Chest pains

[Cargarth]

Hi Everyone I had a quadruple bypass 5 weeks ago .I am doing very well , walking 6000 steps a day .Appetite not as good as what it use to be but overall I think I am doing well .My problem is my chest where they harvested veins , it is very tight and sore and my left side feel like a big weight is tied inside me .It is hard when I sleep to get comfortable .I am also frightened of sneezing or coughing as the pain is immense where my scar is .Can I reach out and ask if this is normal .Thank you

[BeKind28-]

Hello

You are doing well with all those steps you are doing better than me 3 years later !

Having the op can affect our appetite but it will come back in time this is early days and as long as you are eating something that is all that matters

The scar been so sore and tender that is to be expected at this stage they cut deep and there is a lot of healing going of in there you cannot see as long as your scar does not look inflamed or infected I would say this is normal mine can still slightly hurt 3 years later sometimes

When you are about to sneeze if you can garb a cushion and hold it to your chest that will help or a rolled up towel

Prop yourself up in bed and usually they say sleep on your back maybe hold a pillow or cushion to your chest and see if that helps

From what you have said everything you are feeling regarding your chest is how a lot of us felt and given time it should get better

Let us know how you get on x

[MountainGoat52]

Hi Cargarth,

Five weeks post op is still early days. I couldn't sleep on my side for the first six weeks and then only only my right side for another four or five weeks. I had muscle ache in my chest from the surgery for over six months and it seemed to take ages to calm down. Even now six years on I get the odd twinge. Open heart surgery is a major onslaught on the body and we have to give our bodies time to heal. The breastbone itself doesn't mend for twelve to thirteen weeks, longer if you don't take it carefully.

I have permanent nerve damage where a vein was harvested from my leg and an artery from my arm. At times I still get issues at my wrist and have to use Ibuprofen gel to calm it down. My ankle is just numb and has thread veins. I consider these issues to be normal after such a major operation and overall a minor inconvenience for the benefits of the surgery.

Please don't let these issues worry you. Little by little things will get better. Keep positive and look to the future.

With my very best wishes,

Gerald