8 weeks after open heart surgery, I am having a constant pulling, painful sensation on the right side of my chest, made much worse by sneezing or coughing. It feels healthy enough but, alas, six weeks later I had a brain bleed, due to blood thinning meds. Not helpful! My ribs are finally feeling better but I still have pain in my breasts and tightness around the scar. Rocky Mountain House, Canada says, Here is a must for any OHS recoveryyou take one of these.. turn it, Greg says, "Here is a must for any OHS recovery"Read more, Richard Munson from Turned 61 yesterday and am grateful that I did. I have since goggled them all after STOPPING all medications and medicines. So I preety much take care of my home and family. Sleep is still somewhat of an issue, because of rib and shoulder discomfort. His stamina is still not terrific. I went to a hospital 3times, walk-in center twice and an orthopedic dr and they all said same thing cause my EKG came out fine as well as my heart monitoring and BP was all normal. Am hoping another cpl good nights rest will alleviate that.. Did a little walking today bit didnt come close to the past week of 1-1/2 lie a day My mind is telling g me, this is just a minor setbackand things will once again improve. 2015;2:156-64. doi:10.4103/2347-9264.160878, (2) Liang JQ, Chen C, Zhao H. Revision Surgery after Percutaneous Endoscopic Transforaminal Discectomy Compared with Primary Open Surgery for Symptomatic Lumbar Degenerative Disease. Yes Joanne. my surgery is this Thursday, and my doctor told me I would have a noticeable scar for 2+ years or so. Your doctor did the surgery through a cut, called an incision, in your chest. The difference is, what if your leg falls asleep during surgery? I had open heart surgery 18 months ago. Or it could be a sign of a complication the provider should explore. it's nine weeks, is this normal ? I How long is the sternum usually sore after open heart surgery? Pace-maker implanted when I was 50 ( am now 72) after a virus caused pericarditis. You sound like me. Now I am 8 months away from the surgery and mostly doing fine. My Surgery was on March 20th 2019. How long can I recover back? I cant have it investigated until a year after my heart surgery. Support and understanding/encouragement is so important!! 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 am 60 years young, recovering from quadruple bypass surgery about 1 month ago. I had the triple bypass. I am fortunate in that I was fairly young (58) and healthy going in and the recovery has been mostly good. I had cabs x2 and mitral and aortic valve replaced by biological tissue April 9,2020. Sadly but necessarily the hospital has suspended all visiting because of Covid-19 but I have been able to talk to Bob on the phone. I wish and pray you all get stronger and continue to heal physically and mentally from this mind blowing experience! However, my pain doesn't seem to be from the rib as much as IN my breast. In addition, the nerve is surrounded by a fatty sheath (myelin) that acts like an insulator covering a wire. Im doing fallowups, mabie blood sugar, but i drink orange juice. Now, sharp as ever. Im feeling great. Overall, I feel pretty good and it seems the more exercise I get, the better I feel. But, now I am seeing I am not the same. After my surgery I used to get bit of dizziness and or feeling kind of body not in normal state. I really benefit from reading this blog.. Had a triple. I hope you are doing well and have found some peace of mind with all of this! You had surgery to repair or replace one of your heart valves. Five/six days later, had the OHS. No no, Im too young 52. I am happy for your recovery. Jan 3, 2012. After a load of scans, my doctor spotted I had an enlarged heart. This community is sponsored by WomenHeart, an Inspire trusted partner. I feel good physically but at times, psychologically, I am really struggling. Im becoming really concerned. I am 42 years old and had a double bypass in May 2012 then I had 2 stents in August 2012. 4. Must admit I loved Percocet. They couldnt understand why my heart function was so poor, there were a couple of blockages but only at 60%, he said we cant see any other issue causing this so lets get the obvious fixed, I said ok and 6 weeks later I had a quadruple heart bypass, 5 days in hospital and I was home and that was including having a collapsed lung after surgery I had no pain only discomfort,8 weeks since op I feel really good, first 2-3 weeks I felt fragile and sleep wasnt the best, but no pain, I recently had an echocardiogram test and was told my heart was returning to normal function Its very daunting Paul I know but as my wife said its better get it done now while youre relatively fit rather than having it done as an emergency, yes reading the other posts I seem to have been quite fortunate with my recovery so far, I hope this helps you, take care Steve. Its terrifying to discover how mortal we are, its extremely painful having your chest opened, its debilitating and highly annoying to those who are used to being fit and independent, its a major depressive chapter for anybody and so I say, YOU WILL NEVER UNDERSTAND UNTIL IT HAPPENS TO YOU! I do really appreciate everyone sharing their experiences. I had my OHS 4 weeks ago, and like u everything is really ok except me being outta breath so easily. So he must want you here for a purpose, if not for nothing else but to realize all anyone of us have is today. Anyone have this problem? 63 y/o Male with a heavily abused body, Smoked a pack a day since my early 40s. Long family history of heart disease. Her grip strength went from negligible to normal. I was told my Lungs and my Heart were still recovering and the Virus would most likely cause me to have grave symptoms. I walk almost every day hoping that helps but it doesnt because its a struggle to do it. Would you still have numbness in the sternum area ten months after open heart surgery? I had my mitral valve repair 3 years ago, and am now getting upper back pain, like Scot A. above -which no one had warned me about, (but thinking about it is fairly obvious side effect, as the chest is pulled open and the ribs are moved far more than they were designed to). Really depressed. Starting just part time with 3-4 hours and hope to build up. 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. I have been on pain meds since my surgery, I am thinking that they are going to have to go back in and hopefully fix this, I was just wondering if other people have had this done and what kind if success, Greetings! This was the first time in my life that Ive been sick. I went to him and got an echo and he said that I needed a new valve! I walk 3 miles a day. 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. A slight amount of facial nerve damage could affect a patient's ability to smile. 2018 Apr;33(4):1194-1199. doi:10.1016/j.arth.2017.10.050, (6) Ldermann A, Lbbeke A, Mlis B, Stern R, Christofilopoulos P, Bacle G, Walch G. Prevalence of neurologic lesions after total shoulder arthroplasty. All the doctors want to do is feed my anti-depressants. My surgeon says it is damage to the ulnar nerve caused by compression of the nerves in my chest during surgery. Nerve damage after surgery that doesnt go away after a few months can be devastating. Ps. It would be so easy to give up and start wondering if this is even worth it. The patient should go for a cardiac rehabilitation program when the doctor recommends . Hello everyone, I am one of the youngest people on this blog but Im really glad to find an outlet to talk with others in similar situations. And Im also walking about 5 miles a day, and I walk every day whether I feel like it or not. Some days I feel great as long as I dont over do it. I am now on Eliquis. Since my surgery, I have had two pretty good freak outs and went to the OR. Coronary arteries are the blood vessels that bring blood to the heart muscle. 3 months ago I started having dizzy spells and double vision. That said you can certainly expect discomfort but not pain. Four major arteries have blockages, with one completely occluded but smaller blood vessels compensating. Had most of the problems one can have after the surgery but very slowly recovered. I agree to get it check by all means, I just want her to know it happens. Hey Vince, Hoping you are doing much better! I have a very good support system with family and friends. Sometimes some nerves are damaged extracting the LIMA - that numbness isn't uncommon. Cardio can be a challenge..but it has helped me. Hes not the person I used to know. I havent got a lot of faith in this visit. Typically the sternum is slit open in an open heart surgery which takes around 6 weeks to heal. 2019;10:888. doi:10.3389/fneur.2019.00888, (9) Schwarz D, Kele H, Kronlage M, Godel T, Hilgenfeld T, Bendszus M, Bumer P. Diagnostic Value of Magnetic Resonance Neurography in Cervical Radiculopathy: Plexus Patterns and Peripheral Nerve Lesions. So, Im doing chemical stress test and rarely get feedback when I ask questions from Cardiologist #2. 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). Best advice I have had is stay as active as you can and time is your friend. I appreciate he has been through a major ordeal, both physically and mentally, and it is so unfortunate that it has happened bang in the middle of the Covid-19 crisis when life is in a turmoil for everyone. Im pretty sure Bob will be okay just give him time, hes been through a lot. I am 70, had OHS 6 wks ago to replace 2 valves. I have to keep my head above water & just keep trying to move forward regardless of how slow that may be. July. 5 weeks after my quadruple Im improving slowly. I am 42 years old. Overview. I should be starting my cardiac rehab in another week, although I have been walking pretty regularly. I went roughly 8 mos thinking and being told I had a muscle sprain in my back that radiated down my left arm and burning in chest. This is what happens when scar tissue forms around a nerve after surgery. Hello Ramesh. Thank you for sharing your experience. If sensation hasn't been achieved by then, sensation may be regained in 12 to 18 months. You will have over the shoulder pains after but it doesn't last long. I thought if I just would sleep and rest all weekend I would feel better on Monday. After that I had chest muscle pain and soreness like what many here have described. When I asked 2 of My Drs if they had ever had a patient do what I did, lose so much time and think they were fighting a war or helping catch criminals and so forth during my 2 weeks of Vents and recovery? Hey yall, 9 weeks past quad bypass. I just wanted to comment on changing doctors . Advice? When I think that the pig valves are only good for ten years on an average, I get depressed. It is also possible for a nerve to be cut during surgery. It takes from six months to one year before physicians consider a recovery complete. This is not Bobs usual state of mind he is usually very placid, chilled and calm. Even getting back to cooking a meal was a real achievement . I had no clue I had a heart problem until I had the classic symptoms one night, called 911 and 1 day later had a quadruple bypass. I have been so worried and sad, he has a huge , hard 6 months ahead. Is it possible for Barbara to not have any scar from the top of her sternum down to her cleavage within 7 months of her surgery? I am out of breath, I sleep constantly, I have no energy and I cant walk well because my balance is off. Your experiences are invaluable to me in my second month of recovery from aortic valve replacement. Nice of em, huh?! My chest still hurts and is uncomfortable most days. how to get rid of dark marks under breast how to get rid of dark marks under breast Soreness. But i am also improving my life style choices and recomend watching the 515 blood sugar documentary by dr micheal mosley..and eat fast and live longer. Here, Simon Kendall (heart surgeon) and Chrissie Bannister (heart surgery nurse) talk about some of the possible side-effects and complications that may happen after heart surgery. I am 9 months post op and still having many issues. Hi Teresa. All in all I guess I am doing very well. In Bronzino JD (ed.). I have nerve pain on my left side preferably around my armpit. 1086(1):8190. Good days and bad days, I wonder if this is what angina feels like but my arteries were fine. I feel healthy, Im still active and I have no symptoms. If so, would you please leave a comment for Sean detailing your situation and how/if you fixed it? Roll on 10 months, I have had aortic replacement valve. Tingling or numbness in your elbow or fingers. Tylenol and heating pad help but not greatly. 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. Hi, I am 58 and had triple bypass 6 months ago. Steadily decreasing pain as recovery continues. I was unable to attend the Cardiac Class after surgery. Thanks for the blog. Since I quit smoking also my taste buds have woken up. I am tired and dont have the energy that I use to have. Walk at least 2 to 3 times a day for 20 to 30 minutes. There is a Graft (Tube like) in my Aorta and also St.Judes valve replaced. walking) when you have the clearance to do so. Again SLOWLY. But alive and kicking tired yes ache yes but one step at a time and grateful to the dedicated teams who pulled me through. Im 11 months post quintuple bypass. The most common is coronary artery bypass grafting, which . It does get better but it takes time. Other times I dont take sugar. I am also 5 months out of quadruple bypass. Hello folks, 13 years ago I had a porcine valve replacement and all went well, I had also had a single bypass, nerve block, pace maker and Aortic graft put in at the same time but this year the valve reached the end of its useful life. Sure, what does he care, he's never had one! I can't lay down or sit in one place long. It is a more intense way of blocking pain. Fast heart rate that didnt slow down for hours, and two days of discomfort in my chest. The pain gets better everyday and when it comes, I stretch out on the couch or the bed and rest for awhile. Little did I know my doctors would be out of the picture and the doctors at the rehab hospital would be in charge of my care. The ribs and the cartilage. When does the pain from open heart surgery go away? 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. Please feel free to email us at info@familyheart.org. For most, nipple sensation will return within a year of the procedure, however total nerve regeneration . I tried joining a Tai Chi class to get back into shape but maybe I am irritating my chest muscles by the movements. In this procedure, which builds off our published work on treating spinal nerves with platelets, we inject the patients own platelet-derived growth factors that can assist nerve repair through cytokines like NGF, PDGF, and IG-1 (17,18). 8 weeks after surgery I could drive, but turning the wheel caused some soreness in the chest and seat belt was uncomfortable going over the surgery scar on chest. What made it worse for me is that I lost my wife just 2 years ago so going through this alone was tough I really have to fight depression. That didnt sit well with me since Ive been paying copays and noticing how much he costs! Hope this passes soon, I had double bypass on April 3. Read food labels for sodium content. It is very common and since my Open Heart Surgery to replace my aortic valve I've had it 3 times. Numbness has been identified as divergent from positive neuropathic symptoms and therefore excluded from some neuropathic assessment tools (Neuropathic Pain Scale for PostSurgical . I sit here now, same chair 5:50pm and the pain has pretty much subsided..although my breathing intake is, still somewhat impaired. I am scared to death to do this but i am at high risk so need to have it done. My hea, Deep buring pain after open heart surgery, CHEST PAIN NOT CARDIAC AFTER OPEN HEART SURGERY, constant fear, depression and pain after open heart, Mammo's after Open Heart Surgery for Mitral Valve, Feeling very alone in my open heart surgery journey, I am having my first mammogram after my open heart surgery. Is this normal? I just finished Cardiac Rehab, and that helped me to improve physically. If my pulse rate would behave that would be a bonus too. An added note: My surgeon scheduled a double by-pass, only did a single, did not use vein from my leg, but used the one from my chest, and re-scheduled my, sugery 3 times because he was so busy. Was not particularly religious but have dug deep to stay sane and realise our bodies are miraculous creations. This group of medicines is used to blunt pain and sensation during surgery. Finally convinced my family doctor that I am very aware of what my body was capable of, and that I was running at half speed. Any words of advice or encouragement/discouragement would be appreciated. So just around 4 months now. but will publish results here. I am 65 and never smoked, never had high blood pressure or high cholesterol. 2012;2(4):129131. Understanding the "pins and needles" feeling. Anyone else having issues this long? The Cardiologist had ignored my Renal Failure and 32% kidney function. I do have Rheumatoid Arthritis and my joint pain has increased and effects my hips and legs the most at this time. After three visits to my surgeon's office following my operation I was told that my ribs were accidentally broken during the procedure. I was released after five days but right back in (helicopter & ambulance delivery back to surgeon) for a second ohs due to problems. Stay tanned and you ll have a hard time even getting sympathy. They're meant for patients' well-being. Normally heart surgery is done by performing a vertical incision from just below the collar bone, to just below the breast. Methods: A total of 37 consecutive patients with coronary artery bypass graft surgery (all with left internal thoracic artery graft) who were attending a cardiac-related exercise program underwent a thorough examination. So they are not pushing him too much. Time heals all wounds. Take care! It's time to seek medical attention if they don't or if other symptoms appear. Drs say it takes up to six month to be at my normal self again. Causes. This was at the time described as trivial and was monitored by the hospital for 5 years when it became a severe mitral regurgitation. Im 60 years old, thought pain would be bad. The heart surgery went well, went to a rehab hospital thinking it would be helpful to my recovery. 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