I am 6 wks post op from a full tt w/muscle repair all the way up to the rib cage. I developed Atelacstsis of the lungs and was put on Levaquin to help fight any infection that may have been there a few days after my procedure. I have been put on an Inhaler done 5 wks of breathing exercises have had blood work done to make sure there's no blood clot in the body/lungs and although my symptoms have improved I still feel as though it's hard to breathe fully sometimes at night. What can this be?
Answer: Tummy Tuck and Breathing Difficulty
It is so common for patients to express this. When we tighten the abdominal wall muscles we are reducing the volume of the intraabdominal compartment, often substantially. For patients with a small 2cm rectus diastasis the reduction in intraabdominal volume is relatively small. But for patients who have 4-6cm of rectus diastases this reduction in intraabdominal volume can become huge. (I won't bore you with the math but is can be impressive).
I tell my patients to breath by expanding their backs not their abdomens. This is because the lungs are situated in the back and this makes it quite easy to "breath through the back." So relax and relearn to breath. You'll be happy with your tummy and a new way to breath.
Helpful 14 people found this helpful
Answer: Tummy Tuck and Breathing Difficulty
It is so common for patients to express this. When we tighten the abdominal wall muscles we are reducing the volume of the intraabdominal compartment, often substantially. For patients with a small 2cm rectus diastasis the reduction in intraabdominal volume is relatively small. But for patients who have 4-6cm of rectus diastases this reduction in intraabdominal volume can become huge. (I won't bore you with the math but is can be impressive).
I tell my patients to breath by expanding their backs not their abdomens. This is because the lungs are situated in the back and this makes it quite easy to "breath through the back." So relax and relearn to breath. You'll be happy with your tummy and a new way to breath.
Helpful 14 people found this helpful
June 16, 2017
Answer: Tightened abdominal compartment
Hello,
When you breathe deeply your chest compartment expands a bit into your abdominal compartment. Now your abdominal compartment is tighter with a higher resting pressure. It is a bit harder for you to do what you did before surgery because of this. I have never had one of my patients describe this for long, but it is possible you were made too tight. Hopefully this will improve with time. Things tend to loosen up with time. This is something to address with your surgeon.
Best Regards,
John Di Saia MD
Helpful 1 person found this helpful
June 16, 2017
Answer: Tightened abdominal compartment
Hello,
When you breathe deeply your chest compartment expands a bit into your abdominal compartment. Now your abdominal compartment is tighter with a higher resting pressure. It is a bit harder for you to do what you did before surgery because of this. I have never had one of my patients describe this for long, but it is possible you were made too tight. Hopefully this will improve with time. Things tend to loosen up with time. This is something to address with your surgeon.
Best Regards,
John Di Saia MD
Helpful 1 person found this helpful