I've had two really scary experiences since my surgery two weeks ago. One night last week at 4:00 am, I jolted awake, wheezing and coughing. I felt like I had something in my lungs and was coughing so hard that stomach acid came up in my mouth (omfg). I could not breathe and I had to really try to get ahold of myself. I have an inhaler for allergy related asthma so I used that and calmed down. I finally coughed up a huge amount of mucus. Saw the doctor the next day. She said that it was probably because I didn't have any productive coughing after surgery, though I used that breathing exercise thing. Great. I honestly thought that I was going to die right there on my bathroom floor. That was pretty bad, but last night was worse. I woke up at 3:00 am with the most horrible stomach pain, like the worst diarrhea ever. I tried to let it come out but it would not. I was in so much pain for at least 30 minutes. Finally, a lot of really hard pebbles came out, then the flood, like citric magnesium all over again. I have never experienced anything so awful and painful ever. I have never sat on the toilet sweating and crying, begging for divine mercy. Why am I telling you guys this? Because there's no one else to tell. I have no idea how to prevent last night poop tragedy from befalling me again. Does anyone else have problems with alternating constipation and diarrhea? Oh, after the breathing/mucus event, I have felt a lot better and less tired, I can breathe easier and my chest doesn't hurt. This piece of my story is a cautionary tale to those of new people who don't bother with the deep breathing exercises. Do them! Thanks for letting me tell someone aside from a doctor (who kinda just shrugs with a "well, you lived" sort of attitude. Haha)

Wow! I really feel for you. I didn't have the breathing problem -- guess I did my breathing exercises. I did have a problem with diarrhea for a few days after surgery. Sounds like you had a dumping issue.

Hope that doesn't continue. Although for me after the diarrhea ended, then the opposite problem set in. I am still trying to get regular.

Any more problems like this and I would recommend calling your doctor.

Thanks for replying, Cindy. I'm doing fine since.