When do you get feeling back?

[Lauratx22]

Hello-

Its been about 5.5 months since my OHS and my upper inner thigh is still numb...like the dentist numb... When do you get your nerves back full time? I feel it sometimes especially when my 2 year old steps on my thigh but that's about it.

Thanks-

Laura

 

[epstns]

Laura - Everyone is different. I'm now almost 17 months post-op, and my sense of touch/feel is pretty much back to normal but for a few anomalies. I have a couple of spots along my incision scar that seem to be "cross-connected" with nerves elsewhere. For example, there are those couple of spots on the incision line centered on my sternum, but if you touch those spots, I feel pressure near my left breast. I also have a larger numb spot between my left breast and the center of my chest - but I attribute that one to the fact that I also had a bypass, which used my left mammary artery to supply my heart. This, I was told, could lead to some permanent loss of feeling across my chest.

It feels a bit strange, but I've grown accustomed to it.

 

[chaconne]

Laura,

Is it numb from a cath you had before the surgery? I'm not sure how you could have a numb thigh from OHS. My whole left thigh is numb, except on the back, from surgery 3 years ago, but that was to remove cancer in my lymph nodes near the groin.

 

[Lynlw]

Laura,

Is it numb from a cath you had before the surgery? I'm not sure how you could have a numb thigh from OHS. My whole left thigh is numb, except on the back, from surgery 3 years ago, but that was to remove cancer in my lymph nodes near the groin.

It is probably from the heart /lung machine conection, they often use the groin or clavical area for min invasive or other times like multiple REDOS. Laura, i think this is ne of those things that is really different for everyone, but FWIW quite a bit of Justin's thigh was numb after his 5th OHS, I'm not sure how long it took t completely get feeling back, but the numb area slowly got smaller and sometime around 6 months he realized he didnt have any numbness if that helps. Others always have a small area that stays numb around any of the incisions

 

[chaconne]

Thanks for the insight Lyn. I know from my own experience that having incisions in the leg can disrupt nerves for a long time or permanently. I've had surgeons tell me it should go away in a few months.

How big is the numb spot Laura? If it's small (a few sq inches), I would think it would eventually go away. My numbness area can be measured in square feet!

 

[2003miata]

I had AVR 9 months ago and still have a numb area on the inside of my left knee that started immediately after my surgery. There were no incisions in the area, so I assume it's related to some nerves in my chest. I also have a numb area on my right wrist that is probably more related to ulnar nerve irritation during surgery. Both areas are slowly getting better.

 

[RunMartin]

My right thigh is still numb after surgery. I do not notice it at all now unless a specifically prod it. I do a lot of running and swimming which is not effected by it.

 

[tom in MO]

Parts of my left breast have been numb since surgery. At 5 months some feelin has returned, but not much. My said she has the same problem from a Csection. She's never gotten the feeling back. She said nerves can get cut and don't always heal quickly or at all.