Sternum Chest Harness

[St03]

does any one knows about wearing a sternum chest harness for recovery after bypass?

[gilreid1]

Yes I was given one in hospital and wore for about three weeks. Helps reduce the pain when you cough or sneeze. Also helps when you move side to side. The type I had was called a hugger. Blue colour not unlike a female bra. If you are offered I would recommend

[St03 in reply to gilreid1]

Any idea where can I buy?

[gilreid1]

Your hospital will have and give you one ? Or contact your GP or rehab clinic

When did you have your operation

[St03 in reply to gilreid1]

June 3. I'm in asia

[gilreid1]

Ok where in Asia. I worked in Vietnam for six years. You would be able to buy one at any pharmacy. I assume you will have health insurance you would be able to get one thru your insurance

[MichaelJH Heart Star]

The first fitting must be done by a medical professional to get the critical balance between support and breathing.

[gilreid1]

Maybe talking something different. The hugger I was given is adjustable and I was not fitted with it. The physiotherapist nurse looked at me,came back with one size L helped me put on and that was it.

Where you fitted with a type ? Maybe advise what model

[MichaelJH Heart Star in reply to gilreid1]

I didn't have one and think patients were risk assessed individually. This is a video of the one I was thinking of:

youtu.be/9D_9UBqgINQ(Not working as expected?)

[gilreid1 in reply to MichaelJH]

Good old USA accent. Anyway not the same can’t attach photo of mine but pretty straight forward Velcro straps

qualiteam.com/blogs/thequal...

[fixedrider]

Yes I had the Qualiteam one too. I wore it for several months, but I had certain complications. A year on, it seems in as-new condition. I don't suppose the NHS wants it back, but I gather that they are expensive. Can they be laundered and donated anywhere overseas or anything?

[Mazatectribe]

Didnt have anything like that when I had mine. Just told to wear a soft bra for 6 weeks!

[rockie1952]

I wish I had known about this when I had my bypass surgery 2 years ago.

[Becksagogo in reply to rockie1952]

Me too ! My sternum is still giving me problems two years on yet despite constant wittering nobody will do anything about it! I can feel the wires and I have a slight "hole" (not open) under my chest and I can literally see my pulse!

[rockie1952 in reply to Becksagogo]

Interesting, I still get some pain and discomfort in my sternum and can feel the wires. Sometimes they feel very tight and sometimes it feels like the wire coil has loosened a bit. I doubt it really can move but it certainly feels that way. Similar to you, no one is interested in doing anything about it but I guess to do anything would require major surgery to open up the sternum and cut out the wiring. Not something that i feel is worth doing, especially as I now have advanced cancer that has spread throughout my whole skeleton.

[Becksagogo in reply to rockie1952]

Oh bless you Rockier, I am sorry to hear that. You have certainly been through it. When I went in for my last op in February the nursing staff were really suprised that I had been left like this so they went and got somebody to have a look and he said that it was quit easy to snip the wire off. When all this Covid stuff is over I am going to go back to my GP and make some fuss which is completely unlike me!

I hope that you gave a good support network and wish you well. Take care.

[rockie1952 in reply to Becksagogo]

Thanks Becksagogo. All the best to you.

[Kappacino]

I was at Barts and had my sternum cracked, I was assessed by the nurse and received FOC a sternum support. My I dint know how I would have survived without it. Definitely a boon when I sneezed and coughed. My wife bought a send one off the internet as she wanted to wash the first but not leave me wanting. I think the cost was about £89, then you could but add ons, cant remember what and it brought the price to £119.

If she has a record of where she got it from I will post it.

I do vaguely recall that the hospital said I should only wear it for 3 ??.. mo ths, weeks. Not sure

[Kappacino in reply to Kappacino]

This is it. A sexy little number

qualiteam.com/products/qual...