He was exceptional and I needed to find out more about my heart. July. My chest aches and feels heavy. Try to do as much of what you used to do.your body will tell you when you should stop or slow downlisten to your body. Hello, I was just wondering if other people have experienced sternum pain after open heart surgery. It is also called "pump head.". Coronary arteries are the blood vessels that bring blood to the heart muscle. Everyday is different in regards to pain and my emotions but my biggest comfort is my family. Im 39 years old, former military, current contractor. Little things that were once only an afterthought have become so much more significant and dear to me. Here are its top four types: Median Sternotomy Scars These scars are typically 8 to 11 inches long since the sternum is cut open from top to bottom. I take a 2 hour nap in the afternoon and sleep about 9 hours a night. Today Is Heart Valve Disease Awareness Day! I have been told get used to it that is what often happens after open heart surgery. I have forgot how it could effect others. I have three options: the bypass, high risk stents (counseled against), and doing nothing (told this was a poor option and I could die). This is a very specialized MRI scan thats tuned to show the nerves (9). I hope you can talk to your Dr. About the meds. Thanks so much for any advice . Plast Reconstr Surg. I dont know if its better to extend life when the quality is this poor. This was the first time in my life that Ive been sick. An the only thing that helps is to push on it and I told him I can't go around holding my boob, he laughed. Aortic valve (cow), aortic root and aorta (composite) replaced. Numbness might develop soon after surgery if swelling disturbs the nerves. Maybe have some advise? Not breaking any records, but every day is an improvement. But one year ago I was diagnosed prediabetic. That said you can certainly expect discomfort but not pain. Please do not ignore any signs. Though I havent had any drastic, or particularly uncomfortable side effects from the Meds, I met with my PCP and discussed changing/doing away with Meds if I can. ??. So when I met her she was wearing a special brace to walk and had significant numbness and severe pain down the leg. I was home 1 week when the infection broke out on my sternum. Well, I matched 8/10 signs. Your experiences are invaluable to me in my second month of recovery from aortic valve replacement. the Edema went away after a couple of days and really hasnt returned. you are 18 or older, you read and agreed to the. If I push through some pain and walk a little more or do little extra physical activity, acute chest pain and SOB return and last for 2-3 days before leveling off. God bless of of you this makes a strong person and little bit weaker, but only temporary. The biomedical engineering handbook (third ed.). For any of you who are experiencing depression following the surgery, hang in there, it should go away. Background: The prevalence of intercostal nerve damage associated with coronary artery bypass graft-internal thoracic (mammary) artery surgery is unknown. Had aortic valve replacement and repair to tricuspid valve. My Surgery was on March 20th 2019. Fortunately, there are more good days than bad days now that I am at this point, but I do feel that if I have a busy day, I do feel tired and sore the next day. BP is controlled through drugs and am taking a blood thinner. At 2 1/2 weeks after my surgerystill coughing, then was diagnosed with fluid in my lung cavity and drained. I am having vision problems as well my Vision has worsened since surgery I went from not needing glasses for Distance to I cant see 30 40 feet and failed a Drivers Licenses Renewal!!! BILL. Working full time in construction although not quite as productive as before. My story May 3 2019 in need of triple bypass surgery, blockage 100%, and 80 to 90% in two, outcome was quadruple bypass. Blessings to all! But I am so, Roy says, "I have not been on this site for very"Read more, Search 1,500 patient-recommended surgeons. No physical symptoms, and a 71 year old. Im getting very afraid reading most of these post. Memory loss means I wanted to do something and I will call the related person in my office, but suddenly forget for what I called hahaahah. Similarly lift your arms out to your sides, straight armed and slow. My surgeon says it is damage to the ulnar nerve caused by compression of the nerves in my chest during surgery. The doctors can tell us a lot and thank God for them, but folks like you who are reporting from the trenches offer encouragement, lived experience, and advice. The electric shocks diminshed with time and only occasionally do I get them now, but the numbness persists and shorted nerve multiple touch sensitivity also persists 8 1/2 years later! Hi Teresa. Mastitis is an infection in a clogged duct. I feel that I should be back to 90% at least, but I still have issues. It works about as well as a nerve conduction study and is less invasive (8). Thank you and never give up!! The right shoulder pain started at week 5 for me and still present. I think diet is extreamly important to heal well. The sudden fatigue others have mentioned still hits me 2-3 times a week and have to stop whatever I am doing and take a nap. I get tired and sleep alot. I am 5.5 weeks out from triple bypass on Feb 19th. Had full set of Labs last week. Hope this post helps someone. The ribs are good but i do feel it occasionally when i move/twist but it isnt painful just uncomfortable. Walk daily as advised. I had my last check yesterday (10th June 2020) and my cardiologist is now telling me we should start the process for me to have the op. Some people feel very tired and exhausted most, or all of the time. ), then I have some good days & dont get too tired. Open heart surgery is an operation to repair a fault or damage in the heart. I am reading through these posts and came across yours. Give me patience, Ill do my part give me some results for the work. my surgery is this Thursday, and my doctor told me I would have a noticeable scar for 2+ years or so. My surgeon told me that it may take as much as 6 months to become normal. So, there are three good days a week. when i got home i suffered with breathing problems depression and found that i could only sleep for about 2 or 3 hours and night. My cardiac team (all new doctors) was amazing and 5 months out, I can say the medications I was on were making me sicker than the heart attack so I could never have a good day. I am currently doing Cardiac rehab 3 days a week along with walking most every day. Have recently been switched to carafate but too soon to know if it will work. I have had pain, numbness, and constant soreness in my right breast. I have done remarkably well almost 2.5/weeks post op. Not yet cleared from rehab, not back at work because Im unable to stand longer than an hourI used to do 10 hour shifts on my feet before You have to tell yourself to hang in there & make it back cos you have to. Statistics for depression are so high and alarmed me when I read up on it but knowing this is very helpful for me. 2016 Aug;123(2):504-10. doi:10.1213/ANE.0000000000001301, (15) Codd EE, Martinez RP, Molino L, Rogers KE, Stone DJ, Tallarida RJ. I do OK some things make my chest burns , but other then that i do ok my scars healed really good . I have also changed my diet and yes mine is also hereditary. I still have to relay on my family for help. Bill Welsh Thank you all for your post and stories, I am a 67 year male, I am beginning to feel better and maybe normal(?) Numbness can occur after surgery for several reasons, especially if you received anesthesia. I hope it is better now. Ask your Doctor about it, also Continue to walk, if your doc permits. I am thankful for my many doctors, family, friends and technology. I still have incredible numbness in both incisions, leg and chest. The biggest downside is depression. HBP. T am two months after quadruple bypass and pacemaker. Now on apixaban and metoprolol to try to get the pulse under control not doing a very good job at it though. Back to work but feeling very tired and sleepy lately. Muscles are sore but that could be some of the cardio therapy. I had a pump placed in my Heart during the Cath and they discovered I needed By-pass. Numbness and tingling are common after any sort of surgery, not just breast reconstruction. 70 year old, heavy smoker, on 4 May 18, heart attack 2 Stents inserted. It's common after heart surgery to be sad or blue, but these feelings should pass after the first few weeks. It has gotten some better but not completely. I am 59 and had a sextuple bypass 4 months ago. Family hx of cardiac disease (his dad died of a massive heart attack at age 65), so hed been seeing a cardiologist since he was 50, taking prescribed meds, exercising, etc. He was 57 at the time and thats far too young to have your life become so changed. Incisions healing well but very sensitive. Think of it this way: A surgeon just cut open your chest. Ten days later I had a pacemaker put in. Support and understanding/encouragement is so important!! Adam has been featured by the American Heart Association and Medical News Today. Also, they told me in hospital to walk 4 times 5 minutes inside a house/flat a day for the first 2 weeks. My hand is still asleep, and it is thus both numb and hyper-sensitive to touch. Thank you for sharing your story. Anyone out there have this problem? I went back to work 2 weeks ago. I am so thankful for Life and I pray that if you are feeling depressed consider talking to the Lord about it, perhaps reading some of the Psalms in the Bible. I never took any medications before this. This burning sensation worsens at night and it keeps me up for hours. Sign up with the Family Heart Foundation to receive monthly news, education and support! ASRA practice advisory on neurologic complications in regional anesthesia and pain medicine. The thought of having my ribs cracked open terrified me but the repair to my valve was very successful. Ive never been religious but God has his finger on every aspect of my life the last 6 weeks. Find other members in this community to connect with. I was put on Gabapentin for pain which did help but I just got off the medicine because I don't want to stay on it. John (UK). It is a more intense way of blocking pain. Sudden numbness or weakness in arms or legs; One sided facial droop or slurring of words; Sudden, severe headache; . Thats what threw the drs off cause they cant understand how my heart valves got so blocked ( 2/95% & 2/85% blocked). Our doctors need to do more! I am doing better after reading all of these other situations. My surgeon thinks Im doing great and my cardiologist thinks everything is fine. Liked your advice & staying positive. The pain gets better everyday and when it comes, I stretch out on the couch or the bed and rest for awhile. It would be so easy to give up and start wondering if this is even worth it. Needing heart surgery - need information re doctors at U of PA, Advice for other women with heart disease, Endocarditis and other heart valve problems, Experiences with healthcare professionals, Living with cardiomyopathy and congestive heart failure, Spontaneous coronary artery dissection (SCAD), Paroxysmal supraventricular tachycardia (PSVT). I am still very sore, easily fatigued and struggle with sleeping. I wish everyone good health and stay positive. Heart is in great condition (no heart attack or damage) and veins from legs were great too. Hi Vanna, Read my story above, just posted now. You raise a really good question about nerve damage and heart surgery. I send good wishes for healing to all of you- in both body and spirit!:-). Better health to us all! I am still a chronically Ill with Coronary Artery Disease, Pulmonary Oedema Patient with Advanced Renal failure needing medications BUT I have a life, although different to my best, a life, and a good life ahead. Well that didn't happen exactly. Ive been reading comment after comment. at the same time i felt bad for putting them in that position and impacting their lives, maybe your son feels the same way. I was in hospital for six days and was very irritable and depressed when I got home. If you have, please reach out to me. Complete recovery can take about one full year.". They can occur because of anesthesia, inability to move during the procedure, or the surgical cut itself. Hey Susan working daily 5 hrs, sleeping like a baby, BP Good, Colesterol not so good. Started feeling myself slow down about five years ago. Cost of Carafate extreme even with my ins. Ive been dealing with this since I was 7. Seek out company of those who support you. (10) Recknor JB, Mallapragada SK. This still puzzles me how the heck did a CABG effect my walking and change my vision so much. Just started doing ten minutes twice a day on my excercise bike if this helps to get back to normal (what ever normal was before) but is this shortage of breath normal after reading some of the threads on here it seems that it is. I went to him and got an echo and he said that I needed a new valve! My husband had an unscheduled triple bypass in December 2019, two weeks after his 73rd birthday. So, dont worry much about Bobs situation as he will come out of it. The chest pain has been significantly less but is still there. Initially i thought i could do it all but in the end i cant express how lucky i was to have a sister and brother to help me. Most days I dont even think about it but, there are times that fear still reminds me of what happened. I should be starting my cardiac rehab in another week, although I have been walking pretty regularly. Things can turn around in a day, be optimistic. My biggest concern is my age. Cant remember, cant think, cant sleep, cant drive a car. They are called Lyrica. 8+ hour long Surgery, 3 days in CICU, 4 days upstairs total of 7 days, then home. The early days were traumatizing. About that time, I started to aggressively look for my old Cardiologist and guess what? That was excruciating and was re hospitalized several times. Some parts are numb and some areas feel as though someone took a hammer to them, still can't lay on my stomach, barely on my side and hurry in the shower. Invest Radiol. I have all ready had one blister on my scar that need to be cut and I had to pack it with gauze after every shower. Understanding the "pins and needles" feeling. My scar is looking better but it is still a little red and some days it itches quite a bit. Hihow is now the author of the blog?is she now in great condition?how are you now? This cold weather is driving me crazy, Im thinking about going to Florida to recover. This blog does not offer advice, in any way, to anyone suffering from this disease. -The horrible headaches first on the right side then on the left side of my head have subsided significantly in the past 2 weeks. So heres the good news for all. I am 55 and quit my job over this so looking for a new job and purpose of getting out of bed in the morning. I am quite nervous about being prepared, but I am getting through that. I was irritated by Hospital Staff and discharged myself. I still have dreadful pain in my breasts after open heart surgery. 12 visits total on Home Therapy, Outpatient Cardio Rehab 2-3 x/wk since then. I had my open heart surgery 4 way bypass in August. Take a medication to remove excess fluid if needed. The recovery process is much slower than people realize and I know that it will be a daily struggle for the rest of my life. Its very hard to make myself slow down, but pushing yourself too far has no benefits. Hair loss, a side effect of hysterectomy, we may see when there is heavy bleeding or prolonged pressure on the scalp during surgery. At this point, I really wish I had smaller breasts, cause its really uncomfortable and still cannot lay on either side or flat on my back. I had a cardiac calcification test done for the heck of it. Hello everyone, my name is Layne and I had my OHS this past June. All of a sudden I'd be in agony. You inspire others in doing so. Feeling good the only thing bothering me is left hand still numb and very uncomfortable to wear a shirt. I could copy and paste a lot of your post op results. The most common symptoms of nerve damage after surgery are usually numbness, tingling, burning, muscle weakness or atrophy. I am 8 weeks after aortic valve and root replacement. An abscess under your nipple or areola can cause pain, redness, and heat. This is solely a personal account that might or might not offer some insight on what to expect when diagnosed with this condition. Black American Risks for Heart Disease and Stroke, Diagnostic Criteria for Familial Hypercholesterolemia, A Global Call to Action on Familial Hypercholesterolemia, My Journey with Familial Hypercholesterolemia and Heart Disease, https://livingwithfh.blogspot.com/2016/07/life-at-five-months-after-open-heart.html. Once I quite taking that Cartia XT I started to feel like myself again. The image below shows that a nerve is made up of bundles of neurons (nerve cells) called fascicles. I do have Rheumatoid Arthritis and my joint pain has increased and effects my hips and legs the most at this time. Lehigh Valley, PA. Had my left lung removed in 2008, numbness lasted 5 years it ended gradually. I am thankful for this site. Im 56years old and had a quadruple bypass on May 4, 2018. I am worried that I have done something. Thanks to each and everyone of you who took the time to share your stories. Im 8 weeks post op, so it seems this is going to take a while. The best thing that has kept me going is a sayings that me and my military buddies used to say to each other on the bad days, One day, all this will be just a story that you tell. I hope everyone recovers well and just remember the fights not done till you quit swinging. I am generally a positive happy person and am very thankful for each day God gives me. And it can last for hours or even days after surgery. No Afib, so much will hopefully improve. I started having heart problems in my mid 40s. I am lifting 30 plus pounds, but not over doing it. I later learned the numbness was an effect of the Ibuprofen I had been taking. Doing it this way ensures that they don't cut through any chest muscle, so this normally ensures that normally the only pain is from the incision. I had open heart surgery 6 weeks ago; I by now that I would be feeling relief from the pain and discomfort associated to the post-operative recovery. (20 pages)..Been home in my unit(live on my own)for past 2days..Am starting to at last, getting to a properly relaxed state of mind,with proper uninterrupted resting periods..My guess is we all become victims of the systematic(incompetent/inefficient) ways in place with the Medical fraternity and ALL are pleased to leave the Hospital bed, even if in our own minds,were not ready to leaveYoure partners feelings have been matched by mine..Am sure this must be right across the boardcheers for now.. Hi Paula, I am seven weeks into recovery from open heart bypass surgery. Nothing we can do, but the nerve sheath should grow back. at home I called my surgeon and was told they had no. If you have specific inquiries, please feel free to contact us at info@familyheart.org. 5 months later and Im suffering from a bit of depression and pain in my right upper arm and shoulder. Massachusetts says, Roy Yoder from I have read different reports, some more and some less encouraging. Here is the problem that sounds a bit like your issue. He just treated me like any other CABG x 4, not taking into account Complete Renal Failure and reduced kidney function (form 70% to below 32% post op). Then my heart was beating 240 bpm and they stopped and started it six times to get rhythm BUT I need beta blockers to maintain it, if I stop beta blockers it climbs back up fast, I was so sick, I mean deaths door and couldnt be discharged, they flew me to my local hospital for aftercare. Other members in this community to connect with her she was wearing a special brace to walk if. Right shoulder pain started at week 5 for me and still present called fascicles pain and cardiologist. 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