Recovery

When to Call the Doctor After Bypass Surgery

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Call your care team if you have:

  • A fever of 100.4˚F (38˚C) or higher, or as advised by your doctor.

  • Chills.

  • Sharp pain in the chest when you take a deep breath.

  • Bleeding from the incision sites.

  • Belly (abdominal) pain, nausea, constipation, or vomiting that doesn't go away.

  • Increasing pain that doesn't get better after taking pain medicine.

  • Swelling, redness, oozing, or cloudy discharge at the incision sites.

  • Bruising for no known reason.

  • Continued feeling of motion or clicking sounds in your breastbone.

  • Sudden weight gain. (Tell your doctor if you gain 1 to 2 pounds within 24 hours or more overnight, or 5 pounds or more in 1 week.)

  • More swelling of the legs, especially on the side where the vein was not removed.

  • Drainage or foul-smelling odor from the incisions on the chest or leg.

Man talking on phone.


Call 911

Call 911 right away if you have:

  • Shortness of breath or trouble breathing not relieved by rest.

  • Angina or chest pain symptoms.

  • Sweating a lot for no reason.

  • A sudden severe headache.

  • Sudden weakness and numbness in the face, arms, or legs, or difficulty speaking.

  • Dizziness or fainting spells.

  • A fast heartbeat, extremely slow heartbeat, or irregular heartbeat.

Featured in

Online Medical Reviewer: Stacey Wojcik MBA BSN RN

Online Medical Reviewer: Steven Kang MD

Date Last Reviewed: 05/01/2025

© 2000-2026 The StayWell Company, LLC. All rights reserved. This information is not intended as a substitute for professional medical care. Always follow your healthcare professional's instructions.

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