Does anyone regret having a septal myectomy and if so why?

Hello @acarla,
I remember well what it felt like to "prepare" for open heart surgery. It's more of a mental/emotional prep than anything. Have you read any of the posts that I have made? Or @walkinggirl? We both went through a septal myectomy at Mayo Clinic. I have not one ounce of regret and am ever so grateful I was able to get my life back.
I do not look back with anything but acceptance and gratitude.
It's not fun.
It's not easy.
It's not as horrible as I imagined. And boy did I have big imagination!
That being said...I was new here on Connect and reached out for advice, just like you. I was so pleased to hear from others, and it really helped me knowing others had gone through this, and other than a few members who have had some set backs, for the most part the decades of experience in open heart surgery has paid off. They have this down. The septal myectomy is what is the specialized part of this whole thing. Having a surgeon with tons of experience is vital for a good outcome. I knew I did...but that still didn't stop me from running down the road like my hair was on fire! I was scared! I would be crazy to not be!
But I also have strong faith, and gave the whole thing to God.
I also packed smart! Thanks to help from here on Connect!
Had I not known, it would have been a little harder.
Lounge bras. A total must! You will not want underwire anywhere near your sternum for awhile.
Pull on pants...like sweats or yoga pants. Easy to wear and you are swollen all over after surgery.
Slip on shoes. Nobody wants to bend over and put shoes on for awhile either.
Some recommended button up shirts because it's hard to put your arms up over head...but I didn't have that issue and resorted to loose tee shirts.
Forget about doing your hair for some time too. Using your arms overhead won't be fun.
Forget about sleeping on your side too. It took weeks for me to get there.
A recliner is nice, but not necessary.
A helper at home is a must! You can't drive for at least a month.
Any other questions? I am sure I didn't cover yours all!
When and where is your surgery?

My surgery is scheduled for february fifth at mayo clinic in rochester. My Surgeon has only completed one hundred septal myectomies which makes me a bit nervous. I live six hundred miles away and will have to do this on my own but have someone to stay with afterwards. I do feel very good about the Mayo clinic and trust them. I don't think I truly allow myself to realize how much I am struggling with this stupid disease.

Debra, I forgot to say thank you so much for the information.

I don't regret it. However, I have had to Hypertrophic return in the lower part of my heart So I will be doing a 2nd surgery. That was not in the plan.

My pain was mainly in my back. It hurt more than my chest did. Lidocane patches (prescription 5%) and a custom creme with gabapentin helped a lot.
Before surgery, I used nair on my arms a couple of nights before surgery. It helped with the adhesives coming off later. However, I wish I had used it on my chest and neck as well, as you will more than likely have main line IV in the neck and of course the incision on your chest. Last time they sent me home with the bandage still on down my sternum, I spent an hour in the shower at the hotel trying to get it off (They suggested the warm humidity was the best way). However, the heat wore me down quickly and was totally exhausted afterwards. Thankfully I had a shower chair I could sit in, but the heat was fatiguing. This next time, I will insist it be removed before my departure from the hospital.

All of the clothing advice that was previously stated was super helpful! I used button up shirts, the first couple of weeks, after that I was able to work my way into some loose t-shirts and tanks instead of bras. Also a shower chair is helpful for the first week or so.
We drove back home to Arkansas, a couple of days after surgery. My husband had the foresight to ask for a temporary handicap parking permit. That was a big help also, as there were a couple of times it came in handy driving home. First few nights was rough at home. I slept in a recliner for a couple of nights. Afterwards I slept using a wedge with pillows on top. The wedge itself was hard and uncomfortable, so I used about 3 pillows overlapping horizontally, then my regular pillow on top of the very top pillow. I am working to prefect this a bit for the second go around.

Definitely a helper at home is a must! There are things you just can't do by yourself the first few weeks. My husband was mine. He was helpful for the medications as well, as I was not custom to taking many meds and the after surgery brain fog, my sense of timing was off. I was lucky that by the time we got home, I had family, friends and neighbors that brought meals to us which was awesome. My husband can cook a mean steak or on meats on the grill, but that's about it. (HAHA).

At home, I set an alarm for every hour to get up and walk. Started with just a couple of minutes and then worked my way up to 10 minutes at least 3 times a day prior to cardiac rehab. (If you can do that I would highly suggest it if at all possible). I think most insurances and medicare will pay for a certain number of hours/sessions.

I wish you the best of luck. I know it's scary, but remember you are having the surgery done in the best place possible if you are doing it at the Mayo. I know you are in good hands.

Debra has good advice! She is so knowledgeable and honest, especially about the fear part. The consequences of not drumming up courage were increasingly dire, I am so very glad to encourage you. Yet, Debra and I did different things. I wore hospital gowns, and hospital issued nonslip socks while a patient. Had to wear compression stockings. I avoid bras, generally, unless absolutely needed. I wore loose sleeved sundresses, elastic shorts and pants would work great, too! No trouble putting on t shirts. Wore hats and scarves. Loved my recliner. We were home a week after surgery, I could do many things myself, including showers, no lifting. No housecleaning (yay), but I was cooking just fine the day after getting home, husband got pots and pans out, etc. I had no pain, on Tylenol 36-48 hours after surgery. The hard part was no driving. Everyone is different and will find different easy and harder things in recovery. We all found ways to handle self care that worked best for us. It's OK to be absolutely terrified (I was), you will have the best care ever. Best wishes for a speedy recovery!

Walking girl and twenty three and Debra and all, thank you for all the great information. Human nature is so funny. Right now I am feeling pretty decent. The barometric pressure is high and my heart does better when the barometric pressure is high. Also, my anemia is under control so I am less out of breath. So I'm doing the bargaining - hey maybe it's not that bad. Never mind that when I go to my cardiologist everyone in the hospital is brought in to listen to my murmur because it's the worst one they ever heard and I feel like I'm going to pass out when I pick something up from the floor, rolling garbage bin to the curb calls for laying down to recover, etc. Worried about how to get up from toilet without using my arms especially during the 12 hour drive home. Some handicapped stalls have bars but no elevated seat. Hoping surgery doesn't cause rhythm issues, kidney damage, etc. Worried about $. I lost a good paying job. Now only working part time, so tired. Worried about how long before I can work. Trying to just focus on this surgery. For right now, I am a warrior and surgery is the prize. I am constantly reminded that gifts do not always come in pretty packages.

Karukgirl, thank you so much for the info and support. I somehow left you off the thank you. So many things I didn't even think about. Determined to see this through.

Hi acarla, You are in the very best hands for your myectomy. I never regret having my surgery (March 2023) and I am very grateful for being able to have it at Mayo Clinic. I also put myself in gods hands and my strong faith and trust in the doctors and staff I met at Mayo Clinic. We stayed in hotel across the street for one night after bring released which was very helpful. The only pain I had was in my back and that was only for a few days. Loose easy on/off clothing is the best. I wore camis, button down shirts and yoga pants. Slip on shoes are a must. Hair in ponytail. While in Mayo, you will most likely be in hospital gowns. When released, I found a walker was very helpful to get around, use in bathroom etc. As I said before, you will have THE BEST care!! Your Doctor, Nurses, Physical therapist and Care Manager will discuss with you how to manage your trip home and your aftercare. Walking is definitely key. Just take it slow, day by day and have faith! You will be feeling great before you know it!! Good luck and best wishes for a speedy recovery!

You are so welcome! I had Dr Bagameri as lead surgeon and the super skilled Dr Dearani as his side kick. Dr Bagameri was kind of in training when I had mine...and I was a bit nervous about that. But knowing Dr Dearani was standing by gave me confidence.
You got some terrific advice from other members. It really does help. You don't feel so alone or forsaken.
I am happy to hear your surgery is at the Mayo. The nurses, doctors, lab techs, housekeeping, x-ray techs, just everyone...is so kind, helpful, considerate and they are stellar at their jobs.
There is nothing wrong with being scared, but you sound like you have a wonderful attitude. That's exactly what you need to face this surgery. No sugar coating...it's a tough one. But look at you! You made the hardest decision already. You decided that your life is worth living the best you can without this ridiculous HOCM!
Have you planned for your hotel stay yet? Mayo has a concierge service that can help with any travel arrangements or answer questions.
If you have been there before, you may already have a hotel in mind. I stayed directly across the street from St Mary's at the Marriott. It was super handy for my guy, as he just had to walk across the street. We also decided to stay a few days after discharge just so I could be close to the hospital if I had a scare about something. I flew home with no problem and had a three hour drive from the airport to my house. It wasn't fun, but totally doable.

Just in case you need it, here is the concierge information:

In person: Concierge Services desk
Mayo Building (lobby level, in the International Center)
Monday-Friday: 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
No appointment necessary

By phone 7 a.m. to 6 p.m., Monday-Friday: 507-538-8438

Email: concierge@mayo.edu