Mended Hearts Open Forum

I recently underwent CABG x3 surgery 10 weeks ago and seem to be recovering well except for residual sensitivity and uncomfortable feeling across my chest. It's not really pain - more feeling Ike something is rubbing under my skin if that makes sense.  It is very uncomfortable trying to drive with a seatbelt - even with a pillow or padding.  My surgeon mentioned that it could be some nerve damage. 

Does this sound familiar to anyone and how long it could take to resolve?

Thanks. 

Gary Preston 

Attorney

DeBary, FL

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Gary Preston
Attorney
Burr & Forman
DeBary FL
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Gary,

I had some sensitivity in my chest area the first few months after my CABGX5 seven plus years ago. This included a periodic slightly pulled left pectoral muscle type feeling, which I attributed to scar tissue formation where the surgeon had harvested an artery for use as a graft. It also included occasional sensitivity around the scar. All of this disappeared over the course of months.

One thing that never disappeared was a heightened sensitivity at my solar plexus, including a visible bump that didn't exist presurgery. My doctor could not explain it and I speculated that it might be related to the wiring of the sternum. I never pursued the issue as it never bothers me unless I directly press on my solar plexus. Moreover, it doesn't bother me when I lift weights (and I lift heavy although, at 75, what is heavy for me now I would have considered baby weights twenty and even seven years ago). It also hasn't interfered when I do calisthenic exercises (pushup variations, dips, pullups). I suppose I wouldn't be able to wrestle anymore, but I gave that up at 37, so no big deal.

You mentioned seat belts. What I did and am still doing after seven years is to place the shoulder harness portion of the seat belt under my arm so that it doesn't press against my sternum. I have no idea how or to what extent this affects seat belt efficiency, but I personally don't care. You may feel otherwise and, if so, you can research it.

Anyway, as a non-doctor fellow CABG survivor, I believe that what you are experiencing is a dynamic process of healing and or surgical related changes that is a subset of the overall process of change, including aging, that our bodies undergo. I find it useful to think of my body as a fluid, changing process rather than as a static thing but, again, that's just my personal metaphysics and you may disagree.

I wish you the best in your healing process.

Ira

Hi, 

I am just about 6 months CABGx4 and still have the chest pain you speak about. Feels like emery boards scraping under skin, or that's how I've come to describe it. I did get a CT at 4months to rule out any structural problems post-op, there were none. 
surgeons PA told me having bilateral artery harvest can take a "long time" to heal and that the nerves are the reason. I was given an Rx for 100mg gabapentin that I could use 3x a day. I can take one in the evening as it doesn't matter that my energy level is affected by that time a day. I have tried 2 a day only a couple times and that leaves me couch bound. The 1 dose cuts nerve pain from 4-5 range to a 2. So using a few hours before bedtime makes for an ok evening and not as much pain at bedtime. 
My PCP mentioned nerves returning in ankle from that artery harvest as, 30% of  people get it back at 3 months. Another 30% at 6 months. Another 15% at a year. Last % may take years. 
Good luck dealing with this obnoxious side effect. It has led to some mild depression for me. All Drs say that's normal too. 
LAS

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Laura Sylv
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Laura and Gary,

I had emergency CABGx5 seven and a half years ago during which my left mammary artery was harvested to bypass my left anterior descending coronary artery. I experienced off and on tightness in my left pectoral muscle for maybe 6-9 months post surgery. It felt sort of like a muscle pull and I attributed it at the time to healing scar tissue, but it easily could have been nerve pain related.

I was never particularly concerned about it, other than it being annoying, probably because I was so amazed and excited to still be alive after a heart attack, CABG and ventilator pneumonia that kept me in a medically induced coma for two weeks post surgery with 50/50 survival odds. After all, what's a little breast discomfort when you're living on borrowed time?

Best wishes for your continued healing.

Ira


Original Message:
Sent: 7/2/2025 3:00:00 PM
From: Laura Sylv
Subject: RE: Post CABG Chest Sensitivity

Hi, 

I am just about 6 months CABGx4 and still have the chest pain you speak about. Feels like emery boards scraping under skin, or that's how I've come to describe it. I did get a CT at 4months to rule out any structural problems post-op, there were none. 
surgeons PA told me having bilateral artery harvest can take a "long time" to heal and that the nerves are the reason. I was given an Rx for 100mg gabapentin that I could use 3x a day. I can take one in the evening as it doesn't matter that my energy level is affected by that time a day. I have tried 2 a day only a couple times and that leaves me couch bound. The 1 dose cuts nerve pain from 4-5 range to a 2. So using a few hours before bedtime makes for an ok evening and not as much pain at bedtime. 
My PCP mentioned nerves returning in ankle from that artery harvest as, 30% of  people get it back at 3 months. Another 30% at 6 months. Another 15% at a year. Last % may take years. 
Good luck dealing with this obnoxious side effect. It has led to some mild depression for me. All Drs say that's normal too. 
LAS

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Laura Sylv
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Pretty familiar - CABGx3 two years ago, definitely was a period of irritation and soreness, moving seatbelts around to he comfortable, etc. and I definitely have some nerve damage: left pectoral area where an artery was harvested, left upper inner thigh where another artery was clamped to allow harvesting of a blood vessel in my calf. Numbness to the touch in those areas. It takes time - there's even some occasional irritation now, usually at my incision points.

Hang in there. I don't want to say that the surgery was the best thing I've ever done, but it made a huge difference. 

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Jeremy Kridel
Rabbi
Machar: The Washington Congregation for Secular Humanistic Judaism
Ellicott City MD
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Thank you all for the responses. Very helpful.


Sent from my iPhone


Original Message:
Sent: 7/22/2025 2:50:00 PM
From: Jeremy Kridel
Subject: RE: Post CABG Chest Sensitivity

Pretty familiar - CABGx3 two years ago, definitely was a period of irritation and soreness, moving seatbelts around to he comfortable, etc. and I definitely have some nerve damage: left pectoral area where an artery was harvested, left upper inner thigh where another artery was clamped to allow harvesting of a blood vessel in my calf. Numbness to the touch in those areas. It takes time - there's even some occasional irritation now, usually at my incision points.

Hang in there. I don't want to say that the surgery was the best thing I've ever done, but it made a huge difference. 

------------------------------
Jeremy Kridel
Rabbi
Machar: The Washington Congregation for Secular Humanistic Judaism
Ellicott City MD
------------------------------

Original Message:
Sent: 7/26/2025 9:41:00 AM
From: Gary Preston
Subject: RE: Post CABG Chest Sensitivity

Thank you all for the responses. Very helpful.


Sent from my iPhone

Hello my name  is Milton Griffin  I had the CABG x4 on7/15 my chest is real sensitive when I wear a shirt and the seat belt but right now there is a area on my chest there is numb right beside the scar, my surgeon told me 2 weeks ago that is normal. Did you experience that?

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Milton Griffin
Laminate Technician
Nor-Ral
------------------------------

Original Message:
Sent: 9/1/2025 10:45:00 PM
From: Milton Griffin
Subject: RE: Post CABG Chest Sensitivity

Hello my name  is Milton Griffin  I had the CABG x4 on7/15 my chest is real sensitive when I wear a shirt and the seat belt but right now there is a area on my chest there is numb right beside the scar, my surgeon told me 2 weeks ago that is normal. Did you experience that?

------------------------------
Milton Griffin
Laminate Technician
Nor-Ral
------------------------------

Original Message:
Sent: 9/1/2025 10:45:00 PM
From: Milton Griffin
Subject: RE: Post CABG Chest Sensitivity

Hello my name  is Milton Griffin  I had the CABG x4 on7/15 my chest is real sensitive when I wear a shirt and the seat belt but right now there is a area on my chest there is numb right beside the scar, my surgeon told me 2 weeks ago that is normal. Did you experience that?

------------------------------
Milton Griffin
Laminate Technician
Nor-Ral
------------------------------