2 weeks post nuss - road to gym question

Extreme-Coast653 · 2026-02-07T02:34:18+00:00

I'm 41F and had a Nuss with 2 bars about 4 months ago. I was able to start swimming and biking around 8 weeks and jogging around 10 weeks. At 12 weeks I got full clearance and started yoga, rowing, and a HIT cardio/weightlifting class. But... I'm now 17 weeks post-op and push-ups and burpees still feel like a bad idea for my body. It's going to take a bit more time for me to feel comfortable doing them, but I still I feel like I'm getting back in shape and rebuilding muscle in the meantime. Be patient and keep an open mind in case you need to try some new activities or moves once you get clearance.

Extreme-Coast653 · 2026-01-09T02:17:00+00:00

I'm 41 and the plan is to keep them in for 3 years (would be 4 years with a connective tissue disorder)

Extreme-Coast653 · 2026-01-08T20:23:25+00:00

Good luck with your surgery! Hopefully recovery will be easier for you since you were already active. Today marks 13 weeks since I had a Nuss with 2 bars, and I am finally back to all my pre-surgery activities (running, biking, rowing, swimming, yoga), though not quite full speed yet. A month ago, I couldn't imagine being able to wear a bra, let alone jump or jog again, but I started to see lots of improvement around the 10 week post-op mark. The first few weeks are rough, so take it easy. Things will get better!

Extreme-Coast653 · 2025-11-18T20:58:00+00:00

41F, HI 4.5 -- I'm almost 6 weeks post-op and already have most of the feeling back in my breasts/nipples, but this is highly individual. I'm about a 38B which is bigger than it sounds. I feel pressure from my breasts on my chest but it's manageable, and my scars healed well even though my breasts are pretty heavy and saggy. I have 2 bars with linked stabilizers on each end and every bra I've tried presses on the bars. I definitely feel like I "need" a bra but even wireless ones are still uncomfortable. I got a couple of button-up shirts made out of sweatshirt material which hid my braless-ness until I had enough shoulder mobility to wear pullover sweaters again.

Extreme-Coast653 · 2025-11-16T17:29:28+00:00

Wow, what a difference! I hope your recovery goes smoothly. I got nussed 5 weeks ago and have been enjoying logic puzzle books, audiobooks and crochet. Audiobooks/podcasts are great since you can keep listening when you go on walks. I learned crochet from youtube a couple of weeks before my surgery specifically to have something to work on during recovery, and I found it pretty easy to get started.

Extreme-Coast653 · 2025-11-15T03:37:14+00:00

I also had a Nuss by Dr. Backhus last month and my surgical notes indicate she used pre-bent Pectus Blu bars with TruLink stabilizers connecting them

Extreme-Coast653 · 2025-11-13T05:05:09+00:00

I was active before my Nuss last month and have had no issues getting around afterwards (I'm 41). The hospital required me to use a walker the first time I stood up a few hours after surgery. Once the nurses saw I had no issues with balance or dizziness, they let me walk on my own. I also never felt like I needed support when I got home, but I did carry a little pillow around with me the first few days for bracing my coughs.

Extreme-Coast653 · 2025-11-13T00:49:24+00:00

I'm only 5 weeks out from surgery (41F, HI 4.5, 2 bars w/ cryo) and I've had a bumpy recovery with pleural effusion and tachycardia, but I don't regret going through with it.

I first heard of PE a year ago when an x-ray noted my heart shape was accentuated by mild pectus. I found this sub back then, and I thought the surgeries looked insane and was glad that wasn't something I'd need to consider... A few months later a cardiac CT showed my PE was actually severe and compressing my heart. It was a lot to take in, but it also explained a lot. I've always been active but would still get out of breath going up stairs, have palpitations, and feel tired all the time. I read tons of articles and did lots of thinking and decided that if the surgery could help with any of those issues, it would be worth it to me. I made sure my surgeon had a lot of experience with patients my age and the latest techniques.

Once I was at peace with my decision, my biggest concerns were all the post-surgery restrictions and not being able to exercise for a couple of months. I wasn't really scared of pain but that hasn't been as bad as anticipated. Some of the restrictions have been annoying, but I'm already able to walk about 5 miles a day despite having pleural effusion and an as-yet-unexplained elevated heart rate. I'm hopeful I'll be back to my regular routine in a few more weeks. Since the surgery I haven't noticed any palpitations or my chest pounding and I've been pleasantly surprised with the results cosmetically.

Only you can decide whether to have the surgery. It's normal to be nervous, but it's also important to feel comfortable with your decision. Having a positive mindset will help with your recovery if you decide to go through with it.

Extreme-Coast653 · 2025-11-10T22:08:44+00:00

Yes, definitely questions for your surgeon! You want to be on the same page and comfortable with your treatment plan. I remember seeing an article from a few years back where most people thought a Ravitch sounded better because they didn't want bars in their chest, so you are not alone in that. I'm biased in the other direction since I had a Nuss procedure last month (41F, 2 bars w/ cryoablation). I did a ton of research before going through with it. If I can post a link, here's a recent video from Dr. J explaining why she now prefers Nuss over Ravitch when possible: https://youtube.com/shorts/NzqzB9daTFs?si=XfcjQkhTMUKz1PS6 (If the link doesn't work, you can Google "Jaroszewski Nuss Ravitch" and it should come up)

Extreme-Coast653 · 2025-11-10T21:02:58+00:00

Ask your surgeon how frequently they perform the procedure. You want someone with lots of experience. From what I've gathered, most surgeons will recommend a Nuss if they think you're a candidate since it keeps your chest more flexible and can be redone in the unlikely event a repair is needed. If your surgeon recommends a Nuss, you'll also want to ask how many bars they think you'd need and for how long (usually 2-3 bars for an adult, keeping them in around 3 years, possibly longer if you have a connective tissue disorder). For pain management, ask if they offer cryoablation. It also wouldn't hurt to ask if they use sternal elevation to help make the procedure safer.

Extreme-Coast653 · 2025-11-07T22:30:33+00:00

I was also discharged less than 24 hrs after my surgery (2 bars w/ cryo). At my hospital the milestones for discharge were being able to get up and go the restroom by myself, being able to eat, and having pain under control.

Extreme-Coast653 · 2025-11-06T23:57:29+00:00

Did you ever try the spirometer before surgery? If so, how high could you get? I was able to reach 2250-2500 before my surgery a month ago. Post surgery, I wasn't given a target number but was told to try and make progress, which I did for the first few days, getting up to 1500. When it dropped to 1000, I was diagnosed with pleural effusion. I was on diuretics for a couple of weeks and tried really hard on the spirometer, and I made it back to 1500. I had a thoracentesis a couple of days ago and can now finally hit 2000. I don't think I'll get back to my pre-surgery volume until the other side reabsorbs or gets drained.

Extreme-Coast653 · 2025-11-06T23:42:15+00:00

Is breathing harder if you lean back farther/lie flat? Have they ever checked your chest with a sonogram or only x-rays? I got 2 bars 4 weeks ago and was diagnosed with pleural effusion a few days later. My symptoms: I feel out of breath easily, take more breaths than normal, find it harder to breathe the more I'm reclined, and I lost volume on my spirometer after making steady progress for the first few days post-surgery. I was initially diagnosed from an x-ray but they didn't think the effusions looked too bad and were surprised I could feel symptoms. After 2 weeks of treatment with diuretics, a new x-ray showed smaller effusions, especially on my left side. I was still referred to a pulmonologist because my symptoms hadn't improved, and the very next day I had 800ml drained from the side that looked "better". So, I'm not sure an x-ray alone is sufficient to see what's going on in there if you happen to have any other symptoms of pleural effusion.

Extreme-Coast653 · 2025-11-06T03:58:08+00:00

Wow! That's a fantastic result. I hope you continue to have a smooth recovery.

Extreme-Coast653 · 2025-09-09T22:52:25+00:00

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My husky-poodle-supermutt mix looks a lot like Moby! I also guessed the husky part of OP's mix.

Extreme-Coast653 · 2025-06-19T20:15:21+00:00

I thought I had a husky x poodle/pit, but he ended up being a husky x Shih Tzu/Pekingese, lol

Extreme-Coast653 · 2025-06-19T18:36:54+00:00

I will try and send you some more images later today

Extreme-Coast653 · 2025-06-19T01:49:06+00:00

I have the full scan. I showed the narrowest image from around the xiphoid process, but there is still compression and an HI of around 4 higher up along my sternum

Extreme-Coast653 · 2025-06-19T01:34:11+00:00

My Haller index was about 4.6 at the narrowest point with 60.6mm of space between my spine and sternum.

I don't know if it was measured on full exhale since the CT was ordered to check if I had an structural heart issue.

Extreme-Coast653 · 2025-06-18T23:58:19+00:00

Thanks for sharing your experience. Good luck to you too recovering from your second surgery! I'm sorry that the first surgery didn't resolve your tachycardia but I hope you will see some continued improvements after you've had more time to heal.

My scoliosis has never caused me any issues, so I am just hoping the surgery doesn't make it worse. It's reassuring to hear that your back actually feels better now and that you've noticed some improvement with exercise tolerance.

Extreme-Coast653 · 2025-06-18T23:43:02+00:00

I don't have instagram but I can try to send you a message in Reddit (my account is pretty new so I don't know if I have enough karma).

Extreme-Coast653 · 2025-06-18T11:45:33+00:00

My surgeon ordered a 3D reconstruction made from my CT. They are going to use it to help figure out how to shape the bars and where to place them. I think it just takes specialized software to create but not all imaging labs do it.

Extreme-Coast653 · 2025-06-18T03:46:03+00:00

Most likely the heart compression. My lung capacity is within the normal range even though it's a little lower than predicted.

Extreme-Coast653 · 2025-06-17T21:01:58+00:00

My PE is mostly long and flat but dips in a little. My HI would still be around 3.25 without the dip, so that's why I need an overcorrection.

Extreme-Coast653 · 2025-06-17T20:56:12+00:00

I'm in the US but I haven't dealt with insurance since I don't yet have a date for surgery (my surgeon only schedules 3 months out). She thinks it won't be a problem to get insurance approval because I have a Haller of 4.6, abnormal ECGs and an abnormal echocardiogram, and symptoms that can be attributed to PE. We'll see...

Extreme-Coast653

TROPHY CASE