Collateral damage?

[wristshot]

Hi, everyone.

I'm about seven weeks out from my AVR. Feeling pretty good, hope to go back to work next week. The incision pain comes and goes -- I find I can easily aggravate it by twisting or pulling the wrong way.

But my biggest problem is a sore shoulder. It hurts like hell and restricts the movement of my arm. I'd had no problems with the shoulder prior to surgery. So I wonder if this happened on the table -- hung off the edge for five or six hours, yanked in some weird direction by a nurse or resident, leaned on by someone doing some precision sewing.

Any of you had a similar experience?

Thanks.

 

[Danny]

Yep....I had surgery on Oct. 13th of this year, and my left shoulder still hurts like hell from time to time. Also shoulder blades. I asked my Dr. and I was told it was from being on the table the way i was. It has gotten better, but still bothers me.

 

[Philip B]

Shoulder Pain

Shoulder Pain

My AVR surgery was back in March 2007 and I still have some issues with shoulder pain on the left side. Mine still shows up from time to time under my lower left shoulder blade. Opinions may vary, but I think the pain is the result of bones being flexed in an unnatural manner when they opened my chest.

It's kinda strange, but I had some ribs on the right side of my body broken in a hit & run accident back in June. I have no rib pain on my right side, but the pain under my left shoulder blade still shows up.

Utilizing the services of a good massage therapist has helped me a lot.

-Philip

 

[wristshot]

Hmmm. My sore shoulder is the left one as well. Three for three. Coincidence? Or where a right-handed surgeon is likely to be standing for several hours?

Thanks for the quick replies.

 

[Bina]

My right shoulder was sore for several months after surgery. They yanked on it for sure.

 

[Lily]

At my three month cardio visit, I asked him if I could be cleared to see my very gentle chiropractor. The cardio agreed and a gentle chiropractic adjustment took care of the ongoing pain I had in my back with my right shoulder blade.

I still had some other pains from the surgery though, some things that still haven't completely resolved.
I think it might be rare though. Best wishes.

 

[ALCapshaw2]

Back and Shoulder Muscle Pain are fairly common following Valve Replacement Surgery.

MASSAGE works wonders for most muscle pain.

You may want to ask your surgeon about getting a Physical Therapy Consultation (or massage therapist or chiropractor).

I found that the 'Arm Cycle' machine at the gym used by my Cardiac Rehabilitation Therapy class worked wonders for loosening up my stiff shoulder and upper arm.

But again, ask your Surgeon first.

'AL Capshaw'

 

[LauraS]

Yep, my right shoulder but it's getting better now. My ribcage is still numb however at 6 months. Is this normal? I feel like I'm held together with a big rubberband!

 

[mac]

Hi,

I agree with everyone, I am 5 1/2 weeks post op and my left shoulder blade feels like it has a knot under it, although it is better. My right little finger and the area going up my hand from my little finger is still numb and off and on pain between my wrist and elbow on forarm. They told me it's all from positioning on the table and when they jack you open nervers get pinched also. Other than that life is great. Chest and sternum still pretty sore, with my trade I don't see making it back to work in 8 weeks. Getting back to the right hand I barely have enough strength to turn the egnition key on my truck....sucks!! they told me this will go away in time.......what time is the question.

Mac
AVR, single by-pass
carbo medics mechanical
Dr. Suri
Mayo Clinic

 

[abbanabba]

I had terrible shoulder pain post surgery. I was able to commence chiropractic treatment 3 months after the surgery and after 9 months of fortnightly treatment (which was weekly for the first 2 months) my chiro says I'm now in about the same shape as his "normal" patients.

Of course, now I can exercise more regularly and start using weights again, that also helps to keep everything where it should be - but that first 6 months was challenging.

 

[ottagal]

This is a very timely post! I am just over 8 weeks post surgery and am still having lots of sternal pain (mostly upper part and the pain radiates out and up to the neck esp. at night). Today I now have what feels like a frozen left shoulder and I can barely lift my arm. So...you are in good company.

 

[netmiff]

Yup, I think we all get it in sme form or another; it is from the way we are positioned on the table, or having the ribs spread.

I am 2+ years out, and what I get is like a stitch under my bottom rib on the left side; not often or even painful, but when I get it it is annoying!

 

[wristshot]

Thanks to all for the replies. It does indeed seem like a common consequence of surgery -- just knowing that makes me feel better. And yet another great reason for a community like this.

By way of follow-up, I spoke with both my cardiologist and surgeon about this in the last couple of days. The cardiologist rolled her eyes and said, oh yeah, this happens to everyone -- you're basically manhandled on the table -- that it typically take 6-8 weeks to clear up (I'm skeptical about that) and that cardiac rehab can help. The surgeon, amusingly, said, oh no, can't have been anything I did, except maybe for spreading apart the ribs which can lead to some nerve damage. But, as my cardiologist pointed out this morning, that kind of nerve damage typically leads to "shooting" pain, which is not what I (or most of the other posters here) are reporting. Well, whatever. It doesn't matter how. What matters is how long!

On another front, I've been dealing with a very different kind of pain in the last couple of days that sits sharply and precisely between my incision and my left shoulder -- and pretty much blots both of those issues out. The cardiologist suspected pleurisy (got some great info on that from searching this site) but after looking at my EKG today decided it was pericarditis.

The funny thing about all of this -- and I'm mentioning it in case any of you have run into this problem before -- is that the cardiologist wanted to give me an anti-inflammatory (I'm currently on a full aspirin, no coumadin) but said I couldn't take ibuprofen. The surgeon, later that same day, told me to take ibuprofen (and lots of it). When I said I thought I wasn't supposed to take that, he laughed and said, "We used to think it was bad, and now we think it's good," and told me to tell the cardiologist that he twisted my arm. When I told the cardio about this today, she laughed and said she was glad he told me to take it because, in her opinion, it was just the thing but that she couldn't tell me that. What the...?

Anyhow, let me report that ibuprofen works great and I'm feeling much better today.

 

[Bina]

Before my OHS, Advil was my best remedy for all my muscle aches and strains.... since then I really haven't taken any because I was told to take only Tylenol.

 

[wristshot]

Same with me -- has always been my go-to. Tylenol is useless IMHO!

Might be worth re-checking with your cardiologist or surgeon.

 

[Bina]

If I should ever mess up my back or shoulder again, I will make sure to try some Advil in a limited amount (so long as my INR is decent).

 

[ottagal]

I, too was told to not take Advil post-surgery and only Tylenol. Does anyone know the reason behind this (I am not on coumadin, only ASA). I would like to take some advil if this relieves the shoulder pain.

 

[Bina]

I believe that Ibuprofen can increase the risk of bleeds, so maybe it is something to try once you are recovered and with Doctor approval...?

 

[Ross]

If you saw what they did to you, you'd have no doubts about what you feel. Your shoulder blades are actually contacting each other once they spread the ribs apart. You really are filleted like a fish. Muscles are stretched way beyond anything they were designed for, which leads to that tiny, nagging, bit of pain that goes on for so long afterwards.

 

[wristshot]

I, too was told to not take Advil post-surgery and only Tylenol. Does anyone know the reason behind this (I am not on coumadin, only ASA). I would like to take some advil if this relieves the shoulder pain.

Yes, as Bina says, first thing is to consult your own docs. Based on what I've heard in the last couple of days, they're clearly somewhat conflicted about it themselves!

But here's what my cardiologist said. One issue is the potential GI side effects when combined with aspirin (which I'm taking as an anticoag); she said that if I had a GI problem I should take some prilosec or xantac. The other seemed to be specifically for bypass patients -- that some inflammatory activity is thought to be required to strengthen the grafts. Not sure I agree with that (or even heard it properly), but there you have it.

Also, both my cardio and surgeon asked first thing whether I was on coumadin (I'm not). So, as Bina suggests, your blood-thinning is clearly a consideration as well.

But I have to say, I'm happy to have gotten the green light, as it's certainly doing the job for me.