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Have some swelling of the feet especially if you have an incision in your leg. That leg will tend to swell more for some time. Elevating your legs will help. Wear your elastic bandages if they were prescribed for you. |
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Have difficulty sleeping at night. You may find it difficult to fall asleep, or you may find that you wake up at 2:00 or 3:00 am and cannot fall back to sleep. This will improve. Taking a pain pill before bed sometimes helps. |
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Have problems with constipation. You may use a laxative of your choice. Add more fruits, fiber and juice in your diet. |
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Have mood swings and feel depressed. You may have good days and bad days. Do not become discouraged. This will get better. |
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Have a lump at the top of your incision. This will disappear with time. |
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Notice an occasional “clicking noise” or sensation in your chest in the first days after surgery. This should occur less often with time and go away completely within the first couple of weeks. If it gets worse, call your surgeon. |
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Experience muscle pain or tightness in your shoulders and upper back between your shoulder blades. This will get better with time. Your pain medicine will also help relieve this discomfort. |
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Follow your exercise program given to you by your physical therapist in the hospital. |
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| Take Care of your Incision : |
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While in the hospital, follow your doctor's instructions. After discharge, most surgeons would agree that it is safe to wash your incisions daily with mild soap and warm water. Avoid vigorous scrubbing. The tapes may even fall off on their own. Seven days after discharge you can remove any tapes that remain. You might go home with staples in your leg. The visiting nurse will take the staples out as ordered by your physician. Keep in mind that incisions may sunburn easily. Be sure to protect your incisions from over exposure to sunlight during the first year after surgery. The scar will pigment more (be darker) if exposed to sun. Do not apply any lotions, creams, oils, or powders on your incisions, unless prescribed by your cardiac surgeon. |
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| Check your incisions every day. Notify your doctor if you notice any of the following: |
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Increased tenderness of the incision line |
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Increased redness or swelling around the edges of the incision line |
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Any drainage from the incision line |
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A persistent fever |
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