Very hard and painful along incision after BMX

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djm71
djm71 Member Posts: 31
edited July 2016 in Surgery - Before, During, and After

I am 10 days out from my BMX. My incision goes from armpit to armpit with no break in the middle. It has become very "hard" and extremely painful all the way across but even more socloser to the armpit area on both sides. It sorta feels like there's a hard rope under my skin that goes all the way across my chest, but is thicker towards the armpits. Has anyone else experienced anything like this? And if you have, is there anything I can do to ease the pain? I don't see my surgeon again until Thursday. Thanks!

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  • mustlovepoodles
    mustlovepoodles Member Posts: 2,825
    edited July 2016

    Mine was just like that, except with a terrible burning, tearing pain right up the sternum.  Between the hard ridge of tissue, the sternal pain, and the 4 drains, I was utterly miserable. The only thing that worked for me was Percocet. And night was the worst.  I am not a back sleeper, but somehow I had to learn to sleep on a wedge flat on my back. I finally had to get a prescription for a sleeping med because I was going days without sleep and that's not good for healing.  As it turned out, I had all kinds of problems with healing and had to sleep on my back for 16 WEEKS.

    It's been 5 months since my BMX and my ridges have softened up considerably. They still can be tender at times, but they don't keep me from doing anything.  One good thing about that ridge is that it helps keep my bra from riding up (I wear some cheap cotton sports bras I got from Walmart.)

    As far as what to do about it:  I don't know. I don't think there is anything you can do, except find a pain med that helps.  It's too early for massage and I wouldn't put any heat or ice on it unless your surgeon approves.  Having been there and done that, I wish you patience and pain relief. And a gentle hug.

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  • djm71
    djm71 Member Posts: 31
    edited July 2016

    Thank you so much for your response. I was afraid something was going terribly wrong but it sounds like it's probably normal. It doesn't look infected or irritated or anything. It's just hard and SO painful. I do have pain meds that help, and that's the ONLY thing that helps! I just wish I was able to take them more often. Maybe my BS will have pity on me and give me more when I see him. I haven't been able to sleep in bed yet. My recliner works pretty well. I'm surprised though because I'm a side sleeper so I didn't think I'd be able to sleep on my back, even in a reclined position, but so far that's the only way I'm able to sleep at all. And like you said, the pain is much worse at night. I hope it won't last for too terribly much longer! It's very miserable.

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  • pab
    pab Member Posts: 53
    edited July 2016

    Ice can't hurt. I remember falling to sleep with ice packs. Call your dr and talk to a nurse. They might have some suggestions. Don't wait for your appointment. Wishing you less pain and more comfort

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  • Lisey
    Lisey Member Posts: 1,053
    edited July 2016

    Ice can hurt if you are too numb to feel pain and you hurt yourself. They told me no heat or ice until I'm no longer numb where I'm putting it.

    A lot of women describe it as an Iron Bra. I had that exact feeling when I had my Mastectomy with TEs put in. I couldn't take the pain (I'im a wuss) and insisted 3 weeks later to remove the TEs and just stay flat. That helped a ton for me and they didnt' even put drains back in when they removed the TEs.

    I'm 4 days post removal surgery and feeling good. I made the mistake of flexing my pecs in a mirror about got a little freaked out, but when I'm just standing there I dont think I look bad. I think the lines will heal up, though my left side by my armpit hurts and tugs a bit... They took too much skin on that side and it wasn't even the BC side. My Iron Bra is gone with the TEs gone... I'm sleeping on my side again.. finally.

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