Bypass

My mother had a quidriple bypass 3wks ago, she had alot of complications afterwords, they said her kidneys backed up into her lungs, then she came down with phnemonia, went into a-fib twice, now she is is over all of that, but they are telling us she still has some Heart failure CHF, we have her in Rehab now, but she is so week and depressed it is almost like she has had a stroke, does not want to move around or comply with the PT. is this normal and will she come out of this? they put her on Zoloft and have decreased her pain meds... all she wants is a pill...

[Yvette BG]

It is statistically not uncommon for people to sometimes experience depression and mood changes after bypass surgery--especially if complications have slowed down the recovery period or how long the person thought he/she would be in the hospital.
I've seen this happen with both my parents after their bypass surgeries over the past 2 years; they're in their 80s and both were prone to mild to moderate depression prior to their operations.

It may take a while for the Zoloft to work. How is she eating? That can make a huge difference in strength as well as mood, especially in older people with fewer reserves.
If she's not eating well, you may want to request the help of the dietitian. Poor appetite is fairly common after bypass.  

Would bringing in her favorite music help lift her mood, I wonder.

Also--how is she sleeping? Sleep deprivation can cause mood changes and worsen depression.  

Another thing I would mention is that, has a nurse or one of the therapists talked with her about what is considered usual recovery/progress and what to expect? My Mom, in particular, seemed to feel she was "disappointing people" and somehow "failing" because she couldn't do so much as she expected to, as quickly as she had thought. Once she understood that she was making normal progress, it did help improve her mood. It seems some people's self-esteem can take a hit from bypass; I've heard other people talk about this as well. It's understandable...

Also, assuming the plan is for her to return home after she finishes rehab (maybe with home health nurse, home therapy, or outpatient cardiac rehab), it may be important to talk with her about that. Maybe she is worried she is not going to get strong enough to return home.  

A final thought; you can also ask the doctor if he/she thinks talking with a clergy person or a social worker might help.

Good luck...I know it's tough to see your parent going through this...