Whats it like to have open heart surgery?

I am set to have open heart surgery in April and ive been reassured that after the surgery the actual heart doesnt hurt at all, thats good. But ive heard that the chest bone hurts. How bad does it hurt and how much pain/discomfort are you in following the surgery and for how long?

First things first, Bypass and Open Heart Surgery are NOT the same thing.

As you are waking up, you'll hear everyone yelling at you. They aren't angry... they are just trying to make sure you are awake and give you something to focus on. They will probably ask you some simple questions to make sure your thinking is clearing up. (What day is today? Do you know your name?)

You are going to wake up in the Recovery room (which they may call Cardiac ICU). You will have several IV's in your arms, and you MAY be on a breathing tube. Don't worry, that's temporary -- they'll pull it later. They'll tell you to take a deep breath and cough... keep coughing until it is out. It hurts a little and your throat will be sore, but that will pass. You MAY also have some drainage tubes in your body, those will get pulled later. They don't hurt when they come out, but it sure feels weird! Also, you MAY have a Catheter... a tube that runs up to your bladder, because you aren't going to be able to get up to pee. They will pull that out in time, also. If you are a guy, it (kinda) hurts... I don't know if it HURTS, or it is just the thought they are about to pull a tube out of your manhood. Usually they'll get ready to do it, and then someone will ask you a question that has nothing to do with anything. (Say, do you think the Giants can repeat next year?) And while you are distracted by the question and not thinking about it, they pull it out.

They will get you out of the bed pretty quick... at first they may just let you sit up in the bed, then later they will move you to a chair. You'll hurt some.... you're really hurting, you're worried about hurting yourself when you move, and you are trying not to get tangled in any tubes/wires still connected to your body. But someone is there to help you, and it is good for you. They've discovered that if surgical patients lie still and rest all the time, they are more likely to get an infection!

No, your heart is not going to hurt. Your breast bone and the incision will. They will give you pain medication, use it! No one ever got better faster by suffering through the hurt! And after it finally stops hurting, it's going to itch pretty good. Don't scratch it! What you need to do is rub it gently, grit your teeth, and put up with it. When you HURT, use your pain medication, but when you ITCH, you just have to put up with it. Itching is supposed to be a good sign, it means that you are healing.

zThey will want you to cough to keep your lungs clear. That will hurt, but the clogged lungs can kill you, so just put up with it. Sneezing will be terrible! The best way to handle a sneeze is to grab the pillow (or bear) the hospital gives you, hold it to your chest, and just try to make it the lightest sneeze that you can. DO NOT COVER YOUR MOUTH! That makes it worse, it seems. Just let it fly!

Good Luck this April!

I had six bypasses, the surgery wasn't as bad as a bad sliver. I was in the shower the second day and, went home the third day, I was up and around, making my own meals the second day at home. Yes, the breast bone gets sore but, that goes away real fast. Hold a pillow to your chest when clearing your throat, press it hard against the bone. When coughing, try not to, for the first few days, hold the pillow against you real hard, it helps.

The put wires in you breast bone, I can feel them, if I accidentaly rub against them, they hurt.

My friend had a quad bypass and he was walking around the next day slowly. He was in moderate pain. He is a marathoner so he recovered quiet fast. He was doing a 5k walking in 2 1/2 weeks. It all depends on your physical health also on how fast you recover. Stay fit and healthy so if you have to do something like this you will recover much faster, :)