Heart Health Heart Disease Treatment Triple Bypass Surgery: Recovery By Kathleen Gaines, MSN, RN, CBC linkedin Kathleen Gaines, MSN, RN, CBC, is a pediatric ICU nurse and health journalist, as well as an adjunct clinical faculty member at hospitals in the Philadelphia area. Learn about our editorial process Kathleen Gaines, MSN, RN, CBC Medically reviewed by Medically reviewed by Richard N. Fogoros, MD on January 05, 2021 facebook linkedin Richard N. Fogoros, MD, is a retired professor of medicine and board-certified internal medicine physician and cardiologist. Learn about our Medical Review Board Richard N. Fogoros, MD on January 05, 2021 Print Table of Contents View All Surgery Follow-Up Recovery Timeline Coping With Recovery Wound Care Triple bypass surgery, also known as coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG), is a surgical procedure done to increase blood flow to the heart. This is done by bypassing blood vessels that are blocked due to plaque build-up resulting in coronary artery disease. This procedure is done as an inpatient procedure and requires immediate postoperative hospitalization. Find out how to recover from triple bypass surgery, including recovery time and postoperative incision care. Tempura / Getty Images Surgery Follow-Up Upon discharge from the hospital you will have several follow up appointments with your healthcare providers. This will include with the surgeon and a cardiologist. Appointments will be regular during the first year after the surgery and it is very important to keep all schedule appointments. If for any reason you are unable to make an appointment, call your healthcare provider to have it rescheduled as soon as possible. These are expected: First postoperative appointment: This appointment will be three to seven days after discharge from the hospital and will be focused on the immediate postoperative care including pain management, stooling, incision care, and overall health.Second appointment: Six to eight weeks after surgery, the surgeon will do an in-depth examination to determine if you are cleared to resume physical activity, driving, and working. Expect to have follow-up appointments yearly after the initial appointments. Some providers will want to see patients every six months but that will be dependent on your condition and recovery. Appointments may be more frequent during the first year after surgery especially if there are any postoperative complications. During these appointments, your healthcare provider will provide you with instructions including: Guidelines on reducing risk factorsExercise including cardiac rehabilitationWhen to resume sexual activityMonitoring your weightMedication scheduleWhen to resume drivingWork clearance Following the instructions and appointments provided by your healthcare team will help ensure the success of the surgery, reduce possible surgical complications, and prevent future issues. Recovery Timeline Recovering from triple bypass surgery can be a long process even without potential complications. You will want to speak to your healthcare provider for specifics regarding your own timeline as every patient is different. This is a rough guideline of the recovery timeline for patients after triple bypass surgery. Day After Surgery You can expect to remain in the ICU or CICU the day after surgery. If you had an endotracheal breathing tube, that will be removed and you will be taken off the ventilator. Patients can also expect to: Start on a clear liquid diet, but transitioning to solid foods as toleratedPerform breathing and coughing exercisesBe transferred to a telemetry medical-surgical unit Second Day After Surgery On the second day after your heart bypass surgery, you may: Walk two or three times with physical therapist and nursing staff.Begin to eat solid foods and resume normal eating patterns.Limit the amount of fluids you can drink (no more than 6 to 8 cups over a 24-hour period).Sit upright in a chair for all meals. You will usually be discharged three to five days after leaving the ICU. You will continue your recovery at home. First Six Weeks By six weeks you will start to resume some activities around the home and participate in your self care. You may resume the following activities: Light housekeepingLight gardeningNeedleworkReadingCooking mealsClimbing stairsShoppingPassenger in carWalkingStationary bikeShampooing hairPlaying cards/gamesAttending sporting events After Six Weeks After six weeks you will still be limited in your activities but will have more freedom including being able to drive. You may also resume the following activities: Continue activities from the previous six weeksReturn to work part-timeHeavy housework (laundry, vacuuming, sweeping)Heavy gardening (mowing, raking leaves)IroningFishingBoatingLight aerobics (no weights)Driving a small car or truckWalking dog on leash After Three Months By three months most patients are able to resume all normal activities and are encouraged to do so. Other specific activities that may resume include: Heavy gardening (shoveling snow, digging)Return to work full timeSportsJoggingWight liftingMotorcycle ridingBicyclingHeavy housework (scrubbing floors) Cardiac Rehabilitation Cardiac rehabilitation (CR) is a very specialized and comprehensive program for all patients after triple bypass surgery. According to the American Heart Association (AHA), cardiac rehabilitation serves two purposes: CR promotes a faster and better recovery from heart surgery in the first weeks after the procedure, which is particularly important for the typical CABG patient, an elderly individual with several comorbidities and limitations.It provides healthy routines, tools, and the knowledge necessary to manage coronary artery disease to be successful in the long term CR reduces postoperative complications and hospital readmissions. Cardiac rehab is not only physical training but also mental, and social conditions to help slow down the progression of coronary artery disease while identifying unhealthy behaviors and risk factors that increase the patient's overall risk. The goals for CR include: MovementIndependenceGood mental performanceAvoiding stressMaintaining a healthy social compatibilityRegaining abilities There are several stages to cardiac rehabilitation and goals are set with the therapist and patient. At times rehab will be hard but the goal is for you to resume your life as safely and normally as possible. Cardiac rehab requires a prescription from your healthcare provider and may or may not be started in the hospital during the initial postoperative period. Coping With Recovery Triple bypass surgery can be difficult emotionally on a patient and their family. You might have feelings of anger, depression, anxiety, stress, pain, and fatigue. While most focus on the physical recovery, the emotional and mental is just as important. Postoperative Depression The AHA states that roughly 25% of triple bypass patients suffer from depression after the procedure. Often, depression is associated with progress after the surgery and if there are any setbacks of complications; however, that is not always the case. The Cleveland Clinic says that up to 20% of patients who have undergone bypass surgery experience major depression after surgery. Multiple studies have shown that mental stress directly affects a patient's heart health. Specific issues are: High blood pressure, arterial damage, irregular heart rhythms, and a weakened immune systemIncreased platelet reactivity, decreased heart variability, and increased proinflammatory markersIntensifies pain, worsens fatigue and sluggishness, or causes a person to withdraw into social isolationIncreased morbidity and mortality Some tips to help your overall health include: Practicing habits for emotional healthSetting positive goalsMaintaining realistic expectationsCelebrating progress When to Get Help for Depression t's important to know when to ask for help. Reach out to a licensed healthcare provider if you have these symptoms:Have persistent negative feelingsIncreasingly difficult time participating in your postopeative rehabilitationFeelings of harming yourself or someone elseStruggling to make a decisionChanges in your ability to care for yourselfEither not sleeping or sleeping too muchFeelings of extreme guiltFeelings of low self esteemExcessive and consistent cryingIf you are having suicidal thoughts, contact the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-8255 for support and assistance from a trained counselor. If you or a loved one are in immediate danger, call 911.For more mental health resources, see our National Helpline Database. Wound Care You will have a midsternal surgical incision following the procedure. Initially, the primary dressing will stay in place and be care for by the surgeon and nurses. Upon discharge, you will receive written instructions on how to care for the incision. General incisional care includes lightly washing the wound with mild soap and warm water daily and patting dry. Avoid scrubbing the area with a washcloth or loofah sponge. Scrubbing vigorously can open the incision. The incision will have tape or steri strips covering it. This dressing will peel back on its own. Do not scratch or pick the incision area. It's important to remember to: Remove the tape from your incisions (it will come off by itself)Avoid swimmingTake bathsScrub or rub your incisionsUse lotion or powder on your incisionsOverexpose your incisions to sunlight Patients may also have a surgical dressing on a leg from a vessel grafting. Care will need to be done for this incision as well. If your surgery involved taking a bypass graft from your leg, follow these guidelines: Care for your leg incision as described above.Avoid crossing your legs because this impairs circulation.Avoid sitting in one position or standing for prolonged periods of time.Elevate your leg on a stool or coffee table when sitting.You can also lie on a couch and elevate your leg on the arm of the couch.Check your leg daily for swelling. The swelling should decrease when you elevate your leg, but it might recur when you stand.If compression stockings (TED hose) were prescribed for you, wear the elastic stockings while you are up for at least two weeks after discharge. Signs of Infection Check your incisions several times a day. Immediately notify your doctor if you notice any of the following:Increased tenderness of the incision lineIncreased redness or swelling around the edges of the incision lineAny drainage from the incision lineA persistent feverPersistent leg swellingDecreased sensation in the leg with grafting siteWorsening pain despite pain medication A Word From Verywell Recovering from triple bypass surgery may seem daunting at first, but with the proper support and care it is manageable. It's important to remember to follow the discharge instructions provided by your healthcare team and feel comfortable asking questions or bringing up your concerns with the surgeon. Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Did you know the most common forms of heart disease are largely preventable? Our guide will show you what puts you at risk, and how to take control of your heart health. Sign Up You're in! Thank you, {{form.email}}, for signing up. There was an error. Please try again. What are your concerns? Other Inaccurate Hard to Understand Submit Article Sources Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read our editorial process to learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy. Cleveland Clinic. Follow up care and resources after heart surgery. The Society for Cardiovascular Angiography and Interventions. What to expect immediately after bypass surgery. Updated November 4, 2014. The Society of Thoracic Surgeons. What to expect after heart surgery. Mendes M, et al. Is there a role for cardiac rehabilitation after coronary artery bypass grafting? Circulation. 2016 Jun 14;133(24):2538-43. doi: 10.1161/CIRCULATIONAHA.115.017800 Borzou SR, Amiri S, Salavati M, Soltanian AR, Safarpoor G. Effects of the first phase of cardiac rehabilitation training on self-efficacy among patients undergoing coronary artery bypass graft surgery. 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