Help pls

[EB2021]

Hi Everyone,

For anyone who had CABG dis you experience any spasms in the leg where the vein was harvested?

My mum had several medcine changes but still experiencing alot of discomfort in her chest area and abdomen. (Nauseousness, bloating and feeling the muscles around the chest area tightening) She is still taking painkillers more than 4 months post surgery. Her symptoms had reduced for a short period but is back again.

Any help/advice would be appreciated.

Thanks

[Hidden]

Had a CABG with 3 grafts last year with my leg, where the vein was harvested, being still pretty dead below the knee along with the attached foot. Occasioally feel pins and needles and often have a foot that feels the cold.

I can feel things touching the leg, but there is no feelin other than it being in contact with something - don't feel pain, don't feel pleasure, couldn't even tell you what it has come in contact with most of the time.

My understanding is that a range of symptoms can be experienced in the area where the vein is harvested - and as always varying from one person to another.

Hope that helps in some way...

[EB2021 in reply to Hidden]

Hi,

Thanks for taking time to reply and share your experience. My mum also experience the coldness on her feet and pins and needles. Along with muscle spasms.

We are trying to work out if these are related to the CABG surgery or her Parkinsons.

I am sorry to hear what you have to deal with hope things improve soon.

[Hidden in reply to EB2021]

Thank you, things are moving in a positive direction. Hope your Mum gets an answer to what is causing her spasms. I know Parkinsons creates 'tremors' in limbs but that is the limit of my knowledge regarding physical effects of that cruel condition.

[Baz51]

Good morningYes I had my right leg vein harvested with my triple bypass one year ago, and like the other answers on here, my lower leg still gets some pins and needles and it seems to get better when I do walking. Good luck and hopefully your mum gets better soon.

[reidmar]

HiI had a quad bypass just over 2 years ago and I still get twinges around the chest scar but the first months were not great but my surgeon always told me that I need to remember that the chest has went through a large trauma when being spilt open and needs time to fully heal.

I would be concerned if still needing pain relief at this stage and your mum should maybe have a chat with her Gp to discuss things.

As for the leg, again when harvesting the vein they unfortunately cut through nerves which they do try and re-join but some take longer than others to start working and some never re-start but we learn to live with it, I always look at it as a small price to pay for what they were able to do.

I do hope your mum finds the answers she needs and is able to start living her new life, take care.

[Kelling]

You may not be aware that there are at least two "harvest" points. Behind the left breast and (usually) the left leg and then the right leg. My chest on my left hand side is quite numb with no skin sensation and the occasional pain, as if a muscle has been pulled - which it has! That is after 3 years in May! Even the area of the removal of a vein from my left leg, I have recently noticed in the shower and with soap on the area that I have a distinct dip in the top of the scar and the bottom of the scar has been sore since day one and feel something has been left behind because there is a lump there - which is probably where the end was sealed up or even knotted for all I know.

Since everyone is different, I guess all outcomes can be different, however there is a common thread ie uncomfortable feelings on left chest area. I feel I should also note that since these pains and irritations are on the left side and the heart is somewhere behind that, one could be forgiven for mistaking harvest area pains to a heart problem. For me, after analysis of the pain I realise there is nothing to worry about. Second anomie being the left leg area.

I have no doubt nerves have been damaged in chest area and perhaps even the leg area, however this is a small price to pay for rejuvenated heart but there will still be anxiety when we get a chest pain, its only human. Nerve damage in the leg area can result in so many things changing, try and reassure mum but would just raise the issue when she next see's the doctor, just for peace of mind.

goood luck and keep on looking after mum, many mums are not so lucky!

[EB2021]

Thank you all for taking time out to reply to my post. You experiences/advice is really appreciated.