chest pain

[Burtybella4]

hi all how long does it take for you not to feel any pain in your sternum after bypass surgery, I had my bypass six months ago but can still feel ache in my sternum doesn’t really hurt but feel like I couldn’t lift anything heavy

[Charl70]

Hi I had quad bypass 15 months ago and returned to plastering 6 months later end of Feb 2023 if I over do it at work I do get a bit of stiffness in sternum couple of days later feels like I have a scaffold in chest as someone once said on here ,I can now lift up bags of plaster and cement quite easily, I do find when I stretch my arms when working that's when I feel discomfort and swelling days later ,also if I sit in same postion slumping down I get a touch of costochondritis, try and keep posture good

Good luck with your recovery

[Burtybella4 in reply to Charl70]

thanks for reply charl70 that puts my mind to rest suppose it just gets better with time I’m the same if I stay in one position I’ll have to keep on moving

[Wooodsie]

Hi Burtybella4, it has been nearly 3 years for me. I still get the odd twinge after overdoing the weights or starting a new program or doing excess DIY at home. I expect it's pretty normal. After all, you were cut in half and your bone has to knit back together. It will surely never be perfect again 😂

[andy110519]

Hi, 4.5 years on from OHS and I still get some discomfort at times if I do too much that stretches my chest and still can't lie on my left side without getting some discomfort. I'm 50 for reference, fairly fit and do DIY etc so it does get better but it took over a year to be able to bend over to tie laces without any discomfort. Take care

Andy

[Billyjean123]

I think discomfort, as others mentioned is pretty normal. I had an awful problem with my sternum ended up having wires removed due to an allergy (we think ) to the nickle, but most people don't have anything like that .

[Jambypass]

Quad bypass a year ago (I’m 56) and reckon it was at least six months, probably longer, before I stopped having any pain/discomfort. I learned to live with it and ignore it then one day I thought “it’s gone - haven’t had an uncomfortable feeling or ache for ages” ………. Now get the odd ache in my sternum or in my chest (left side normally) but only when I’ve get carried away/pushing to hard at the gym or doing lifting etc at work (I’m an electrician). When you think about how your sternum and chest were pulled apart then there’s no surprise we have issues over time and when we over do it. It used to get me very anxious but I now know the difference between heart and muscle pain and can always put it down to “overdoing it” ……………. It’s just part of I lives I guess !!!!

[Sljp0000]

I'm 15 months on from a failed bypass surgery. I still get pain. The surgeon wanted to take the wires out but when I realised my sternum hadn't healed together I couldn't understand that. I have to make the decision to put up with the pains (which are constant but very sore even if I carry light bags for some time) or have it plated together.I think its normal to have some chest discomfort after having your sternum cut in half. Lots of nerves to knit together . I'm sure in time it'll get easier.

All the best

Susie

[CyclingTime]

Took about a year for me. It's important I believe to exercise it otherwise the muscles around it won't build up to provide the support you need. Build slowly though, start with lighter loads and buildup repetition

You may still get the odd twinge even after that but nothing to worry about.

[Burtybella4]

thanks for all your reply’s good to hear everyone else’s experiences and really helps put mind at ease

[Jako999]

Hi sorry to hear your still in pain, I’m 18 months post HT and quad CABG and I still get some pain depending what I do, I think I always will. You need to remember it’s like you have broken a bone, if you break and arm or a leg large bone you will always feel it especially in the cold weather. Is it actually where your sternums been cut through again you have to remember if you’ve had bypasses they harvest the two largest arteries out of your chest. You have probably have never seen this done but believe me it’s pretty brutal and considering what they have done really the pain is very mild, after seeing the full op when it happened to me I new what was going to happen to me, sometimes to much knowledge is a scary thing.

Thanks Martin

[Survivor1952]

I’m at 6 months also, I get the odd twinge now and again still. It is muscular and needs exercising carefully to resolve.