I'm 7 weeks post-op from my decompression surgery and all things considered my skull is healing well. I never developed any leaks or infections, so I'm very thankful. However....when I woke up from my surgery I felt pain and pressure in the right upper part of my chest right away. Almost like someone was standing on my chest. I mentioned it to the nurses, but they said they think it was probably because I was so used to favoring my right side and it would restore itself. I later mentioned it to my PCP and she said to wait it out a while and then see my NS if it doesn't get better. I saw my NS and he said he didn't know what it could be and to check with my PCP!! Ugh. Well...it awful. It's hard to catch a deep breath and is extremely uncomfortable. When my husband pushes on my back or chest on that side it feels like it's cutting off my airway and it's hard to breath and it almost feels like severe acid reflux but it's not. It's under my sternum and in my throat area too . Nothing at all on my left side.
I started going to a great physical therapist here in my town last week and he's very concerned. He is able to see just by looking at me that my clavical bone is sticking out in front and my shoulder blade in back is a sticking out a couple inches too. He thinks it must have happened during surgery...like I was laying on the table funny and popped a joint out of place, or maybe they dropped me or rolled me too roughly onto the table and something happened.
I'm just wondering if anyone else ever had this happen or if they know what it could be?? The pain and pressure in my chest is worse than the surgery ever was and I'm just not sure what to do!! Suggestions??
Geez, sounds awful. I’m glad your head is doing well but worried about the other. Severe acid reflux can cause chest pain, especially under sternum area - have you tried OTC acid reflux meds just to rule it out? Otherwise, I would ask for a chest CT. The shortness of breath makes worry a bit.
I have tried everything for acid reflux, but it's not that. It just feels like that kind of pain under my sternum but then branches across the entire right side of my chest. I see my PT again tomorrow morning and he said he was going to look into a few things and we could talk about it more then. My head is doing ok, but sleeping on it still really hurts. I'm not sure if it's because I sleep so funky now that I can't get comfortable on my side or stomach at all or if its because my head isn't done healing. Either way I'm feeling pretty miserable about all of it lately. I knew the surgery might not fix all my symptoms, and it didn't, but I never expected this to happen! Gotta just keep focusing on the positives! :-)
Your head still has a long way to go with healing, I think 7 weeks is really soon to be thinking its as good as it gets :). For your decompression did you get a graft from a rib? Do you have thoracic outlet syndrome? Just thinking out loud for ideas…
I'm not sure what's causing your chest pain, but it sounds like something to be checked out, especially since your PT is so concerned. Have you had a post-op MRI of your cervical spine? I would also ask your PCP for a chest x-ray and maybe a referral to a pulmonologist if you continue to have trouble breathing.
Thank you all for your replies. I see my PT again in the morning and I'll wait to see what he has to say. If he doesn't have any suggestions, I'll call my PCP again tomorrow after my appointment with him. For some reason I had it in my mind that this surgery was going to go smoothly...just never expected something so random to cause so much pain! I'll let you know what happens. Thank you again!
I agree with you Emmaline. Do you have EDS Ehlers Danlos ?
Emmaline said:
I hope you find out soon. I've had this a couple of times and it's very painful. It's an inflammation of the chest wall. It can be common with Chiari. Feel better...
I was wondering if you also break into a cold sweat and your heart pound really hard, and you can see it beating through your shirt? I’ve had those episodes before and after surgery! Before surgery they blamed on my Chiaries, now they blame on stress or they say a panic attack,really when I’m sleeping? Just curious if you’re going through the same thing,?
Have you ever told different Dr's about these symptoms? How often do they happen? You could have something other than Chiari going on. You definitely need to get it checked out especially since it is happening when you are resting and I know anxiety & panic attacks are serious also but you shouldn't be seeing your heart beating through your shirt, Please get it checked and don't tell the dr about the previous diagnoses of panic attacks and anxiety and see if they find anything physical first. Have you ever had a 24 hr holter monitor test?
It is highly possible something happened before, during, or after surgery. My brother had one of his kidneys removed and then kept telling the doctor it felt like they broke some of his ribs. His doctor kept saying, "no way" could that of happened but they finally did x-rays, and guess what? He had broken ribs. Sometimes you have to keep pushing them. Sorry. :( Carol in Las Vegas.
Ryan started having chest pains and severe head aches after his decompression surgery. that is how we found out about the hydrocephalus. not saying that is what it is, but it is def worth checking out.
If i were u I’d have a CT done. A few weeks after my shunt placement which happen to be the 3rd time my head got sliced open I developed a PE (pulmonary embolism) in my lung. It was very small but caused some BIG pain. It felt like I couldn’t breathe…like someone was standing on my chest. A visit to the ER was in order because I wasn’t able to gain any relief, not even changing positions. My doctors(ER, PCP, NS) all believe that it stemmed from one of my three surgeries since having surgery increases ur chances for clots. Hope I’m wrong, but sounds alot like what I went thru. I’m sorry if I am scaring the life outta u but not being able to breathe, or catch ur breath is some serious business. Keep us updated. I will keep u in prayer.
Thank you, everyone, for your advice and support. I really appreciate it! I went to my doctor yesterday morning and she sent me right in for a CAT scan of my chest and some X-rays. Thankfully everything came back clear, so she thinks it may be costochondritis. I'm glad it's nothing more serious, but oh man does it hurt! Chiari seems to rear its ugly head into every aspect of life...Hard to believe that at one point I was super healthy and just living a "normal" life and somehow I'm now living a life I never expected. Guess I can complain or get busy living! Thanking God for another day to be my husband's wife and my kids' mama!