Activity

General Information

• Take it easy for the first 2 weeks.
  
  
• Light duty such as dusting plants, folding small clothes and things like that are okay.
  
  
• Avoid vacuuming, sweeping, lifting, and pulling.
  
  
• Avoid caring for small children.
  
  
• Rest at least 3 times each day, no more than 1 hour at a time. Elevate your legs when sitting or on pillows if lying down.
  
  
• No driving for up to 2 weeks. Consult your own surgeon about when you can drive.
  
  
• No driving when taking pain pills!

Showering

• You may feel weak the first few times.
  
  
• Have someone stay nearby for safety.
  
  
• Avoid very hot water. It could make you dizzy.
  
  
• Avoid the water beating directly on your incision.

Sleeping

• Any position that is comfortable is okay.
  
  
• You may want to try several different positions and use extra pillows for comfort.
  
  
• It may take a couple of nights to adjust to being home.
  
  
• Your spouse can sleep with you.

Returning To Work

When you see the doctor in 4 weeks he will let you know when to return to work.

Exercise

Walking

• Gradually increase your pace and distance until you build up to a pace fast enough to increase your heart rate and breathing.
  
  
• Example of a walking schedule:
  - Start with a comfortable walk 4 times a day
  - Set a goal for distance each day
  Build up to 1 mile by the time you return to see the doctor in 4 weeks
  
  
• If weather is bad, walk inside or in the mall.
  
  
• Avoid large crowds or people who are sick.
  
  
• Rest if you feel an irregular heart beat, dizziness, chest pain, increased shortness of breath or extreme fatigue. These may occur after major surgery and should improve with rest and time. You may resume your exercise at a slower pace if the symptoms do not continue. If they do continue after rest, you should call your doctor.

Bike/Cycle

• Pedal at 12 miles per hour with low tension.
  
  
• Increase distance two tenths of a mile until you reach 2 miles.
  
  
• Then pedal 2 miles 2 times a day.

Treadmill

• Slow, steady pace up to 1.0-1.5 miles/hour.

Water Sports

• No swimming or Jacuzzi until incisions are completely healed.

Resuming Sex After Heart Surgery

• Having heart disease or heart surgery does not mean giving up on the sexual aspects of your relationship.
  
  
• How long you wait after surgery depends on how you feel. You may want to wait until your chest feels less sore. It usually takes 4-6 weeks to get your strength back after surgery, but this varies from person to person.
  
  
• Your breastbone (sternum) takes about 3 months for complete healing, so it is important to choose a position that reduces stress to this area. Avoid using your arms to support your- self as this will place additional stress on the breastbone.
  
  
• Wait 1-3 hours after eating a full meal. It takes a large amount of blood to digest food.
  
  
• It is normal for your heart rate, blood pressure and breathing to increase during sex. These should return to normal within 15 minutes. Let your doctor know if you have shortness of breath or rapid or irregular heart beats lasting longer than 15 minutes after sex.
  
  
• Some medications used for treatment of heart disease can interfere with sexual desire or performance. If this is a problem, check with your doctor to see if it is possible to decrease the dosage or change to another medication.