What is the recovery like following septal myectomy?

Posted by quinn @quinn, Mar 17, 2016

What is the recovery like following septal myectomy?

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@badmac

shortness of breath, some pressure in my chest and I was not comfortable laying on my back. I could also hear the "sloshing". Dizziness when getting up and moving around. was not able to walk up stairs.

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---Thanks for the response. My symptoms are similar. The dizziness is the most troubling; it is intermittent but really difficult. The others are fairly bearable. Really happy to hear that things went well for you. Best, archer.

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@archer

---Thanks for the response. My symptoms are similar. The dizziness is the most troubling; it is intermittent but really difficult. The others are fairly bearable. Really happy to hear that things went well for you. Best, archer.

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---Was wondering if someone had found a way to relieve the dizziness -- that is, until surgery becomes necessary?

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i had my septal in March 2019 at Tufts 2 hrs from Ct where i live and my recovery went fine, they told me i needed a pacemaker but i was stubborn and didn't want it and went home and fainted two days later and had a pacemaker and a defib put in that was worse installing that hardware then the actual septal myectomy believe me when i tell you because they at Hartford Hospital didn't tell me i should elect to be knocked out. Anyway i'm 8 mths in after the surgery and feeling great and i haven't started cardio rehab and i know shame on me i just wanted to loose some weight first so i'm gonna start the rehab after the new yr but things are going great i have more energy and i don't get out of breath like i used to. I still do some but its because of the weight i still have on me and i haven't started the rehab but just be kind to yourself emotionally and physically rest for at least what they give you time to rest for and take that serious as your chest is healing and you don't want lasting complications from that. Just be kind to yourself your chest will be opened and that is a lot for your body and spirit to handle so that is my best advice to you. TAKE IT EASY AND TAKE CARE OF YOURSELF FIRST 🙂 hope that helps you.

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I felt like fainting before my myectomy. The best way I handled it was to walk slowly and always try and be near someone or something so I could hang on until the feeling passed,

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I had my septal myectomy on October 1, 2019. I am six weeks out and I still have this excruciating pain in my back my neck and in my head. I did have an x-ray to see if that My sternum was still intact about two weeks ago. It showed that it was fine. Has anyone else had these problems I would like to get off these medications. I use a lot of heat I’ve had some massages.
Thank you

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I am doing a septal myectomy oct 4 and was wondering if people were able to go back to normal lives , I race atv’s in the desert and work outside in construction, I take metoprolol and wondering if the dose will go down from 50mg twice a day

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@thomasandmichelle

I am doing a septal myectomy oct 4 and was wondering if people were able to go back to normal lives , I race atv’s in the desert and work outside in construction, I take metoprolol and wondering if the dose will go down from 50mg twice a day

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Hello, and welcome to a wonderful place to find information and share your experience with a unique group of folks who have gone, are going, or plan to go on the same journey as you. That being said...as with all things in life... the answer is "it depends!" It depends on you. Your individual life-style. Your personal way of dealing and healing. Being active before is the best possible advantage you have on your side. But if you don't listen to your doctors, your body and do too much too soon you could delay your healing process. Since everything depends on your individual circumstance it's difficult to say with authority "Oh yeah... you'll be back lifting heavy things and racing in no time." How was that for dodging your question? In reality, your outcome truly does depend on you. But I can say with authority (I had a septal myectomy/papillary myectomy last summer) that being active enabled me to resume daily life activities much sooner than some. The lifting part takes time. You can't for 6 weeks or so. You have to let your sternum heal. Then you can progressively include more, but listen to your body. You won't want too sometimes because you know how you were, but you won't be able to for some time. It's okay. I was a big time hiker in our local mountains (They are literally all on fire right now) I walked, I did swing/ballroom classes for hours each week...all of which were taken from me by the HCM. A year out I'm walking and doing smaller hikes and grateful for the blessing of have had the best possible care by the Mayo Clinic. Everyone's journey is different. Everyone reacts differently to this massive, invasive surgery. But once you realize you survived, you endured, you came out the other side of a challenging ordeal...you will know you're pretty special. Your scar will be a source of comfort and a reminder of how strong you are. As far as the Metoprolol, that's an easy answer: It depends! Ha! It's true. So I was on 50mg in the hospital. Decreased to 37.5mg twice a day. Four weeks ago Dr. Ommen lowered it to 25mg twice a day in the hopes that some of my symptoms would dissipate. So even a year later, some tweaking may be necessary, but not everyone and not every time. You're in good company here. Feel free to reach out. I secretly stalked this group for several months before I got the courage to ask people about what to expect. It's been a great source of information and I was so grateful to those who took time to answer my questions. Some questions were dumb ones too...like about wearing a bra or foot ware choices...But hey. If you don't know and don't ask then you won't know, you know? 🙂
Best wishes to you. The Mayo is the finest institution on the planet. But I'm a tiny bit biased. They really know what they are doing and you are in the most capable hands and capable place you could be. This is not a surgery that you would want done just anywhere. You need a Center of Excellence. And they are!

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@archer

---What were your HCM symptoms before surgery?

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I had labored breathing that was worsening with age (I’m 70). I couldn’t walk a flight of stairs or talk on the phone without huffing & puffing. My weight kept on going up despite my efforts to exercise and eat only 2 healthy small meals dail (No Alcohol, no sweets!).
I had the sugery Aug 19,2021 and I could tell the difference immediately after anesthesia. My left ventricle obstruction was gone and I could breathe easily.
Recovery has been smooth with the necessary back pain treated with Tylenol and “thumping” from a back
Massager. I’ve worked my way up from 1 mile walking to 6 miles walking where I live a 7,000 feet elevation.
Stitches out yesterday.
My internal doctor discouraged me from going in germ infested hot tub.
So I guess I’ll go for another walk!

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Hello! As of today, I am a new member of this Mayo Connect page, not a new patient at Mayo Clinic. I visited the clinic in Scottsdale, AZ, two times; 1 for six days, the other for four days, and then Rochester, MN, for two days – for a different medical problem. At the end of September, I was diagnosed with Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy after going to the ER at the Oklahoma Heart Hospital with A-Fib for the first time. Everything went downhill from there. After all the tests, the 2 hours MRI showed my results. Today, I informed my Cardiologist at our Heart Hospital that I am a long-time patient at Mayo, and he said, "Why did you not tell me you need to go there;" I was impressed. He is a big-time follower of the Mayo Clinic in Rochester and follows all of Dr. Steven Ommen's writings and videos. He said he would love to have the doctors inform him of the treatments and follow my treatment directions.
So, I'm calling tomorrow to book an appointment. If you have gone to Rochester, what is an excellent hotel to go to, close to the hospital? As I am sure of most of you, I cannot walk very far. I do have an elect chair I can bring if necessary.
I look forward to following all your posts and praying that the doctors understand and know this wretched disease becomes greater and greater. Bless you, all!

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@karukgirl

Hello, and welcome to a wonderful place to find information and share your experience with a unique group of folks who have gone, are going, or plan to go on the same journey as you. That being said...as with all things in life... the answer is "it depends!" It depends on you. Your individual life-style. Your personal way of dealing and healing. Being active before is the best possible advantage you have on your side. But if you don't listen to your doctors, your body and do too much too soon you could delay your healing process. Since everything depends on your individual circumstance it's difficult to say with authority "Oh yeah... you'll be back lifting heavy things and racing in no time." How was that for dodging your question? In reality, your outcome truly does depend on you. But I can say with authority (I had a septal myectomy/papillary myectomy last summer) that being active enabled me to resume daily life activities much sooner than some. The lifting part takes time. You can't for 6 weeks or so. You have to let your sternum heal. Then you can progressively include more, but listen to your body. You won't want too sometimes because you know how you were, but you won't be able to for some time. It's okay. I was a big time hiker in our local mountains (They are literally all on fire right now) I walked, I did swing/ballroom classes for hours each week...all of which were taken from me by the HCM. A year out I'm walking and doing smaller hikes and grateful for the blessing of have had the best possible care by the Mayo Clinic. Everyone's journey is different. Everyone reacts differently to this massive, invasive surgery. But once you realize you survived, you endured, you came out the other side of a challenging ordeal...you will know you're pretty special. Your scar will be a source of comfort and a reminder of how strong you are. As far as the Metoprolol, that's an easy answer: It depends! Ha! It's true. So I was on 50mg in the hospital. Decreased to 37.5mg twice a day. Four weeks ago Dr. Ommen lowered it to 25mg twice a day in the hopes that some of my symptoms would dissipate. So even a year later, some tweaking may be necessary, but not everyone and not every time. You're in good company here. Feel free to reach out. I secretly stalked this group for several months before I got the courage to ask people about what to expect. It's been a great source of information and I was so grateful to those who took time to answer my questions. Some questions were dumb ones too...like about wearing a bra or foot ware choices...But hey. If you don't know and don't ask then you won't know, you know? 🙂
Best wishes to you. The Mayo is the finest institution on the planet. But I'm a tiny bit biased. They really know what they are doing and you are in the most capable hands and capable place you could be. This is not a surgery that you would want done just anywhere. You need a Center of Excellence. And they are!

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Thanks for the comment, I had surgery on the fourth of October and home now and wow what a difference, the only thing that was sore was my back everything else was not bad with Tylenol

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