jax_joe
Well-known member
The OP was "Last seen May 4, 2013". He started back too soon.
How Soon to Resume After Open Heart Surgery?
- Thread starter Filibogado
- Start date
Explain to your doctor exactly what you want, exactly what your expectations are. Whatever is important in your life, including pool, is integral in care and recovery decisions. They are trained that way.
In the same manner, talk to your PT, they may be able to help you return to pool and even help integrate it into your PT.
I had aortic valve replacement surgery last august but it wasn’t open heart surgery. They went between my ribs on the right side so they cut through my chest muscle on the right side. I tried to play a couple weeks after surgery but it wasn’t happening.Your body will let you know if it’s not ready. Just less than a month after surgery I could play ok but I couldn’t break the balls. Me and a partner won 2 scotch doubles tournaments about that time but I let him break every game and it was loser break so we had the choice of who broke the balls.
However if you had open heart surgery be careful the doctors told me if they had to do open heart that if you do anything to mess it up before it heals that it will never heal properly as stated above. You definitely don’t want that.
The cardiac rehab shouldn’t be a problem with the way you workout.
My rehab therapy was just exercise. I had to walk on a treadmill ride a stationary bicycle and do an elliptical type machine for 5 minutes each starting out and they increased the time slowly depending on what number visit I was on. I did 25 visits instead of 36 in which at the last I was doing 15 minutes on each machine for a total of 1hr. I was doing it after work and without stopping for a break between machines. I was playing pool for close to a month before they ever even started the rehab.
Thanks for the advice. Mine was open heart they literally saw your sternum in half deflate your lungs stop the heart then start you back up after they graft on the two arteries.
My heart was not beating for the first time in 72 years for two minutes and eighteen seconds. They then wire your sternum back together and the healing begins. I spent one day in ICU then 7 days in a cardiac ward full of folks like myself.
It was brutal. The first three days was a blur and I don’t recall anything that was remotely pleasant.
My taste buds were ruined by anesthesia so all the food tasted terrible. I’m just recovering my taste buds now.
I get winded just taking a shower, while a week before surgery I attained my highest heart rate in years on my bicycle trainer. My max should be 150 and I got to 166 bpm during an interval. A few days prior to that I rode for 90 minutes with an average of 134 bpm.
I use a Polar H 10 chest type heart rate monitor, purportedly 99.95% accurate.
Somehow my heart and the vessels withstood all that very well. When I told my cardiologist in my annual appointment she ordered some new scans of my main arteries and that was what led me here.
She might have saved my life with that call. And she was the reason I had the head of the heart transplant until perform my surgery.
His team performs more heart transplants than anyone else in the country.
I am very fortunate to say the least and very thankful to alll the folks involved. There were ten or so people in the operating room itself,.
An amazing assembly of highly talented dedicated people!
I'm very interested in this conversation. I'm 4 weeks out from quadruple bypass surgery. I played one rack a week ago and hung the cue up. Just not ready yet. I'm seeing my surgeon tomorrow and plan to ask her opinion about resuming. As a bonus to my surgery, I went deaf in my left ear following surgery. Completely deaf. I read that it is a known, but rare, side effect of open heart surgery. Almost certainly related to anesthesia. Supposedly affects about 1 in a 1000 people who have open heart surgery. NOT a good time to beat the odds. Don't know if it's permanent, have an appointment with an ENT early in May. Anyway, good luck to all you guys who have had your chest cracked open like me.
Hey GrayBeard,
I had double bypass on March 10th. Sorry to hear about losing your hearing.
I developed a femoral hernia during the six days in cardiac rehab. Got to wait till June 13th for my heart to handle another surgery.
I’d forget pool and focus 100% on your surgeons orders.
I am being evaluated next Monday for the two months of Cardiac Rehab that is called for.
I feel great one day then lethargic the next. It ain’t easy!!
I'm very sorry to hear about your setback on cardiac rehab. That's got to be disheartening. I sure hope your second surgery goes well. So far my cardiac rehab seems to be progressing normally. I'm hoping I'll get the go-ahead to start driving again tomorrow and won't be dependent on my wife to get me to and from rehab. That will go a long way to making me feel more normal.
Good luck on your rehab!
No driving for a month was difficult for us both. My wife cannot drive ever due to Lewy body dementia.
It was a great day for us both when I was cleared to drive again. Luckily our daughter helped drive us to appointments and getting groceries as needed. Her company allows her to work from home most of the time and she was approved for time off to help us as well.
She works for a great company and her help was invaluable to us.
Wish you well!
I could not drive for a month and then started 12 weeks of physical therapy 3 days a week for 1 hour which is what
got me moving almost normal again. When I started I had to use valet parking and a wheelchair to go to therapy and
after two weeks I was able to park in the parking lot and walk ( therapy of it's own) the distance to the room about 400 yards.
Exercise is a must and 3-4 bottles of water a day min, 2 1/2 months and you should be able to play. Good Luck to you
I did not see the date you posted, but hope the info can help someone.
Last edited:
Zerksies
Well-known member
The guy has not posted in about a dozen years. I'd assume he's not around anymoreI could not drive for a month and then started 12 weeks of physical therapy 3 days a week for 1 hour which is what
got me moving almost normal again. When I started I had to use valet parking and a wheelchair to go to therapy and
after two weeks I was able to park in the parking lot and walk ( therapy of it's own) the distance to the room about 400 yards.
Exercise is a must and 3-4 bottles of water a day min, 2 1/2 months and you should be able to play. Good Luck to you
I did not see the date you posted, but hope the info can help someone.
I am a between 5 & 6 weeks from double bypass. Got permission to drive after 3 weeks. Had home health PT for two weeks. Next Monday doing evaluation for Cardiac Physical Therapy which is what sounds like you went through already.I could not drive for a month and then started 12 weeks of physical therapy 3 days a week for 1 hour which is what
got me moving almost normal again. When I started I had to use valet parking and a wheelchair to go to therapy and
after two weeks I was able to park in the parking lot and walk ( therapy of it's own) the distance to the room about 400 yards.
Exercise is a must and 3-4 bottles of water a day min, 2 1/2 months and you should be able to play. Good Luck to you
I did not see the date you posted, but hope the info can help someone.
I’ve been walking through the neighborhood wearing a Polar H10 heart rate monitor. The app tracks distance, heart rate, time and other data.
Two days ago I walked 5K and it took me 1 hour ten minutes. I have been walking shorter distances on previous occasions.
I highly recommend the device I mentioned and the app. It’s advertised to be 99.95% accurate and it has lived up to that for me. Had mine for over two years with no problems.
It was about 2 months before I could play and I did t have the open heart surgery. I could play but it still came with some uncomfort but it wasn’t unbearable. Took about another 2-3 weeks to be close to normal. You’re probably looking at a little longer due to a more complicated surgery. I tried to play sooner but like you said a few balls in and I hung it up. Your body will go a long way in telling you when you’re not ready. Just listen to it and don’t over do it.
Some people are born with a condition called Familial hypercholesterolemia.
Look it up Mr Perfect.
VTEC John
Active member
Ain't that the truth.
The Old Jaybird
Active member
for what it's worth....I knew a guy in Albuquerque who had a heart attack while playing one pocket. His buddy rushed him to the ER and he survived. But it just goes to show you.
When I was playing regularly, I always broke a sweat playing, just my natural reaction, and felt better and "in stroke" doing so. would take a shower when I got home because I was pretty clammy after playing.
When I was playing regularly, I always broke a sweat playing, just my natural reaction, and felt better and "in stroke" doing so. would take a shower when I got home because I was pretty clammy after playing.