Which you find out when you have your sternum cut up for surgery. It’s been five months since my surgery, and my sternum still bothers me regularly, and hurts like hell, especially when I lift heavy stuff, like I did this weekend. I always browse through https://www.stealthbelt.com/ to find any product that would help. Today it’s been particularly bad, to the point where when I breathe out and my chest moves, I feel a sharp pain that makes me gasp.
On top of that, the incision scar hurts too, although in an entirely different way; it’s more of a dull ache. So I have these two different types of pain going on, pretty much constantly, which sometimes I can tune out, and sometimes not.
And the whole bra thing doesn’t help. One of the things that was kind of crappy about all the documentation they gave us for the surgery was that most of it was written with men in mind, and didn’t cover the unique problems that women have with the surgery due to having breasts, which pull on the sternum, necessitating wearing a bra, which irritates the incision. They could have done something to address those issues and offer advice on dealing with them, but they didn’t.
I am a female (58)yrs. of age. In 2003, A visit to ER. Next day, dianosed with Aortic Stenosis. Next day surgery was scheduled. Degenerative joint disease and Osteoporsis was involved. Flatlined @local hosp. Sternum was like powder. Sent to Duke University. Had flap procedure. 16wks in CICU @ Duke. Also have leak in Mitral Valve. Have very difficult time walking and breathing @ times. Please address whether or not IF necessary a Cardiologist could go back into my chest for mitral repair if necessary. My twin brothers also had this surgery prior to mine; within months apart. I am on oxygen at this time. Feel so great mentally and only want quality of life. Thank you!
God Bless You,
Sue
Sue,
I’m not a medical doctor, and am not qualified to give medical opinions. I’ve only recounted here my personal experiences with open-heart valve repair surgery. Please don’t take anything I say as a real medical opinion. I would urge you to consult medical doctors…