Post Lobectomy Question

[barbvh]

Hi Everyone,

I am almost 3 months post right lower lobectomy. I was curious if anyone experienced something that has been happening since surgery. Several times a day or more I get this kind of double breath thing. No pain, it's just weird to me and I did not have this before the surgery. My environmental doc said it could be an air pocket, but after listening said everything sounded OK. It seems to happen more when I am tired.

Has anyone had anything like this after surgery?

Thanks,

Barb

[Andrea]

I don't recall hearing about that, but I am sure others will answer. It can't hurt to put a call into your surgeon. I know in genearl my mom had shortness of breath issues fo rawhile after lobectomy and being tired made it much worse.

[Connie B]

I did that after surgery, and 12 years later I am still doing it. But as time went on, it didn't happen as often. Now it happens about once a day. I honestly never asked what it was from or why it happens, I just figured it's one of those things I will have to live with and I do. It's not painful it's just and extra breath, at least for me that's all it is. I am a one lunger, but I guess it could happen to any of us.

I see my Pulm Doc in a few weeks, and I will try to remember to ask him why that happens.

[Kaffie]

At three years out I will get SOB for no apparent reason, sometimes just walking from the kitchen to the bedroom. I have no idea why, I've just learned to accept it like Connie.

Sometimes I wonder if I'll ever breathe normal again but I do consider it a small price to pay for my life

Within a week after surgery I was constantly gasping and I had a pleural effusion that I had to go into the hospital for but that was a pretty obvious feeling of somethings not right.

[carolhg]

I had that! I almost forgot about it until I saw your post. I think it comes and goes and honestly I cannot remember the last time that I had it now. I was not scared about it because someone else on the message board had it. She called it a "hitch". She said that her doctor said that it was nothing to be concerned about. It would happen to me while talking kind of like hiccups. It did go away and it did not pose a problem. That is one of the great things about this web site. You can be REALLY worried about something that is going on with you and then you read someone's post and find out that it is not a scary thing after all. Hope this helps. Carol

[tiredmom959]

My mom had that, both before and after her lobectomy. I'll have to ask her if she's had it lately. Her doctor didn't seem to think it was anything to worry about when she mentioned it recently.

[barbvh]

Thanks Everyone,

I figured it was just one of those weird things that can happen after surgery. I glad to hear that others have had this happen as well.

[barbara5452]

I too have that, does not hurt but makes ya wonder why. Now I wont let that fog my brain anymore since others have it. Good question, thanks.

[barbvh]

I called my surgeon's office this morning and spoke to his physician's assistant. She told me to remember that they removed 1/3 of my lung. Like I could forget that!!! I told her that I was not in any distress but I just wanted to know if it was a normal part of recuperation or from being more active. She told me to contact my Environmental doc. I sopke to him today and he said it may be airway spasm, but he wants a PFT to be sure everything is OK. I go tomorrow morning.

Thanks again for everyone's input. It helps to know that I am not the only one who has this.