Question: Debilitating breathing spasm / cramp triggered by a burp or hiccup? Pleurisy? I had laparoscopic surgery a week ago to remove gall bladder and 4 tumor suspects in liver. This is related to my condition which is pancreatic neuroendocrine tumor. The surgery went fine, but twice yesterday (once from a burp and other from a hiccup) triggered absolutely incredible pain in my LEFT rear rib cage (not right where gall bladder was). It felt like a hole had been punched into my chest lining and the resulting breathing spasm (dyspnea) lasted like 10 minutes. Worst pain I've ever had. I could feel a kind of rumbling / fluttering in that location as if the diaphragm was aggravated by something. Everything I've read suggests some kind of pleuritic problem. My recovery drugs include acetaminophen and oxycodone, but no anti-inflammatories or steroids. I'm of course following up with my doctor and hospital, but I think using this service for an independent pulmonologist is worth a shot too, since this is all about why is my breathing so affected.