Just banded. Short of breath, trouble breathing

[dr_justice 0]

Hey there.

I was banded Nov 5 (yesterday morning). Ever since then, I have been experiencing pain in my abdomen but mostly around the diaphragm area, just below my lungs. I can breathe but only short breaths.

I am able to take liquids but had an episode today where I drank too fast and ate a bit of jell-o, and suddently went from fine to ghostly white in under 20 seconds. The episode lasted about 3 minutes until I was able to pass the feeling, but for a while I thought I was going to faint. I did not vomit, thank god.

I know a lot of people are experiencing gas pains. I have felt bloated before, but never like this! Are my problems with being short of breath normal?

When we're talking about gas pains, are we just talking about the tummy feeling full? I was told recovery was about 2-3 days after the surgery, but at the rate I'm going, I think it's going to take longer than this.

Help!

Edited November 7, 2008 by dr_justice

[eve529 0]

I too felt short of breath after I was banded. I'm still not fully sure why, but the best explanation I heard was that there was still gas inside my thorax and abdomen (not my stomach).

To do the surgery laparoscopically, they've got to inflate you with some gas so that they can see what they're doing inside. Your surgical team does their best to deflate you before sewing you up, but it's never 100%.

The gas that's left inside can be really painful. The good news is that (if it's larpro-gas) it will go away within a week (tops.) Your body absorbs the gas over time, thus easing the discomfort. I hear that walking around makes it go away faster. I walked around a lot, but still had some pretty wretched intermittent pain for four days after the surgery.

To be safe, I'd call your surgeon tomorrow morning. The peace of mind will be priceless over the weekend.

Good luck and hang in there.

[RestlessMonkey 7]

If you are short of breath and truly feel you aren't getting enough oxygen, go to the ER. Seriously. It "hurt" me to breathe deeply in that things were sore and tight, but I COULD breathe deeply and when I did, the oxygen worked like it was supposed to. To breathe shallowly isn't the same as being "short of breath"....can you just not catch your breath? Or does it hurt when you breathe deep? It is very important that you breathe deeply to clear the anesthesia, and to prevent atelectasis and perhaps subsequent pneumonia. If you were having trouble breathing they shouldn't have let you go.

If you are taking prescription painkillers you may be having a reaction. Please at the least call your doctor's emergency line. It is NOT normal to faint and feel short winded one day after surgery.

[dr_justice 0]

Okay, let me give a better description here.

I can breathe without effort if I take small breaths. But I can't take deep breaths, it hurts my diaphragm too much.

I am fine if I sleep or if I am just resting. I am also fine if walk around the house some.

But I know that my breathing pattern has changed and that I'm not breathing as deeply as I normally would.

As for the fainting, it was not related to being short of breath. It was due to the fact that I think I overdrank and overate some jell-o. I first feelt nausea, then a tingly feeling all over my body, felt light-headed. My mom put a cold wet handcloth on my forehead for a moment, and I was able to pass the feeling. "I told you you were drinking too fast", she said.

[RestlessMonkey 7]

Ok you were scaring me! Then you hurt when you breathe but you CAN breathe and it does the trick. Sorry you are in pain! but it is important to breathe deeply to keep your lungs clear, as I posted....so make sure you take deep breaths every hour while you're up. Did you get your incentive spirometer from the hospital? IF so, use it. If not, take a DEEP breath, hold for a count of 4, then exhale deeply, hold for 4, do it again. Do that 10 times an hour for a few days. It will honestly help you feel better. It will help the pain, it will clear your lungs, and it will make you feel better all around.

It is normal to be sore after surgery. That deep breathing will help you feel better faster.

[dr_justice 0]

Did you get your incentive spirometer from the hospital? IF so, use it. If not, take a DEEP breath, hold for a count of 4, then exhale deeply, hold for 4, do it again. Do that 10 times an hour for a few days.

It was a private clinic. I did not get a spirometer.

I know that as I was waking up from the surgery, I was all wired up and the machiine went beep-beep a few times from not having too much oxygen in my blood -- the nurse told me to breathe more, which I did, then oxy levels came back to normal.

Nevertheless, as I have told a few friends, it feels as if I had done 400 sit-ups, feel like I could eat a horse, and at the same time it feels like I ate 25 large pizzas. I'm not sure what my stomach is telling me.

The biggest problem is when I transition from a sleeping to sitting to standing position. It take a while for my whole abdomen and diaphragm to adjust. After a few minutes I feel OK but then sitting and lying down is a chore.

By the way, these forums rock.

[RestlessMonkey 7]

Just make sure you breathe deeply every hour that you are awake, so that you keep your lungs clear.

[dr_justice 0]

Thanks for the advice. I will follow it. Good luck with your band too!

[TerriDoodle 6]

Just make sure you breathe deeply every hour that you are awake, so that you keep your lungs clear.

Absolutely -- this is all that's wrong with you and all you need to do to feel better. DEEP breathing for at least 10 breaths every hour. You'll be amazed at how good it works! It's an effect of the anesthesia, I think....makes your lungs kinds of lazy.