Exact Answer: 6 Weeks
Bypass surgery involves surgical treatment in the heart to prevent the blockage of blood flow. In most people, their coronary artery gets blocked and this treatment is performed on them immediately so that the blood can keep flowing.
This is why the surgical procedure is also called coronary artery bypass surgery. The surgery is done by making an incision in the chest of the patient. During the process, the doctors keep a machine that helps the patient’s blood flowing throughout his body. The rib cage is cut open so that the doctor can perform the surgery.
How Long After Bypass Surgery Can I Drive?
| Post bypass surgery | Doctors advise his patient not to drive or indulge in any kind of activity for 6 weeks. |
| In case of an open heart surgery | Healing could take some time and you would be advised to take a rest for a couple of months. |
The heart has one of the most important functions in the whole body because it keeps a person alive. However, due to some unhealthy habits of several people, the heart has to suffer. Say suppose a person is a chain-smoker then he has a high chance of having a heart attack.
Being healthy is one of the most important things you could do to keep yourself out of any kind of surgery. Bypass surgery is a surgery that is performed on those people having trouble with their blood flow. The chest is cut open and then the surgery is done to restore normal blood flow.
When a person is admitted to having heart-related issues then he would go through several procedures before the surgery. The patient would be taken to an ICU unit where a stomach tube would be inserted into the patient’s nose down to the stomach.
A catheter would be used and chest tubes would also be used to drain fluid. Other things like an arterial line would be used in the artery of your arm to check your blood pressure. And, you would also use IV tubes for the supplying of fluids, medicines, and blood.
Why Does It Take That Long After Bypass Surgery To Drive?
If you had a bypass surgery then you must forget about indulging in any kind of activity for about a couple of months. Your doctor would also recommend you not to have sex during your healing process for a couple of weeks.
Bypass surgery is not a small surgical treatment because this treatment could be used to resolve a serious issue. Soon after the surgery, you will feel weak and you will be on bed rest for at least the next one or two weeks before you are allowed to be discharged from the hospital.
The next day after the surgery you can start drinking fluids and you can also start eating solid foods. The sooner you heal the better it is for you. In some people, they take more than 2-3 months to heal because they had a much serious issue than other people.
You will also be able to start walking after a day or two and after the second day at the hospital, you will expect your appetite to return. Within the end of the week, you will be expected to be discharged from the hospital.
However, bed rest would still be recommended to the patient once he leaves the hospital and recovers at home. It is necessary to take a rest because once you indulge in any kind of heavy activity then there could be certain complications. You do not want any kind of complications to occur during your healing process.
Conclusion
In the end, it is your health that matters the most because without your health you would have to be bedridden for life. Some people are addicted to smoking and drinking and cannot help themselves out once they reach home after they had bypass surgery.
You should always remember the do’s and don’ts because if a serious complication occurs then it could also lead to the death of the person. In case you are having trouble you should immediately contact your doctor about it and make sure that he knows about each and everything that you are experiencing.