DIEP sternum pain!

wyattsmom

Hi~ After continual MRI follow ups with new little things popping up, needle biopsies, excisional biopsy and the promise of more MRI's and probably simply slowly whittling away at my breasts, I made the decision to get rid of them.

I feel fortunate to live in SC and had BMX with DIEP reconstruction 2 weeks ago with Drs. Craigie & Kline. I feel like they've done an amazing job so far. I'm still healing and in some pain but with all that most of us have already been through... it's not that bad. The worst side effect I'm having is that my sternum hurts SOOOO bad! Apparently, it was my first complaint coming out of recovery and has continued to be the most painful thing for me.

The Drs. said the radiation therapy I had in 2010 was so severe/intense that it took them 1.5 hours just to get that tissue released and out of there. I saw the PS yesterday and wished I would have had the sense to ask him if they had to scrape my sternum to get the crispy radiation tissue out. (At that point, I was more concerned about getting some drains removed... hoping to be able to roll over and sleep on my side!!!!! He did remove the breast drains. Not a drop of pain to that. Said the tummy drains have to stay for a full month. Now I just dream about sleeping on my side and spend insomniatic hours thinking up adjustable beds that allow people with drains to sleep on their side. )

Anyway, does anyone else have this horrid sternum pain?!!! It only hurts when I move or breathe.

Thanks in advance for any input~

Linda-Ranching-in-the-mTns

Wyattsmom -- No, I didn't experience sternum pain, but didn't want you out here hanging with no responses any longer... So I will just offer what I can... and hopefully someone with your same experience will see this and respond to your specific question more appropriately.

You are aware that they shave off some of 2 ribs to get to the breast arteries to reconnect the flaps, right? So if your rib bones (and tissue in that area) were already scarred/sensitive -- it makes sense that you would be experiencing the extra pain... and in 'making sense' it hopefully removes some fear. 

Is your binder (or bra) perhaps pressing on the sternum in the area that hurts? You might be able to switch undergarments to help relieve the pain... 

And -- are you taking the pain pills every bit as often as you are allowed to? It is MUCH better to stay ahead of the pain, and take the pills BEFORE you need them. 

Best of luck, 

'Night

Linda

Beckers

I experienced some sternum pain. Really felt it when sneezing! It sounds like your is much worse. 2 weeks is still quite early. They remove a part of rib next to sternum to access veins. Maybe that's what you are feeling.

Narnia1

I still have sternum pain. I had the same surgeons(Craigie and Kline) you did and I love them. I had no chemo or radiation The sternum pain wasn't as severe as yours. But it bothers me still over 10 years later. It comes and goes. My sternum is still raised. I was having some tests at the hospital this week and two nurses asked me what happened to my sternum. I wonder if the use of the main artery for the surgery affected my ekg. It was borderline but all other heart tests were normal. I still believe Dr. Craigie is the BEST. Things happen