Getting back to work after heart operation when and how

Getting​ ​Back​ ​To​ ​Work​ ​After​ ​Heart Operation:​ ​When​ ​And​ ​How?

One​ ​of​ ​the​ ​biggest​ ​concerns​ ​in​ ​patients’​ ​minds​ ​while​ ​considering​ ​heart​ ​surgery​​ ​is whether​ ​he​ ​would​ ​be​ ​able​ ​to​ ​do​ ​the​ ​same​ ​work​ ​as​ ​before.

On​ ​a​ ​positive​ ​note​ ​let​ ​me​ ​assure​ ​you​ ​that​ ​most​ ​of​ ​the​ ​patients​ ​undergoing​ ​heart​ ​surgery would​ ​return​ ​to​ ​normal​ ​physical​ ​activity​ ​and​ ​work​ ​pattern​ ​in​ ​about​ ​3​ ​months.

©​ ​2017​ ​Heart​ ​and​ ​Aorta​​ ​All​ ​Rights​ ​Reserved

However​ ​this​ ​depends​ ​on​ ​certain​ ​factors.​ ​Most​ ​important​ ​of​ ​these​ ​is​ ​the​ ​preoperative condition​ ​of​ ​the​ ​heart​ ​and​ ​the​ ​time​ ​required​ ​for​ ​heart​ ​to​ ​return​ ​to​ ​normalcy.​ ​For​ ​example, if​ ​the​ ​patient​ ​has​ ​suffered​ ​multiple​ ​major​ ​attacks​ ​in​ ​the​ ​past​ ​and​ ​the​ ​pumping​ ​capacity (LV​ ​function​ ​and​ ​Ejection​ ​Fraction)​ ​has​ ​suffered​ ​badly,​ ​there​ ​would​ ​be​ ​a​ ​limit​ ​to​ ​the​ ​level of​ ​physical​ ​activity​ ​possible​ ​after​ ​heart​ ​surgery.

Also,​ ​recovery​ ​is​ ​an​ ​individual​ ​feature​ ​and​ ​varies​ ​from​ ​person​ ​to​ ​person.​ ​Mental​ ​strength and​ ​preparedness​ ​plays​ ​an​ ​important​ ​role​ ​in​ ​smooth​ ​recovery.

Some​ ​people​ ​are​ ​back​ ​to​ ​normal​ ​in​ ​4​ ​weeks​ ​while​ ​some​ ​take​ ​up​ ​to​ ​6​ ​months​ ​to​ ​recover.

It​ ​does​ ​not​ ​matter!

©​ ​2017​ ​Heart​ ​and​ ​Aorta​​ ​All​ ​Rights​ ​Reserved

As​ ​a​ ​rule​ ​most​ ​office​ ​work​ ​can​ ​be​ ​resumed​ ​after​ ​4-6​ ​weeks.​ ​Work​ ​involving​ ​moderate​ ​to severe​ ​physical​ ​activity​ ​(driving,​ ​lifting​ ​weights,​ ​prolonged​ ​hours​ ​of​ ​standing​ ​etc.)​ ​can​ ​be resumed​ ​only​ ​after​ ​3​ ​months.

When​ ​you​ ​get​ ​back​ ​to​ ​work,​ ​start​ ​with​ ​simple​ ​and​ ​less​ ​strenuous​ ​tasks​ ​and​ ​gradually increase​ ​the​ ​level​ ​of​ ​activity.

It​ ​may​ ​be​ ​reassuring​ ​to​ ​know​ ​that​ ​patients​ ​have​ ​returned​ ​to​ ​jobs​ ​which​ ​require​ ​extreme physical​ ​strength​ ​after​ ​undergoing​ ​CABG​ ​or​ ​Valve​ ​repair/replacements.

I​ ​personally​ ​know​ ​people​ ​in​ ​almost​ ​all​ ​walks​ ​of​ ​life​ ​(including​ ​Door​ ​to​ ​door​ ​marketing, Public​ ​Bus​ ​driving,​ ​Masonry,​ ​Head​ ​load​ ​work​ ​etc.)​ ​even​ ​after​ ​heart​ ​surgery.​ ​But​ ​all these​ ​have​ ​to​ ​be​ ​started​ ​or​ ​resumed​ ​after​ ​due​ ​discussion​ ​with​ ​your​ ​doctor.

©​ ​2017​ ​Heart​ ​and​ ​Aorta​​ ​All​ ​Rights​ ​Reserved

Some​ ​Common​ ​Concerns​ ​-​ ​What​ ​About?

DRIVING/RIDING​:​ ​Driving​ ​a​ ​four​ ​wheeler​ ​with​ ​power​ ​steering​ ​for​ ​short​ ​distance​ ​(up​ ​to​ ​5 km)​ ​can​ ​be​ ​resumed​ ​after​ ​2​ ​months.​ ​You​ ​can​ ​resume​ ​normal​ ​driving​ ​pattern​ ​after​ ​3 months.​ ​Bike​ ​riding​ ​is​ ​not​ ​advisable​ ​until​ ​3​ ​months.

©​ ​2017​ ​Heart​ ​and​ ​Aorta​​ ​All​ ​Rights​ ​Reserved

TRAVEL​:​ ​Travelling​ ​short​ ​distances​ ​can​ ​be​ ​done​ ​after​ ​3​ ​weeks.​ ​But​ ​it​ ​is​ ​better​ ​to​ ​avoid this​ ​if​ ​possible.​ ​Bus​ ​travel​ ​is​ ​not​ ​advisable​ ​until​ ​3​ ​months.​ ​You​ ​can​ ​travel​ ​by​ ​train/air​ ​if required.​ ​Unrestricted​ ​travel​ ​can​ ​be​ ​resumed​ ​after​ ​3​ ​months.

©​ ​2017​ ​Heart​ ​and​ ​Aorta​​ ​All​ ​Rights​ ​Reserved

SPORTS​ ​ACTIVITIES​:​ ​Light​ ​sports​ ​can​ ​be​ ​resumed​ ​after​ ​8​ ​weeks​ ​(Practice​ ​only).​ ​You can​ ​gradually​ ​start​ ​the​ ​sports​ ​activities​ ​after​ ​3​ ​months​ ​and​ ​slowly​ ​get​ ​back​ ​to​ ​full​ ​activity level.

©​ ​2017​ ​Heart​ ​and​ ​Aorta​​ ​All​ ​Rights​ ​Reserved

SEX​:​ ​There​ ​will​ ​be​ ​lot​ ​of​ ​questions​ ​in​ ​the​ ​minds​ ​of​ ​patients​ ​and​ ​their​ ​partners​ ​regarding sexual​ ​activities​ ​after​ ​heart​ ​surgery.​ ​Just​ ​like​ ​any​ ​other​ ​physical​ ​activity,​ ​sex​ ​can​ ​also​ ​be resumed​ ​gradually.

But​ ​unlike​ ​other​ ​activities​ ​the​ ​emotional​ ​aspect​ ​plays​ ​a​ ​major​ ​role​ ​here.​ ​First​ ​thing​ ​to​ ​be reassured​ ​is​ ​that​ ​you​ ​can​ ​enjoy​ ​normal​ ​sexual​ ​behavior​ ​after​ ​heart​ ​operation.​ ​In​ ​patients who​ ​had​ ​dyspnea​ ​or​ ​angina​ ​before​ ​surgery,​ ​it​ ​may​ ​even​ ​more​ ​comfortable​ ​and enjoyable​ ​after​ ​surgery.​ ​Partners​ ​have​ ​to​ ​be​ ​supportive​ ​and​ ​encouraging.​ ​In​ ​case​ ​of men,​ ​it​ ​is​ ​advisable​ ​to​ ​avoid​ ​traditional​ ​‘man​ ​on​ ​top’​ ​position​ ​for​ ​the​ ​first​ ​3-4​ ​months.

There​ ​is​ ​no​ ​restriction​ ​on​ ​kissing,​ ​petting​ ​or​ ​foreplay​ ​even​ ​during​ ​first​ ​few​ ​weeks.

Consult​ ​your​ ​doctor​ ​if​ ​you​ ​need​ ​specific​ ​advice.

©​ ​2017​ ​Heart​ ​and​ ​Aorta​​ ​All​ ​Rights​ ​Reserved