Pian after surgery

[Charlieandcoco]

Hello everyone. For how long did you have pain after open heart surgery? I am 6 weeks after surgery. I do not have a constant pain but for the last 4 days I have pain in the whole chest area and back every time I stand up from sitting. Also when I stand up in the morning after sleep is painful everywhere and I have this pulling sensation in the sternum. Was just wondering if anyone else has experienced this. I stopped taking painkillers cause once I stand up and move the pain calms down and I am fine moving around.

[AH31]

Hi

I am ten weeks post open heart surgery and my chest is tight in the mornings. I also have a pain in the right side of chest/breast area which I think is just muscular.

They say it can take upto twelve weeks to feel your normal self.

[Artemlos]

Hi, I am 5 weeks after Triple bypass surgery and am on paracetamol and codeine still the chest is sometimes uncomfortable and stiff but not really painful, but I need the pain relief for my leg where they removed the vein. That's where my pain is, not the chest.

[CyclingTime]

I think you need to manage your expectations here 😊At 12 weeks you can pretty much get back to normal things but....you will get pain and twinges for a long time after that, not bad pain but some discomfort.

Big reason is post week 12 you start lifting, exercising etc much more. Your muscles haven't done anything for weeks and they will get sore, sorry ! I still get pain two years later in my wrist where they took one of the veins from my arm, consultant says there is nothing they can do, it's not bad pain though and doesn't stop me doing anything.

It will mostly disappear as you get everything back to working normally though so no worries, you have just had a very major operation.

[Craig53]

Yes iam about the same time out of surgery has you and I still have alot of chest pain like you I don't take pain killers it's the healing process it can take up 3 months for the pain to clear up . You not alone theirs lot of us in the same boat it's difficult we have to surport each other because most doctors are useless in my experience what helps me is trying to keep calm and getting on with little tasks keeps by mind of the situation and the pain

[TriumphLover]

Hi

I was the same as you in thinking that all would be golden after 6 weeks! The nurses laugh when you say this and just said it’s not a broken finger!

My experience was that after 10 weeks I started a cardio rehab program and was generally more active. So as I was more active that brought more pain. I also tried to get off the pain meds, what I’ve come to realise of that the meds are allowing you to do more, which is good for recovery.

I’m 8 months out and can exercise daily and work physically. However, I can still overdo it and either physically get pain in chest or wipe myself out for a couple of days. I'm still taking paracetamol when needed.

I have been told that it’s not unusual to take a year to recover fully, although depressing this now feels realistic. Added to this I am doing a course of CBT councilling to work through some of the mental stuff, which has value.

Just take your time and do what you can when you can, it's a marathon not a sprint my friend!

Colin

[Charlieandcoco in reply to TriumphLover]

I have to admit, I am a bit impatient with the healing. Wanted to go back to work this week and my husband managed to make me understand that I need more time, so took 3 more weeks. I find it really hard not to be able to do everything I was and not feeling myself. But I know it will not last forever. I sometimes forget what my body went through and maybe try to do more then what I should thinking that it will speed the process. I know this is not the case. I have the appointment with the rehabilation team in 2 weeks and really look forward to it. Not only to start the sessions but also to talk to them about the recovery.

[devonian186]

I took the max dose of paracetamol (4x2 tablets) each day for 8 weeks after my surgery. Then all of a sudden I didn't need it any more. You have been run over by a bus and whilst we are all different pain relief is likely to be needed for many weeks after such surgery.

Hope you haven't tried to do too much with lifting etc.

[Charlieandcoco in reply to devonian186]

I think I forget what kind of surgery I had and try to speed the process of recovery. I am being really careful with lifting and I stop doing things if it is causing me pain. I need to be more patient and give my body the time it needs to heal. Thank you for your reply.

[Artemlos in reply to devonian186]

Thanks for this. How did you come to know you didn't need pain relief anymore? I am on 8 tablets a day plus two codeine tablets a day (week six after op) and was advised to keep on top of the pain, rather than have it flare up and then try to deal with it afterwards. I'm nervous about reducing the dosage and then finding I'm fighting the pain again. I have latent pain in my leg -where the vein was removed - and feel the odd hot twinge at night, so currently I know that I need the pain relief at present to stop it flaring up again. Thank you

[Charlieandcoco in reply to Artemlos]

When I left hospital I was given paracetamol and tramadol. I took tramadol only in the night time for a week or so and took paracetamol 3 times a day for the first week and a half. I then reduced the doses starting to remove the afternoon dose, the week later the morning and then the night. I now take paracetamol only when I get pain that stops me doing things and causes lots of discomfort. I followed my body and how I felt. I was ok taking the doses off but of course everyone is different. The last few days this week I had stronger pain so took medication but otherwise the pain in the chest is not that bad. I didn't have the vein removed so is a little bit different for me. You only know when you are ready to gradually reduce the medication by listening to how your body reacts. Wishing you all the best.

[devonian186 in reply to Artemlos]

Literally one day I was taking maximum paracetemol (8) and the next day i knew something had fundamentally changed and I didn't need it anymore. It could have been that I was quite calm again for the first time after the operation after frequently being bitter and angry

[Bruce67]

I had ohs end of Dec, and yes still get fair amount of pain, some times quite strong. After sleeping or getting up or walking it can be worse than at rest. I take paracetamol at four hourly intervals all the time during the day ( within the approved dosage) ...and it helps. I was advised to take all the time not just when pain is worse.

[quirk13]

Most of my pain went after 12 weeks, still occasional discomfort for about a year after surgery.

[Survivor1952]

I’m 10 months post op now, I still get occasional muscular twinges in my right chest but no pain as such. It was painful up to 8 months or so but not constantly so. Lying on my right side and propping myself up with my right arm hurt until a few weeks ago. To fully heal can, I’m told, take 12 months or more.

[Billett]

I am 16 weeks post op and still get breathless on stairs and hills and pain from nerve damage and since i started back to work aching everywhere