Hello! 7th week post triple bypass...

[PV74]

Hi all just wanted to say hello... joined today, on 7 th week post a triple bypass in early Jan. Busy with Level 1 cardiac rehab 3x a week, scars healing well. The only thing bothering me really is ongoing sensations of pressure on my chest, though these go away if I shift position... in fact It feels better if I just touch it, or rub lightly so perhaps its just sensitivity around the chest incisions. So weird! Interested to hear if others have experienced anything similar? Will be discussing with surgeon next week.

Cheers all

[gilreid1]

I can relate to what you are experiencing. Around the same time after my bypass I had similar. Luckily I was attending rehab and got great advice I have attached what I was given and as long as your wound is healed give it a try. I used E45 lotion to massage Good luck and stay safe

Gil

Sensitive

[1043590 in reply to gilreid1]

I still have a sensation of pressure and numbness on the left hand side of my chest following my CABGx4 in February 2020. It's more noticeable when I'm walking or lying on my left-hand side than when sitting down. The cardiac rehab programme I was due to go on was cancelled because of Covid so I wasn't aware until seeing your post that there are ways to improve feeling. The hospital brochure I received suggests that things will just get back to normal over time as the nerves repair themselves. I'll give the techniques in your leaflet a go! Richard 👍😀

[PV74 in reply to gilreid1]

Thank you very much gilreid1 that is really interesting and helpful - I will definitely give it a try!! Have a great weekend!

[gilreid1 in reply to PV74]

I found E45 lotion better it is less greasy than the cream and more gentle on scar area especially my leg. After about three weeks a huge difference.

Stay safe

Gil

[El-Tel1990]

Seven weeks since CABG #4. Signed off by surgeon this week.Chest is fine but numbness in leg where they took out the SV. Other than that all good. Walking at least 60 minutes per day, eating well and enjoying life. Surgeon told me everything settles down in time

[PV74 in reply to El-Tel1990]

That is great to hear that you’re making such amazing progress El-Tel1990! I find walking to be a great activity, not only just the right ‘level’ of activity but also so nice to get out! You’re doing amazingly at >60 mins a day wow. I am doing 2.5-4.5km a day, depending on how I feel and doing the BHF cardiac rehab videos 3x a week, under the (virtual!) supervision of the local cardiac rehab team.

Re the leg, I have similar sensations to you in my left leg - my scar is the full length of ankle to knee but the numbness/tingling is the bottom third of that only (and only to the left of the scar). It is also exactly the area where I now have dry skin, so I’m using a little E45 cream (though not on the scar itself yet). The cardiac rehab nurse said it will improve over time as things mend and other veins ‘take over’ though individuals will experience different levels and time for recovery.

Hope your recovery continues to progress so well!!

[El-Tel1990]

My scar is also left leg, I also have one on my left arm. I’ve been using Bio oil , it’s a bit greasy but great for healing.

[PV74 in reply to El-Tel1990]

Looks like it is healing well!

[Brixcos in reply to El-Tel1990]

Hi El-Tel

Have you been using bio oil on your sternum scar? If so, how's it going?

[El-Tel1990 in reply to Brixcos]

That’s going really well too. Once a day . It’s a bit greasy so I wear a light vest or t-shirt to absorb any excess. I would highly recommend it

[Brixcos in reply to El-Tel1990]

Great, I'll give it a go too 😎

[El-Tel1990 in reply to Brixcos]

£15 on Amazon 200ml

[Brixcos in reply to El-Tel1990]

Bargain! There was none in Superdrug today... I 🙄

[fixedrider]

That's interesting. My double bypass was in summer 2019, and I still get some mild feelings of pressure or tightness. It's the kind of thing that's been there throughout, and I'm confident that it's not a symptom of further problems - I really am in better health than ever, I think.

I'm even more confident because I recently had a really thorough check-up in A&E after being referred there by my GP, after developing symptoms that I now believe were probably down to an onset of shingles from which I'm currently recovering. They couldn't give a diagnosis (no direct shingles symptoms to spot at that stage), but they checked everything anyone could think of.

I don't remember getting a briefing about desensitisation, but it's not really a major issue for me, more of a background awareness.

[PV74]

Great to hear you are recovering so well Brixcos! My triple bypass was 5/6 Jan in Barts (started late at night and finished early hours) so we may have been ward neighbours!

The advice I have had re this is if changing ones position changes the sensation/pressure its most likely to be ‘muscular-skeletal’ not heart related and that is certainly how mine feels, though I do raise this each time I speak with the rehab team or my GP. The answer always is “give it time”. My GP said “remember, open heart surgery is a bit like an induced car accident so it will take time!” I found that a helpful way to put my recovery in context!

Re the cardiac rehab exercises, I am under the Barts rehab team and the nurse said I could start the exercises at the start of week 6. They use an app (“tickerfit”) but also sent me the YouTube link to the BHF cardiac rehab videos and said I should do either of these, 2 or 3 times a week. I prefer the BHF one so watched the intro video (about 10 mins) and now use the Level 1 on Mon, Wed, Fri. I have a weekly call with the physio so will discuss moving to Level 2 next week.

Hope your recovery continues to go so well!

[Brixcos in reply to PV74]

We would have been ward neighbours - I was transferred to Barts (4B) on 6th Jan and had my op on 8th!

I had a look at the BHF videos a few weeks ago and had forgotten about them (memory not what it was!) So thanks for the reminder and I'll compare BHF videos with my app programme to see what suits me best.

I like the car crash analogy (someone else described the op as "brutal' which sounds worse somehow...)

Yes my heaviness feels like my body rather than my heart, although when I breathe in deeply I'm not sure what the discomfort on the left hand side of my chest is. But if I can comfortably walk 4 miles, I think my heart is ok?!

Do keep in touch, it's really useful to know people at the same stage of recovery. And keep up the great exercise regime, you're doing brilliantly 😊

[PV74 in reply to Brixcos]

Thank you - you too!

[PV74]

Sorry to hear about the shingles fixedrider, but great to hear your health overall has improved since your surgery, and to get your perspective on this.

Wishing you a speedy recovery from your shingles!