Phrenic Nerve damage and paralyzed diaphragm: Anyone else have this?

Hi @colleenyoung. My surgery was Wednesday. I have some random memories of the surgery and I was in distress. I remember a man came to give me a breathing treatment and he was upset that they called him. I was in and out of it. I remember him telling me I needed to see a specialist and that this was not normal. I also remember being in the OR and being shaken a lot and hearing them try to wake me up. The doctor never said anything to my friend when he talked to her. I have really been out of it and my head is just starting to clear up. I was sedated with Versed and Fentanyl. I have had trouble waking up from Versed in the past so the combo really knocked me out. That is noted in my charts and I told the doctor that before surgery. This is the first time I have had trouble breathing. I have also been feeling sick to my stomach. I have had a metalic taste in my mouth, my ear felt fuzzy, and I have had sweats and chills. They are trying to play it down like I just had some trouble waking up and breathing. I need to know what really happened that day. I need to see a specialist about the hypoxia and then I am trying to figure out where to go from there. I really could use some advice.This was not at the Mayo Clinic. I am a long way from there. I also had a total knee replacement in May and it went well and I was alert afterwards.

@ssbionicknee, when was your surgery? Have you talked to your surgeon about your ongoing respiratory issues?

I just had shoulder surgery and was given a nerve block. I had trouble breathing and waking up. I was in recovery for about 6 hours and received a breathing treatment. I was just reading about Phrenic Nerve Damage and am wondering if that is what caused my problems. I am still having trouble breathing. I also noticed the symptoms for toxicity are what I have been having. Has anyone else had this happen from a nerve block.

Hi everyone I am also going through this but my injury was due to an ablation and the doctor hit the phrenic nerve. there is a doctor in New Jersey who is doing a surgery to repair the nerve I’m not sure if you Google the phrenic nerve and New Jersey doctor it will come up. There is also a surgery where they can staple your diaphragm down but it’s very invasive. I have been told I need to wait at least a year to see if it is permanent, that normally it goes away within a year. crossing my fingers!!

I also had my right phrenic nerve sacrificed during my surgery for squamous cell thymic carcinoma. My invasive tumor was involved with both phrenic nerves, and as my surgeon tried to free the right nerve it was damaged; he opted to not attempt to disentangle the left phrenic nerve to avoid putting me on a ventilator for life. I was told the damaged nerve can regenerate at one mm per month. My surgery was six years ago and while my nerve never regenerated, I have regained some breathing ability through my body adapting.
I now have very well developed neck muscles and was told I also breathe with y newly developed muscles in my intercostal spaces (between my ribs). I tried some specialized breathing PT, but didn't see any benefits. I have progressed from needing 3 liters of oxygen 24 hours a day, to just using O2 at night for sleeping, as it is difficult to move air in the reclining position, to now just using a CPAP machine at night, which splints my right lung open so that the left lung can function more efficiently.
I haven't researched having a phrenic nerve transplant in several years, but when I did, it sounds like very difficult surgery and had a low success rate. I certainly have limitations due to my breathing issues, but I can live with them! I can't swim laps, or climb any hills, or exercise really hard - but I can hold my new granddaughter, I've attended two of my sons weddings, and life is good. I don't get the hiccups and when I shiver or laugh really hard I struggle to breathe, but I'm happy to be alive after initially being told I wouldn't survive.

I also had my right phrenic nerve sacrificed during my surgery for squamous cell thymic carcinoma. My invasive tumor was involved with both phrenic nerves, and as my surgeon tried to free the right nerve it was damaged; he opted to not attempt to disentangle the left phrenic nerve to avoid putting me on a ventilator for life. I was told the damaged nerve can regenerate at one mm per month. My surgery was six years ago and while my nerve never regenerated, I have regained some breathing ability through my body adapting.
I now have very well developed neck muscles and was told I also breathe with y newly developed muscles in my intercostal spaces (between my ribs). I tried some specialized breathing PT, but didn't see any benefits. I have progressed from needing 3 liters of oxygen 24 hours a day, to just using O2 at night for sleeping, as it is difficult to move air in the reclining position, to now just using a CPAP machine at night, which splints my right lung open so that the left lung can function more efficiently.
I haven't researched having a phrenic nerve transplant in several years, but when I did, it sounds like very difficult surgery and had a low success rate. I certainly have limitations due to my breathing issues, but I can live with them! I can't swim laps, or climb any hills, or exercise really hard - but I can hold my new granddaughter, I've attended two of my sons weddings, and life is good. I don't get the hiccups and when I shiver or laugh really hard I struggle to breathe, but I'm happy to be alive after initially being told I wouldn't survive.

Hi everyone I am also going through this but my injury was due to an ablation and the doctor hit the phrenic nerve. there is a doctor in New Jersey who is doing a surgery to repair the nerve I’m not sure if you Google the phrenic nerve and New Jersey doctor it will come up. There is also a surgery where they can staple your diaphragm down but it’s very invasive. I have been told I need to wait at least a year to see if it is permanent, that normally it goes away within a year. crossing my fingers!!

I also had my right phrenic nerve sacrificed during my surgery for squamous cell thymic carcinoma. My invasive tumor was involved with both phrenic nerves, and as my surgeon tried to free the right nerve it was damaged; he opted to not attempt to disentangle the left phrenic nerve to avoid putting me on a ventilator for life. I was told the damaged nerve can regenerate at one mm per month. My surgery was six years ago and while my nerve never regenerated, I have regained some breathing ability through my body adapting.
I now have very well developed neck muscles and was told I also breathe with y newly developed muscles in my intercostal spaces (between my ribs). I tried some specialized breathing PT, but didn't see any benefits. I have progressed from needing 3 liters of oxygen 24 hours a day, to just using O2 at night for sleeping, as it is difficult to move air in the reclining position, to now just using a CPAP machine at night, which splints my right lung open so that the left lung can function more efficiently.
I haven't researched having a phrenic nerve transplant in several years, but when I did, it sounds like very difficult surgery and had a low success rate. I certainly have limitations due to my breathing issues, but I can live with them! I can't swim laps, or climb any hills, or exercise really hard - but I can hold my new granddaughter, I've attended two of my sons weddings, and life is good. I don't get the hiccups and when I shiver or laugh really hard I struggle to breathe, but I'm happy to be alive after initially being told I wouldn't survive.