Sensitive Chest wound: I feel a bit... - British Heart Fou...

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Sensitive Chest wound

willsie01 profile image
14 Replies

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?

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willsie01 profile image
willsie01
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14 Replies
Gail1967 profile image
Gail1967

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!!

Bagrat profile image
Bagrat

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.

TMeditation profile image
TMeditation

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.

Janma123 profile image
Janma123

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.

seasider18 profile image
seasider18

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.

willsie01 profile image
willsie01 in reply toseasider18

Yes! Exactly that

emjay18 profile image
emjay18 in reply toseasider18

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.

seasider18 profile image
seasider18 in reply toemjay18

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 ?

willsie01 profile image
willsie01 in reply toemjay18

I was walking out of the hospital with the rolled up towel and my wife took it off me telling me I wasn’t supposed to take it away 😔

seasider18 profile image
seasider18

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.

willsie01 profile image
willsie01 in reply toseasider18

I can’t tell where the wires are in me. I just have the same soreness the length of the incision.

seasider18 profile image
seasider18 in reply towillsie01

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.

Dummperhead profile image
Dummperhead

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 🙂

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