Tightness In Ribcage Area?

wynter57
on 9/19/11 2:23 am - Panama City, FL
Ok, a little background since my surgery. I just want to know that I'm not alone and that this too shall pass!

When I woke up from surgery (on August 22nd), I woke up gasping for air. I had an oxygen mask part way on my nose and mouth (a gap at the top of my nose). I remember saying to whoever it was in the recovery room behind me that I can't breathe, she kept saying my oxygen is at 100% for me to just start breathing a little slower. I guess I was a little panicky, as not being able to breathe very well is kind of scary! She also said something about gas on my diaphragm or something like that?

Well, anyway, when I walked the halls in the hospital, I was VERY out of breath. Others who had surgery the same day (I was the only revision), others passed me like I wasn't moving and none of them were breathing hard.

Exactly one week from getting out of the hospital I am in my surgeons office for my first post op check and I was telling him about this shortness of breath and how it's not improved since I was in the hospital. He was a little concerned, I ended up back in the hospital the whole Labor day weekend and they ran CT scans, an ultrasound on my legs, blood tests, etc. etc. They were looking for blood clots, pulmonary embolisms, etc. All tests came back negative and the doctor said that it must be "post surgical pain".

Over time, the out of breath situation has improved, but part of the reason I think that I can't sleep in bed is the way my ribs feel.

It feels like someone has a tight rubber band around the top of my rib cage (right underneath my breasts). When I first came home taking a deep breath hurt that area. Now it doesn't really "hurt", but it's just not the way it used to be. I never had any rib problems before.

I also have the feeling something like I would get relief from this if I could take my skin and pull it out and away from my ribs. This seems so weird. My surgeon said he's never had anyone else complain of this same thing and he has done a LOT of these surgeries over many years. How can it be just me??

Has anyone else had anything like this after having surgery? This has been an issue from the day of surgery.

Thank you for any insight!
Wynter
 VBG Surgery 4/17/1989 - Revision TO RNY 8/22/2011 - 4 Days Prior To Surgery WT: 309.5

Dan OBrien
on 9/19/11 2:45 am - FL
Did they give you a chest xray?  I had fluid pool under my lung, and had issues with pain under my ribcage for a while.  Consider a pulmonologist.  However, I must say, that the pulmonologist didn't really do too much for me, except confirm the problem and ease my mind a little.  My O2 sats took a while to come up to normal range.

It really stinks to have that pain when breathing - I couldn't sleep in bed for a while either.  Just keep trying, because I suprised myself one night when I did.  Then I couldn't sleep on my side for a few more weeks.  Also, be aware of how you are when you are handling the pain in your side(s).  My pain went from ribs to back, since my back muscles were compensating for so long.

Hope you feel better soon - mine just took some time.
Due to current economic conditions the light at the end of the tunnel has been turned off.                                                                         HW: 396 GW:230
           
wynter57
on 9/19/11 2:48 am - Panama City, FL
They did a chest xray on me 4 days earlier than when they admitted me. That came back clear. They did not do another chest xray on me when I was admitted though.

They did the CT scan on my lungs, a CT scan on my stomach to make sure there were no leaks, an ultrasound on my legs and various blood tests. Everything came back negative.

I wonder can they see fluid in your lungs when you have a CT scan on your lungs? I would assume so.

Wynter
 VBG Surgery 4/17/1989 - Revision TO RNY 8/22/2011 - 4 Days Prior To Surgery WT: 309.5

Dan OBrien
on 9/19/11 3:35 am - FL
I would think so, but laying down, things might shift around - the xray was standing up.
Due to current economic conditions the light at the end of the tunnel has been turned off.                                                                         HW: 396 GW:230
           
wynter57
on 9/19/11 2:50 am - Panama City, FL
Also, Dan, when you have fluid UNDER your lungs where does this fluid come from? Does the fluid go away and that's when you feel better?

Did your ribs feel like you wanted to pull your skin up off of them and did they feel like someone had put a tight band around them?

Wynter
 VBG Surgery 4/17/1989 - Revision TO RNY 8/22/2011 - 4 Days Prior To Surgery WT: 309.5

Dan OBrien
on 9/19/11 3:34 am - FL
The doctor said it was protein type fluid - kind of the clear liquid that sometimes will weep out of a wound.  In my case they blamed it on me not getting out of bed enough - everytime they got me up, the incision by my belly button would start gushing.  The night of surgery they moved me to ICU and had me on 15L of O2.  So something went wrong inside, don't know what exactly what, the doctor said he didn't know either.  Had about a unit of blood or so seep around under my skin as well.

I didn't want to pull my skin off, but I was very tight, at first it was work to breathe.  I had the gadget (inspirator?) they wanted me to use and at first I couldn't hit the 500 mark - had hit 4000 pre-surgery.
Due to current economic conditions the light at the end of the tunnel has been turned off.                                                                         HW: 396 GW:230
           
wynter57
on 9/19/11 3:47 am - Panama City, FL
I've never gotten above the 1500 mark on the spirometer (or whatever it's called) and I did not use it pre-surgery so I'm not sure what it would have been?

Wynter
 VBG Surgery 4/17/1989 - Revision TO RNY 8/22/2011 - 4 Days Prior To Surgery WT: 309.5

Dan OBrien
on 9/19/11 4:32 am - FL
I wa****ting the 3500 mark the last time I used it...then my kids thought it would be cool to have a competition to see who could get the highest, and I have no idea where it is now. 

Keep using it, that's what I was told, and also the flutter thing that you exhale into if you got one.  That helped me a bit.
Due to current economic conditions the light at the end of the tunnel has been turned off.                                                                         HW: 396 GW:230
           
Scherrie Tappin
on 9/19/11 6:12 am - CT
Hi wynter57, I experienced the very same thing. I complained about a tightness on the right side of my ribcage. They couldn't find anything and eventually by the end of my first month, that tightness was gone! I think it was just from the surgery, and the little pouch that they created. I believe if they don't find anything wrong this may be your problem too. I pray all gets better! Take care and let us know.
        RNY 5/25/2011                        
wynter57
on 9/19/11 6:28 am - Panama City, FL
Thank you lookinggoodat50! I pray that it will leave me shortly. Today it has particularly been aggravating me. Some days are worse than others.

I am 4 weeks out today so I hope mine leaves soon!

By the way, I see you are in Connecticut? I'm originally from Connecticut, born in New London, but moved a lot and lived in Groton, Mystic, Norwich, Montville, etc.

Wynter
 VBG Surgery 4/17/1989 - Revision TO RNY 8/22/2011 - 4 Days Prior To Surgery WT: 309.5

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