Rib removal pain/numbness.......?????

[lelc2002@yahoo]

anybody have horrible rib pain-numbness????? I believe my surgeon took 2 or 3 ribs out & I get so stiff/numb achey on the left side where they've been taken out plus my huge incision is running down the left hip from under arm to pelvis.....thks, Lynne
http://lynnebackattack.blogspot.com

[CHRIS WBS]

Lynne,

So sorry to hear about this horrible rib pain your're experiencing. Hope you get some relief soon. It sure is good to see you back though.

Chris

[Marcia]

I hope the pain gets better....you have been through so much but all in all the progress is good. Hang in there......you are often thought of throughout the day and I hope each day brings you less pain and more comfort at sitting and getting around.

[LindaRacine]

Hi Lynn...

Yes, it was painful, in fact it was more painful than anything else. The good news is that it does go away.

Regards,
Linda

[HGD24]

For me, it was really painful. The pain does go away eventually but the area is still a bit sensitive at times. My 40 lb. dog loves to lay next to me on the bed and lay her head on my side/chest and sometimes she hits it just right and although it doesn't really hurt, it just feels weird and makes me gasp. We had to teach her not to do this while I was recovering and it was so sad to see the look on her face when she couldn't lay on me. The good news for me is the the numbness has almost completely subsided in that area. Though, if I scratch one spot just under my right breast, I can feel a tingle in my back under my right shoulder blade...it's amazing how the nerves work!

[bbest]

I was one of the lucky ones and didn't have to have a rib removed so I don't know how you feel. I have heard from several people who have endured thoracoplasties and they all maintain that it is very painful to say the least. I hope the pain will subside quickly.

Hang in there!

[Theresa]

Lynne,

I had the same thing. You might want to try an ice pack, they helped sometimes. I actually didn't use an ice pack, it was one of those bags that have the grain or something like that inside and you can put it in the microwave or freezer. I'm still having problems in that area and I'm now 2 years and 4 months post op.

[dawney]

I have 2 weeks to go. Tommorow I go for my last blood donation. I am having one rib removed plus bone take from the hip area. I hope your pain subsides soon.

[peachtree]

Me Too!!

I'm so sad to hear that after 2 and 1/2 years someone is still bugged by this. I had 5 ribs removed 5 1/2 weeks ago. I'm experiencing that same pain/numbness that everyone is talking about. When does it start to go away? At approx. what week? I think that's one of the things that wakes me up all time. I wake up every few hours and I'm so stiff I can't hardly stand it.

[lelc2002@yahoo]

Hi peachtree-know you had surgery a bit earlier than I but recently.... I am about 31/2 wks now & my surgeon's nurse told me that rib pain/numbness can go on for up to 6 mths or so...... I just woke up from a nap & it was somewhat numb on waking but no real pain just stiff & numb....hang in there. The nurse also told me you will notice good chges week by week not day by day so keep that in mind & enjoy the weather, I believe you are in lovely vermont~ Lynne
http://lynnebackattack.blogspot.com
thorocolumbar curve 95% reduce to 42%/rib removal(2-3)
Dr. Boachie/Dr. Kim...Hospital for Spec. Surgery, NYC

[makaylasmom]

I had rib removal too. The are is still very painful for me at 8 wks post op. I saw my surgeon today and he said that this may last for up to 2 yrs! Yuck! Not what I wanted to hear. Do you feel the indentions from where they used to be? I call them my ghost ribs now (they removed 3- thought it was one- but it was three). At most times it is my rib area that hurts worse than anything. I know it will get better with time.

[lelc2002@yahoo]

I hope not 2 yrs! My surgeon's nurse said possibly 6 mths.....it mostly gets very numb at night......

[Pips]

At 6 months now, my rib pain is much better unless I overdo it. The numbness is still pretty patchy around the scar but this may have other causes. Most of you know I have nerve problems from my spina bifida and they increased a bit with surgery (I was told they probably would) - this means that some of my numbness is from that, so I can't comment on when the numbness goes.

The rib pain thing really started to improve at about 4 months post op and now is mostly OK. I can finally lie on my rib side but not for any length of time and can stretch my arm up in the air without problems. At the moment, I still need to be careful not to overdo it, but even then, the pain is never bad enough to need anything more than an over the counter pain pill - if indeed anything at all.

Hope this helps Ly - hang in there - it does get better!

[makaylasmom]

Thanks for the info Pips! I know we are all very different but hey- heres to hoping all will start to allieviate soon! My ribs dont ever go completely numb per se- but when they kind of go numb the sharp sharp pains start. They say it is nerve damage for me. My ribs were collapsed on the one side and mostly collapsed on the other at the time of my surgery. In all honesty- this is a vast improvement in pain from before surgery with the ribs. I was just hoping for more improvement I guess.

[HGD24]

This Summer I was able to once again throw a ball overhanded and get great distance and accuracy and I could swing a golf club without any pain or odd sensation in my rib area.