Thymectomy and scar tissue
 

Hey guys,

I was just wondering if any of you noticed 'obstructive' feelings in the chest since having your thymectomy. I don't mean problems breathing which might be from the MG, but feeling like there's scar tissue in the chest. I told my surgeon that I was noticing wheezing since having the surgery, and he said that it's prolly from scar tissue, but should go away with time.

I notice the wheeze when lying flat on my back. After my last 'long' hospital stay, I got a really bad cold or something, and I was coughing up a lot of phlegm. It was an extremely bad cold. I had just started prednisone at the time, so I figured that was why it was so bad. I also had problems coughing becasue of the pain from the surgery and my chest weakness. The woman I had shared a room with told me that she had tuberulosis before (a long time ago), so I was freaking out that maybe I caught it...lol:S...But i had a chest x-ray, and everything looked okay.

My scar has turned a bit 'keloid.' The entire thing isn't keloid, only the bottom and top of the scar are 'worm-like.' So maybe that's why I am having the troubles...It's only when lying flat on my back though.

Anyway, sorry for babbling on...lol...Did any of you guys experience anything like this?

Hope that you guys are feeling good today, and talk to you soon!:)

I honestly don't remember. My scar is over 18 years old and to be honest I don't even notice it nor is it bothersome, unless it is going to rain or snow, than my chest hurts like crazy :)

Thanks, Joan! I'm glad to hear that you can barely notice your scar! :)

Nicky

Nicky, I don't know what to tell you about the scar. They do have that stuff you can put on scars to help them heal. Have you tried that? I haven't had a thymectomy but have a lovely muscle biopsy scar that hasn't fully healed after over two years.

Before I started taking Mestinon, I was diagnosed with "bronchial hyperresponsiveness." Not all out asthma but close. ;) After I started taking Mestinon, I got all out asthma. Have had it ever since. And you can't "see" asthma on x-ray. It might be worth seeing a pulmonologist and ask them if a methalcholine challenge test is something worth having done. I've had one done and it's fine. But it really should be done by a pulmy who has done them before and understands MG.

http://www.nationaljewish.org/progra...llenge.aspx#at

Wheezing isn't normal, that's for sure. Unless you have an "itis" like bronchitis or asthma or something similar. So get it checked out!

Babbling? Not likely you would do that!

Annie

Hi Annie,

God...I am feeling so chatty lately! lol...I think the prednisone is making me manic or something (no, seriously:eek: lol)...

No, I definately agree that the wheezing isn'r normal...I can't even laugh properly...When I laugh really hard, I also wheeze when inhaling afterwards...Kinda scary...

I will ask my doctor about it for sure, and to be referred to a pulmonologist, even though I really don't want to (scared of emphysema:S).

I put vitamin E on my scar from time-to-time...All of my doctors recommended it, surprisingly, since it's a supplement...lol

Nicky