Symptoms a year after CABG, 20 months after Heart Attack.

[RailRover]

I would be interested in the experiences of others relating to the aftermath of CABG surgery.

Potted history: From around summer 2017 when aged 60, I started to feel a mild tingling and "tight" sensation sometimes under my left ribs, sometimes in my back around the same height. It continued on and off, and in 2018 it had progressed to the point where I was convinced I had an issue with my left lung or upper stomach. Battery of tests, x-rays, scans turned up nothing, except that I was anaemic. I was given iron tablets and went away to put up with it, at least content that it was "nothing serious".

In December 2019, I experienced several episodes of excruciating jaw pain and thought it was to do with a dental problem. One day, however, the jaw pain became head-bangingly severe and it was accompanied by pressure in the middle of my chest. Long story short, this was the heart attack. A&E, clot-busting drugs, angioplasty and a stent to the RCA later, I'm back home licking my wounds. I was OKish for over 12 months, but then the jaw pain started to return, along with some pressure in the upper chest. So April 2021, another long story short, A&E, a month in hospital, triple CABG (to the remaining 3 arteries) later, I'm back home licking my wounds again.

So 16 months post op where am I? It took me quite a few months to recover from the physical and nerve damage of the surgery. Even now the wound isn't 100% and if I press on it, I get a tingle down my left arm. Weird! There are other odd sensations like that, all understandable considering the trauma of the op. However, I find that once again, I am getting the old tingly feeling and that strange, tight sensation around the heart area.

On the face of it, I'm OK. I can walk miles, play badminton etc, but I find that when I set off, this tightness, or squeezing feeling is there. It can also be there at rest. How to describe it? It's like either the heart is too big for the cavity it's in, or it's too small and is rattling around in there! There's that sensation below the ribs too. It's very difficult to put down in words how it feels. It's just..... odd. Not pain, but certainly discomfort. I find if I walk through it then it seems to ease off after a couple of miles. The nitro spray doesn't touch it at all, but then it never has touched any of my symptoms throughout my heart issues.

The question is: Does anyone having been on a similar ride to me, (HA, CABG more than a year ago), get similar chest sensations? Can anyone identify with this?

[Hidden]

Dear RailRover

Thank you so much for your very well written and descriptive first post.

To be honest you could have been describing me and I am sure many others on here.

The answers that I got to these symptoms { from my Cardiologist and Nurse } was that it is the body mending and so many small nerves were cut or damaged in the open heart practice that many patients still have odd sensations years later.

You have to remember that this is me and that I am not medically trained, but I must admit that the GTN spray does help with the tightness { but have a feeling that some of that is down to hay fever } but the odd uncomfortable out of place twinges seem to calm down on there own.

I have a pace-maker in for some 10-12 weeks and that area is numb still with an odd pulling sensation.

I hope that you have nothing to worry about but why not run it past your GP again and get him/her to check you over.

Thank you again for the interesting post and I wish you a speedy recovery { you seem to be doing great so far }

Take care

[Pollypuss in reply to Hidden]

From the time of my bypass in 2019 I have experienced many unusual symptoms. I have my blood tested yearly and an overall check from an nhs cardio nurse. A few months back I had a skipped heart beat as I call it but after an ecg whereby they told me it was clear the symptom disappeared. I have a marker on my daily walk which reminds me of the time when the pain used to start pre bypass. I now sail fast that marker . I can also play tennis for an hour and a half with no pain twice a week . Serving always brought on the pain. My doctor told me if I can keep up with my daughter who really walks fast then everything is “flowing well” I have found that starting up with exercise takes a bit longer but once I have got the old body machine fired it’s fine . I will be eighty in over two months and am determined to live life to the full by eating the right food and exercise . I need to be fit as my husband is now disabled.

[Hidden in reply to Pollypuss]

Thank you for a lovely positive in-site to how you are doing, long may it continue

[Gail1967]

Hi yes I can- it’s 3 years since my cabg & def have weird sensation at times- am seeing cardiologist next week to discuss as have had couple of pain/discomfort feelings recently in exactly same place as original ha that led to cabg. Not overly worried but equally don’t want to leave it for another ha!!!

[BobbyB1962]

I had NSTEMI / CABG x4 in February 2021. My recovery has been pretty good but certainly not as quick as some on here! I still get quite a bit of discomfort across the top of the chest but it feels musculoskeletal more than anything; BHF nurses said it was normal and just the muscles & nerves knitting back together. I was getting an odd squeezing pain from the heart earlier this year and had some tests but nothing showed up. They continued and cardiologist referred me for an exercise test in May this year; I still haven't had results despite chasing 4 times!🙄 I haven't had those pains for a month or so.

[RailRover]

Many thanks to those who have replied with their experiences. Most interesting. Any more are most welcome.

[RailRover]

With the cardiologist yesterday and, much as expected, he wasn't really interested in the squeezing and tightness in the heart area. Not cardiac, says he. Not convinced, said I. But there we are.