Aching chest

[Triheart]

Hi all, I’m 7 weeks post triple op and in the last couple of days my whole chest area has been aching so much more than before? Is this due to the ‘numbness’ wearing off, I’m taking paracetamol (which Id stopped taking a couple of weeks ago) any other suggestions? Thank you

[Razor1967]

Funnily enough I am 8 weeks post CABG x 6 today and the same is happening to me. My left chest area is OK as that is almost all numb, I guess from where the mammary artery was harvested. However my right middle chest area has really started to to become painful to the point I am back on the 8 (max) paracetamol a day. When they kick in the pain subsides. However when it wears off it feels like I have been kicked by a horse !! I am of the same opinion as you that that the nerves etc are returning etc. I mentioned it to the cardiac nurse on my fortnightly phone call. She asked does it hurt when you do a sharp intake of breath and I said no more than it usually does and she said it should be nothing to worry about. I was concerned it was a lung clot or something !! My follow up Cardioligist appt (phone call again) is on the 14th September and I will mention it then. Just let's hope it is nothing more serious than the nerves etc knitting back together 🤔🙄

[Tubbylardo]

It's normal. I still get the odd pain and numbness now, 14 months later. Funnily enough the warm and damp weather seems to make it worse.

[Chappychap]

I think it's pretty normal.

You've got to remember that your chest, shoulder and back muscles all take a terrible beating during open heart surgery. In order to give the surgical team access the rib cage is prized apart and your arms are twisted above your head. Immediately following the operation we tend to be very gentle on ourselves, but six to eight weeks post operation is the earliest date recommended for a return to work, and it's in that period that most of us start to become more active, even if it's just small things like sleeping differently.

Consequently that six to eight week time is when lots of patients start to say they're experiencing more aches and pains.

As well as the breathing and walking exercises, some hospitals recommend gentle shoulder and arm exercises to regain mobility. If you think that may help you then you can read about them in this NHS leaflet,

uhs.nhs.uk/Media/UHS-websit...

Good luck!

[Triheart in reply to Chappychap]

Thank you, I’ll have a look at those exercises 😊