Why sternum pain at 6 weeks post op?

[Marguerite53]

Hi Gang. In 3 days I will be 6 weeks post op. Why is my sternum area hurting so much??? The incision (only 5 inches) is fine, gorgeous, healing perfectly. My main complaints are what's hurting inside. Like when I shower and wash my hair or when I lean over to do anything, or when I?m driving on a bumpy road. There is like a scraping feeling of something moving around. Almost like a flat piece of something inside that falls around and then feels like sandpaper against a sunburn, or just something in there that shouldn't be and is scraping . I guess it?s more annoying than painful.

What is that? It?s driving me nuts. I swear I was fine until about 10 days ago. Hadn?t had these sensations since the very beginning. Did I bolux something up??

Coincidentally, I weaned myself slowly off the codeine (1/2 dose with a Tylenol until 2 weeks ago),so no pain pills now, started a diuretic, started driving (very little, really), started doing more housework, went from warm and sunny weather to very cold and rainy. Did I just overdo it? Is it the weather? Was I not feeling any pain as a residual from the narcotics and then suddenly when I started doing so much more am I just now feeling it for the first time?

There was no pain to speak of, or discomfort. Now there?s a lot and it is making me limit my movements. The PA (physician?s assistant) said go back on some pain meds and slow down. My husband said SLOW DOWN and offered a warm pack (his answer to everything). So I just put the warm pack (you know, those seeded things wrapped in flannel that you warm in the microwave) on for 10 minutes and low and behold, I can lean over without wanting to burst into tears.

Sorry to be so all over the map, but I?m discouraged. I thought I could be functioning easily by now, not having to suddenly wear a bra in the shower for support (yes, they are large) and not having to keep delegating housework!!!

Thanks for any input, memories, advice or funny stories!! What was your experience?? What did it feel like?

Marguerite

 

[Mary]

Marguerite,
It sounds like something you need to discuss with your surgeon. Are you still under his care? If not, a call to the cardiologist is in order. As you've often written, that's what they're being paid for!

 

[Rich]

Marguerite,
It sounds like your sternum halves rubbing against each other.
Maybe you got a little carried away doing things too soon.
It takes on the average a full ten weeks for the sternum to fully heal.
Take it easy and give it some time.
I know it can drive people nuts just sitting around for such a long time.
Rich

 

[joanne6]

I have to agree that it sounds like you are doing too much. You know the sternum is wired together so those bones can heal. Any fracture takes at least 6 wks. Are you supposed to be driving before 6 wks. The movement of turning the wheel can pull the bones apart. So can washing you hair. Of course you need to do that but how you hold your arms could increase your pain. I can't imagine why you would need pain meds at 6 wks out. The warm pack sounds good and it did help.
Try slowing down, use the heat, you can always check with the doc if it doesn't get better. Just take care.

 

[Granbonny]

I think you overdid it... 6 weeks is not long enough for those cells, muscles, bones, ect. to fall back into place,...just driving..were you opening and closing your own door...seatbelt rub against you?..housework..did you lift heavy wet clothes from washer? I did not have to take more than 1/2 of one scrip of pain meds because I was a whimp and let my Hubby do all the work .. Raising your arms to shampoo hair?..Do like your Hubbys says..take it easy.. Bonnie

 

[Georgia]

Yup - you get feeling better and become more active and there you are. Take two tylenol arthritis relief and continue. I was advised to use them before going to cardiac rehab because the increased activity could (would) cause pain and I wouldn't move as well.

You really do have to be careful about lifting and pulling at this point - because you feel better & have all that energy you forget your limitations. The grinding is common - but you need to let that sternum heal. The laundry was my downfall; had to remember to have hubby transfer wet stuff to the drier. Other things that are problematic - dogs on leashes, making a bed, toddlers' heads hitting chest, vacuuming.

Sounds like you're doing well. Just let someone else lift, clean and haul.

 

[Kathleen]

Pain

Pain

Six weeks is not that long if you put it into perspective. The weather here in Mn went from a nice spring day to 90 plus degrees and humid and after all these years I still get pains from huge weather fluctuations. Or one could think if you had your leg or arm bones cut and did not have it casted the pain at six weeks would be terrific especially if you were trying to use either appendage. Give yourself more time since we all heal at a different pace.
Kathleen

 

[Der Biermeister]

Marguerite

I am afraid I have more questions than answers, as I know next to nothing about how the sternum is cut or healed. I think most of the advice already given is correct - slow down for the next few weeks.

My main question is (for the brain trust): If your incision is only 5 inches, does that mean the sternum fracture was also much smaller? Doesn't really make sense though -- you'd think the sternum cut would have to be "full" no matter what in order to open up the chest for heart surgery. But if it IS a smaller cut, it ought not be quite so vulnerable to injury.

My wife was told by my surgeon that because of my large bone structure, they doubled the wiring of my sternum. Maybe this has served me well as I have not had any of the bone-movement sensations that you and others mention.

 

[marky]

Db..

Db..

I will answer your question from my personal experience..

My incision is 3 1/2 inches long.. my surgeon was kind.. (and I am small) however my entire sternum is still cut in half and wired back together. It looks kind of funny to have this bump ..but no incision.. I call it my dinosaur chest

the surgeon toldme since I was considered a young woman he would not make the incision as long.. I too thought that meant that he would not cut my sternum as much..but wrong.. it is completely cute.. and the top of my incision seems a bit wider and more tender..my guess is because that skin was stretched further.

Hope that helps..
0h and the wiring? I was told that he wired me and then placed 2 layers of mesh or something over top to help with healing?

I am most sore out on my chest.. not so much on the incision.

 

[RandyL]

I will answer your question from my personal experience..

My incision is 3 1/2 inches long.. my surgeon was kind.. (and I am small) however my entire sternum is still cut in half and wired back together. It looks kind of funny to have this bump ..but no incision.. I call it my dinosaur chest

the surgeon toldme since I was considered a young woman he would not make the incision as long.. I too thought that meant that he would not cut my sternum as much..but wrong.. it is completely cute.. and the top of my incision seems a bit wider and more tender..my guess is because that skin was stretched further.

Hope that helps..
0h and the wiring? I was told that he wired me and then placed 2 layers of mesh or something over top to help with healing?

I am most sore out on my chest.. not so much on the incision.

You have to let all those muscles and nerves heal as well as your sternom. My actual sternom area stopped hurting after 3=4 weeks like yours but as I became more active my breast area hurt after doing different things to agrivate it. Driving was a main culprit as I drive around all day making calls on my clients. At the end of the day my chest was sore and still gets sore from time to time and I am 4 months post op. Take it easier and I think you will be alright.

 

[Superbob]

Marguerite,

I don't have any answers, but just wanted to empathize. I think the advice others have given about slowing down and providing more time for sternum-healing is on target. Guess my main point from personal experience is that 15 months post-op I still have occasional weird sensations in the chest area (but not real pain). I've had to consider whether a couple of hard falls gave me real setbacks. Right now, I'm thinking not -- but I guess the point is we have to "read our bodies" for these various signals, and call the cardio if the signs are alarming. Overall it sounds like you are doing very well -- but don't hesitate to call the doc if you have continuing concerns.

Cheers,

Bob

(And yes I am very much blessed to live near the Blue Ridge Parkway. Some of prettiest country anywhere. Provides me motivation to get out and walk.)

 

[marky]

M~ ..
i am sorry I did not address your question..
I don't really have an answer.. But I didn't want you to think I was ignoring you. I think most of the responses sound pretty accurate.. more activity = more discomfort..
seems to be the answer for me too..

Can't wait to FEEL good again!!

and a correction .. my incision is 4 1/2 inches ( I was looking upsidedown)
and thank you Randy.. I think I have done too much the past few days..and my chest really hurts.

 

[Mary]

And I still say call the surgeon's office and ask. At almost a year out, I look back and think I was silly when I would try and second- guess post-surgical issues. And as it turned out, I did have issues. Unfortunately, my surgeon was signed off my case before I knew that I had them.

 

[Marguerite53]

Thank you everyone for your answers! It's now 2 days later and slowing down has helped some. It doesn't take much for the sensations to start up again. I even find that just being up all day takes a toll on things. And I'm so glad that I bought a recliner before surgery......I'm sleeping in it again at night, and resting in it during the day.

I'm pretty sure that my surgeon is out of town this week. Still, I will call and ask the PA if, in fact, they ever x-ray the patient for the second post-op visit. If she says yes, I will suggest that we do it this week (um, yesterday, please!! ) before my scheduled visit on June 5th. That way we'll know if there is any problem with separation?? or wires?? Since there is improvement, I suspect everything is okay, but I'd sure love to have a look just to be sure.

Anyway, if I don't call them Mary will be doing it for me!! (thanks, Mary!)

Der Bier....... I am almost 100% positive that I have a full sternotomy. Like Marky's surgeon, he was very sensitive about keeping the cut line as small as possible for vanity's sake. Too bad mine has a bit of a swoosh at the top!! (yes, Nike is based here in Oregon....... )

Marky...... I, too, have a bump above my incision and it's not centered!

Kathleen .... I just knew I had a built in barometer!!

Georgia ..... those tylenol sound like the perfect thing for me. I'm using Advil now with the thought of breaking down any inflammation, but it is doing diddly for the pain! I didn't realize that Tylenol came any stronger. I may change as I prefer Tylenol, anyway.

Granbonny, Rich, Joanne, Randy and Bob .... Thank you for your comments because it really means a lot to hear from those who have gone through it. I wasn't sure whether or not I was being a wimp, or should heed the pain and calm things down. Of course, my daughter, just home from college, is bearing the brunt of it all as everything I was doing now falls in her lap!! Enh. She's young, she'll get over it!!

I'll let you know what I hear on Tuesday. Thanks again, everyone!

Marguerite

 

[gadgetman]

Why is my sternum area hurting so much??? Like when I shower and wash my hair or when I lean over to do anything, or when I?m driving on a bumpy road. Marguerite

From a previous thread, I can think of TWO reasons!!!!!

Sorry, couldn't resist. Like everyone else, it sounds like you've just overdid a little bit and need to slow down for a while. I know the driving and twisting around were uncomfortable. I remember at about 8 weeks reaching over the side of my recliner to pick up something and being told by my chest that it was not appreciated AT ALL. Healing will take time but one day you will realize that things don't hurt any more.

May God Bless,

Danny

 

[Marguerite53]

You're right, Danny!!

I just got a return call from the surgeon. I have a post op for next monday already set up, and so he thinks I'm fine until then and he'll look me over real carefully. His notion is that it is cartilidge which is the culprit for the pain and it's just a healing process thing. Definitely I'm to stay off the driving , not do much housework and generally step back for this week until I see him.

No magnets for me. Apparently my sternum is sewn together with Dacron. He has never had a patient complain of poking or separation or any problem with the Dacron. I don't intend to be the first! So I am relieved (visions of untied wire ) but still uncomfortable!! but hey, this is nothing.....I'll be good as new soon enough.

Thanks again for all the support and smiles!

Marguerite

 

[Ross]

You're right, Danny!!

No magnets for me. Apparently my sternum is sewn together with Dacron.

Now that ain't right! Why for I gots wires and you gots man made material? That's just not right.

 

[Marguerite53]

Well, at least you're still recyclable! I'm plastic now and probably not!!!

Marguerite