Skin sensations and sleep
Hi all, I am new here and really looking for some support. I am a 37 yr old male who had 4X CABG on November 27, 2001. My recovery is going very well with a couple of exceptions: 1.) The skin on my chest is ULTRA sensitive to ANYTHING touching it. Mostly it is numb still, but if my shirt rubs against it, it drives me insane. 2.) I am still not able to sleep through the night. I am taking 600mg Ibuprofen to help with muscle aches and it does make me sleepy, but only for a couple of hours, then I wake up usually in a pool of sweat. (I soak the bed every night) When I first lay down, can fel everything settling and shifting and it's VERY uncomfortable for about 15 minutes, then the muscles relax and I can rest. My question is, when will this go away? I know everyone is different, but an idea of how long it took for some of you would be great. I HATE going to bed at night because I know I will not sleep well and I have no alternative but to lay there and be miserable. I am not the type of person who easily accepts being "down" physically and it's really starting to bug me. Any advicce would be appreciated. Thanks, Brian
In a message dated 12/15/2001 9:39:44 AM Eastern Standard Time, warfordfam@... writes: I am new here and really looking for some support. Brian, Welcome to the group. I was 44 when I had my first CABG (no the grafts don't last forever). As far as your skin sounds like you had a mammary artery used like I had on second CABG. If I remember itching went away in a few weeks and numbness maybe 6 months. Regarding sleeping, most of us have had problems. I found after I was recovered exercise helped. I never had problem falling a sleep, but it was when I woke middle of night. At 37 try and think of your risk factors and reduce them. Like my surgeon said "we have only bypassed your heart disease now it is up to you to prevent recurrence." Last, recovery is not linear. I would get frustrated when I couldn't do on Thursday what I had done on Tuesday. Bottom line was when I fully recovered I was able to do 100 mile bike ride and before surgery I struggled to do 10 miles. Harry K
Sorry to hear about your post-op troubles. I had numbness/sensitivity on chest, worse on leg (where they used the 'old' method to get the vein out -long incision instead of 2 punctures) . Slowly and gradually that should get better. I did expereience 'frozen shoulder' right after the op, but that worked itself out pretty quickly. Muscle aches and night sweats? I'm just a layman, but it sounds viral to me. I find kava-kava (herbal capsule) helps to relax me , if I need it. Might be the ticket for getting to sleep. Shifting and settling? Can you describe that a little more? It's not one I've heard in 6 + years. Regards, Harold
Harold, Thanks for the reply. In regards to the "shifting & settling", basically, I think its the muscles relaxing and allowing my ribcage to settle into the proper position for sleep. I'm apprenhensive about the Kava-Kava as I'm on so much meds right now. I can fall alseep, just can't stay asleep. I do have a visiting nurse and she keeps a close eye on me. I'm VERY satisfied with the care I've received, it's just the whole "is this normal?" thing. The night sweats come and go. During my hospital stay, I did run low grade temps at night. The sweats don't seems to coincide with the temps, though. Maybe it's the Zocor I take at bedtime. I will discuss this with my cardiologist. I appreciate your help. I received several replies to my post and thaey were all very helpful. Thanks again, Brian
Thanks for your assitance. I appreciate it a lot. I know what you mean by not being able to do the same things two days in a row. I am really pushing to do things I have no business doing at 2 1/2 weeks. I did have the mammary artery grafts. They used them both so that explains the numbness. Thanks for that bit of info. I just feel so "gross". Scars, scabs tape glue, and glue from electrode pads. UGH! I hate for my kids to even see me without a shirt. Heck, I hate to see me without a shirt! Thanks for your help again and if I need answers, I know where I can turn. You all have been great! Brian
My husband had 4 bypasses about 3 yrs ago, he had the same exact symptoms. After about 6 wks all started getting better. And each and everyday it gets better and better. But the tenderness and feeling of everything in your chest was still a problem up to a year. The best thing that happened to him was going back to work after 6 wks. He seem to get much better, much faster once he became more physical. It's a long road to recovery. He still has to get just right on his side before he can sleep. He has trouble with his sleeping still though. Some weeks he can hardly sleep at all, but he is a worrier of the worst kind, so anxiety has a lot to do with his. Hang in there and try to be patient. Got be with you as you recover. Lynn
In a message dated 12/15/2001 11:33:11 PM Eastern Standard Time, warfordfam@... writes: . I can fall alseep, just can't stay asleep. Brian, Have had the same problem for many years. Found reading book helps. Harry K
Hi Brian & welcome to a great group! You'll learn a lot here. My name is Sharon & my husband had a CABG X5 a little over 2 years ago. He also bounced back very quickly, much as you describe & has done well. Don't worry about a setback coming. He has yet to see one. He was 50 when he had his surgery & in great shape. I think that helped him do so well. His chest is still a bit tender to the touch to this day but after about a month he had no trouble sleeping. Good luck! Sharon In a message dated 12/15/01 10:44:44 PM Central Standard Time, warfordfam@... writes: << There is no sign of infection and all the nurses and doctors who've seen me say I'm way ahead in my recovery. Makes me worry that there may be a set-back coming. You are right, this is a rough time in my life and physically isn't the only way. I'm having only minor problems with emotions, but they come at stupid times. I'm having some minor memory issues as well, but I understand that is a side-effect of the bypass machine and should correct itself over time. Again, thanks for your quick response, I really appreciate it. Brian
In a message dated 12/17/2001 4:30:21 PM Eastern Standard Time, warfordfam@... writes: I have a genetic defect that makes me prone to arteriosclerosis so thatās why I had this so young. I am in same boat Brian and also have always been very active. That's why I made firm commitment after 2nd CABG x5 in 1989 to do everything possible to reduce risks. In that time I have cycled almost 50,000 miles on my bike including cross country in 97 which included raising money for American Heart Association. Recently there have been bumps in the road but still pretty decent shape. There is not much you can do about genetics but there are other diseases where you have no chance to do anything t orpiment recurrence. With heart disease there are choices to be made. Harry K The Bypassed Bicyclist
Hi Bryan It looks like you've received a goodly amount of response to your note so I'll keep this short. I had 7 vessel bypass in July of this year and am recovering quite well (I'm 57). I was an active jogger before the bypass and am back up to about 2 1/2 to 3 miles a day again. I had numbness in my chest up until about 6 weeks ago and now have just a bit of tenderness remaining. However, jogging does bounce things around a bit so I wear an elastic band (similar to a head band) around my chest and it works just fine. Some days are better than others but the overall progress continues to move upwards! Sleeping is still a bit of an issue with me but not because of pain, simply don't sleep well, never have and it hasn't gotten better or worse since bypass. Patience is the key, don't expect too much too soon, but don't sit around either!!! Many don't agree with me but I believe activity as soon as possible is both physically and mentally stimulating. Best of luck to you!!
In a message dated 12/19/2001 7:27:51 AM Eastern Standard Time, warfordfam@... writes: Can anyone tell me what kind of things you were doing at 3 weeks? Iām shopping, banking, housecleaning including mopping and vacuuming and doing laundry. Granted, I am not doing them with the energy I had prior to surgery, but I am still doing them. Iām also cooking dinner and attending church 3X per week. Iāve been doing these things for almost a week now. Brian, Your talking to person who cycled cross country 97 and Seattle to San Diego 99 so you know I am not a couch potato. It does sound like you are trying to do to much to soon. Treat it as spring training and go slowly a little bit at a time increasing activity slowly each week. My surgery many years ago, but if you ask me about 3 weeks my first thought is getting to bathroom without discomfort would be a victory. Harry K