Post Operative Instructions

• Do not restart medicines you were taking before surgery unless your doctor has told you to.
• Wash your incisions every day when you take a bath or shower. You do not need to use hydrogen peroxide or Betadine at home. Use Dial, Ivory, or any other soaps you'd like. Do not use soaps that have perfume or are oily. They will irritate the incisions. Do not use lotion, ointment, or powder on the incisions until they have healed completely and the scabs have fallen off.
• Call your doctor if you have any of the following symptoms: redness of the incision, swelling of your legs or the incision, tenderness of the incision, drainage of the incision, or fever or chills.
• Increase your walking each day. Walking daily will help you slowly become stronger.
• Plan for a nap in the morning and the afternoon. Also, rest after you eat and before you begin activities.
• Avoid sleeping and sitting too much.
• You should be able to bathe, shower, and wash your hair. Use a soft toothbrush to brush your teeth and/or gums after every meal.
• You may help with light jobs around the house. You may also walk up and down stairs if it does not tire you.
• Do not lift, push, or pull anything over 3 to 5 pounds until your chest has healed.
• Eat foods with fiber such as fruits to help you to have a bowel movement.
• Do not smoke cigarettes, pipes, or cigars. Smoking causes the heart to work harder and will lead to other problems.
• Avoid situations at home or work where you feel angry, tense, and/or become tired.
• An appointment will be made for you to see your surgeon before you leave the hospital. Be sure to keep your appointment.
• Call your doctor if you notice an increase in these symptoms: tire easily, shortness of breath, increased swelling, fever, chills, weight gain, or drainage from an incision. Call your doctor's office if you have questions about any of your post op instructions.
• You may eat foods that you wish when you return home unless you have been given a special diet. If you were on a low cholesterol or other special diet before heart surgery, you may want or need to stay on it.
• People with high blood pressure who have heart surgery are urged to eat less salt. Extra salt in your diet may cause you to retain fluid and make your heart work harder. Anything that is processed (comes in a box or can) contains salt. Fresh foods (such as fruits, vegetables, and meats) do not have salt. General rules for reducing salt intake are as follows: Do not add any salt to food after it has been cooked. Lightly salt fresh foods (fresh meats and fresh vegetables only) during preparation; limit to 3/4 teaspoon salt per day. Do not salt any processed or canned foods during preparation. Avoid foods that have a high salt content.
• Your doctor may suggest a physical conditioning program for you to follow after discharge. The purpose of the program is to strengthen your muscles and bones after cardiac surgery and provide you with the first phase of your life-long exercise program.
• After your surgery, you will gradually increase your walking as you get stronger. Regular daily exercise should be one of your life-long goals. Benefits of regular exercise are to decrease muscle and bone discomfort, decrease feelings of depression and fatigue, and help you return to normal activities more quickly.
• Set aside a period of time each day to do your exercises, preferably at the same time every day.
• Stop physical activity when any of the following symptoms occur: chest pains, pain in the neck, teeth, jaw, arms, or ears, irregular pulse, pulse rate over 120 beats/minute during exercise, shortness of breath, any unusual joint or muscle problem, nausea and/or vomiting, headache.
• If the problem continues after you stop the activity, call your doctor immediately.
• The day after discharge, start your walking program. It is important to stay on track with the walking schedule.
• In general, light activities are allowed after discharge. The following activities are considered light and are allowed after discharge: (1) Self care - bathing, shaving, brushing teeth, combing hair, etc. (2) Cooking one meal a day - a simple one. (3) Cleaning up the kitchen - once a day after a meal other than the one that you cooked. (4) Preparing food - simple tasks such as peeling potatoes (sit when doing this type of work). (5) Handling pots and pans - slide them, do not lift them; spoon out food from heavy pots. (6) Playing board games, jigsaw and crossword puzzles. (7) Dusting - light work only. (8) Making beds - do one side at a time; do not change sheets or turn mattresses. (9) Light woodworking and whittling. (10) Light gardening, if you can sit down while gardening. (11) Washing clothes - you can put them in the washer but have someone else remove and hang the heavy wet clothes. (12) Ironing clothes - try to sit when ironing; keep the clothes to be ironed and hangers close by. (13) Cross stitching, reading, computer, work, desk work, writing. (14) Fishing - someone else should reel in large fish; you may fish off the bank only, not from a boat.
• The following types of activities should be avoided for at least the first 4-6 weeks:
  (1) Vacuuming, sweeping, and mopping.
  (2) Using a hoe or rake.
  (3) Riding or pushing a lawn mower.
  (4) Painting the house or cleaning gutters.
  (5) Climbing a ladder.
  (6) Moving furniture.
  (7) Carrying objects heavier than 5 pounds - groceries, linen, children, water buckets, etc.
  (8) Washing windows.
  (9) Changing the oil in the car or auto repair.
  (10) Washing the car.
• If you have had heart surgery, you may have sex soon afterward. Ask your doctor when you may resume sexual activity. You may want to wait until after your chest feels less sore. It often takes 4 to 6 weeks after surgery to get your strength back and for the breastbone to heal. Recovery will not be the same for each person.