Pectus Excavatum

Mandi talks of how she feels one year in to having had the Nuss Procedure.
***Forgot to mention: I traveled internationally via airplane and had no issues.

[@mattmccarthy9839]

You look great hun. Glad it all worked out well for you

[@Catherine3385]

Thank you for your videos My 17 year old son will be having the Nuss Procedure this summer and watching videos like yours are very helpful

[@mandisorg9273]

I'm so glad you are finding them helpful! Best of luck to your son.

[@mandisorg9273]

I'm glad they helped :)

[@tinytoasties]

Going on 5 years this year since my 2 bars were removed. :) The most satisfying moment when they were out was the first time I sneezed...and then suddenly realized it didn't hurt at all.

[@mandisorg9273]

Once you had your bars removed, how did you feel right afterwards and a few months later? One of the things I'm concerned about is still feeling sore well after I've healed.

[@tinytoasties]

Hm, I was pretty out of it for a day or two but I don't remember being sore for an extended period. I did have some swelling on my one side that persisted for months though. I didn't see a change in it until I took a natural supplement my mom was using for inflammation in her hands.

[@benimarusasaka9127]

i was thinking about suicide at one point in my life because of the mockery of people on my PE but your story brought me joy and i will keep living by that joy.

[@mandisorg9273]

Hey John, thank you for sharing! Not only for sharing your experience with your PE, but also for sharing your thoughts of suicide. I'm big in to mental health and the stigma surrounding many mental health issues, including suicide; so I find it brave for you to say that. I'm glad to hear you did not give in to the thoughts; ending your life due to the ignorance of others would have been a sad loss. It's unfortunate that others can be so misguided and misunderstanding. I hope you know and realize that you are not alone in your thoughts or your PE, and that you have the power to spread awareness and love your body for what it is. I'm glad you were able to find some joy in my video, and hope you continue to find joy in your own life's endeavors. I wish you all the best!

[@benimarusasaka9127]

Mandi Sorg Thank you Mandi, i've went past the point of depression by now and i find that video on my way to recovery and i can't thank you enough for that. Best regards, John.

[@jiiiigsaw]

Seriously that sneezing pain last a year!?? im on week 5 after surgery i sneezed once and it felt like someone stabbed me in the chest.

[@mrtheslupperman418]

How long did it take you to resume normal activities, like working out, and playing sports?

[@mandisorg9273]

It took me about 6 months until I really felt comfortable enough to get more physical with my body as far as working out and sports go; I was just wanting to be really cautious. Normal activities though, I was back to a normal life at about a month and half.

[@zechariahborja4893]

I have pectus eccavatum but I can get a sugary to fix it it's a blessing tho I look at it that way now and it's alright

[@ItalionStallion1x]

Could you do sports etc with the bar in or have it prevented you from doing something? Great videos!

[@mandisorg9273]

So far so good. I'm back to doing yoga and I've gone canoeing/kayaking/paddle boarding with no issues. I'm back to working out, and I have no issues there. I'm doing a marathon with obstacle courses in two months, I was going to post a video about how that goes since I know that will be a real physical exertion. The only thing is I do feel the bars say when I'm doing crunches, or if I do a deep twist in yoga. It doesn't hurt, but it does feel weird and foreign. I still stay somewhat cautious about my movements, but it doesn't hinder me.

[@ItalionStallion1x]

Mandi Sorg wow thank you so much for the detailed reply! Great to hear that you can exercise without any problems! That is a great video ide and I'm looking forward to watching it!

[@kellylauro3621]

Are you in the Pectus facebook groups? There are lots of them...Female Pectus Excavatum, Pectus Awareness, Pectus Private Support-a closed group, Pectus Strong.

[@mandisorg9273]

Just joined the Female Pectus Excavatum group and the Pectus Awareness and Support Foundation group :)

[@emokilla51]

Where should I go to have a diagnosis of PE? You're looking a lot healthier btw

[@mandisorg9273]

I would start out by going to your primary doctor If they are not able to help you, they will be able to refer you to a specialist that can diagnose it. If for what ever reason you hit a dead end with your primary doctor, I would recommend searching for a thoracic surgeon, if only for receiving a diagnosis. / Thank you for saying I look healthier: being healed up, off the pain medicine, and a little mascara can go a long way! Haha

[@emokilla51]

Thank you for taking the time to respond!

[@cristianfernandez5272]

how long you fell the pain in your chest after the surgery??

[@mandisorg9273]

As far as pain that was 100% from surgery, about 2 weeks of real pain, and then it quickly started to get better after that. But the pain medicine really helped. After having healed from the surgery, I still feel some pain and soreness, but it's not bad enough to even take Ibuprofen.

[@AliA-tv8ph]

So how much time took you to recover? Thanks.

[@mandisorg9273]

From surgery itself, it took about 4 weeks to feel recovered. After about 2 months I felt back to normal - even better!

[@AliA-tv8ph]

@@mandisorg9273 Thank you! I had my surgery about 2 months ago! Your videos help a lot!

[@MoiiGamingHD]

@@AliA-tv8ph where did you get surgery !

[@AliA-tv8ph]

@@MoiiGamingHD Mayo Clinic, Arizona.

[@MoiiGamingHD]

@@AliA-tv8ph what age did you get the procedure? I’m from Canada and sadly no one is as experienced as Mayo Clinic in Arizona I’m almost 21 and I’m looking to get the surgery in my late twenties

[@marisaserrenho2997]

Hi! Have you removed the bars yet?Thank you.

[@mandisorg9273]

Hi Marisa! No, I have not had the bars removed yet. Initially I was going to have the bars out 4 years after my surgery; however, the surgeon moved it to 3 years post-surgery. That means September 2018 will mark my 3 year anniversary! Coming soon!