Rib graft nose surgery: I feel like I'm suffocating as I'm not getting enough air—how can I fix this?

Question

Hi! I had septal reconstruction with rib graft one month ago and since then I feel that I don't breath enough air especially when I lay down to sleep. After this happens I start to yawn, suffocate and have rapid heartbeat. It first happened the first days after surgery, then I felt ok and after one month the suffocating feeling came back. What should I do? My doctor told me everything went fine with the surgery.

Michael Elam, MD (retired) · Answer

Dear justmeLucy, I would see your surgeon for a follow up appointment and have an intra-nasal examination to determine if there is a cause to your current feelings of shortness of breath. If there is no functional concerns then your surgeon should refer you to some specialists for further diagnosis. Best regards, Michael V. Elam, M.D.

Rib graft nose surgery: I feel like I'm suffocating as I'm not getting enough air—how can I fix this?

Answers (1)