Surgery was the end of Nov 2013 and all went without a hitch. Lately, though, I've been experiencing breathing problems. Its like sometimes I can't take a deep breath and it feels like I'm constantly trying. I think its called "air hunger." It doesn't hurt, its just really stressful and annoying.

I had this as a kid, too, but it would only last until I could get that one satisfying breath in. Now this has been going on for two weeks, and the last couple of days it has been all day where before it was only in the evening. It is more prevalent after I eat, so I thought it might be reflux and have been taking my PPI. I don't have asthma or any other type of respiratory issue that I'm aware of, so I'm wondering if maybe the intubation caused something and I never noticed until now?

Wondering if anyone else has experienced this.

Sounds unlikely the intubation tube could have caused an onset this far out.

Really it sounds like COPD asthma. Usually weight loss helps but perhaps it was the opposite for you. Go get a script for albuterol or some sort of inhaler. The next time you have shortness of breath if the inhaler helps then you probably have COPD.

Consult your doctor though. Inhalers are a steroid and could give a false positive result. But if it helps and you only need it as needed then it's probably fine.

Sounds unlikely the intubation tube could have caused an onset this far out.

Really it sounds like COPD asthma. Usually weight loss helps but perhaps it was the opposite for you. Go get a script for albuterol or some sort of inhaler. The next time you have shortness of breath if the inhaler helps then you probably have COPD.

Consult your doctor though. Inhalers are a steroid and could give a false positive result. But if it helps and you only need it as needed then it's probably fine.

Thanks for the reply. I saw my doctor today, and she told me its actually a fairly common result of me stopping my benzodiazapine medication I had been on for two years. Apparently withdrawal can cause some nasty side effects but she said they would go away on their own after awhile.