How to recover from bypass surgery: What to expect and for how long – Insider – INSIDER

Coronary bypass surgery is major open-heart surgery, and recovery can take several weeks. Here's what you need to know about common problems after your operation and what you can do to make the recovery process smoother.

You can expect to stay in the hospital for about four to seven days after bypass surgery, says John Robertson, MD, director of Thoracic Cardiovascular Surgery at Providence Saint John's Health Center.

Once you leave the hospital, recovery can last about six to 12 weeks. If you were living independently before, you should be able to resume normal daily activities when you return home, though arranging for aid around the house can be helpful while you recover.

In the first few weeks following surgery, you should avoid lifting anything heavier than five pounds. You also may not be permitted to drive until about six weeks after your procedure.

However, you should be able to return to work and begin exercising in about four to six weeks, assuming you don't experience complications, Robertson says. Plan to follow up with your doctor within four weeks and get their approval before exercising or driving.

It's normal to feel tired or not have much of an appetite in the days following surgery, but you should contact your doctor if you have any of the following:

Any of the above can be signs of an infection, Robertson says.

Your doctor will likely give you medications to manage your pain as well as antiplatelet drugs to help prevent blood clots. You should also notify your doctor if you experience a rapid heart rate, which could be a sign of atrial fibrillation.

For more information on common complications and how to avoid them, read our article, "How to prepare for bypass surgery."

Your doctor may suggest a cardiac rehabilitation program to help increase your physical activity, regain your strength, and learn about heart-healthy lifestyle adjustments.

Robertson also suggests frequently taking deep breaths and coughing. Though your chest might feel sore, it will expand your lungs and can help decrease the risk of lung complications or developing pneumonia after bypass surgery.

Finding a community with others who have undergone bypass surgery can also help make recovery smoother. Up to 20% of patients develop depression after bypass surgery, and Robertson says you should seek help from a mental health professional if you notice symptoms of depression, such as persistent negative thoughts and a loss of interest in activities you once enjoyed.

"You can get kind of gloomy," Roberston says. "As we live our lives, your heart is the focus of love, the essence of a human being, when really it's just a muscle that pumps blood. But when you subliminally feel your center of existence has a problem, it can emotionally affect you. "

Overall, bypass surgery has been found to increase survival rates for patients with advanced coronary artery disease. "It is a very effective treatment option," Robertson says. "I've had patients live 10, 20, even 40 years [after bypass surgery]."

But it won't cure heart disease. Your long-term outcome largely relies on implementing lifestyle adjustments, such as quitting smoking, managing stress, eating a heart-healthy diet (like the DASH diet), getting regular physical activity, and managing high blood pressure, high cholesterol, or diabetes.

"If you watch your diet, don't smoke, and take lipid-lowering drugs, I think your chances are good of doing well long-term," Robertson says.

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How to recover from bypass surgery: What to expect and for how long - Insider - INSIDER