Sternum precautions

Of course, you want to look your best no matter what! You will need to pretend that you are in a cylinder - your upper arms will need to be at your sides. But you will be able to move your lower arms with a comb/brush in your hands and tilt your head. Another consideration is what is involved in washing your hair. If you get a shorter style for now, hair grows back fast!

@walkinggirl is this after open heart or ICD placement? I so scared I am going to have to get the ICD

@cash298 The "act like you are in a cylinder" part is after a myectomy. About 4 months later I received my good friend, I named it Buddy, an ICD which I needed because of arrythmias that made me dizzy and giddy. For a time, I had to let that heal, so there were movement and lifting restrictions again. I was SO, SO, SO glad to have Buddy, keeps my heart paced at 6o beats a minute at rest. Knock on wood, no jolts, heart stoppage was not my problem. Now, we are all different, the ICD is no big deal for me.

I have long hair and was worried about taking care of it after my myectomy. Surprisingly, it wasn’t that hard, I kept my elbows to my side and really didn’t have any of the “reach” issues that I anticipated. Dry Shampoo (spray) is great too.

@cash298
Yes, I was too. I got it at UCSF on September 8. No problems at all. I hated the overnight stay in the hospital more than the ICD placement. I hope to God I can handle any shocks, but none have happened. No problems either with keeping my right arm down (you only have to keep the arms down on the side it was placed). I even pinned up laundry on the line with the other hand. I do what my cardiologists tell me to do, although I fight it every step of the way.
I wash my hair in the sink, so there was no problem really.

I had a Myectomy for HCM December 4th and was able to brush my own hair within a few days afterward. My husband shampooed my hair on the first go around and after that I was able to manage it.

@joeymopete, hello and welcome to Mayo Clinic Connect.
I'm glad you shared part of your post-myectomy story with us. It's not even been 4 weeks for you, and it sounds like you are coming along pretty good.
We are all different, and each one of us has a different reaction to this major surgery, but reading what is different to others who have not yet taken this pathway is very helpful.
I took a shower the day of discharge from St. Mary's and washed my own hair. I was ever so grateful for that shower after 5 days without one! It felt so good to be clean again!
How are you doing physically now at almost 4 weeks?
Are you able to walk and do more and more each day?
When is your post-op appointment?

I feel almost completely normal. I walk normal even wearing my floppy indoor shoes. I go up and down 16 stairs easily and care for most of my own needs. I do tire very easily but don’t sleep too much more than I did. I do rest a lot. I have had trouble with food tasting like metal or salt. It was horrible in the hospital but now it’s much better although food still tastes off and leaves a bad taste in my mouth. I am venturing out for a longer car trip today. We will see how that goes. I am surprised at how well my recovery has gone. Not as bad as I expected. I was very active before but now should be able to do much more without being short of breath. I have been a bit weepy at times but also elated at other times over my future prospects for a healthier life. Overall, I would do this all again in a heartbeat! 💓

@karukgirl I do not have an appointment until early March because we are heading to Arizona for several weeks.

@joeymopete I had the same issue afterwards with my taster being off. It took several weeks for food to taste like it was supposed too. I had a metal taste too. I was told it was from all the medications and anesthesia. That takes quite some time to get out of our systems.
I had a couple of emotional moments as well...you just went through an amazing miracle of modern medicine!
It's also amazing how strong we are in the face of such a surgery. Your attitude sounds wonderfully positive 🙂
I'm glad to hear you share that you were healthy and active before surgery. That will definitely benefit your recovery.
Don't worry about the tiredness...it was a big surgery, and blood loss can contribute to fatigue.
I hope your taster comes back soon, so you can enjoy your trip to Arizona.
Thanks for sharing your positive post. You never know who will read this!