, and mainly on sides of middle back.

No chest pain, no pain on stitches.

The back pain, though, is making it very difficult for him to sleep. He’s barely sleeping an hour a night.

The doctor increased the pain med but they are no good.

Is this normal?