Numb Thigh After Heart Bypass

Hi All,

Bit odd this but after undergoing a double CABG a month ago I have noticed that my right thigh is partially numb with a reduced ability to feel anything (very similar to the left side of my chest which I was expecting). I didn't have any blood vessels harvested from my legs so it's not due to that.

Its not uncomfortable but it does feel odd. Has anyone else ever had this sensation following a heart bypass?

Thanks.

[popeyeuk]

Hello. I had a cabgx2 last november .. After discharge at home I noticed my left thigh felt slightly numb to the touch.. I also had no veins harvested from the legs. now 3 months post surgery the strange feeling has almost gone... You're not on your own :))

[Hidden in reply to popeyeuk]

Thanks for replying popeyeuk. It sounds like you experienced the same sensation I currently am. Good to know it's not just me and its only temporary.

[shopman]

An analogy to having an operation is that once you are put under then you are no different to a slab of meat the way you are moved around, Still have little feeling in some of my LH fingers years after the event.

[DoubleHipster]

I had to be sedated after cabg due to chronic pain in my left thigh before I left the high dependency unit. Over the next few months the pain became numbness bordering on paralysis and slowly back to chronic pain again.

Loads of scans tests etc suspecting my hip replacement had failed but nothing could be found. Eventually a sports physio found it was my piriformis muscle in my buttock causing problems with a large nerve that runs down the leg. A few deep massages and acupuncture resolved the numbness/pain.

[Hidden in reply to DoubleHipster]

God mate, that sounds harsh! Glad to hear you got it sorted. Did they determine if the issues with your piriformis muscle was related to your cabg or was it unrelated and just bad timing?

[DoubleHipster in reply to Hidden]

I think it must have been the way I was positioned during surgery & recovery. I must either sit up straight or lay down for some reason, no in-between otherwise the numbness or pain returns. Also had to limit my driving as it also aggravates my piriformis, leading to chronic thigh pain or numbness.

Could have been the 80mg of statins damaged the muscle possibly. They're known to cause muscle problems but I can find no evidence they are likely to damage the piriformis.

I also seem to have polymyalgia Rheumatica which can be attributed to statins but I can't be sure if that is related to the piriformis problem either.

[MariaMcG]

I'm just after posting the same question and I had stents inserted 10 days ago. Was also thinking it was very weird and was it part of the outcome of my procedure. So comforting to see that many others have this odd experience too.

[Hidden in reply to MariaMcG]

Yeah, it's annoying isn't it? I'm seven months post-bypass now and while I still have some numbness in my thigh it's a lot less intense and it doesn't keep me awake at night anymore. Just seems to take a while to reckify itself.

Hope your stent recovery goes well.

[MariaMcG in reply to Hidden]

Thanks ! x

[PBmay23]

Hi my name is Cristian , I have quadruple bypass they remove an artery from my left arm also for my thorax left and right side , right after the surgery I felt in my right leg numbness from the knead to the hip , my surgery was May 23 and the numbness is still there I guess it’s very similar to your case , I’m sorry for my broken English , i’m just wondering if the numbers Will be consistent for the rest of my life , Any advice ? I am 66 years old

[Hidden in reply to PBmay23]

Hi Cristian. I hope your bypass recovery is going well. It's been three and a half years since my surgery and while the numbness in my right thigh has lessened its not gone away. Its hard to describe but the sensation of feeling in my effected right thigh is still less than my left thigh. I have learned to live with it but I am having a few other lower body circulatory issues which may be due to peripheral artory disease so don't know if my numb thigh is due to nerve damage, circulatory problems or something else.

Sorry, this may not be the answer you wanted to hear. I hope the rest of your recovery goes well.