I feel a bit daft mentioning this...but here goes nothing. 😉
Ever since the bypass procedure my breastbone area has been ultra sensitive to anything touching it no matter how lightly. The feel of a tee shirt contacting it makes my skin crawl. I’ve been lucky the weather has been mild enough for me to go bare chested indoors for the 2 weeks 4 days since the op. When I wear a Tee outdoors I have to hold the front away from me. Has anyone else experienced similar feelings?
I definitely had a sensitive chest- couldn’t bare anything against the chest for weeks after- but gradually it improved. I still feel sore and bruised nearly 3 mths down line but can tolerate clothing now and just wear loose fitting tops to minimise impact. I think some people are just more sensitive so it’s the luck of the draw!!
This is due to nerves being affected it is called hyperaesthesia which doesn't help your discomfort at all! Any " nerve pain" is horrid and I feel for you ( excuse the pun!)Hopefully it will gradually improve over time. Its often worse with light touch so drying yourself, clothes brushing against you. If getting dry sore you could try using a cool hairdryer.
Yep same problem since my AVR 4 months ago. Your other replies talk good sense, it is due to nerve damage and in time it will improve. Being female I tend to go for a low neckline - it can be an interesting choice on some occasions although I don’t tend to stop the traffic any more 🤣. I quite enjoy ‘showing off’ my scar, I feel we all belong to a very exclusive club now! 😄. Good luck hope it improves for you soon. By the way some use Bio Oil to help heal and desensitise the area.
Use E45 cream or similar on your scar, bio oil when it has healed fully. Hubby was also prescribed a very low dose of amitriptyline for a few weeks which helped.
Mine felt quite sensitive for some time. The worst thing was being driven in a car and having to wear a seat belt. I hooked a thumb under it and pulled it well away from my chest.
Yes! Exactly that
When I left papworth I took a "Teddy" with me (legit, not stolen) with me This was a rolled up piece of towel to be used for protection and support of my chest wound. I held it between the seat belt and my chest, clutched it rapidly to my chest when I felt a sneeze or cough coming, and generally used it a a buffer between by chest wound and any likely impact on it. I carried it during my waking hours for a few days and found it really worked.
I normally sneeze a lot on a daily basis with bouts of seven or eight explosive sneezes. It's a family thing. My father was once sneezing away upstairs on a tram and one of his brothers knew it was him and went upstairs to join him.
However during my post operation recovery I did not sneeze once. My wife says if you could do it then why not now ?
Initially (2012) I also felt the sharp knots from the wire that stitched up my chest but they would not remove it. I used to tell my wife to keep her hands well away from them.Now it feels like sharp bony lumps have formed over them.
I can’t tell where the wires are in me. I just have the same soreness the length of the incision.
The wire is very near the surface. When I was in a patient had his removed. He probably got preference as he was the admissions manager at our local hospital. He In at 10AM and home for lunch.
Mines getting better and it’s 5 weeks now john
Yes mine was like that for weeks 😬 I now find if I rub my chest and scar with Nivea cream it helps because it stimulates and moistens the area. It does get better but it takes a while.
All the best
Elaine 🙂
chest pain
Wound Care
AF? and chest pain
Post Stent Chest Discomfort 
Chest discomfort
