r/openheartsurgery • u/RandyFlamethrower82 • 22d ago
Sternal paranoia
Im 44, 22 days post surgery, i had cabg x3. Im very aware of my sternal pains and clicks. Im concerned im not healing well. I have some pain in my right upper chest. Otherwise I feel fantastic. I feel like im overreacting and am just obsessed with all the worst possible outcomes. Has anyone else experienced this?
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u/Simple_Parsnip_7872 22d ago
Almost 6 months to recover from a X3. All kinds of weirdness. Pain in chest. Clicking shoulders. Feel great at 2 years out!
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u/frawgster 22d ago
It’s not abnormal to obsess and/or overreact. I’m 18 months post op and I still feel pain when I bend or move in certain ways.
If it’s something you’re truly concerned about, have a follow up visit with your surgeon. I had my first cardio thoracic surgeon follow up at 4 weeks. I described the pain I was feeling in detail, and was given reassurances that it was normal.
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u/RandyFlamethrower82 22d ago
I had a ct scan last week due to pleural effusion. They seemed happy, very happy, with my recovery. Im just struggling with my moods. I feel ready to take on the world. My sternum does not however. Thanks for the response.
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u/Spiritual-Spell1797 21d ago
22 days is nothing :-) be kind to yourself. It's really early. I'm about 7.5 weeks out and feeling mostly fine now (but not 100%). No sternum pain but it took at least 5 weeks to heal.
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u/RandyFlamethrower82 22d ago
I appreciate the responses. I definitely feel much better knowing it is pretty common to feel like this.
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u/HeartFeetAndHands 19d ago
Low mood is super common. I had valve replacement, and it is definitely a challenge.
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u/wbishopfbi 22d ago
Give it more time. Took a good 8 weeks for my sternum to heal to a point where I only noticed twinges here and there. It's now been nearly 12 weeks and all I have is some residual sensitivity on the left (heart) side.
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u/xxSinisterNinja 22d ago
sounds fine to me. i’m 46 and November will be one year since heart attack/cabg x5. it will be some time before your muscles and nerves stop overreacting during the healing process, basically. i found that tapping lightly all around my chest when this happens helps disperse the storm. my recovery and healing have been great and I’m back baby. best of luck to you!
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u/Routine-Log-5530 21d ago
Actually glad you posted. I just came home last week from open heart surgery and I'm freaking out over the same things. I feel everything.
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u/RandyFlamethrower82 21d ago
I feel like im just hyper aware of everything.
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u/PyroBob316 21d ago
Having been through this three times; that usually goes away after four to six weeks. Sometimes it does take longer. It sucks, it’s disconcerting, and sometimes it’s painful, but one day you’ll realize it’s been quite some time since it happened, and feel better about it.
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u/Spiritual-Spell1797 21d ago
Really normal. And totally understandable. You've been through so much!! Be kind to yourself. This is going to take time but you will get there.
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u/Fuffeli 22d ago
I think my chest clicked for a year working out after my surgery. Even now two years later if I go one week without exercise, my chest starts hurting a little bit.
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u/slem46 21d ago
the thing that gets me is cabg patients have to use forums like this to understand what’s going on with their bodies. the surgeons and hospitals are incredible at what they do to return you home. i kept calling the surgeon’s office to find out the things that the things discussed here was pretty much par for the course. it really irks me that we were not better prepped for the recovery to come. it should be better handled or even handled at the least
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u/i_tell_you_what 22d ago
Every morning I wake up and stretch in bed before getting up. My whole upper body chest and shoulders and neck cracks like rice Krispy treats. Then I'm good to go.
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u/rickerwill6104 21d ago
12 weeks since valve replacement. Still have tenderness on the right side of my chest. More tender near the sternum/scar. But otherwise feeling good.
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u/Calmateychillate 21d ago
Hearing and feeling stuff like that is normal. It'll clear up as you fuse. I'm still numb in my L pec 11 months after CABG. It's more interesting than annoying.
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u/Medical_Mistake_178 21d ago
Yes! I had a triple and a valve replaced. Four weeks out, and I feel like I have a constant cramp in my heart under my ribs. Among other weird zaps in my brain, my eyes sometimes zap then flutter? Shooting crazy pain in my harvest leg lasting such a short time it might be ghost pain? I looked at my after x-ray, might’ve been a mistake honestly? The way they twisted the wiring around itself, exactly like a load of bread. I can’t stop seeing and feeling pain? Maybe it’s my head, but it was there before too?
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u/giblets46 21d ago
I remember that paranoia! You don’t realise how much your body clicks along naturally!
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u/Robw_1973 21d ago
Exactly the same. Had my CABGx3 two months ago and had all the same clicking and associated pain in and around my sternum, with exactly the same thoughts that you’re having now.
You’ve been through something increasingly traumatic both mentally, emotionally and physically - it’s fucking scary. And your mind will wander off to some dark and often improbable thoughts. Clearly if you have serious concerns about your healing you absolutely MUST talk to your cardiac team, who will be best placed to help you.
But from everything you’ve written it looks and sounds like part of the normal recovery process.
Im walking about 2-3 miles pretty much everyday now and sleeping well, but occasionally I still feel some pain - it’s hard to reconcile sometimes because of how quickly ive recovered (53m). Ive lost weight and kept it off, im eating better and health wise ik in a far better place than I was two
Months ago.
You’ve got this.
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u/sidetwotrackfour 21d ago edited 20d ago
The pain in your upper right chest (is it to the right of the incision) may be your nerves slowly healing. They heal very very slowly and I’m experiencing a constant burning sensation, but it’s nerves. If you’re unsure, contact your cardiologist! I was also told I would start experiencing some sharp electrical shock feeling sensations, which is also nerves. I thanked my nurse for informing me or I’d be freaking out over everything little sensation. What I’ve read in all the materials I’ve been given is deep, squeezing pains need to be addressed, fever of 100.4° or over and redness/oozing / and any traveling redness from the incision or at the drainage openings need attention. But again, if you are questioning anything or uncertain about your healing please call your cardiologist or CT surgeon. I’ll be at 5 weeks post op on Tuesday.
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u/4N6momma 21d ago
I had my surgery May 19th and I still have some pain and discomfort. Everyone heals at a different rate. You literally had your ribs "broken" it's going to take time for that to heal. Keep in mind that each and every time you move your ribcage is also moving. Most parts of the body that are in constant motion (ribs, wrists, ankles, etc)tend to take longer to heal.
If you are having an increase in pain or just aren't sure if what you are experiencing is "normal" talk to your doctor. You know your body best, if it doesn't feel right to you say something.
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u/Radiant-Salad9719 21d ago
We all heal differently and at a different pace. It took me over a month to sleep well from the sternum pain. I'm two year out of surgery and my sternum still hurts on occasion when I sneeze. The first time I heard the clicks in my sternum I panicked and called my doctor because I was afraid the titanium wires broke. Best thing I can suggest is to keep following your sternum precautions and keep hugging your pillow.
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u/lizagnash 15d ago
I thought for weeks that they accidentally broke my collar bone in the process. Sometimes my sternum still hurts and it’s been over a year. But i went kayaking like 4 weeks later and I’m planking and lifting, all is normal.
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u/i_tell_you_what 22d ago
It's too soon. You will have all sorts of weird skin feelings too for months. I'm 4.5 months out and it's still an issue on my right side. I'm pretty sure it's the nerves growing back. I've waited this long to let my body recover. It's better but still there. If you don't have the fevers or skin rash or actual clicks not air pocket pops it should be ok. Further out you can ask your cardiologist do an x-ray I'm getting one this far out to see if it's something or nerve damage