Difficulty breathing upon awakening

[bentcorp]

Whenever I fall asleep and wake up, I have extreme difficulty breathing - tightness in chest, wheezing, coughing a loud, croupy cough - I use my nebulizer with Albuterol and Iprapropium and am better right away. Sometimes I get short of breath just walking from my backyard to the front door, or even while taking a shower, or other light activity. Don't know whether this is simply asthma, which has been diagnosed, or maybe I have congestive heart failure? my other symptoms are extreme fatigue, swelling of my legs and ankles. I recently had a stress cardiogram and echocardiogram, and according to the doctors, these results were okay. But I have also had a recent chest X-ray which shows one part of my heart is larger than the other. Also, my paternal grandmother died of heart failure at 63. I'll be 62 in the Spring. Thank you.

[kristy390]

Have you ever had a echocardiogram with bubbles.  I had alot of the easily fatiguble symptoms besides asthma and the one side of my heart was larger,  I had an Atrial septal defect , a hole between the two right and left chambers of my heart and if it large enough and not fixed it can cuase congestive heart faliure.  The only way to find out if you have this is with the echocardiogram with bubble, or TEE with bubble.  Anyway just a thought to talk with your docto about.

[Sunny602]

What comes to mind is if you have reflux disease..Believe it or not, that can really exacerbate asthma (it sure did a number on mine!). During the day you probably feel better then when it comes nightfall and waking up, you feel crummy. They call this nocturnal asthma...and the symptoms happen for a couple of reasons. One is allergies...some people are pretty allergic to their beds, pillows etc and don't really know it. So when you sleep on something you are allergic to, you're going to feel the effects in the morning. Another is something I already mentioned, GERD...reflux disease. When people with GERD lie down, reflux splashes upwards and into the lungs sometimes, irritating them. There are a few other reasons, but those two are the biggests culprits. I would ask your doc about reflux and or allergies to see if he has any ideas on this. Hope this helped..Sunny

[Wannabigbabybelly]

Are you taking something like Advair or Flowent during the day or do you only take the Albuterol when there is a problem??
If you are not taking something during the day than you probably should go to the doc and treat your asthma better so you have fewer breathing issues. Try that and see if that helps your symptoms. I used to be the same way.
I am on Flovent. one puff twice daily! It REALLY helps me keep better control of my ashtma. Good Luck!