Physical activity after CABG

A cardiologist and physical therapy doctor cannot be dispensed with when planning exercise. Of course, you can do it yourself, intuitively determining the degree of stress and monitoring changes in your well-being. But it can be dangerous, especially in patients with painless myocardial ischemia who do not experience angina attacks or symptoms of the disease. This is one of the reasons why it is so important in a sanatorium. There, the regimen and order of training are selected for the patient by specialists according to an individual scheme. The classes themselves are conducted under the supervision of doctors, and the exercise program is designed in such a way that the patient is safe, and in the shortest possible time he will maximize his physical capabilities.
‍
During recovery after CABG, such types of exercise are used, such as cardio exercises, dosed walking, walking up the stairs, and cycling. When the post-sanatorium patient will train on his own, he will need to control his heart rate during and after classes so that they do not rise too much.
‍
Physical therapy should become an integral part of life after coronary artery bypass grafting. It not only has a therapeutic effect on the cardiovascular system, but also reduces the risk of complications and extends the "expiration date" of the operation. Also, exercise helps fight depressive disorders, improves mood and emotional background, has a positive effect on sleep quality, reduces the harmful effects of stress. Strength training (basketball, football, weight lifting, boxing, etc.) is contraindicated after CABG. A few months after the operation, a person ideally should be in much better physical shape than before the intervention. He walks, runs, climbs stairs, can do various sports, swim, ski, etc.

Intimate life after CABG

Most often, aortocoronary bypass surgery is not performed on elderly people, but on people of mature age who still have a full sex life. Naturally, the operation and the postoperative period force a person to take a break in marital relations. However, after the improvement of the condition, at the request of the patient, it is possible and even necessary to continue them.
‍
It is impossible to clearly answer the question "when can you start having sex after heart surgery?" Sexual needs and libido recovery times vary from person to person. It is best to focus on how you feel. If the patient has a desire to return to an intimate life, there are no obstacles to this. As a rule, most people who resume their sex life after surgery do so within 3 months after the intervention.

A number of recommendations for sex life after CABG:
• If the doctor recommended the patient to take nitroglycerin before exercise, a tablet of the drug should be taken before sex.
• Until the sternum heals (2-3 months after the operation), it is necessary to avoid positions in which the load falls on the chest and the patient's hands.
• In the first weeks, the patient should avoid being too active during sex.

The journey after CABG

They are allowed to return to driving 4 weeks after surgery. By this time, the person's condition is steadily improving, so that he is fully able to tolerate such a load as driving and be quite attentive to the road.
‍
The possibility of long trips and flying should be discussed with the doctor. As a rule, there are no obstacles to this. However, during 1.5-2 months, even in a normal state, you should not make flights with a large number of time zone changes and travel to places where the climate is significantly different from the local one. It is not recommended to choose highlands as places for patients to rest after CABG.

Work and disability after CABG

Recovery of work capacity after coronary bypass surgery is possible, and its specific terms depend on the field in which a person is employed. Persons with sedentary work and engaged in intellectual work can be recognized as able-bodied already 1.5 months after CABG and even earlier. Those whose activities have been associated with physical exertion for a longer period of time are regaining their capacity for work or feel the need to change working conditions to lighter ones.
‍
In some cases, if a person cannot return to work due to his health, he is assigned a disability group. In order to recognize a person as disabled, he passes a special commission, which is held after the end of the period of inpatient treatment and rehabilitation. The disability group is determined individually in each specific situation.

How long do people live after CABG?

People with serious health problems, the elderly, and those who do not adhere to lifestyle recommendations usually do not live long after CABG, as all these factors increase the risk of surgical complications, including myocardial infarction and shunt closure.
‍
However, if a person approaches treatment responsibly, follows recommendations and leads a proper lifestyle, he can extend his life for years and decades. The main thing is to be treated methodically, constantly under the supervision of knowledgeable specialists.
‍
Speaking about the life expectancy after CABG, we have to mention once again the cardiac rehabilitation in the sanatorium. The use of a complex of health-improving methods in the first weeks after surgery lays the foundation for a successful restoration of health, gives the patient self-confidence, and objectively improves the results of the operation.