Body aches 6 weeks post-op

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Shirley Dickey

Well-known member
Joined
Jul 19, 2011
Messages
50
Location
Bayside Tx
Was wandering if any one else has had joint and muscle aches (feels like fever or flu systoms) 6 weeks after surgery? :confused2:
I do not rember feeling this achey after my avr in '09 except for the 1st 2 weeks after being home.
I am not sure if it the healing process and takes longer on the 2nd OHS or if its the coumadin (1st time being on blood thinners) or if it is cause I need more naps, sometimes naps help and sometimes they don't :frown2:
Also wanted to know if anyone has had a knot in their groin long 6weeks post-op I had a heart cath done and they used an angio seal then 8 days later had to they had to use a heart pump due to complications of an 11 hour surgery?
Will be seeing my cardiologist next week( soonest appt) hope he can help to explain why I feel this way :frown2:
Responses are greatly appericated :)
 
My upper body aches and pains lasted for 12 weeks until the end of sternal precautions. Have you found a comfortable sleeping position? I slept sitting up for 39 nights, by which time I developed coccyx pain; that was enough incentive to force myself to recline and the pain did not resume. I did not experience a knot after cath but had knots in my arm, where I had developed phlebitis, and they lasted for about 4 months. Hope you are feeling better. Pat
 
I remember the body aches and worrying that I was getting sick, I was frustrated because all I had was Arthritis strength Tylenol, New on coumadin I could not use my prescription Ibuprophen. The good news is that it does pass. I think mine ended around 8 weeks. Must just be a quirk of our massive surgery. Your Cardio should be able to shed some light on the problem. I was able to lay in my bed instead of the recliner around three weeks with 3 pillows under my shoulders and two under my knees. It took me about 6 weeks to get comfortable on my side and I was a big side sleeper, Good luck it really gets alot better.
 
I don't remember body aches. Maybe you should try to take a nap and see if more rest helps. Are you running a temperature? I'd check it every now and then to be on the safe side.
Hope you're feeling better soon.
Mary
 
I am 9 weeks out, and thanks to Cardiac Rehab & Returning to work I think just about every muscle aches, some is due to starting to do more after surgery and stressing rested muscles. I am a back sleeper, and sleep semi reclined post op - lying flat is no longer comfortable.
 
Went to pcp today and found out that I have n infection somewhere , they seem to think it can either be from left over fluid in chest cavity , angio seal in leg or in my lungs ... as I am now running a bad fever , they took a bunch of blood today for culters and will know more on mon-tues and will see cardio. dr. on tues to look at angio seal that is very tender to touch.
Thanks for the advice and will keep everyone posted
 
I'm sorry to hear this. Do your cardiologist and surgeon know about your bad fever and infection? When Justin had his post op infection, they admitted him and started IV antibiotics, then did echo, xray, CTscan to see if they could see anything. He ended up having surgery the next morning.
 
Last edited:
Shirley,
How high is your fever? I would put a call in to your cardiologist and/or surgeon, now, or no later than the first thing in the morning. I would think as Lyn said, an echo would be in order and possibly IV antibiotics ASAP.

It may be wise for you to get to the Emergency Room ASAP. Infection now is nothing to take lightly. I wouldn't wait until Mon or Tues.
 
I had a lot of pain in my chest and back for months afterwards from inflammation, also sleeping was very rough and I would wake up with aching behind my knees and in my hips from the positions I'd try to get in to get comfortable. Make sure you take your temp.
 
Sorry didn't see that you posted about having an infection. I went at about 6 weeks and had fluid around my heart and lungs, along with inflammation in my rib cartilage. I did run a fever so they did blood cultures and kept me in the hospital until the results were in. I didn't have anything show up in my blood culture, the fever was pretty high and I honesty thought something was terribly wrong I haven't felt like that since I had pneumonia as a kid, but the fluid wasn't enough to tap so they sent me home on steroids for a few weeks and the fluid cleared up. I had the inflammation a few times after that each time was less painful and I'm a year later and haven't had any problems with that in over six months. Good luck, I've got my fingers crossed for you.
 
It is very important that you notify your cardio doc. I developed staf infection in my heart a 6 weeks out. Don't want to scare you but it is vital that they determine where the infection is so that they may treat it.
 
Update
Went to cardio and had all blood culters and xray etc was in ,and found out that I did not have an infection as they thought turned out I was having a reaction to the ZOCOOR that I was taking it was causing all the flu like symptoms and fever along with it breaking down my muscles and doing some weird stuff to my liver :( . I have stopped taking it and have felt soooo much better :) fever is gone and body aches should resolve themself within a short time.. Now the trick is finding a statin that does not cause those reactions , even though I eat very healthy(always have) and exercise routinely I still have high cholesterol they say its a family thing :( and will start a new statin in 3 weeks when I see cardio again.
I want to thank everyone for their comments and post and concern...Such a caring set of people on this board and has helped me to cope and feel better @ a time in my life where my family just couldn't/didnt understand...( they are learning as I am:) & couldnt ask for more than that ) enough rambling :)
Thanks to ALL and May GOD bless everyone :)
Shirley
 
Good to hear that there is no infection, I am a little confused about meds causing a fever??? The blood cultures would show something if there was one. I hope you are successful at finding the right meds... take care of yourself :)
 
Shirley,
You had asked about the knot in the groin area ? I had a big swelling for about 4 weeks post op. It has come down considerably now in my 5th weel. The RN at my surgeons office said it lasts for 2 to 3 months for many to become completely flat. Apparently it has to do with the passage they creat for running the tubes from the heart-lung machine that they use during the surgery. There is a bunch of damaged/blood soaked tissue apparently that causes the swelling and it will heal itself in a couple of months. If you do not feel any pain or tenderness in the area when pressed, it should be OK, is what I was told. Hope this helps.
 
Shirley, my Cardiologist who is very conservative with respect to treatment told me to take Red Yeast Rice and Co-enzyme Q10 for my statin (red yeast rice) and Co-Q10 to replace the Q10 the stain takes out of the heart. Have not seen comparative studies, but it's a thought...he's big on replacing meds -like potassium for diuretics, 11/2bananas for one of my potassium pills. Reassuring food CAN do the work of letting the body heal - even in heart meds.! The best to you.
 
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