Post surgery sternum pain

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Scaredbutstrong
Scaredbutstrong Member Posts: 11
edited November 2020 in Surgery - Before, During, and After

Hello everyone. I'm currently slightly over 3 weeks post surgery. I'm getting what feels like muscle spasms right over my sternum. Sometimes the pain will be briefly pretty intense. I take a hydrocodone at night so I can sleep, but just try to tough it out otherwise. I was given no instructions for any type of stretching or exercise. I do intend to ask my doctor next week about what to do, but just wondering if anyone else has experienced this type of pain.

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  • MinusTwo
    MinusTwo Member Posts: 16,634
    edited November 2020

    Scared - what kind of surgery did you have? BMX or lumpectomy? Did you have reconstruction - immediate or TEs? Have you already had chemo? We can't answer your question w/o more details.

    Please go to 'my profile' and fill in your diagnosis & treatment to date. You'll need to make it public for other members to see. Likely you'll find several people will post once they can see your stats.

    In the mean time, don't do any exercises w/o talking with your doc. I was told to "walk up the wall" after the first week.

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  • Scaredbutstrong
    Scaredbutstrong Member Posts: 11
    edited November 2020

    I'm not that great with internet stuff, but I think I fixed it so people can see my info. Double mastectomy and will start chemo on Monday 11/23/20 (Taxol and herceptin). I chose not to get reconstruction.

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  • LivinLife
    LivinLife Member Posts: 1,332
    edited November 2020

    I agree with following surgeon's protocol though it sounds like you need to see what they are ok with you doing. That being said - I had BMX without reconstruction as well and had many sensations, including pain and zings initially though not too bad. I did not have muscle spasms though can understand how someone could - that's a lot of tissue that is messed with. Check with your surgeon's office for direction, esp. since your surgery was so recent. Unfortunate they didn't give you anything. I was given a sheet of exercises for post-surgery before I had surgery.

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  • SpecialK
    SpecialK Member Posts: 16,486
    edited November 2020

    If you feel like you are experiencing muscle spasms you may need a muscle relaxer like Soma, Flexiril, or Valium to take short term. I had a tumor removed from my calf, which was embedded in the muscle, not long before my breast cancer diagnosis. Pain medication did nothing to make the cramp-like spasm go away, but ice helped, so you might try that too. Another thought is to see a physical therapist - preferably with lymphedema certification - who can supervise appropriate exercise to help with the discomfort you are feeling.

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