1. < Heart & Blood Health

After a quadruple bypass

Posted by contender1 @contender1, May 15, 2016

Having had a very difficult coronary bypass requiring 28 days in hospital, post operative liver failure, kidney failure lung problems and internal bleeding requiring significant transfusion I thought I was due for some change of fortune. However, high blood pressure, even with medication and swollen ankles and calf muscles have arrived. Please advise what I can do to improve my situation because I am scared for my future

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Alyse Brunella | @alysebrunella | May 15, 2016

Hi @contender1, and welcome to Connect. Thanks for sharing your journey on here, even though it has been difficult and scary. I found some information from Mayo Clinic on recovery from a coronary bypass that you may find helpful (http://www.mayoclinic.org/tests-procedures/coronary-bypass-surgery/details/results/rsc-20166148).

I'm also tagging @spcarlson who wrote about a coronary bypass and recovery, and @predictable who recently wrote about managing high blood pressure. @collingwood also wrote about her fiancé's complications following a bypass surgery.

How have you been managing your high blood pressure beyond medication? And have you been able to find any methods of relief for the swollen ankles and calves.

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Martin Jensen, Volunteer Mentor | @predictable | May 15, 2016

I may contribute a couple of ideas @contender1, but have had no experience with coronary surgery or its related problems. I can address swollen ankles and calves after overcoming them a few months ago; the problem was a calcium channel blocker with a standard side-effect of ankle swelling. My internist and I agreed to replace that medication with a beta blocker, and my ankles are fine now. But that's not the end of it -- I renewed treatment by my nephrologist to find out whether my kidneys are complicit. I also am in a-fib and asked for a second opinion from a distinguished cardiologist to see whether my heart is not performing well enough. It will be a couple of weeks before we finish revising my treatment plan, but with those two doctors homing in on it, I'm confident of reaching stability with proper medication to control my BP.

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contender1 | @contender1 | May 15, 2016
In reply to @alysebrunella "Hi @contender1, and welcome to Connect. Thanks for sharing your journey on here, even though it..." + (show)
@alysebrunella

Hi @contender1, and welcome to Connect. Thanks for sharing your journey on here, even though it has been difficult and scary. I found some information from Mayo Clinic on recovery from a coronary bypass that you may find helpful (http://www.mayoclinic.org/tests-procedures/coronary-bypass-surgery/details/results/rsc-20166148).

I'm also tagging @spcarlson who wrote about a coronary bypass and recovery, and @predictable who recently wrote about managing high blood pressure. @collingwood also wrote about her fiancé's complications following a bypass surgery.

How have you been managing your high blood pressure beyond medication? And have you been able to find any methods of relief for the swollen ankles and calves.

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Thank you for your response. By way of reply to your questions [a] I have been careful with diet and alcohol consumption. [b] I have not.

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contender1 | @contender1 | May 15, 2016
In reply to @predictable "I may contribute a couple of ideas @contender1, but have had no experience with coronary surgery..." + (show)
@predictable

I may contribute a couple of ideas @contender1, but have had no experience with coronary surgery or its related problems. I can address swollen ankles and calves after overcoming them a few months ago; the problem was a calcium channel blocker with a standard side-effect of ankle swelling. My internist and I agreed to replace that medication with a beta blocker, and my ankles are fine now. But that's not the end of it -- I renewed treatment by my nephrologist to find out whether my kidneys are complicit. I also am in a-fib and asked for a second opinion from a distinguished cardiologist to see whether my heart is not performing well enough. It will be a couple of weeks before we finish revising my treatment plan, but with those two doctors homing in on it, I'm confident of reaching stability with proper medication to control my BP.

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Thanks. Will be interested in your progress.

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RETAIRFORCEMAN | @retairforceman | May 16, 2016

I went through all of this. I found out that getting busy, getting active, and getting on with life was the best thing for me. Go have fun, go spoil yourself, and go laugh, GO dancing and be with friends.<br><br><br>

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1 reply
contender1 | @contender1 | May 16, 2016
In reply to @retairforceman "I went through all of this. I found out that getting busy, getting active, and getting..." + (show)
@retairforceman

I went through all of this. I found out that getting busy, getting active, and getting on with life was the best thing for me. Go have fun, go spoil yourself, and go laugh, GO dancing and be with friends.<br><br><br>

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Congratulations, I have done rehab and am working out for one hour each day, and enjoying it but the hypertension and oedema continues

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