nerve damage after open heart surgery

[Sheilad3]

Hi there have been suffering what specialist says is nerve damage after my open heart surgery 3years ago. It comes and goes a bit but very sharp pain and usually catches me unaware. Anyone else experience this and any remedies apart from pain killers x

[Captain_Birdseye]

Hi Sheilad,I use heat packs, it helps ease the discomfort.

[Gail1967]

hi- I only wear non wired bras & have done since my surgery. In the last few months (4 years April since bypass) it has definitely improved - so for me it was just time!!

[Chronic25_Catlover in reply to Gail1967]

Sorry to interrupt but just wanted to reply I have only thought more about my health etc and comfort in recent yrs and looked into non wired bras just few yrs ago and I do think it has helped least the comfort generally

[Swalecliffe88]

Hello Shellad Had by pass surgery 7 years ago and still get the odd strange pains on and off from nerve damage. I had a LIMA as part of the triple and still get and insatiable internal itch in the left boob too. I find a few minute’s distraction therapy works the best. But all in all these are minor things in the big scheme of still being alive thankfully 🍾

[CyclingTime]

Not in the chest but definitely nerve damage in my leg and lower arm near my wrist so it may be fairly common.

[MountainGoat52]

I suffer nerve pain at all three incision sites, the worst being my wrist where an artery was harvested. I use Ibuprofen gel to calm it - note I do not have issues with my heart, only my arteries. My leg where a vein was harvested is just numb and has numerous thread veins. This rarely gives me any issues, even after a 20 mile hike in the hills, but if it does flare up, a quick application of Ibuprofen gel helps.

My chest aches from time to time (left side of the incision) and this responds well to massage. I think this is more an issue with the muscles rather than the nerves.

[Thanksnhs]

Hi maybe lidocaine patches would help the pain, I have used them for neck and shoulder pain and they worked for that, I was at the physio yesterday re athritis in my hands and she suggested I use them when doing the exercises to help with the pain as I am not allowed to take ibuprofen. They might be worth a try, char

[Swalecliffe88 in reply to Thanksnhs]

Hello Thanksnhs. Lidocaine is a bit dogie if you are taking any blood pressure or rhyme altering medication like beta blockers. It contains adrenaline that speeds the heart up. Llkewise anyone visiting dentist on any medication but especially these should make the dentist aware. The effects of lidocaine after a dental visit start when the drug starts to dissipate through the body (wear off) it can make the heart race, make you feel extremely tired and have flu like feelings.

[Thanksnhs in reply to Swalecliffe88]

Hi I never knew that, I am not on any of those meds it's mainly immunosuppressants and ones for my stomach, that's probably why my consultant gave me the patches. Char

[Swalecliffe88 in reply to Thanksnhs]

Hello Thanksnhs I know it’s a minefield knowing what you can take or can’t with all the different everyday/over the counter stuff. Still if it wasn’t for some of the amazing medications and knowledge our doctors have now days a lot of us would not be here

[Thanksnhs in reply to Swalecliffe88]

Morning, it definitely is a minefield my GP thought it was ok for me to take ibuprofen and the hospital said absolutely not, it is a bit of a worry especially with pain killers etc. I could not agree with you more re the skills and knowledge of the doctor's and the advances in medicine. The treatment and care I received in the Golden Jubilee Hospital was second to none, they are nothing short of amazing. Char

[Cowans]

my husband had open heart surgery last June, he has nerve damage in his hand and more worryingly he lost muscle in his thigh and his leg is very weak. We have seen numerous consultants, and still waiting for a diagnosis, at one stage they thought it was MND

[Buddybeamer24]

Hi, I am 60 years old, had a bypass a few months ago and now developed a tender lump on my left breast which I am told could be nerve/muscle damage but its only appeared a few weeks ago.Waiting for a hospital appt to.get properly checked.

Maybe a hiatus H which explains all but GP was totally dismissive of all my concerns.

I have a hot bottle at night to warm.the area which helps.

[Heather1957]

The only place I had nerve damage after my bypass was down my arm. I had patches of numbness down my arm and a few of my fingers were either totally dead or had pins and needless (left arm only)

I had and still have to a lesser extent numbness around my scar but thankfully this is painless.

I had pain in my ribs which travelled around my back for a long time after which was helped with initially co-codimol and then just paracetamol.

I saw my GP a few times after my surgery but he reminded me (with diagrams) what my body had gone through when they were doing the bypass so I was not at all surprised that there are healing pains.

I would say as long as they are not directly heart related, you need to give the body time to heal and that can take a long time.

3 years does seem a very long time so I would be tempted to either visit your GP or have a phone consultation and ask for some advice.

I hope this gets sorted out as after the heard bit (OHS) recovery should mean just that!

[Tidy69]

Apart from sharp twinges in my chest and a tense neckI have no noticeable nerve damage. My upper posture has been affected ever since they cracked me open, possibly the bits didn't reassemble quite neatly over my sternum. I guess there's no smoke without fire.

[Chronic25_Catlover]

Hi,I can relate I had a Heart op in 2015 and was only a few yrs ago after many times saying about chest pain was told by a Cardiologist nurse on my follow up care was poss Nerve damage,I was shocked and livid as can be expected.Not much came from it.I used to take just Paracetamol (I have Panadol brand as is much faster absorbed) as told can't have Ibuprofen.I'd suggest poss Codeine if pain gets pretty bad and keep getting on at Drs/Cardiologists,we shouldn't have to suffer like this.