Home recovery
use your leg muscles. In this period avoid all movements that can destabilize your chest bone like sleeping with one or both hands How to Sustain the Lifestyle Changes You under your head; lifting heavy load; bend on your Need For a Healthy Heart hands while standing up or sitting down; driving a car; gym exercises for hands and stomach. It is possible you to have slight temporary pains around chest bone and during the healing period for example during some movements or weather changes. If the pain is disturbing you, feel free to take some of the medications against pain like Paracetamol, Ketonal, Analgin, Cafetin etc.. In patients where the chest bone has not been opened (peripheral bypass, aneurism of abdominal aorta, surgery on carotid artery etc.) they should Today, while you are leaving our PHO “FILIP not apply these recommendations. VTORI” you are closing a big chapter from one very important process of your life. You are not a patient Surgical incision site any more, you are opening new page and continuing Surgical wounds (of the chest bone, leg and/or on with recovery process at home. It is very important to hand) are being sutured with absorbable sutures that are “melting” few weeks after wound healing and have patience on your way to healthy life. Special hospital for surgery diseases FILIP VTORI there is no need of their removal. It is normal in this pays a lot of attention to mutual cooperation with you period the area around the wound to be swollen a and your family. Your engagement in this process little, so you can feel small discomfort, itching, lack is of great significance and therefore we thank you of sense and tightness. With time all these symptoms for paying attention to this text. Its goal is not to add will disappear. Leave the incision sites to heal (do not more medical information that you already know but cover them with ointments, crèmes, lotions etc.). to offer you useful recommendations that will help on In case of other change around the wound or at the incision site (big swell, secretion, reddishness), please your way to healthy life and future. contact us. Showering Take care of your chest bone In most patients chest bone has been opened and at Everyday showers with antibacterial soap are the end of the operation was closed. It takes about necessary (soaps are available in all pharmacies and two months for chest bone to heal again and therefore markets) or you can use ordinary soap. You can soap first eight weeks you should sleep only on your all your body you can put soap over your wound but back (do not sleep on side or on your stomach). without scrubbing it. Dirty skin is a source of bacteria While you are sitting down or standing up, put that may enter your non healed wound and infect it. your arms around your chests (hug yourself) and After the shower wear new and clean underwear.
Medications At the end of your dismissal letter you’ll find all medications prescribed that you should take at home. The medications you’ll receive in the hospital are only for one day therapy; therefore you should turn to your primary doctor to get prescriptions of all needed medications that you’ll buy from pharmacies. Take regularly only that therapy that is written in your dismissal letter. Taking medications prescribed from several doctors at the same time may harm body feels good. If you feel tired, than you should your health. rest. If you are feeling tired and have difficulties, you are lacking of air, dizziness, vomiting, or any Medications that should be taken according to other symptom like before the surgery you should certain pattern like (Sinkum, Sintrom, Pelentan) rest immediately and call a doctor. You should pay special attention to those medications that should be taken according to certain pattern (like Exercises for lung capacity with breathing should Sinkum, Sintrom), if you have them prescribed. The be repeated 5-6 times per day with 30 inhalations pattern is determined by physician – transfusiologist, or more during first month (that makes in average after he takes blood from you and does analysis of 150-200 inhalations). clothing abilities. Large doses of these medications can lead to massive bleeding, and on the other hand Lifting load low doses can lead to blood clothing. Both conditions When you’ll arrive home, you can feel your chest can be life threatening. Therefore follow carefully recommendations of your doctor transfusiologist and do your blood controls regularly. Read carefully the directions for use of these medications along with first pattern you have received after the surgery. Control examinations For care and improvement of your health condition after the dismissal from the hospital you should bone react even while you will lift light objects. make regular cardio controls. First control is 7 days Here are some practical advices to handle this: after you leave the hospital. For the first control - Do not lift heavy load; you have appointed date and hour that is written - Use your whole body while using force for e.g. on your dismissal letter. Frequency of the controls Opening heavy doors, using vacuum cleaner.. is individual and determined by the doctor. In the You should avoid all these activities at the meanwhile if you experience health problems or beginning after you return from the hospital; need more information about your medication - When you need to take some object from therapy, please call us on the following phone no.: higher position do not push yourself; 00389/ 2 3091 490 (intensive care), during holidays - When you need something to lift, bend your and weekends call 02/3091 861 SOS phone. knees and transfer the force to your whole body; Physical activity - Rest between the activities. Walks Physical activity is individual. During your recovery let walking be your everyday activity. Start with slow walks on flat surface, than increase the force continuously. You should walk as much as your www.cardiosurgery.com.mk
Driving In order to protect your chest bone, do not drive a car until your doctor says so (8-10 weeks after the surgery). While you are driving put your safety belt on.
that red vine has protective role for your heart.
Liquid intake Take liquids as much as you were advised (usually 1, Coffee 5-2L per day). Liquid intake means drinking water, If there is no contraindication for consuming liquids tea, coffee, soup, yogurt, milk, juices etc... that have caffeine 1-2 cups per day are allowed. It is not recommended to take coffee before meal or taking Diet therapy. After the surgery you may feel loss of appetite or feel tired and have normal need for food. These Smoking feelings often appear. You need food to enable recovery and to strengthen your body. It is important to stop smoking. Smoking influences For all operated patients we recommend healthy diet your organism in a way that: that should include many vegetables, fruits, fish, - It lowers the flexibility of your blood white meet, food rich in vitamins, minerals, and slight vessels; amount of carbohydrates and fats. Healthy diet is very - Causes generation of larger amounts of important for all. secretions in your lungs after the surgery; - Accelerates heart work; We recommend: - Lowers oxygen quantity in the blood; Slightly boiled food, prepared without refined oil. Eat - Elevates blood pressure; fresh vegetables each day (tomatoes, pepper, cucumber, green salads, broccoli, beetroot, cauliflower, onion, garlic etc‌); legumes (beans, peas, French beans); sea fish or sweat water fish (2-3 times weekly); cold pressed oils (sunflower, olive); boiled eggs without yolk; milk and dairy products with low fats; black chocolate. Avoid: Bread and white bakery products (white bread is full
Even though it is tough to stop smoking in a period of stress and tension, it is very important to decide and we believe that you can and know how to do it on your own will. Therefore we recommend stop smoking and avoid closed rooms with smokers.
Body weight It is necessary to measure your body weight regularly (each morning after usual hygiene activities), and to maintain 0, 5-1kg more or less than the weight you of carbohydrates, and poor in vitamins, therefore eat had while leaving the hospital. During the time it is black bread that has vitamins from B group). necessary to gain your ideal body weight (you should We do not recommend: weigh as much as your height is minus 100 (for man) All kind of grilled food, spicy and salty food, pates, and minus 110 (for woman). For lowering your body sausages, mayonnaise, pasta, pizza, pie, cookies, white weight we do not recommend strict diets, especially and milk chocolate, dry and fast food, sandwiches. during first two months after the surgery. It is enough to follow the directions for your diet (see above). We recommend: traditional Macedonian dish, rich with fresh vegetables and fruits, boiled in Intimate life water and with cold pressed oils. There is no reason to stop with your usual sexual activities when you feel ready to do it. Alcohol Two months after the surgery, if you feel good, Recommendation for alcohol intake is individual. you can proceed with reasonable sexual life, in a Patients that don’t have alcohol problems 2dL of vine way that suits you. Fear from active sexual life and for men are allowed and 1dL for women. It is proven general depression are two psychological moments www.cardiosurgery.com.mk
that can influence your sexual interest and capacity. During recovery these conditions are normal and are disappearing after first three months. Ability to work Ability to work after cardiac surgery is individual and depends of many factors. Most of the patients that have been working before the surgery can continue working after 3 months after the surgery. Feelings and mood Each day brings something new so it is natural to feel different. Remember, the sense of exhaustion is normal after large operations as is the heart surgery. Do not be surprised if one day you feel a lot of energy and the very next day tired and weak. Do not feel discouraged because of that. In this period your body is recovering, healing and revitalizing and that brings you more strength and endurance. Any operation especially heart operation has influence not only on your emotional condition but on your family as well. You can feel fear, anger, tension (nervous), euphoria; you can be upset from small things or start crying, be exhausted or simply feel different than usually. Affinity to upset and /or depression can manifest through loss or increased appetite, sleep difficulties, insomnia or overtime sleeping, dizziness etc... You should know that all these conditions of worry, fear are normal. Family How can I help a member of family to recover from surgery? Family support is needed and helps I process of recovery. We support members of the family to participate in patient care but not over protective because it can lead to misunderstanding. However it is important to ensure patient to take care of himself as much as possible. Involvement of self-care and increasing of independence and activities are most important in total recovery of the patient. Here are few advices how to how to help yourself: - You’ll feel easier if you share your feelings with your family or your close friends;; - If you discuss with other patient that has been operated remember that his experience is different than yours;; - While you read this text, became aware of your present thoughts that make you worry (fear, concern, sorrow…). Pay attention to your feelings and with that consciousness try to give them positive direction. Have in mind that you have beaten and solved the problem. In that way you’ll overcome www.cardiosurgery.com.mk
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unpleasant experiences and you’ll have better control you’re your own reactions. Try to focus your attention doing something you enjoy – listen to your favorite music, watch something that will relax you, use your walks or call a friend; If you are not sure in healing process, your concern won’t help you (won’t inform you). Talk with the doctor; Wake up and take a shower each day approximately at the same time; Wear light daily clothes. This will help you feel active;; Plan what are you going to do during the day;
If you notice some of following symptoms or signs call us immediately: - Fever or temperature above 38 0C;; - Unconsciousness or strong headache; - If wound is draining; - Loss of consciousness; - Pain that doesn’t stops with analgesic drug;; - Blood in the urine or feces;; - Accelerated heartbeat; - Lack of air that doesn’t disappear even after rest;; - Often feel of discomfort , vomiting, or diarrhea;; - Visible swells on your legs, ankles or feet.
We believe that you have read this brochure and that will take care of yourself with love. The team from PHO Special hospital for surgery diseases wishes you successful recovery.