Mended Hearts Open Forum

I had double by-pass a little over a year ago and I am still having
recurring discomfort on my left chest slightly left of center. I have
had EKG's and have seen cardiologist. Anyone else experience this?

I guess it depends on what kind of discomfort you're having (tho your cardiologist should be able to help determine what might be going on?)  Is it a pressure discomfort, or a bone healing discomfort, or an irregular heartbeat discomfort....

After my bypass surgeries, I always had sternum discomfort for a long time--just turn the wrong way, and I new that bone had been cut open and was healing.  In fact, now 6 years after the last surgery, about 2 or 3 times a year I turn wrong, or sleep wrong, etc. and can feel a twinge in that breastbone.

But if it's an angina kind of discomfort, that's different.  My angina started coming back about 12 years after my first bypass, and it eventually lead to the second surgery.  But angina is something the cardiologist should help you deal with.  But a big question for me always is, if I'm having discomfort, and take a nitro tab (one that has a good expiration date yet!), what happens....if the discomfort goes away, it's probably angina, if it doesn't it's probably something else--and of course the something else can be anything from heartburn to valve problems, etc.  But again, what's the cardiologist say.

And if the discomfort is more of an irregular heart beat, something like afib--again, the cardiologist with a good EKG (may some Holter monitoring) should be able to figure it out. My afib is pretty quiet these days (thankfully!), but when it was acting up I was uncomfortable when my heart was racing and could feel that in the left side of my chest.

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Larry Haffner
Larryhaffner@gmail.com
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I had quadruple bypass in January 2016. I still get some discomfort on occasions especially from my seatbelt. If I exercise and move my chest a little that helps. I think the main problem we have after surgery is with our posture, we tend to hunch our shoulders. I find relaxing shoulders and sitting and standing upright helps.
John
Johnmyers1@gmail.com 
Www.betternowthanks.com

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John Myers
North Granby CT
(860) 413-9209
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Original Message:
Sent: 03-25-2017 07:29
From: Lawrence Haffner
Subject: Chest discomfort

I guess it depends on what kind of discomfort you're having (tho your cardiologist should be able to help determine what might be going on?)  Is it a pressure discomfort, or a bone healing discomfort, or an irregular heartbeat discomfort....

After my bypass surgeries, I always had sternum discomfort for a long time--just turn the wrong way, and I new that bone had been cut open and was healing.  In fact, now 6 years after the last surgery, about 2 or 3 times a year I turn wrong, or sleep wrong, etc. and can feel a twinge in that breastbone.

But if it's an angina kind of discomfort, that's different.  My angina started coming back about 12 years after my first bypass, and it eventually lead to the second surgery.  But angina is something the cardiologist should help you deal with.  But a big question for me always is, if I'm having discomfort, and take a nitro tab (one that has a good expiration date yet!), what happens....if the discomfort goes away, it's probably angina, if it doesn't it's probably something else--and of course the something else can be anything from heartburn to valve problems, etc.  But again, what's the cardiologist say.

And if the discomfort is more of an irregular heart beat, something like afib--again, the cardiologist with a good EKG (may some Holter monitoring) should be able to figure it out. My afib is pretty quiet these days (thankfully!), but when it was acting up I was uncomfortable when my heart was racing and could feel that in the left side of my chest.

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Larry Haffner
Larryhaffner@gmail.com
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I had quadruple bypass in January 2014. Had some discomfort (numbness) upper left chest. I mentioned it at my first Mended Hearts meeting. About 4 other guys at the meeting said they had the same thing. One of the other guys said they use the left mammary artery as a bypass - reroute it. There are a bunch of nerves, and it's common to nick one, thus the numbness. It goes away over time.

Don Kanipe

------Original Message------

I had quadruple bypass in January 2016. I still get some discomfort on occasions especially from my seatbelt. If I exercise and move my chest a little that helps. I think the main problem we have after surgery is with our posture, we tend to hunch our shoulders. I find relaxing shoulders and sitting and standing upright helps.
John
Johnmyers1@gmail.com 
Www.betternowthanks.com

------------------------------
John Myers
North Granby CT
(860) 413-9209
------------------------------

------Original Message------

I had quadruple bypass in January 2014. Had some discomfort (numbness) upper left chest. I mentioned it at my first Mended Hearts meeting. About 4 other guys at the meeting said they had the same thing. One of the other guys said they use the left mammary artery as a bypass - reroute it. There are a bunch of nerves, and it's common to nick one, thus the numbness. It goes away over time.

Don Kanipe

Hi Diane:

I had triple bypass in October 2015.  I experienced periodic sharp heart pains for about a year, but the cardiologist was not concerned and that pain seems to have stopped.  I have only recently been able to lay on my left side without pain in the area of my heart. Again, the cardiologist was unconcerned.

I also still have chest pain from the surgery pretty much every afternoon and at night, especially when I have exercised.  This pain definitely feels like it is from surgery and not a heart issue.  

I can identify with your uncertainty about the various pains.  Since we haven't been through this before, it is hard to know what to expect during recovery and I have not found the cardiologists to be very helpful in advising what to expect.  I know a number of people who have had bypass surgery, and their experiences are much different than mine.  

I hope you continue to improve and find peace of mind. 


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Robert Hart
Johns Island SC
(843) 762-4910
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