Recovery after Quadruple Heart Bypass Surgery - Fluid around lungs

[Sherry Berry]

My father had quadruple heart by-pass surgery a month and 1/2 ago. He still hasn't fully recovered. He has been a diabetic since he turned 52.  He is now 67 years old. He has repeatedly had fluid around his lung that has been drained off by his heart doctor, but it keeps coming back. He has trouble breathing and every time this procedure is done, he has more and more liquid drained from his lung. The first time it was 1200 ccs. The second time 2800 ccs. He had it drained again today, and my mother told me that there was even more fluid. My father says that he has trouble breathing and feels like he is drowning in all this fluid. My father has had alot happen in a year's time. He had total right knee replacement surgery in April 06, eye surgery on his one and only eye in April 07 - the other eye is a glass eye due to an old coal mine accident 39 years ago - and a month or so ago this quadruple heart bypass surgery. My thinking is that he is too weak to get rid of this fluid on his own. The doctor said that the next time this happens, my dad will be admitted into the hospital for a couple of days for a procedure where the doctor will drain off the fluid again then put some sort of sealent around the lung so it won't fill up again? (I'm not sure if I'm wording this properly.) I guess, my question is why didn't the doctor do this before now? Is it a risky procedure? Why is the fluid amount getting larger and larger every time?  Thanks for your time, Sherry Berry!

[Erobinson13]

I just had a quad bypass, age 58.  I have had about a liter of fluid drawn off the left lung about a week ago and now am cardio rehab.  I now fill the fluid back which does not seem to be in my lung but can feel it which seem to be on the outside.  A cough does nothing and I feel nothing moving in the lung.  I was told this is common but if I lay down my heart hurts and I feel the fluid.  I am some what afraid becuse I just want to get clear and return to work.  All these postings give an idea of what I could face.  I can say I am am afraid of more surgery it is pure torture.  Death seems so far away yet so close.  I am not afraid for myself but my wife.  I would like to pray for all on this page.  Laying here thru the long night waiting for tomorrow in the hopes of seeing the doctor seems like an eternity.  Guess I am trying to catch you Drjeff251.  The pain is great but for me being locked up in my head waiting for the end is hell.  God bless you all.  Siincerely Erobinson
Personally I will continue to wait for the out come for I believe that we are all here by the grace of God with a mission.  thanks for you guys listening to my complains!

[wilmaprob]

My mom had a quadruple by-pass surgery last week Wed Dec 16th and had so much fluid following the surgery that they gave her a diuretic that then adversely impacted her kidneys and caused her to need dialysis. Before the dialysis they said that something was causing her to have spasms and would stop her breathing.  She did that twice, "being coded" is what they called it.  After the second one they are now saying my mom who is 78 used to walk daily but was diabetic with hypertension is now brain dead due to the lack of oxygen.  So I just want to say for those who have survived the surgery and are now experiencing some complications.  Thank God that you did not experience what my mom has endured this past week.  

[Mbyerly]

In 2002 I had quad bypass surgery.  I am a diabetic, and have been for thirty years.
I had fluid build up around my right lung. After going back into the hospital for IV diuretics, (Lasix), which only lasted about a week each time, they finally inserted a needle between my ribs and drained 2.5 Liters of fluid.
After the draining, my legs started to swell again, like before, so I started taking Triam HTZ, a water pill that I had taken for ten years before, to control Menieres Disease...the Triam HTZ water pills kept the fluid from coming back again, and I have not had it since.
I stopped taking the water pills after a couple months following the surgery.

They said the fluid builds up due to the irritation of the lung area during the surgery.

I am as good as new now.....no heart problems, or inner ear ( Menieres) problems either.


Mike

[JanPaul]

Best wishes to all who have loved ones or are themselves, suffering.

I developed the cough and it has been determined the fluid building up around (not in) the lungs is due to lymphoma.  I am on Lasix to combat fluid build up and have had the talc procedure, but, it didn't seem to work.

They sent me home and will drain lung cavity as needed as an outpatient but, want me to get started on Chemo to stop the cause they believe, of the fluid.

Apparently, many things can cause the fluid. I too have had bypass (single and with a robot) but, no problems from that, I don't think, but only from lymphoma.

I was having the cough and they took my off Lisinopril (sp) for blood pressure and it seemed to improve but then came back until I couldn't talk without coughing.

The Ear, Nose, and Throat Dr. confirmed it wasn't due to sinus and said it was being caused by something in my abdomen or chest and he was right, of course.  It was the lungs trying to cough out the fluid but, since the fluid wasn't in the lungs, only compressing them, I never coughed anything up.      

I could sit and work for hours and not cough but, as soon as I got up and/or started to talk, I would start coughing.  Apparently, anything, even talking, that changes the use of the lung can trigger the attempt to get rid of the fluid with coughing.

While in the hospital (16 days) I could talk and not cough as long as the fluid was drained off.  I could tell it was coming back when I would start coughing again.  It doesn't take much fluid, I don't think to trigger some of the coughing and the more there is, the worse it gets as the lung is restricted more and more in its ability to exchange air which we also use to talk as it passes over the vocal cords.

I start Chemo this week on the Lymphoma and they hope that will take care of the coughing and fluid build up.    

God Bless all and my prayers are with you.

[DrJeff251]

I personally, not my dad, brother or uncle, have had TWO proven strokes, one 4 July 03, and one 26 Feb 08. Two MI's one way back in the Army before retiring in 1994, after the first Gulf War Oct 1994. (They only did angioplasty or bypass then, no stents; and at my age chose just the baloon angioplasty).

11 angioplasty and stents later; I ended up with a Quadruple Bypass, just 4 weeks ago. I am a Type II insulin dependent diabetic, and I have many of the symptoms you all list above. What do I do, as a worn out, in pain old fart? I walk my rear end off. It hurts, I cough, and yep, did I mention it hurts imensely? If I did not, I would be DEAD. That is actually the option. Walk or die. Exercise burns off fluid, actually helps in many cases even with the Lasix (other names too) treatments. If POSSIBLE, REMEMBER those words, if POSSIBLE, exercise, helps REMOVE more fluid than machines and SITTING. The POOL, the PARK, are my best friends. PUMPS, TISSUES, FAMILY, well they all help, but if I am actually going to SURVIVE ALL OF THIS, it will be through pure determination, and a higher power keeping me walking, swimming and doing. Barring that, it is time to go, for I am not meant ot cough in a bed for my last years. I already did that BEFORE the BYPASS. I was dead for 5 hours on a heart lung machine. Most of us were.

[Tuckamore]

Certainly that would be a question best put to his cardiologist. Usually it is OK, provided the patient feels as though they can tolerate it BUT always check with your physician. You may want to begin a new post with your question. You most likely will obtain better answers. Take care, Tuck