Keep in mind; in the beginning it is normal to feel tired easily and to have mild shortness of
breath with activities.
4. Food and Nutrition:
Your body and your incisions need proper nutrition in order
to heal.
It is normal to have little or no appetite right after the
surgery. Foods may not taste good or have no taste at all
after open heart surgery. It can take several weeks for your
taste and appetite to improve.
Eat small frequent meals every 2-3 hours including high-
protein foods, fruits, and vegetables.
Consider adding a supplemental protein drink in between
meals, but be careful of the sodium content. Choose one that
does not have more than 500 mg of sodium per serving.
5. Pain and Numbness:
It is normal to have mild to moderate pain at the incision sites or have muscle pain and tightness
in your shoulders and upper back between your shoulder blades. Muscle discomfort will get
better over time. The incisional pain is usually associated with activities or coughing. The pain
should decrease with stopping of the activity. You should take pain medication when needed, as
prescribed, so you can keep yourself active, take deep breaths, and cough effe ctively.
You may also have numbness near or around the chest and leg incisions, or in your arm or hand
where any needles were inserted during surgery. The numbness is due to the manipulation of
the nerves during surgery or insertion of a needle. It may take up to several months for the
sensation to return back to normal.
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