Hello! I am new to this community and need a support system. I am 30 years old. I am having a ASD and AV Canal repair on Tuesday morning. I was diagnosed in January. In January, I actually had a cardiac cath to see if they could repair the ASD that way. This is when they noticed that it was a premium ASD and I also had additional problems that they were not aware of. So, that leaves me to where I am now...
I think my mind is ready for the surgery. I am more worried about the recovery aspect. I am that type of person that is always on the go. I do not relax often. So, learning to do this is going to be difficult for me.
Can you guys give me some words of encouragement and share your stories if you have had anything similar.
Hi and welcome! I had an undiagnosed ASD until 4 years ago when I was 36 years old. The doctors attempted to close my ASD through cardiac cath but because the hole was too large I also had to have OHS. I had the surgery three years ago and it went great. I would say it took me about a month to fully recover. I think the hardest part was trying to get comfortable sleeping. I found that if I surrounded myself with pillows like the shape of a canoe and slept on my back in the middle of them it was best. It may sound a little weird right now but it really works. I had a fantastic surgeon and wonderful support from family. Being young helps with recovery. I will be thinking of you this week and wish you the best of luck!
Hi, I will try this again. Sorry if I make mistakes! You will do well. Think positive thoughts. This is just a bump in the road. Until you have the repair you may not have realized how it was holding you down. Good luck, Linda
Hi , I’m 27, female .I’ve had ohs July last year for asd closure. I was fine all my life till then until they accidentally found out about this hole in my heart .recovery took about 6-8 weeks . The toughest part was to find a comfortable sleeping position . I choose to sleep on a recliner with pillows on the side . My surgeon was great and so was the entire team of docs and nurses and everyone at the hospital . The best advice that I can give u is believe that this is for your good and have a lot of courage and positivity . Don’t even think of anything negative . Things will be just fine for you . Will keep u in my thoughts and pray for u this week . God is with you ! Love .
I'm 26 (well, I'm actually turning 27 this week), and I had my OHS back in November. It has already been mentioned, but sleeping seems to be one of the hardest parts - normally I never sleep on my back, but I had to for some time after the surgery. I loved being in the recliner until I could finally sleep on my side. I definitely started appreciating simple things like being able to sleep on my side, not being out of breath after taking a shower, being able to walk and talk at the same time... But eventually I also started feeling so much stronger than I used to be, that I can say that it was definitely worth it.
I had never had any issues and my ASD was discovered by accident. However, now I notice that I can run a lot faster than I used to, and my regular workouts became much easier, and overall, I don't feel as tired as I used to after a day at work. Today marks 4 months after my surgery, and I feel great. I have always been very active, but now I feel like I can do so much more. I hope, your experience will be similar, and you'll recover quickly!