Back, neck, shoulder and arm pain ...

[Allisoninoz]

I am grateful for how well my Ross Procedure went. But am feeling miserable today because I'm in so much pain from sore muscles around neck, back, shoulders and right down my arms. I've had two physio sessions since I came home just over a week ago and they help momentarily but then the pain just returns.
I was ok until a couple of days ago - just a bit sore in my muscles - but now am feeling miserable because I just can't get comfortable at all. Everything hurts. I'm not inclined to walk, which I know I should. And I dread going to bed because I know I"ll only sleep for a couple of hours max, despite the sleeping tabs.
Pharmacist tells me I can't take anti inflammatories because of increased risk of bleeding. Heavier pain med just makes me feel ill.
Sorry for the miserable post; just need to vent.
Is it just a bad day or two??? Does anybody have suggestions?
http://www.valvereplacement.org/forums/images/smilies/frown.gif

 

[Natina13]

Allison,
Vent all you want !!!! I just wish you were not hurting If you don't want to have heavier pain meds....maybe you could try a combo type of solution... these are a few I have used , as I get pain in those areas ( except the arm) due to some previous back injuries. You may need a muscle relaxant such as Robaxin or Soma to take with the pain med you were discharged on or with Tylenol. Stretching- this will also help to get the lactic acid out of your muscles. Use a heating pad to the sore areas, warm showers, a gentle massage or a chiropractor ( if MD approves) , Lidoderm patches ( your Cardiologist would have to approve this and give you a prescription), Capsaicin topical, which is used for temporary relief of muscle or joint pain caused by strains, sprains, arthritis, bruising, or backaches ( Even over the counter meds, such as this is, would need to be discussed with you Cardiologist, before use). I also try to use soft music, wearing a headset....to take your mind off the pain and relax. Relaxation tapes or Guided Imagery is a proven form of focused relaxation that coaches you in creating calm, peaceful images in your mind -- a "mental escape."
In addition to keeping you comfortable, pain control can help you recover faster and may reduce your risk of developing certain complications after surgery, such as pneumonia and blood clots. If your pain is well controlled, you will be better able to complete important tasks such as walking and deep breathing exercises So if this continues, please inform your MD...
Sending caring thoughts and hugs your way. Hope this issue is resolved soon for you..and remember to "vent" as needed...we are listening !
Renee
GO TEAM 2011 !!

 

[kfay]

Allison, The pain you are experiencing is very common and I think for a lot of us is more of a problem than any chest/sternum pain. My heating pad quickly became my best friend, and I started getting massages a couple of weeks post op which really helped as well. Gentle stretching may help as well. Unfortunately, there is no easy "fix", it just will take time to go away. I'll be honest with you, it's going to be around for longer than a day or two. I had problems with my back hurting for probably close to two months.

If your "heavier" pain meds are making you ill, perhaps you can call your Dr. and try something different. I'm assuming you must be on coumadin and that's why your pharmacist has recommend you not take any anti-inflamatories. Hang in there, it does get better.

Kim

 

[malibu82]

THESE pains were the WORST pains from my whole surgery! and you can't get relief because you can't stretch your muscles out! the only thing that helped me was motrin i would take 400mg of it every 6 hours. even that didn't completely rid the pain. massage helps a lot too but i could never get anyone to give me one!

i never expected to have that much pain in my arm shoulders back and neck from surgery! to be honest mine lasted about 3-4 weeks

 

[Jeff Edmonton]

Sitting up straight, try pushing your chin into your chest with your hand and hold it there for a few seconds, it helps relieve my pain.

 

[Jkm7]

My first surgery I was far more uncomfortable with sore muscle aches and pains and moist heat worked well for me.

My second surgery, I was so lucky to avoid the shoulder, neck and upper back pains.

 

[Marguerite53]

Sitting up straight, try pushing your chin into your chest with your hand and hold it there for a few seconds, it helps relieve my pain.

Oh, that's true! I remember! Not so much this instruction from Jeff, but that the physical therapist at my cardiac rehab told me to gently, gently (did I say gently??) remember to try to sit up and walk around straight. The sternotomy is healing and the chin up is not something we tend to do when we're relaxing/recovering. We're reading or looking down at our computer. SO. try to sit each day just looking straight out at something for awhile.

Also, you know, this is why we always say, hey! I didn't get the license plate of the truck that hit me!! Everyone feels like they've been in a car wreck. Body jolted and twisted violently aches and soreness. Only in this case, of course, it was the surgeons leaning all over you or something placed on you to give them better access into your chest.

I dragged on happily with my painkillers for quite awhile. But, trying to wean myself I found that for some reason, just a snippet of the prescriptive drug combined with an allowable dose of xtra-strength tylenol (or was it the heavier Arthritis Strength) really did the trick for me. Might have just been psychological, but I added up all the ingredients and just that teeny bit of codeine or whatever else was in the Rx helped me without my having to take a full dose of the Rx. Hope I'm making sense here.

Another thing you might try are those seeded heating packs. Here we can buy them at whole foods/natural foods type places. They are a cotton flannel pillowy thing filled with seed and pits and rice and some lovely blend of essential oils and you warm them up in the microwave for 2 minutes. I think there is an aromatherapy principle at work, too since they smell so good. Send someone out to buy you one or two. they make them in a neck 'U' shape, or small rectangles..... just get one of each!! You deserve it!

Sorry that you are hurting. This isn't fun stuff -- but you will find light at the end of the tunnel soon and you are always welcome to whine and complain here!! We understand.

Marguerite

 

[Mentu]

Allison, following my AVR, I didn't have much chest pain but that spot under my left shoulder blade and my neck were a different matter. I can't say that massage therapy caused it to go away but massage certainly made it feel better. I can recommend the massage, Allison, but you must get out and walk. Your lungs will not recover properly or as quickly if you fail to walk. We think of walking as just using our legs but walking uses a lot more muscles than that. You will feel better all over and you will sleep better if you walk. Perhaps, you could get a friend to walk with you. You might also consider borrowing a dog. I borrowed Ashley, a very fat 25 lb poodle, to walk with me. Ashley was happy to be out and kept me moving when I got bored. Sorry that you are not closer, Ashley could still benefit by loosing a couple more pounds.

Larry

 

[Jkm7]

Larry is so right. The walking is critical to good recovery. For those who are able to walk, the effort and initial discomfort pay huge dividends. Though your neck, shoulders, back may ache, just focus on putting one foot in front of the other and get it done. Before you know it, your whole body will respond to the exercise and will make a world of difference to your recovery.

Best Wishes. Hope you feel very much better soon.

<snip> Perhaps, you could get a friend to walk with you. You might also consider borrowing a dog. I borrowed Ashley, a very fat 25 lb poodle, to walk with me. Ashley was happy to be out and kept me moving when I got bored. Sorry that you are not closer, Ashley could still benefit by loosing a couple more pounds.

(Larry, That's such a sweet story about borrowing Ashley. Love it.)

 

[Cooker]

My sternum pain was nothing compared to the shoulder and neck pain ... I ended up going to the chiropractor ... I guess they really stretch you open and pull a lot of muscles ... it will pass but for now I would ask for some pain meds....

 

[Hockey Heart]

Wow, it sounds like alot of people have these severe muscle pains after their surgeries so that's good to know that it's normal. I'm still in the waiting room but I was in the hospital for 5 days with Endocarditis, which is a bacterial infection that can attack a defective heart valve or a newly surgically repaired valve. The first symptom of Endocarditis was severe muscle pain in my neck and back followed days later by severe cold chills. I'm sure you don't have Endocarditis as your muscle pain seems normal for someone recovering from the surgery, but if you start getting cold chills or fever I'd give your doctor a call.

Best of luck on your normal recovery!

 

[texasmike]

Yes indeed...what you are experiencing was my worst pain, and as some other posts have indicated, it lasts several weeks. One thing I discovered really helped after my most recent surgery a year ago was to lay on my back with a physical fitness roller extended down my backbone from the neck to the end very bottom. If you don't have one of those, just roll a towel very tightly (if possible around a two inch dowel) and lay on it. This was a trick shown me by a physical therapist, and it seems to allow your backbone to stretch slowly in the opposite direction from where it has been during your stay in a bed. You should try for up to 5 minutes a couple of times each day.
Hope this helps!