sternum issues 5 years after they stitched me up from heart bypass

I HAD BYPASS SURGERY 18 YEARS AGO AND JUST THE LAST MONTH THE CHEST BONE HURTS ALOT AT TIMES AND ALSO MY BACK

I had bypass surgery in 2002. I have costochrondritis now. My whole rib cage and back is sore and painful when I move. Sternum is still tender and sore. My chest also has tender and sore spots. I believe I am allergic to the wire on the sternum. I guess we have to live with the pain.

i to deal with this after having my thymus removed anyone know anyrhing

Mine was 4 years ago in April and all of a sudden feeling a pain and I can feel something sharp at incision line at very top and makes you wonder what is going on with the bones or that bones did not heal and come back together. going to doctor Tuesday to have it checked out. take care

I am going through bouts of nausea, haven't been the same since my open heart surgery. My chest wall is always hurting, and when it's going to rain, my chest bone can let me know ahead of time.

Not sure how an "Inguinal hernia" would effect your chest or give you heartburn since it (the hernia) would be in your groin area?

Hey...you have perfectly described the "aura" effect of an opthamolic migraine. Which is usually caused by a vascular spasm near the optic nerve. I've had them for years...as did I have arrhythmias for most of my life. I had my CABGx3 in 2014, and 9 stents since, plus one ablation attempt and this past year a successful one. I too continue to experience sternum pain. I don't think it ever fused...it feels to me like a hinge that creaks.

I assume you are referring to the "candy sprinkles" that start in the center of my vision and turn into a widening circle then disappear. Thank you very much, that's the first description I've had for it. It's now been 21 years since the operation and I have seen them 2 or 3 times since the first year. It sounds like you've had your problems in the past couple years since the CABG. Glad to hear about the successful one. My sternum has healed OK but the xiphoid is still tender.

Some of your symptoms may relate to improper healing of your breastbone, or sternum. Sometimes the wires placed by the cardiothoracic surgeon may cut through the sternum and sometimes Xiphoid can fracture away from the breastbone itself pulled out by your abdominal muscles. Depending on the study you see, up to 5% of patients experience with these symptoms. Unfortunately, many heart surgeons still use wires after surgery. Many patients and up on anti-anxiety and anti-depressant medications. I suggest you see a plastic surgeon, like myself, who is able to stabilize your breastbone. Unfortunately, many patients do not get informed about postoperative sternal or breast bone pain as a result of improper healing.

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january 26th 2012 i had the dreaded heart bypass ,my chest is worse than on the first year i had it done ,and my leg has never reduced in it,s swelling ,shortly after i had a stent put in ,WOW, i felt it go in and give me alot of pain ,the arrogance of these sergions when you say your still in pain .may be ,because they,ve done there job ,regardless what they have mest with they shrug you off [WELL AT LEAST IVE DONE MY JOB]how about making it good by taking the dam wires out once the chest bones have healed ,find other methods for viens from your legs at 18 inches length taken out,push all hiatus hernia,s down and sow up inside ,whilst your open ,at the very least ---care and at least try and get to the bottom of it ,i said to my doctor .it has been over 5 years,i should be healed and as fit as your good self,so please tell me why i am not,in fact each year it get,s worse ,i have never looked forward so much to my last breath,,piece at last .

I had open heart surgery 28 months ago. My upper left chest is still swollen and sore to this date. They put my sternum back together with the offset and of course I still have sternum pain sometimes it feels like somebody's stepping on my sternum and crushing me. I have done everything under the Sun pain management acupuncture hot and cold compresses. The VA was going to take out the wires and put titanium plates across the sternum but two days before the surgery they cancelled. The reason being was my expectations were too high and they can't help me, I have never heard that ever in my life. I did ask him what does that mean! I am trying to get the VA to send me to the Cleveland Clinic in Ohio under the VA Choice plan but that's not going all that well at this time. The va's a paper machine.

That Veterans Choice seems to be some kind of a joke. They sent me a card saying I was eligible a while ago but nothing has ever been charged through it. I spoke to a person at the doctors club I have to go to now that my private doctor of the past 40 years closed up when Obamacare came in. She said she was the Veterans Choice coordinator and would take care of billing my appointments there. I am still getting Medicare statements for every visit so I guess that V-Choice thing is just a joke.

Hi, I had a quadruple bypass 10 years ago at the age of 50 (type 1 diabetes for most of my life before you ask!).

I am lucky enough to be English and so all of my medical treatment and drugs are free on our NHS.

I recognise so much of the above. I have had constant pain and get the dizziness from BP medication.

As soon as I stretch myself like when decorating or working on a car, the pain worsens. My understanding is that the sternum is flexible and more like cartilage than bone so it's no surprise that the wires move around and flex a little and cause pain and discomfort. I also get headaches since the cabg and nausea together with severe discomfort in my right abdomen. Discussed this with a neurologist who said it is probably vagal nerve damage from the surgery which can be neither proven or cured.

I agree that the worst aspect of all this is the attitude of the medics. In my case, I had a major heart attack and wasn't expected to survive do their attitude often seems to be, 'we've saved your life so quit whining.' if not that, they always take the option of blaming my symptoms on the diabetes!

I am a qualified nurse and a medical lawyer although I have retrained as a psychotherapist in the last few years.

Good luck to you all and keep fighting!

yes my friend,it,s been almost 6 years after triple bypass,doctors -surgeons -of all descriptions shrink,s nurses ,not one of them will be truthful ,the nerve damage NEVER goes away ,EVER--they take the vein from your leg ,only to make little veins do what a large vein should do.i have a small brain tumer and have had 2 scans within a 6 month period ,witch was 4 years ago ,my memory is shot -my head constantly feels preasure ,all in all I-WE ,WILL NEVER be healthy again,our quality of life is a big 0 ,i give up -and see more clearly than ever,no body cares enough to listen to you me ore any one , let it go mate .

It was certainly hard trying to get information after I had my cabg x 6 twenty one years ago. They wouldn't answer any of my questions, all they did was listen and nod their head while writing notes like they were taking a survey.

I was lucky though in that everything went well and I have little to complain about. I was surprised to find out that most of the others in cardiac rehab with me had diabetic problems as I had none. I was having severe breathing problems last year so they did a whole bunch of tests that showed my heart is functioning fine, better than expected for a man my age who has had no heart problems. My breathing problem was caused by my parrot who now has a new home and a year later I am breathing well.

I did have leg swelling due to the vein removal which I found is nearly gone since I began taking the HCTZ 25mg in the morning. I guess it fights the fluid buildup as it removes water from your system during the day.