I had triple bypass surgery last June and then carotid surgery in September. I have recovered well except for two things. My blood pressure is on the rise even with taking a beta blocker and divan with HCR. It always seems to do this, goes down and then starts rising again after a couple of months. Always switching medicines.
Another thing is that I am more tired than a few months ago. Is this a bad sign? I force myself to walk every day but sometimes really want to just rest.
How should I be feeling a year after surgery? OK to be completely honest I quit smoking for 6 months and then started very light, taking puffs here and there. I never smoke entire cigarettes, and only 3 or 4 a day. I know this is bad, but how bad? Will I ruin the work the surgeon did?
Maybe the smoking is causing the fatigue. I know this is foolish, but the craving for the cigarettes never went away and I thought i could just smoke a little. I know, I know.
- increased blood pressure
- increased heart rate
- decreases blood's oxygen-carrying capacity (via carbon monoxide)
- increases blood cholesterol, and especially can lower the ratio of HDL:LDL
- increases levels of fibrinogen (a blood clotting factor) and increases blood platelet production
- reduces blood vessel elasticity and makes plaque rupturing (hence a bloackage) more likely
So, could smoking be at fault - I'd say yes, if not totally, likely largely. Also by smoking, you are potentially drastically reducing the effective "life span" of your bypass. It could also explain the rise in blood pressure, since it effectively counters your medications.
It's the first thing you should really try to cut out to alleviate your symptoms, IMO.
I know after my heart attack (and stent), and then a bypass later on, I must have been counselled on the negatives of smoking by every doctor who ever spoke to me (I'd quite years ago anyway, so it has not been an issue for me).
FatherSon, thanks. I really did think the small amount of smoking couldn't have an effect but I see I am wrong. I will have to quit them again, I think I already knew that. Yes you are right too about Drs, opinions. My surgeon told me never to smoke again as does my eye doc. I guess it was such an entrenched habit that it's hard to stay quit. Somehow I need to find a way.
