Trying to see what I can expect for my dad (70 yrs old) for when he’s done with x3 bypass surgery. Doctors are telling me it’s 5 days or so at the hospital once it’s complete, a month of no driving and no lifting, then several months lifting nothing heavier than 5 lbs.

Anyone have any feedback whether you’ve been through it or a loved one, and a heads-up on what I can expect over the next few months?

It varies from person to person, I know 2 guys that had it done and they were pretty much back to normal in a month, another guy it took a year and he still isn’t quite the same, but they all say it’s something they’re glad they did.

I had triple bypass back in February this year. What you are hearing sounds about right. I was in the hospital for six days although I was ready to go home by day four. It's a fairly long and uncomfortable recovery, at least I thought it was.

I bought myself an electric recliner with a lift feature. I slept on it for the first week back home. The lift feature saved me a lot of pain getting up and down.

I also bought one of those chairs for in the shower. You're in no shape to be standing up in the shower for the first couple of weeks back home.

I think it's important to get moving ASAP. I started walking a month after. At first a half-mile was exhausting but soon up to two then three miles daily.

I'm a pretty active guy and I couldn't stand not doing anything so I went back to work six weeks after surgery. It was exhausting even though I had a helper doing most everything and it was probably a really stupid idea on my part.

Docs told me no long guns until July because of the possibility of separating the sternum . But spring turkey is in May. So I borrowed a little .410 and got some TSS for it and killed two spring gobblers. I didn't re-break my sternum.

So my advice is to make your dad as comfortable as possible for the first month then encourage him to start walking or better yet, get him to physical therapy if the hospital offers it and his insurance will cover it.

And tell him not to do dumb stuff like I did.

I was 66 when I had the surgery, I'm 67 now and I'm felling better than I have in years.

And get him one of those padded things that wrap around the chest part of the seat belt. It helps keep the seat belt from irritating the incision for the first month or so.

Keep unneeded people away from him. I caught COVID a week or so after being home. a month of coughing with chest glued back together has a lot to be desired.

Yeah, you don’t want to be coughing anytime soon after surgery. I used apple juice and throat lozenges to keep the coughing away.

Catching Covid would be rough.

Not to scare ya, I had emergency quintuple bypass at 50, twenty years ago. Tech has changed a bit since then, so take that into consideration. Everyone's experience is different, being in good shape and active helps with recovery. In my case, I spent 6 days on a ventilator in the ICU, and my mind was not in this world. They tell me I was a very bad boy ... even having a young nurse leave her shift in tears; I didn't know. Doctors later tell me, that was a result of the vast amount of trauma during surgery. They brought me back 3 times during the surgery they told my wife at the time. I spent an extra day on the cardiac floor while they worked on balancing my blood chemistry before they would release me. All told a week and a half post surgery.

Yup, no driving, not lifting. I think it was 2 weeks post surgery when I started cardiac rehab. A full 3 months before I returned to light duty at work.

Mine was not typical, but my surgeon did a great job at patching me up.

I hope your dad's is more typical.

I had 5x bypass in 2019, most everyone has covered the main issues. However in my case they had to pull a leg vein. The chest part never really bothered me, except when I sneezed and the first time it about put me on the floor. Been 6 years and if i feel a sneeze coming will still put my hands over my chest to support it without thinking about it. The leg they took the vein out of I found to be the most painful and even made it hard to sleep the first couple of weeks.

.. my mom went through it recently and seemed like she was back running around like normal in no time at all

.. but she’s always been thin and active.., but I’ll tell you she didn’t seem to miss a beat from it

.. probably didn’t follow doctors orders though

Appreciate the insight. Hadn’t considered the shower stool or padded seatbelt cover. Most everything aligns with what the docs are telling us.

Again, thanks for the replies.

Follow doctor's orders especially about showers and care of the incision. It's important to prevent infection. I had 4X at 50, and again 16 years later. It took a lot longer to recover the second time around due to the age difference, so they said. Be SURE to keep a pillow handy to press to the chest and "hang on" when a cough is coming on. NOTHING is more important than his working toward his recovery. He must leave all other duties to someone else or can them.