Intro & question

[MRiordan29]

Hey everyone,
Although this is my first post I've been checking out some of the threads for awhile and was able to gather a lot of great information prior to my surgery. It's great to have a place like this with such a free flowing exchange of ideas, information and support.
A little background about myself: I'm 24 years old and had AVR on 06/09/06 at NY Presbyterian. Recovery has gone well w/ no complications. I just started my 3rd and final year of law school last week and it feels good just to have something to do again.
Anyhow, I want to ask about a bump on my chest that I first noticed about a week ago. It's hard to spot unless I run my hand over it, but it feels kind of like a hard small point sticking out of the middle of my chest (not up near the collarbone). I'm a little worried about it - has anyone else experienced this?

Thanks,
Matt

 

[Karlynn]

Welcome Matt!

Is the spot sore to the touch, or does it hurt without touching it? I'm guessing it's not red, since you said it's unnoticable unless you run your hand over it.

I was thinking that it might be a sternum wire - but I think that would be sore. Or it could be an infected suture - but you are a bit too far off of surgery for that. Maybe it is scar tissue that has formed funny underneath the skin.

How large is it? Like a pin point?

(Where are you a law student? My daughter is finishing up undergrad and will be applying to law schools soon.)

 

[MRiordan29]

Karlynn,
There is no discoloration and no pain or soreness even when I touch it. I'd say it's larger than a pin point but still pretty small. It's very hard and feels like bone but there wasn't anything there until very recently.

I'm a student at St. John's Law in Queens, NY...Let me know if I can give you guys any help in the application process.

 

[musician2k]

Hey Matt, welcome. Yeah I had AVR surgery in July and I also have something similiar to what you describe. It's not really painful unless I touch it or give it some pressure, and it doesn't hurt even THEN all the time. Seems worse after showering or doing something where I'm lifting a little bit. I'm sure it's not a wire, and I'm not thinking it's a suture but those sutures can be odd, and not dissolve like they are supposed to. I seem to have a hair growing back in the same general area, so I'm now convinced that's what it is. Hopefully that's true for you too, because that certainly should pass with time.

 

[Ross]

Sounds like a sternal wire sticking up some. Might have your Surgeon take a look see.

 

[catwoman]

Matt:

I've had something similar for a couple of years. Others don't notice it, but I do, and I do think it's a sternum wire. There's a tiny bit of soreness when I press on it. I haven't mentioned it to my cardio and I'm not interested in pursuing it until it gets bothersome. Just don't care to undergo any surgery unless it's a matter of life-or-death or quality of life issue -- not just a warfarin issue, but also time off from work, out-of-pocket costs, etc.

 

[MikeHeim]

I got it too. I can actually feel all three of my sternum wires, but the one on the top sticks out the most and is the only one that occasionally gives me trouble.