The hardest part after any surgery is recovering from it. For some people, it takes days while for some it takes weeks and even months at times. Recovery depends on how fast the patient is ready to accept his new lifestyle and should follow all the orders that are set by their doctors. Heart Surgery is one of the most complicated and tiresome surgeries in the world.
How To Recover From Heart Surgery?
- Recovery time – Once a heart surgery is performed on a person it usually takes a person 6 to 8 weeks to recover from this and to resume their daily activities in full swing. This is because most of the body processes have been slowed down due to the surgery and takes time in adapting the new adjustments that have been made after the surgery. One should not rush through this time as this might lead to many other problems
- Getting back to physical activity – At the start, the physical activities will be slow, and the rehabilitation centre visit is a must. The trained professionals there will teach you a few basic exercises that will help you get back into shape and help your body to move freely. There may be few restrictions as well like one would not be allowed to drive cars as their reaction timing will be slower. You would need clearance from your doctor for driving. One should not lift heavy items or move heavy machinery at least during the recovery period.
- Make sure you take care of your incisions – The main thing to look out for is your incision where in the heart surgery took place. One should make sure that the area is not sore, sleeping in one position can cause soreness in that area or not moving for a long period can also cause soreness. One should move around so that the muscles are relaxed a bit. Women should take extra precaution as their bra might cause them some discomfort. Women should put a piece of small gauze underneath their bra for some comfort. If there are still tapes around your wound then you should take special precaution while bathing as the tape should not get wet or else water might enter inside or the tape might get wet and you might get cold.
- Diet – Diet plays an important role in your recovery. You should eat all the dietary requirements that have been specified by your doctor. Consuming lots of dairy products and fruits will be highly helpful for your recovery. One must consume food which has less sugar, cholesterol and fats. For most people a special diet will be ordered by their doctor and the patient should stick with it.
- Say no to smoking – One must not smoke after their heart surgery as smoking increases your heart rate and the blood pressure. This causes a lot of discomfort for the patient as after the surgery the heart functions slows down which might cause many other issues. Smoking also causes clotting which might lead to internal bleeding.
- Say no to Drinking – Alcohol is a big No after your heart surgery. If you are on painkillers or tranquilizers for your pain, then you should not drink as this might mix with the medicine and cause some reaction as well. One must also consume less coffee as the caffeine intake should be less. One should consume a lot of water as this will help the blood flow as well and maintain proper blood regulation.
- Take medicines at the right time – The patients should take the right medicines that are being prescribed by their doctor. Patients should not skip their medications as this might lead to some issues in the later stages of recovery. One should not take or mix medications if not prescribed by their doctor or by their health care professionals.
People should follow the above-laid points and if there is some discomfort, then they should immediately contact their doctor or their health care professional. The patient should follow up with their doctors and see their progress on a daily basis. One should not skip their follow-up routine with their doctors.
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