slight fever after surgery

[inventory]

Hi everyone I have a few questions I hope you can answer.
The told me to moniter my temp. when I get home which I have been doing. I get conflicting reports about how high is to high.
So far the mornings are around 98.something but last night it read 100.3 and tonite it read 100.8. Does anyone out there have any infor on this situation?
Also since i have been home my shoulders and neck feel like one big stiff neck.
And one more, I have a charlie horse sensation in my lower right
leg since I have been home.
I really don't like to be on here and be a weeny winer, but just coming off surgery it does concern me.
Thanks for any info.
Al

 

[richie rich]

hey al

i remember the nurse telling me not to worry about my temp. unless it was 102 or higher.
as for the shoulders that is normal. it is due to the stretching that they do on the operating table. my shoulders and arms hurt for weeks. i still feel some pain in my shoulders now and then but it is alot better. only time will completely heal the shoulders. also the more you use them the quicker they will heal.
hope all is well.

rich

 

[inventory]

Thanks richie, I guess after never being in the hospital everything sticks out.
By the way how was Disney? My son said it was 81 down there
today.
Take care
Al

 

[richie rich]

al

disney was great. we had a nice time. weather was very nice mid to upper 70's. last day was in the high 50's but we just did shopping that day anyway.

rich

 

[Nancy]

Hi Al-

I think if it were my husband, I would call the surgeon's office re: the temp. They always told Joe 101 and then to call, but they expect calls anyways, and 100.8 looks like it's on an upward spiral, and close to 101.

Calling won't hurt and it might put off something. Safer is always better.

There was a recent post about shoulder pain, and I can't remember who posted it, but they said that in the OR, they tie your arms back to get a better look inside the chest. That might explain the shoulder , neck and back pain so many people have. Maybe do a search on "arms" and see if it pops up.

 

[terry40]

Al

Al

The leg crampng can be from potassium depletion, are you taking a diurectic/waterpill, and with that a potassium supplement????

A glass of OJ, could help the cramping if not. I used a heating pad on muscle pain, just for 10 to 20 minutes at a time.

I'm sure there will be more helpful info to come,

Terry40

 

[inventory]

Nancy thanks for the info. This morning it was back down to 97.5.
It seems to flucuate from morning to evening.I was expecting the back pain but right now it is mostly in my neck. Like a big old neck ache from sleeping wrong.
Terry- The only meds I'm on right now is toprol and coumidin.
I'll try the OJ. I just keep rubbing it and try to move around as much as possible.
Thank you both again.
Al

 

[Marty]

About the shoulder

About the shoulder

I have a totally wrecked right shoulder; three fractures, two long pins, and four screws left over from WW11 after a hit from a German 88. Prior to mitral valve replacement surgery, I asked the anesthesiologist about being careful with it, limited range of motion, etc. and how they positioned you for open heart surgery.He said not to worry; that they bind the arms at your side close to the body. I had no trouble post op and the shoulder is no worse than before the surgery.

 

[inventory]

Thanks Marty
I knew I would have it in my shoulder area, but not as much in the neck. I guess everyone's different.
Thanks for the info
Al

 

[monker]

oj

oj

Al:

re: Terry40's suggestion to use OJ for cramping......."A glass of OJ, could help the cramping"

and your comment, "I'll try the OJ. I just keep rubbing it and try to move around.........."

Al, tell me you're not rubbing OJ all over your leg.

 

[inventory]

hey monker-
I know it's not to long after surgery and I am still adjusting but no I am not rubbing the oj over my leg. I am just rubbing down the troubled area with my hands and sometimes it seems to help.
I still drink the oj. But I am open for suggestions!
Thanks and talk to you later.
Al

 

[Bunkenmeyer]

fever & shoulder/neck pain

fever & shoulder/neck pain

From what I was told and experienced, a mild fever after valve surgery is quite normal and something to be monitored but my doctors weren't too concerned if it is mild (for me that meant around 100 or lower).

Pain in the shoulder is also common. Particularly if they do a second incision for the canulation site (about a three ince scar running side to side on the right side of your chest). Apparently they cut through muscle there which can cause a fair amount of pain, tightness etc. I was pretty tight and stiff from that incision but it healed with time although I was told to try to stretch as pain permitted (my doc suggested I grab a door frame with my arms and just stretch them out).

I also developed terrible shoulder pain from sleeping on my back. Apparently, I would put my arms up and my hands under my head which places tremendous strain on your shoulders. To keep myself from doing this I actually tied my arm down loosely to my waist to keep from doing it and let it heal. It felt goofy but actually worked quite well. Moist heat also helped a bit as well as my wife giving me little massages every once in a while which felt like heaven when I got really tight!

 

[inventory]

Bunkenmeyer-
Thanks for all the little tips. Right now I am still sleeping and adjusting in the recliner at night.
That's what is great about this site, you get so many helpful
hints.
Again, thanks for your input, I apppreciate it very much.
Al

 

[marywoody]

I had the neck pain, too - along with shoulder and chest muscle pain. That is the one thing I really wish the doctors had warned me about! I thought there was something really wrong with me because I had no forewarning on it - none of the "official" sites I checked said anything about severe muscle pain nor did the literature, video, etc., handed out by the hospital. Unfortunately, I hadn't yet found this wonderful site! I found that using pillows to support various areas helped as did a heating pad. About the time I had decided those muscles were going to hurt forever, the pain went away - quite abruptly - from one day to the next. Went to bed ouchie and woke up almost completely not ouchie. Weird. It was as if the muscles had decided the time had come to unclench. That was at about the four week mark. So the good news is, it does go away - the bad news? It's (literally) a pain in the neck for awhile!

 

[Granbonny]

Hi Mary

Hi Mary

I hate to tell you, but the shoulder pain doesn't go away..for a long time. Wait until you start to drive, vaccum, wash windows, ect. It will hit you hard. but goes away after a few minutes..when you relax. I was on our VR. Sunday night live chat for 2 12 hours last night. Woke up and ouch..there it was..Just relaxed in chair for few minutes. And I am almost 11 months post-op. Bonnie

 

[inventory]

Thanks ladies. I guess we will see what happens. Everyone is
different I guess.
Thanks
Al

 

[marywoody]

Granbonny

well I just proved you right! Was loading books onto a bookshelf yesterday - just a few at a time - and now my sternum, shoulder AND lower back hurt. Sigh. Some of the books were going on a shelf that was a little too high, methinks. Well, live and learn - sometimes the hard way!