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Cardiac & Vascular Health
Question #14499
5 hours ago
9

open heart surgery - #14499

Reyansh

I am a 55-year-old battling heart issues for the past few years, and now I've been told I need open heart surgery. Like, can you believe it? I thought I was just dealing with some bad cholesterol, but after some tests, they found I have several blocked arteries. I was having this weird chest pain and sometimes felt short of breath, which made me think I was just getting old or outta shape. The doctor said that waiting any longer isn't an option and if I don’t do this open heart surgery soon, things could get much worse. I'm scared, honestly—I mean, open heart surgery sounds sooo intense. My friend said it's routine, but what if something goes wrong? How long is the recovery after open heart surgery? I read online that people have really long hospital stays or tough after effects. And, ugh, I have a job I can't afford to be away from for too long. How do I manage expectations? Like, what are the realistic chances of complications? Is there anything I should absolutely do or not do before the open heart surgery? Also, I've got this fear of anesthesia—what if I don’t wake up? I know I’m probably overthinking this, but I could really use some insights on what to expect and any tips for coping with this open heart surgery stuff. Thanks in advance!

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