Ovie
Well-known member
When did this go away for alot of you? I'm a month 2 days past surgery and it seems as bad as ever, not effecting my breathing, more the chest sternum area. Just curious when it went away for most?
Chest tightness.
- Thread starter Ovie
- Start date
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Sorry, but I can't really remember.
Did you happen to lift something a little to heavy or did you do some vacuuming? Even opening the fridge door could cause some discomfort.
Did you happen to lift something a little to heavy or did you do some vacuuming? Even opening the fridge door could cause some discomfort.
I'm having the same issue every now and then. I have dull pains on either side of the incision. The surgeon said it's to be expected given the nature of the surgery.
Ovie
Well-known member
I figured it to be normal, not lifting anything over 10lbs, when I wake up it's at it's worst, not really a pain, just more stiff, if you will.
Out of curiosity, is there a way to look at the sternum and how it progressed and if it healed correctly, or if it's healed completely? Would a simple X-Ray show any of this?
Out of curiosity, is there a way to look at the sternum and how it progressed and if it healed correctly, or if it's healed completely? Would a simple X-Ray show any of this?
Ovie,
My doctopreselected 8-12 weeks. It is normal to be more painful or stiffer in the morning, after a long period of not moving.
CC says: "six to eight weeks. Those who have had minimally invasive surgery may have a shorter recovery time."
If you like to read more, here is the link: http://my.clevelandclinic.org/heart/disorders/recovery_ohs.aspx
My doctopreselected 8-12 weeks. It is normal to be more painful or stiffer in the morning, after a long period of not moving.
CC says: "six to eight weeks. Those who have had minimally invasive surgery may have a shorter recovery time."
If you like to read more, here is the link: http://my.clevelandclinic.org/heart/disorders/recovery_ohs.aspx
Superman
Well-known member
A lot of these recovery issues are just that. Recovery issues. Most of us who've been there not only can't tell you when it will stop, but we can't even tell you when it stopped for us. One of these days life will get rolling again and during a slow moment, it'll dawn on you, "Hey, I haven't had chest tightness in a while! Wonder when that stopped?" Between now and then, you'll have good days and bad. You'll have days that are so good, you'll do something stupid and turn it into a bad day. You'll have days that make you wonder if you'll ever be normal again.
Trust us - all of this is normal. And if it's just too uncomfortable - call your doctor. They'll either want to see you right away, or they'll talk you off the ledge. I felt extremely sick about a month out. If I had a blood draw two days before I finally did, I would have been ordered to the ER. Elevated pancreatic enzymes. But they were one their way down so we were able to wait it out. That, too, got better.
From what I've read of your recovery posts (too busy to respond lately) - sounds like you're doing great and will be back to "normal" in no time (although I can't give you a date or a definition of "no time").
I'm about 2 1/2 years out from number two, and while there is always an awareness - there are many times when life takes over and I don't even think about it beyond remembering my medication and INR tests.
Trust us - all of this is normal. And if it's just too uncomfortable - call your doctor. They'll either want to see you right away, or they'll talk you off the ledge. I felt extremely sick about a month out. If I had a blood draw two days before I finally did, I would have been ordered to the ER. Elevated pancreatic enzymes. But they were one their way down so we were able to wait it out. That, too, got better.
From what I've read of your recovery posts (too busy to respond lately) - sounds like you're doing great and will be back to "normal" in no time (although I can't give you a date or a definition of "no time").
I'm about 2 1/2 years out from number two, and while there is always an awareness - there are many times when life takes over and I don't even think about it beyond remembering my medication and INR tests.Ovie
Well-known member
Thank you, both. I defiantly know about the good and bad days, it's quite the ride.
Eva, sadly that never even came to my attention thats why it's much more stiff.
Eva, sadly that never even came to my attention thats why it's much more stiff.
I am at 4 weeks today and have experienced this tightness as well. I find that if I force myself to get up and get moving, it loosens up...usually within the first 0.1 miles of a walk. That is the main reason that I do my first walk of the day almost immediately after getting up in the morning.
Ovie,
It is normal to focus only on the aches and pains, heart pounding, etc. etc. after such a surgery and worry about them, forgetting the trauma our body went through! You will get better and better every day.
Good point, Eva. Now that I've just passed the one-year mark, I hardly ever think about my heart or the healing process. I am aware of what has been done (especially since I can see the scars and my pacemaker) but it has literally no impact on my daily life. The only time I think about it is when I'm on the treadmill - then I watch my heart rate to be sure it stays within bounds.
Of course, "at my age" I have plenty of other things to worry about.
Of course, "at my age" I have plenty of other things to worry about.
bradvo
Well-known member
Reading threads here bring some things back and I think I'm pushing 5 months.
Stiffness I felt was upper body, caused by carrying myself differently then my normal walking gate.
Finally one night I felt myself going into a stretch, like when I was a young lad laying in bed working out the kinks.
After that things slowly began to get better. I did go to a chiropracter around 3 to 4 months and got some x-rays , I got to view the wire ties. That was the first time I had seen them. The Chiropractor really helped me to get things back in line.
Stiffness I felt was upper body, caused by carrying myself differently then my normal walking gate.
Finally one night I felt myself going into a stretch, like when I was a young lad laying in bed working out the kinks.
After that things slowly began to get better. I did go to a chiropracter around 3 to 4 months and got some x-rays , I got to view the wire ties. That was the first time I had seen them. The Chiropractor really helped me to get things back in line.
For a long while after my surgery, I constantly worried about my new lower BP and my new high pulse. I constantly measured both. Now, I only measure my BP when I am feeling either great or very fatigued! and I only monitor my HR when I exercise.
"Time heals"!
I never worried about low heart rate -- pacemaker takes care of that. Battery life, though, sometimes comes to mind, but since I'm no longer pacer-dependent, I'm interested in it, but not worried about it.
