Hey everyone. I just had a rib resection after multiple blood clots in my left subclavian-axillary vein. I had a classic case of Venous TOS, or Paget-Schroetter as they say. I got it from 20 years of dance and gymnastics, basically. I had a thrombolysis last year and was on blood thinners (Arixtra, those lovely pink needles…) two separate times for the clots in my shoulder. I finally found a great surgeon in New York and had my first rib removed just over two weeks ago. It wasn’t bad at all for me, the only lingering pain is underneath my upper arm and around the incision. It's definitely worth it for no more blood clots! Hopefully this fixes the problem completely. Good luck to everyone having this operation and make sure you have a great surgeon. Mine was awesome, I'd be happy to recommend.

1.How was it right after surgery? Day of? The first couple days?

When I woke up (still in the OR) I was in a huge amount of pain right away, from the front of my chest all the way around to the back of my shoulder blade. Felt like I was being stabbed right through! I was surprised by this, since everyone I had talked to about surgery said that I probably wouldn’t wake up in pain. When I woke up, I was really weird from the anesthesia and I didn’t even realize the surgery was over! That was crazy, I had never been under anesthesia before. It really was over before I knew it. The only way I knew that the surgery was over was by the pain in my shoulder. In recovery, I was still in a lot of pain and they gave me morphine and fentanyl, as well as continuous anti-anxiety medication. Then I got hives from the pressure of the blood pressure cuffs and all that, so they gave me benadryl. I was uncomfortable at first, but my pain was controlled right away.

The entire surgery was about 3 hours. I stayed in recovery from about 12 noon to 8:30 pm and was released the same day. They performed one chest x-ray right after surgery (I didn’t have to get up for it). I was able to get up and go to the bathroom around late afternoon. Could get dressed on my own. I did not have a tube for drainage or a sling. My incision was under my left arm, about three inches long. It was covered up with steri strips and gauze.

2.What was it was like when you left the hospital?

Parents and boyfriend helped me walk outside and into the car. Was able to walk no problem. Left with prescription for percocet 5 mg. I was very nauseous from the anesthesia, and the percocet made it much worse. Do yourself a favor - take as FEW painkillers as possible if you think there’s any possible you may throw up. It HURTS!


3.What was it like getting around?

I didn’t try to get around much on my own, mostly rested on the couch. Mom, Dad and boyfriend took great care of me. After a day or two, I was able to take short trips to the store or wherever with Mom.

4.What did you need help with? ie. how steady were you, how well could you take care of yourself? Help going to the bathroom? Showering/bathing?

Showering and bathing was definitely the hardest part. I took baths for the first few days and avoided washing my hair to keep the incision from getting wet. After two or three days, I was able to wash my hair in the bath - in a really strange, twisted, sort of one-handed way J. After four or five I was showering on my own without too many restrictions.


5.Did you need help with the incision at all? Anyone just have incisions above and below the collarbone?

Incision was just under my left arm, about three inches long. It stayed bandaged up for about five days until it fell off. When I first saw my incision it didn’t look bad at all, stitches were dissolving and it looked very neat. It did look swollen, though, but it started to go down in a few more days - the swelling was just from the skin being pulled together.

6.How did you manage pain? Did you need ice a lot?

No ice, I took the percocet as prescribed for a day but I got very sick and threw up (again, very painful, avoid throwing up at all costs!!). I stopped taking them and switched to vicodin 5 mg and continued for a week and a few days. No ice, I did use heating packs immediately after in the hospital as well as afterwards at home.

7.What was it like the first couple of days?

Couch, movies, sick from pills, bearable pain. The first night was tough sleeping, I didn’t sleep much at all. The next few nights I took Tylenol PM for both pain and sleep help and I was able to sleep much better. After about a week, I was able to sleep on the side that was operated on.

8.The first week?

At the beginning, I was still feeling sick from the anesthesia and weak from the overall experience. I gained strength throughout the first week and by the end, I had made significant progress.

9.The second week?

At the start of the second week I was able to stop taking the vicodin and I was able to start driving. Driving actually felt so much better after the surgery because before, the arm was affected with the symptoms of TOS that made stretching my arm forward really uncomfortable.

10.a month post op?
Not there yet!

11.two months post op? etc.?
….

12.How did you deal with meals, dishes, laundry, shopping? Did you use public transportation?

Luckily I had my parents and boyfriend to help me with all the above. No public transportation, I was able to drive about a week after surgery.

13.How active were you, ie. walking around?

My surgery was on a Friday and by Sunday, I was up and around for about an hour at a time each day going to stores, etc. I tried to do something each day, which really helped - getting up and moving makes you feel human again, so do what you can. Definitely at least get outside in the fresh air.
I had my first follow-up appt. yesterday, and my surgeon told me I am recovering remarkably well for this operation. They were very pleased with my progress and agreed that I can begin getting back into very slow & gradual dance training (legs only!).