Ongoing issues with OHS scar?

[CBH192]

Hi, has anyone had any ongoing issues with their scar? I got an infection in mine a few weeks after surgery. It healed over the following weeks but I now have two small areas re infected again. I know the surgeon said some patients can be intolerant to the wires. Just wondered if anyone had similar and if it eventually cleared up? Thanks

[Tubbylardo]

I've had no issues with the scar apart from itching when my chest hair started to grow back. Chest still hurts a bit every now and then, Still find looking at the scar a bit unsettling.

[CBH192 in reply to Tubbylardo]

Me too, I find it a horrible reminder 😬 and with the ongoing issues it’s hard to move on from it 😩

[Tubbylardo in reply to CBH192]

My scar is quite wide and it is that horrible pink shiny skin .... not nice. Glad now that cheat hair mostly covers it so that I don't see it when getting dressed anymore.

[Beith in reply to Tubbylardo]

How interesting that you don't like seeing your scar! My scar is just part of who I am now; I see it every day and think of how fortunate I am. Every time I see my five year old grandson, he wants to touch the scar and ask me (again) how my heart was fixed!

[LuckySe7en in reply to Beith]

Ditto! My grandson gives my heart a goodnight kiss as well as me. Scar is just a reminder of how lucky I was, heart attack in summer 2019 but not diagnosed until Dec 2020

[road2ruin in reply to Tubbylardo]

I don't like my scar either. It is quite feint now and doesn't irritate me, but sometimes, for just a moment, I forget the stress of having OHS, and then, there is the scar to remind me.Two years down for me nearly, so maybe a few more years to forget.

[Kelling in reply to Tubbylardo]

Me too! I find the top part of the scar feels so knobbly with dips and high's as I run my finger along the scar, especially as it gets close to the top and am sure one side is lower than the other. I really don't think people notice them, it is our self confidence that is the problem as it is a costant reminder of a dark side of our lives - although one has to have survived to feel uncomfortable today! There are good days where there is no awareness of the scar and other days where I have an ache - perhaps might have something to do with how damp the day is? I do wear the scar as an achievement to the surgery and to my posative outlook both before and after the operation - however that has nothing to do with the question here and why I answered as I have

[Tubbylardo in reply to Kelling]

I find the damp makes it worse as well.

[Beith]

I haven't had any infections but a few weeks ago, it was very tender at the top end where there's not much between the skin and the breastbone. I think that perhaps the wire had irritated the skin, not helped by me touching it and rubbing it to see if I could feel the wire!! When I stopped touching it, it got better.

[Jamie1995 in reply to Beith]

Good tip! Thank you. How long is it since your surgery? Mine is coming up on the 24th so any more helpful suggestions are welcome.

Best wishes for your future Beth, well done so far.

Sue x

[Beith in reply to Jamie1995]

The triple CABG operation was two years ago last month and I had no issues until the recent tender episode. Perhaps I was lucky, but I had no issues of any significance. I did the walking and breathing exercises in the weeks following the op and then attended the rehab classes which quickly got me up to 10k steps daily. As with everything else in life, having a positive mental attitude is the best start point. Best wishes for the 24th - you'll be in safe hands. PS: 'Beith' is the name of my old home town! (real name is David 😄)

[Jamie1995 in reply to Beith]

Thanks David, lovely part of the world. Sue

[Thanksnhs in reply to Beith]

Ayrshire? If it was I used to stay there many moons ago char

[Beith in reply to Thanksnhs]

Beith in Ayrshire, about 18 miles south of Glasgow

[Thanksnhs in reply to Beith]

Not far from me

[CBH192 in reply to Beith]

Could you feel your wire? I’m not sure if I can feel mine at the top? A hard little bump? I’m so obsessive over the damn thing 🙈🤣 will be glad when it’s healed, I’m due a baby in 4 weeks, I’ll have enough going on hehe x

[Beith in reply to CBH192]

I 'think' so ... it's a nobbly bit ... but it could be bone 😂

[road2ruin in reply to CBH192]

I can feel about 4 of the wires. The one at the top is the most noticeable as it is on a bone, quite close to the skin and I am not very padded. They don't bother me, just ache sometimes when I have been doing too much.

R2R (it's a nickname from when I used to own a TVR that coast a lot of money to keep lol)

[Jamie1995 in reply to CBH192]

CBH Wow! You sound amazing! Well done on coping so well with your OHS and love and prayers for all the joy of a new baby.Sue❤️😊🙏

[080311]

Morning,

Sorry you have problems with your scar, I am 5 years on from my surgery Aortic valve replaced and bypass. I didn’t have any problems with the scar healing, but I did use to see it sometimes and get a shock but then came to embrace it, this was my badge of honour I had been given a wonderful gift of a second chance. Now 5 years on and it’s all but faded just a little bit left that’s pink. When I feel my chest one side feels higher than the other you can’t see it just when I run my hand over it!

If yours is still not healing a word with your cardio nurse might me worth it.

Best wishes Pauline

[Hidden]

Hi, I had a minor infection with my original scar, or should I say, on the skin around it, which was treat with Antibios. It soon cleared up. Two ops later, no other problems, in fact, the current scar is the best it's looked aesthecially. It's easy to say, but, you get used to it.

[AndyM69]

It’s just over 12 months since I had a quadruple bypass. I had 2 wound infections in my chest wound and it had to be reopened in both places which was a bit gruesome as it was just done in an outpatient clinic with a scalpel!

I honestly thought it would leave a real mess but it just has got lighter and lighter as time has gone on.

I’ve taken pictures of my progress and I’m sometimes really surprised how little you can see the scar. I do have quite a lot of lumps and bumps down my chest, wires and bone I think. I’ve also noticed that it’s taken 12 months to settle into what I think it will be like now.

I still find it all a little strange when I touch it, thinking about what has happened, but then I also think I’ve been lucky to have it done and it’s pretty amazing what they can do to fix us!

It’s still tender in places and I actually think it will always be, some of the bone does stick through the skin a bit. I just accept it’s part of me now, it can’t be changed and it was done for a really good reason.

I hope your wound continues to improve and all the best for your new arrival.

Andy

[Squoozy]

My husband’s scar was infected (?treated with antibiotics) and very red and angry for a good few months. I think it was about 6 months before it stopped looking very red and now it’s hard to even see the scar. I was very worried at the time but it did get better and they said sometimes it takes a while. I hope this helps.

[Hidden]

I had 3 areas of nfection post op. One I had to be readmitted for to get it cut and drained. The other two areas were caused by stitches working their way to the surface and had to have a treatment of strong antibiotics.It did hamper my progress in the beginning and I'm still seeing nurses regularly to get them checked and dressed but I'm hoping they are healing now.😀

[CBH192 in reply to Hidden]

I was the same with the first infection re admitted to cut and drain and IV antibiotics. Ended up being in for 9 days! So very eager for that not to happen again. Currently seeing the DR regularly and taking a course of antibiotics!

[Sewingpumpkin]

I’m two years out from ohs and I wear my scar as a badge of honour. I find people rarely notice it especially if I wear a necklace.I had two big infections which have made a mess of the bottom half and a few spots, all of which can be attributed to bits of stitch and other debris working their way out. Now, unless a spot is developing, it is rarely sore.

Your body takes time to heal and it does seem to take a lot longer than we expect.

My mother had ohs around 10 years ago and you can hardly see her scar now.

[marigoldb in reply to Sewingpumpkin]

Like you sewingpumpkin, I feel my scar something to be proud of, the fact of going through such a major op, aortic valve replacement and single CABG, also the work of the surgeon. iit Was at Harefield Hospital, part of the Brompton, on 31 July 2019.However like you I had an infection at the lower end of scar, which meant trips to and fro to Harefield weekly, and a weird suction thing attached, which had a battery part to have round my waist. All the time it blinked meant it was doing its job! Wonder if anyone else had that?

I was also on Flucloxacillin , which did the job, but I had awful nausea, not good for the long journey to and fro the hospital. I had 2 daughters luckily, one living near, and one over from 0z to stay for 3 weeks, as I’m widowed, living on my own.

All well till mid September when one evening huge crack on back of R calf, and searing pain! Off to emergency treatment centre, who assured me not Achilles’ tendon tear!

Eventually December 16th, ultrasound scan, RESULT , complete Achilles Tendon Tear! Imagine how I felt! All those weeks in pain and asking for the scan too?

It turns out in the leaflet re Flucloxacillin, 1 in 10,000 can suffer the above. Guess I’m the lucky so and so. Of course too late for ends to join then, so I am really disabled from it.

However I try to make the most of life, have interests, a lovely garden, and some of my family nearby, and a mended heart is such a thing to be thankful for

Sorry to go on for so long, best wishes to all you hearties who may have the patience to read this, Marigold.

PS I had a TIA 3 weeks ago, 24 hours in hospital, still a bit foggy, but on I go!!

,

[Sewingpumpkin in reply to marigoldb]

I was at Harefield but at the start of April 2019. My local surgery dealt with my infections although I do wonder if I should have been sent back to hospital. I pretty much had an open wound at the bottom end of my scar from April to the end of July and I lost count of how much antibiotics (3 different types).

I am sorry to hear about your Achilles’ tendon. That really is a big problem.

I think you have a great view on it all and trying to look for the positives all helps ❤️

[Ianmaz]

My to was infected had to get antibiotics and eight visits to District nurse fine now don't care what it looks like I'm still breathing

[CBH192]

Completely agree, mine is a mess now after the infections, but I will just be grateful for it to be healed!

[kyoom]

Hello to all my fellow CABG and Sternotomy friends on this forum.I had my open chest CABG done 31 years ago! (wow how time flies)

I am presently 73 yo,and doing good for my old age.

My scar is quite noticeable and i can still feel the wires around the sternum at times.

Don't worry about the looks or feel ,things will get better with time.

My advise to all is to continue to work and stay active in order to heal.

I am still doing my 20,000 + steps a day (10 miles) plus my gardening and swimming.

My scar is a reminder to me of my second opportunity to enjoy this life and don't fret over the small things.

Best healing to all.

[Parminter]

I have not had OHS, but following a massive abdominal surgery, I had problems for years before my GP discovered it was the remaining stitches well below the surface, which do not dissolve, and which some of us cannot tolerate.

He took them out in his rooms. Problem solved.

[Fudgefuzz]

Have had my mitral valve replaced three times - once thirty years ago and then in January 2002 and again in February 2002. Needless to say, things were very sore after all that plus I have a lot of keloid tissue which is still there but mostly no longer itchy as it used to be. I had steroid injections into the scar for some time afterwards which helped with the soreness but weren't terribly long lasting. I now see the scar as part of me and as a sign that I survived the second two operations when my husband was apparently warned before each of them that I was unlikely to survive. Interesting to read what others say about damp days affecting the scar as this seems to be the case for me too. The consultant at hospital has prescribed me Fludroxycortide tape to put over the scar and keloid when it becomes very bad - it helps but I mostly do without it these days as the pain seems to settle down of its own accord after a while (and a little bit of light scratching!). Very best wishes to you. Fudgefuzz

[Lavendermay]

Hi , yes I had a really bad infection with my scar in fact so much gunge was coming out I had to hold a towel to my chest, I was a home and a nurse came every day to dress it, there were massive holes you could get your fingers in, lots of antibiotics and gradually it got better, but I had bad anemia and blood poisoning, it took several month to clear up , then I was left with a small weeping hole that lasted a couple of years , the doctors tried all sorts of creams e , c, t. In the end I moved house and went to a new doctor , I wasn’t even going to mention it as I had given up bothering, but I did and he gave me a week of a massive dose of antibiotics, I felt so sick and I’ll, but guess what it disappeared never to return, and that was eight years ago, P s no one likes there scares, but it’s better than the alternative,,

[LuckySe7en]

I have a small spot or two of infection. A bit itchy and tender but will just monitor for now

[LHDLondon]

Yes. Afraid so. For a number of months. Even now, 4 years later it's sensitive and sore from one day to the next. GP says it healed and sort of "lump it"