Post-surgery shortness of breath when talking

[Tillymint1971]

Hi, all

I haven't posted for a while. I'm doing pretty well, exercising, my scars have gone hypertrophic/keloid so I've started using Silicone Scar Gel as well as Bio-Oil. I keep moving onto my side at night (I start on my back) and waking with pain in my sternum. My meds have slowed my digestive system down to a stanstill and of course, there's lockdown.

I have gone back to work, first part time then full time, 5 months after my quadruple heart bypass. I work from home in front of a computer all day, with about two thirds of my day spent on conference calls. I'm finding I'm really short of breath after calls, especially when I talk a lot. I wondered if it was leaning forward and so try to sit upright but I think it's engaging energetically with my colleagues. Even so, I never used to get out of breath talking. Is this something anybody else has experienced. Is there any reason my operation should still be causing me to be out of breath when talking or is it just that I'm out of practice (talking)?

[Smarticus]

? A woman out of breath while talking... not possible. Seriously though, its still early days, take your time and relax, your body has been through a lot and needs time to recover. long silent pauses.. now that frightens men! HTH

[Supernanu]

Can’t help about shortness of breath but 5 months after my op my scars have also gone hypertrophic. Silicone gel is helping. Bio oil made it worse!!

Hope your breathing gets sorted soon.

[080311 in reply to Supernanu]

Hi Supernanu

I am coming up for 4 years and my scar is all but gone, like you it did start to thicken but after 12 months or so it really started to reduce, I did use Argan oil and then bio oil. I would sometimes look at it and think wow that really did happen to me! And then as a badge of honour!

But now the slight mark it’s just part of me.

Hope your recovery continues great.

Take good care Pauline.

[Supernanu in reply to 080311]

Hello Pauline

Glad you’re all healed now.

I’m not concerned about the scar - I’ve had various ops and nearly always the scars go hypertrophic. According to experts people with dark skin are more likely to be affected ... I’m extremely fair so it just proves that I’m awkward 😜

Take care, Nicole

[080311 in reply to Supernanu]

Morning Nicole

I am sure your not awkward, just like to be a wee bit different 😊 Are you having any pain from the scar? I had very little but one side of my chest is higher than the other! Can’t see it but I can feel it! Don’t get any discomfort from it so it’s again something left over from the op.

Have a good weekend

You take care too Pauline

[valeriep]

I'm not being funny, but - are you remembering to breathe? Early in lockdown, I read somewhere that all these Zoom calls we're forced to do these days are very draining - something to do with the fact that our brain is seeing the people we are talking to, but can't pick up the subtle body language it would be unconsciously noting if we were all sitting in the same room, so gets stressed by juggling with the disconnection. I've mentioned this to friends and we're all agreed these calls are very tiring. One friend who is running online seminars has become a hermit during the week, because she simply can't bear to talk to anyone at the end of her day, and I tend to feel like I have to give more of an animated 'performance' on a conference call than I would if I was in a traditional meeting, if you know what I mean! If you're crouched over a computer and breathing shallowly because you're a bit stressed for several hours a day, I can see how that would cause breathlessness when you end a call. Maybe you could try some deep breathing exercises to see if that helps? But needless to say, if it continues - and especially if you experience any pain - get onto your GP about it.

[Tillymint1971 in reply to valeriep]

Yes, this was exactly my question, it could just be leaning forward and not stopping for breath. There are so few visible cues (many of my calls aren!t video calls) we have to work harder to get our point across. I’ve always find I forget to breathe when concentrating working, I need to remind myself to inhale....

[valeriep]

Urgh, that must be a nightmare! In pre-email days, I used to work for a music agency and sometimes I'd go for hours when, as soon as I finished a call, another would come through, so I do sympathise! Yep, I reckon some deep breaths and maybe some relaxation exercises between calls (if you have the time!) could help.

[valeriep in reply to valeriep]

Good morning Tillymint! I was thinking about you last night and wondered if it might be a good idea to give the BHF nurses a call on Monday? Not that I think anything is wrong with you, but I think this is the kind of thing they're there for and they might be able to give you some reassurance/advice.

[Hidden]

I am 2 years post bypass and still get breathless talking.I exercise pretty hard every day and work 12 hour shifts.When I told my GP about the breathing she just laughed and sent me packing.x