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Triple Bypass

My husband is 52 and had triple bypass surgery at the end of January 2011.  He recovered well and has no problems with breathing.  However, he has a persistent "crawling" feeling on the left side of his chest where the drain was inserted.  Is this normal and when will it dissapate?  The other probem is he seems to have lost interest in everything as well as his business.  He is a Hydraulic Engineering and used to do physical installations of Hammers, but now he feels if he does this type of work again he will die.  He is on chronic medication and suffers badly from gout and aches and pains in the muscles of the legs.  Is the medication the cause of this?  From being a get up and go person, I can hardly get him out of bed in the mornings.  Have tried to get him to see a Doctor, but he refuses.  I am desperately worried as mentally he is not the same person, please help.
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Avatar universal
Many thanks for your reply.  I had a suspicion that it could be depression as I was told it is one of the "side-effects" of such an operation but will most probably correct itself within 6 months to a year after the operation.  My only problem is getting him to a doctor for evaluation as he very stubborn.  

Even though I have managed to get him back to playing golf which he enjoys, I was very surprised to hear from him that he is not "supposed" to be working yet as I was assured from his Thoracic Surgeon that he could start getting into it slowly after 6-8 weeks.  What is the normal time span before they can resume their normal live? ie. working, driving, physical and strenous activities/work?

I have also noticed he is getting a lot of heartburn, is that a condition I should worry about? Is that another indication he might be leading to another heart attack?  He did have his general check-up with the Cardiac Surgeon 2 months ago and they said he is fine and his heart is strong.
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1687176 tn?1321398009
MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL
Open heart surgery is a large undertaking and can certainly take a toll on both a person's mind and body. It is certainly reasonable to make lifestyle changes such as eating healthier, exercising regularly, and abstaining from risk factors (such as smoking, alcohol, etc). However, a fear of going back to work or losing interest in things that used to bring happiness is not a normal phenomenon and might signal another emotional disturbance - such as depression. This should be evaluated further by your regular physician should these symptoms persist or other warning signs should surface (sleep disturbances, appetite changes, etc).

If there are any unusual physical complaints - especially where a chest tube was previously placed, it is best to consult your cardiologist/cardiothoracic surgeon for regular follow-up to make sure there is no evidence of a post-operative/procedural complication (such as an infection, fluid collection, etc). This may be a normal phenomenon but should really be evaluated by a licensed physician.  
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