Painkillers post CABG

Hi. At 16 weeks post CABG am still finding I need to take 6-8 paracetamol a day for chest pain and upper body aches and pains.

Is this the norm to other people's experiences?

Thanks

[Chappychap]

That doesn't sound right.

I can't remember exactly when I stopped pain relief after my bypass operation, but it was certainly less than 16 weeks. Yes, the aches and pains continued for quite some while, but they weren't anything that you couldn't just ignore and push through.

Maybe time to speak to your GP or maybe try telephoning one of the experienced cardio nurses on this web site?

Good luck!

[gilreid1]

Hi I agree with chappychap I stopped pain relief after two weeks. More my choice as still had slight discomfort. I would speak with your cardio nurse or GP. Are you exercising? Maybe to much or wrong type. You should have been protecting your chest area for about 12 weeks only doing light upper body exercise

[Hidden]

I was on dihydrocodeine for ~6 weeks, then switched to Paracetamol not sure how long was on them, but would say about another 8 weeks.

My bypass did have complications so think i was on the initial painkiller a bit longer because of it.

[Hidden]

Thanks for the comments all. I suspect I need the painkillers due to a few lingering complications (eg shoulder pain that requires physio that I can't get due to Covid) and probably overdoing the exercise a little. I was very careful to take it easy until 12 weeks post op but have probably been overdoing it since. Will dial down the workouts and see if that helps.

[Hidden in reply to Hidden]

i ended up with cortisone injections in both shoulders, so i sympathise. Apparently it's quite common post op.

[Hidden in reply to Hidden]

Yeah, I asked and it's usually due to the posture you're put in during your op. Feels like my right shoulder has been wrenched out of place. Hope it doesn't come to cortisone, have had them before and remember it not being a plesent experience

[13allit in reply to Hidden]

Hi. I had a very sore shoulder after my op and I also couldn’t stretch my arm behind. Physio couldn’t get it moving either. I did frequent exercises to try and strengthen my muscles and 8 months post op I was woken in the night by a loud clunking noise and my shoulder slipped back into working order! It’s still not as strong as before which is now 15 months later but I’m not bothered by it now. Hope something similar happens to you!

[Tillymint1971]

Hi again

I am not taking any painkillers now and haven't for quite some time (I'm going into sixteen weeks post-op) but I take paracetamol occasionally for sternum pain. I find if I lose the pillow I hug at night I can wake up on my side and very crunched over in the morning. I haven't even had headaches or migraines as frequently as I used to (so maybe that was a lack of oxygen to the brain!)

I am taking plenty of tablets though (atorvistatin, bisoprolol, aspirin) including (wait for it) pramipexole for restless legs! This helps me get to sleep so not even doing the 'couple of paracetamol before bed in the hope it'll help me get to sleep' trick that I used to.

I would have a word with your GP. If the shoulder pain is the reason you are taking them, you could also try a You Tube video. Not kidding there are loads of videos out there for everything and I have used them for posture, shoulder pain, anatomy lesson, exercises, (screen out the rubbish) and you could also try an online physio.

Good luck with it.

[Makmum]

I am one of lucky guy who do not take painkillers pill from beginning. May be this is due to my attitude of not taking painkillers as long as I can bear the pain.

[Makmum]

I am one of lucky guy who do not take painkillers pill from beginning. May be this is due to my attitude of not taking painkillers as long as I can bear the pain.