Involuntary puff of breathe out....

[Oldmasons]

My husband has had AVR and CABG surgery 4 weeks ago. Several times a day he gives an involuntary big puff of breathe out, does this happen to anyone else and/or do you know why it happens?

[Lynn1966]

Hi Oldmasons, yes I did this for about 6 wks after my H/A It’s was like a last breathe and quite loud as if gasping . It’s does stop and is quite common x

[Lancs-one]

I had my CABG three weeks ago and this is happening to me as well. I've no control over it. I'm also yawning a lot. Glad to see Lynn1966 has said it's common and will stop.

[Lynn1966]

I think a better way I can describe it , it’s like a very heavy loud sigh x

[IanMK]

I suspect this is common to many heart issues. I’ve had heart failure as a consequence of an arrhythmia and my wife is always chastising me for letting out a sigh 🙂

[invictaAlec]

Yes, I had the heavy sighs too. Its something to do with bits of your lungs re-inflating, having taken a bashing during the surgery.

Alec.

[Chappychap]

When you have open heart surgery the lungs take a real battering. You're left with multiple small pockets of micro collapse throughout your lungs, which is why you feel so short of breath and why there's so much emphasis on breathing exercises and brisk walking to reflate your lungs and recover your breathing capacity...a process which can take several months rather than just a few days.

If you don't bother with the breathing exercises and with the brisk walking, and if you're not fortunate to live in an area that runs cardio rehab classes, then you run the risk of phlegm building up in your lungs. Phlegm is naturally produced in the lungs, but the occasional deep breath, cough, or yawn is all it takes to flush it out.

Long story but I wonder if the yawning and exhaling that the OP mentioned and is common after heart surgery, is actually the body's way of trying to clear out the lungs?

[Deanosbeano]

If he's on ticagrelor that affects breathlessness ,in my case for about 6 weeks , rehab nurse told me they know about it but nobody knows why

[Oldmasons]

Thanks for all the comments, very reassuring for my husband. These involuntary gasps are coming about 3/4 an hour and I’ve noticed him having sleep apnea too. V weird but now understandable

[Nic25]

Hey Oldmasons. I hope all's going well and happy Easter. I had an AVR in December and also had that or something similar, sort of an occasional "jump" of breath? Just thought it was a bit strange but as couldn't work out how I'd even describe it to a GP or what they'd be able to do about it even if I did get an appointment (and everything else seemed fine) I just ignored it! For me at least it went away by itself after a few weeks. The previous comments about the lungs reflating seems pretty plausible but I've no idea beyond the fact, as I say, for me it did eventually go away by itself. I guess as long as the heart rate/rhythm is stable nothing to be too worried about? But obviously if you are concerned do speak to your GP. Good luck Nic x