Ray Norsworthy
Well-known member
When does this hard, creepy feeling bulge go away? It feels like there's a golf ball stuck under my skin.
bulge at top of incision
- Thread starter Ray Norsworthy
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normofthenorth
Well-known member
I think there are two different things going on, at least for me and probably most of us: #1, I think most of us, pre-op, have a bit of a bulge near the top of the sternum, not far from the top of the OHS/sternotomy incision. #2, Most cardio surgeons work to make the skin incision a bit shorter than the cut in the sternum, so there's some "bunching" of the tissue when they're through. #2 naturally smooths out as the tissues heal, but you may still notice #1 a lot more than you ever did pre-op.
jklump
Well-known member
I had a bulge also,not golf ball size, but 6 months after surgery, it's just about gone
Jkm7
Well-known member
That is normal, normal, normal.....
My first surgery, it frightened me a little until I learned just about all of us who have a full sternotomy get it.
It goes away on its own and at its own pace. It often is greatly diminished in size by about week 8-10 Some people have it longer, some shorter.
My first surgery, it frightened me a little until I learned just about all of us who have a full sternotomy get it.
It goes away on its own and at its own pace. It often is greatly diminished in size by about week 8-10 Some people have it longer, some shorter.
Hi, Ray, your "golf ball" will begin to fade soon but it will be several months before it is gone. Mine was never tender or painful and went away completely; but it does take awhile. As my chest incision healed and the swelling disappeared, I was left with a shallow "valley" beneath it and the valley extends up to the area where the "golf ball" used to be. I cannot feel the scar itself with my finger tips but the valley is easy to sense. It is all part of healing.
Larry
Larry
Adrienne
Well-known member
I also had a big bulge. It took a few months to totally go away.
G
Guest
Adrienne, i also had a mitral valve replacement and now alot of atrial flutter. As of right now the cardiologist says the maze is not required, but i'd like to ask you about your experience. Was it painful, did you get alot of relief from the maze . The 'flutter' makes me tired and i am 3 mo out of surgery . Don't have the energy that i had hoped for due to the flutter. sigh
thanks for any feedback. margieb
thanks for any feedback. margieb
Adrienne
Well-known member
My MV repair and maze procedure
My MV repair and maze procedure
Hi MargieB. First of all, I already knew that very soon I would need surgery on my MV. Then in August 2005, I went into AFib. To make a long story short, I finally went to the ER. They shocked me back into normal sinus rhythm and put me on lots of meds to try to keep it in NSR until I had my surgery. The surgery would have been done the following week, but the surgeon whom I had already seen and decided that he was "THE MAN" was going away for two weeks. He saw me in the hospital the night before going away, and said he would do a left maze along with the valve surgery. He probably would not have done that if I had not been in AFib when I came to the ER.
Since the maze was done along with my MV repair, it was no more painful than the surgery would have been without a maze. I will say that - knock on wood - my heart beat is very regular (maybe an occasional PAC or PVC).
I don't know if they do a maze for atrial flutter or just for atrial fibrillation. Also, I don't know if they would do one unless they are opening you up already for another heart surgery like a valve job. I know that there is something called a pulmonary vein ablation for many kinds of arrythmias. There are people on this site who have had an ablation done.
Oh, I have heard that magnesium sometimes helps for arrythmia, but maybe someone else knows more about this than I do.
My MV repair and maze procedure
Hi MargieB. First of all, I already knew that very soon I would need surgery on my MV. Then in August 2005, I went into AFib. To make a long story short, I finally went to the ER. They shocked me back into normal sinus rhythm and put me on lots of meds to try to keep it in NSR until I had my surgery. The surgery would have been done the following week, but the surgeon whom I had already seen and decided that he was "THE MAN" was going away for two weeks. He saw me in the hospital the night before going away, and said he would do a left maze along with the valve surgery. He probably would not have done that if I had not been in AFib when I came to the ER.
Since the maze was done along with my MV repair, it was no more painful than the surgery would have been without a maze. I will say that - knock on wood - my heart beat is very regular (maybe an occasional PAC or PVC).
I don't know if they do a maze for atrial flutter or just for atrial fibrillation. Also, I don't know if they would do one unless they are opening you up already for another heart surgery like a valve job. I know that there is something called a pulmonary vein ablation for many kinds of arrythmias. There are people on this site who have had an ablation done.
Oh, I have heard that magnesium sometimes helps for arrythmia, but maybe someone else knows more about this than I do.
Had a bulge and still have it...it is small and painful to medium touch. Did you have AVR surgery or are you just happy to see me?
Ray Norsworthy
Well-known member
My bulge--the one at the top of the incision scar (not the other one, you dirty minded people; that one is huge! Haha.) has gotten small enough that I don't notice it in the mirror. My scar is looking good, too.
alesia
Well-known member
Hey there! I also had the "bulge"...from surgery on June 23rd. Mine only lasted about 3 weeks. And it was worse at night when i did too much during the day. But thats opinion and someone on here called it a "speed bump". It really freaked me out and wish the doctor would have mentioned it me!
