chest pressure

[xtremlee]

It seems if I have alot of chest pressure right at the sternum site. I quess this is normal as I have been split open there. IF I sit a certian way its better than others but it also seems to tighten up when I stand or walk. Is this something I should be concerned with?

 

[Granbonny]

Lee

Lee

Being just 10 days post-op..I would think it would be normal. How much are you walking? Walking helps loosen things up a tad and gets the nasty drugs out of your body. Are you getting this Easter rain? Get your wife to give you a good back massage ..with lotion, ect. My neighbor came over on my 2nd day at home and gave me a good one..with that little wooden roller. ..OHHHH. did it feel good. Bonnie

 

[xtremlee]

Im walking maybe 1/4 mile a day all together. No rain yet but its coming.

 

[Bryan B]

Sounds pretty normal Lee. I got it a lot when sleeping. Somehow I was able to sleep through the night, but when I woke up if I had been in the same position for awhile I was all kinked up. I've found that walking seems to work the best for getting everything to "settle" where it should. And my Mom gave me back, shoulder, and neck massages with this stress relief lotion that was infused with st. john's wort. Man that was better than popping a couple of Percoset.

Just keep working on increasing the walking. I'm up to 2mi a day now and I can see it on the spirometer. I'm up over 2000 now (my pre-surgery was 3000). It seems the more I push myself walking and get "winded", the better my deep breating becomes.

Sounds like you're doing fine Lee. It takes time, but you'll be surprised how much better you will feel as each week goes by.

 

[xtremlee]

I can get the spiro meter to 4000 Im just way sore

 

[Bryan B]

Lee,

I can only speak for my own condition, but if I could pull 4000 on the spirometer I would be walking way more than 1/4mi a day.

I've struggled with torn cartiledge in my right side which makes if very difficult to deep breathe...but the more I walk the better I deep breathe. I was at 1250 on my spirometer last week, but by picking my walking up from 1mi a day to 2mi a day I'm up to 2250 on the spirometer...and I'm less sore all over. Of course the Vioxx may be helping with all of that as well.

 

[xtremlee]

Hey Bryan
I could do more on the spirometer but it stops at 4000. But its the sturnam pain that limits my walking ability.

 

[Bryan B]

Lee,

You must have a good set of pipes. I could only do 3000 before surgery. Of course I smoked for 20 years and only quit 8 weeks before surgery. Try taking your pain medicine about an hour before you walk, and try to find a level place to walk, but in the long run the walking will actually get rid of that stiffness and soreness (or least it did for me). I've been able to sleep on my side for the last week, which is great since that's how I normally sleep. The sternum takes time...think about what they did to it.

 

[Candy]

Lee- I, too, had plenty of chest presure and some shortness of breath for the first couple of weeks post surgery. Everyone, including the docs told me it was completely normal, after all I had just been split open! ( 3 times in 12 hours for me, I had complications!) But it abslutely eases up. I am at 5 1/2 weeks post surgery. I am comfortably taking 2 30 minute walks a day for a totla of over 3 miles. My sternum aches still, and I have found that the more mobile I am while sleeping, the sorer I have become. But it is all part of the healing from being able to move more! I actually woke up sleeping on my stomach. I ached after that one! Keep at it. Some days are better than others, but each one, is one more of recovery. Take care- Candy

 

[punkin32180]

Lee the chest pressure is very normal. Its your sternum bone inside pulling itself together trying to heal is how my doctor described it. It gets better after about 2 to 3 weeks. I have no tightness at all anymore. Sometimes its hard to tell I even had the surgery aside from the little soreness I get in the morning. Good Luck....
Jaque

 

[KathyH]

I would describe my pain more like a burning pain , but I really don't have much pain. Tylenol xtra strenght helps me. It's more the stiffness that gets me, but that is getting betting the more I walk. My incision is only 3 1/2 to 4 inches long so that is probably why I have less pain.
(Lee, I send you a PM but I don't know it it went though blame it to pump head.
Kathy

 

[xtremlee]

I find that I can do more each day but Im thinking the more I do the more discomfort I get. Because Im using more muscle. I had to refill my RX today. Loritab 7.5 every 4 to 6 hours for me. I also noticed that If I dont take my meds I could bare the pain now where befor I couldnt. I like to not take it to see where my pain threshold is every now and then. I guess I can max the spirometer because I never smoked. Pull 4000 on that baby three times in a row when I use it. I cant sleep on my side yet but I can pull my legs up and bend then when I sleep. Kinda like sleeping on my side from my waist down if that make sense? Thanks for all your input
Kathy I didnt get the PM