spasms in chest

After having this last surgery I find myself having spasms in my chest making it hard to catch my breath sometimes. I orignally thought it might be my asthma acting up after surgery but the Dr said that because I was under anethesia for so long with a trachea tube it messed with my esophagus and it is now spasming. He put me on steroids and told me

to keep taking the T3 at night to help. I have done these things but don't seem to get much relief. Have any of you had these spasms after surgery and if so what did you do to get them to settle down?

Thanks!

Sharon

The only thing I recall from past surgeries is more like pins and needles... like mini nerve spasms. I think if you're on a medication and it's not working the doc needs to know. Keep us posted.

--gina

Thanks Gina. Will do. It could be that I am not giving it enough time to work too. I'm pretty impatient- want a quick fix. Spasms haven't been as severe today- the downside is that the medication seems to be making me sick to my stomach and a little loopy.

Hope it passes soon and is just a minor hick-up .... feel better soon

After all my surgries They give me  Diazapam-2-5mg for esophagel spsms. Without it, I have chest pains eating and drinking. 1-2 weeeks is all I need it for relief post surgery.

.

Thanks Sandra. That is so good to know. I felt like I was losing my mind. I will mention it to my Dr. I always have this problem after long surgeries and its so difficult

to explain these spasms to them. It literally takes my breathe away. I don't have a lot of pain with it- just the discomfort of trying to get the spasms under control.

Also with upper respiratory colds, I can cough so hard the air leaves my lungs, with little ability to refil lungs for a next breath. My PCP gave me an inhaler to open the airway to be able to breathe. Its like a spasm you discribed, takes my breath away. 

I have much improved since my hiatal hernia surgery 2 months ago. My GERD has disappeared, no reflux while sleeping. I wonder if the acid irritated my esophagus contributing to difficult breathing with upper respiratory infections, causing spasms. I have had Diazepam for every post surgery recovery. 3 weeks ago I had  a 5 hr arm/leg plastic surgery, with diazepam post surgery. No breathing issues, no complications. With a sleeved stomach there is a vacuum created in the esophagus, possibly contributing to my inability to take in air when I have a cold, cough irritation. If GERD is a big issue, the surgeon would suggest the RNY, not the D.S. I have a D.S. My GERD was not diagnosed, nor much of a problem pre D.S. My surgeon suggested revision from D.S. to RNY to solve the "air vacuum" issue and sleeping reflux. His hiatal hernia surgery seems to have solved both the air vacuum and reflux. I really prefer the D.S. with a working stomach and pylorus. I never wanted the RNY, and don't plan to have this revision. I only know of one D.S'er who had this revision because of GERD. I always ask my Dr's about any of my symptoms, and my ideas about their possible causes.