Triple by-pass reocvery

[oldpete]

Do any of you have experience playing after this operation? I came home last week and have already been told twice I was pushing it too hard. Slow for me, henceforth! I only play for self-satisfaction nowadays.. I'm thinking some mouthpiece drills soon. Get yourself checked, trumpet friends. I never knew I had a problem.

[manfredv]

@oldpete I had bi-pass surgery 21 years ago. It's definitely a strange experience. My advice is to follow your doctors instructions. If you exercise and eat right you will find that you will feel better than you have for a long time. The thing I would caution you about is some people have depression after this kind of thing. If you strive to have a positive attitude and do what you are supposed to do there is no reason you can't recover and be better then ever. I wish you well on your recovery.

[Dr GO]

@oldpete said in Triple by-pass reocvery:

...I came home last week [post CABG] and have already been told twice I was pushing it too hard. Slow for me, henceforth! I only play for self-satisfaction nowadays..

So there are many studies reported in the literature as to the best timing of Stage 1 Cardiac rehabilitation. The range is from 11 days to 4 weeks. What I found on reviewing the literature was an interesting Evidence-based randomized study that demonstrated that beginning a respiratory enhanced program to a routine Cardiac rehabilitation actually ENHANCES rehab and outcomes in participants:

So my interpretation of this (even though trumpet playing was not the respiratory intervention chosen) is that any activity that will improve respiratory muscle function, will improve oxygen flow to a newly re-vascularized heart, which in this study was found to increase the exercise capacity by an additional 35% in the respiratory enhanced intervention group compared to the standardized cardiac rehab group.

I would think that these studies would support trumpet playing as soon as 2 weeks post surgery and that trumpet playing may in fact enhance the 12 week post CABG rehab programs that are typically recommended. My only caution is to avoid any valsalva maneuver (grunting down to hit high notes) which may trigger a reflex cardiac arrhythmia. If any palpitations (racing or funny heart beats) or fatigue that is noted while playing, I would then recommend contacting the cardiologist to report these sensations to get direct feedback as to when playing can resume.

[adc]

Good luck.

[moshe]

I had triple-bypass heart surgery right after Christmas, 2011.
It was an HORRIBLE experience.

The sternum (chest bone) was cut in half then wired back together.
It has to heal.

The skin of the chest was cut open with a foot long incision.
It has to heal.

I remember that the hospital forced me to do breathing exercises that I hated.
But forcing air against trumpet resistance is quite different.

I would say that buzzing a mouthpiece would be OK since it is no different from the recommended breathing exercises,
but playing an actual trumpet would be too much strain while body is trying to heal.

moshe

[Dr GO]

@moshe said in Triple by-pass reocvery:

I had triple-bypass heart surgery right after Christmas, 2011... I remember that the hospital forced me to do breathing exercises that I hated.

But forcing air against trumpet resistance is quite different.

I would say that buzzing a mouthpiece would be OK since it is no different from the recommended breathing exercises,
but playing an actual trumpet would be too much strain while body is trying to heal.

moshe

I would agree that the soreness to the sternum is to be your guide. But I would not be afraid to use the trumpet as you can control and gauge the resistance. Actually buzzing a mouthpiece can increase resistance as opposed to letting in open into a leadpipe where blowing through a fixed opening will relax the expiration of air.

Here is an excerpt from a cardiology brochure the discusses home care recommendations:

While I appreciate personal experience, ignoring actual studies that demonstrate respiratory function can enhance rehabilitation is important. I do agree with Moshe, let soreness be your guide as to how much trumpet playing can be done, but playing the horn as soon as you can, will provide benefit to the road to recovery.

[Dr GO]

OldPete,

Moshe brings out an important point regarding advising a trumpet component to rehab. Data and research are helpful and even more the most important information comes from the question: How are you doing?

What rehabilitation has been arranged for you?
Is the sternum pain (surgical site of chest wound) a significant problem?
If this is a problem, what makes it better; what makes it worse?

Please understand that this is an open forum with many readers reviewing our discussion. Patient privacy is ABSOLUTELY paramount. Only post what you think you may want others to experience to keep this on a user friendly learning curve. Any further advice will only come further should you want to update your experience. If you would also to communicate through personal message, I would be glad to advise.

[administrator]

@Dr-GO You can't be saying that exercise is good!

[Dr GO]

@administrator said in Triple by-pass reocvery:

@Dr-GO You can't be saying that exercise is good!

I know!!! Sometimes the truth hurts.

[Dr GO]

You know, I am a general internist and pediatrician, and practice what I preach to my own patients into my own personal health care. When I turned 40, I started taking aspirin, 325 mg once daily even though at that time there was no evidence that taking it as a preventative was indicated. But when you get the disease, it is just about the most powerful oral medical for coronary artery disease that we have. So why not prevention. Years later we are learning now of the preventative advantages to aspirin. Glad I didn't wait 20 years to find this out!

Then after I had a near death experience about 5 years ago (from a lung attack) I realized I was overweight and heading into my 60's with those odds against me. I began practicing what I preached and started a regimented routine EVERY MORNING that includes an hour of weight lifting that focuses on chest and abdominal muscles, and 40 minutes of an elliptical work out (to Latin Jazz no less), and have lost 30 lb, managed to keep it off for 5 years now, AND am doing well into my 60's. What is even more amazing is the abdominal and chest work out routine I designed has REALLY improved my trumpet playing dynamics as well!

So YES. Exercise has been very very good to me.

[oldpete]

Thank you guys, very much.