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vkernus

Well-known member
Joined
Aug 12, 2008
Messages
86
Location
Fairfax Virginia
I had my surgery in September of last year. My recovery has been great, I am excersizing, back to work and getting back to normal activities. That said, I am still experiencing discomfort in the area of my sternum. The discomfort seems muscular in nature. It happens mostly when laying in bed and moving from my side to my back, or when I sit up.

Also, I have been a bit swollen in the area just below my incision since the surgery, has anyone else experienced this? Does it go away?

Victor
 
You might want to get that looked into. You should be pretty much pain free by now. Is it possible your incision area is turning keloid?
 
Victor,

Glad to hear you're doing well generally. I agree with Ross about touching base with the Doc. We're on the same recovery timeframe, as you know. I have strange sensations that are muscle related, but it's always from using my pectoral muscles. And I actually have a lump just above the top of my incision that doesn't look like it's going away anytime soon but no swelling anywhere else. I recall that you had some problems with your sternum the first couple weeks. I hope what you're experiencing now is not related.

Jeff
 
I was having the same troubles about 5 months post op and wrote about them. It was suggested by Ozmercy (Randy) that I try some simple chest stretching exercises. I did, and they worked!!!! I called them "my Ozzies".

Hope this helps.

Randy wrote me --

"I would try and do simple stretching exercises a little at a time to see if it relieves the tension. Shoulder shrugs and moving your arms like you are doing push-ups but with no weight, just the motion. Try to build some muscle to take the tension off the scar and to re-stretch those pec muscles back to normal strength. "

Also, be sure you are not walking around hunched over, trying to kind of protect the whole area. Be sure you are shoulders gently back, chin up kind of thing.

:) Marguerite
 
Thanks all for the suggestions. Jeff, How are you doing? Are you racking up the miles on your bike? Now that I have my arrythmias more or less under control I am back to excercising. I have been lifting weights, shooting my bow, walking and weather permitting, fly fishing.

I too hope that this is not related to my earlier sternum issues. Jeff, it it is any consulation, the lump at the top of my incision went away. There remains a lump at the bottom, I noticed it the first time shortly after getting home from the surgery, I hope it does go away.
 
I just spoke with the PA at the Surgeon's office. She indicated that my most recent x rays look fine and that it is not all that unusual for there to be some muscular discomfort at the sternum for up to a year. She further indicated that Extra Strenght tylenol and stretching might help.

While I am here, I would also like to note that my cardiologist noticed that my MCV (Mean Corpuscle Volume) was slightly low following surgery. I am scheduled to go to a hematologist and also to a GI doc for a front and rear scoping (Oh what fun) to make sure that there is nothing amis. Personally, I think that the problem stems from the hemodynamic properties of the St Jude valve. I could not go with an ONX valve as I also needed the lower portion of my aorta replaced and the ONX valve didn't have a model that included the patch. Any thoughts?
 
vkernus said:
I just spoke with the PA at the Surgeon's office. She indicated that my most recent x rays look fine and that it is not all that unusual for there to be some muscular discomfort at the sternum for up to a year. She further indicated that Extra Strenght tylenol and stretching might help.

While I am here, I would also like to note that my cardiologist noticed that my MCV (Mean Corpuscle Volume) was slightly low following surgery. I am scheduled to go to a hematologist and also to a GI doc for a front and rear scoping (Oh what fun) to make sure that there is nothing amis. Personally, I think that the problem stems from the hemodynamic properties of the St Jude valve. I could not go with an ONX valve as I also needed the lower portion of my aorta replaced and the ONX valve didn't have a model that included the patch. Any thoughts?
Click to expand...

Are any of the other numbers off? low MCV is usually smaller cells because you are low in iron,
I don't think the valve would make a difference in that.
 
vkernus said:
Jeff, How are you doing? Are you racking up the miles on your bike? Now that I have my arrythmias more or less under control I am back to excercising. I have been lifting weights, shooting my bow, walking and weather permitting, fly fishing.

I too hope that this is not related to my earlier sternum issues. Jeff, it it is any consulation, the lump at the top of my incision went away. There remains a lump at the bottom, I noticed it the first time shortly after getting home from the surgery, I hope it does go away.
Click to expand...

Victor,

I was doing pretty well. Maybe avg 120 a week and improving my conditioning. I'm now taking a break as I had lumbar surgery last week (Fair Oaks Hosp.), so now I'm recovery mode again. This is briefly a more painful recovery than the OHS but not nearly as much of a whole body hit. Hopefully, we'll both be lump free a year from now with no funky pectoral sensations. Looks like you got your activity routine back in gear right on time for the good weather!

Jeff
 
I had my surgery in September and I noticed after I exercise, mainly with light weight lifts or carrying heavy cooking pans, I am feeling some pain at night while moving from one side to another at the sternum area too. I feel the same pain when I need to get out of bed after lying for a while. I am sure it is muscular, but I do not have the swelling you have.

Good luck:)
 
When the muscle mass in your core areas are affected by surgery (Especially after being cut in surgeries) the bruising is deep and takes a long time to heal. Theses muscles have been cut and usually are not with the grain. When healing, over time we usally do more & more to increase mobilty and stamina. The increased "load" puts increased strain on the muscle. This could take 18 months or longer to FULLY recover.
 
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