FREQUENT SIGHING MS?

[sandie490]

I'm refreshing this post guys.  Anyone hear, who is dx or not, have a problem with frequent sighing? Like a very dramatic sigh on and off throughout the day?  Anyone who is dxd ask your neuro about it, and if so what was said about it.  I did read at one of the popular ms forums, that  pulmonary problems are a definite symptom of ms. i.e hiccuping, frequent sighing, breathing difficulties, and some other things.  It's just that not all of the neuros out there are aware of this.  
There was a post, about the medical profession reading these forums, maybe without actually responding to them, just reading them to see whats actually out there, that corresponds to ms symptoms, so they can shed more light on some of the more less common symptoms.  Anyway I think it would be a good thing.  Who knows, maybe there are some who already do!

[meg321]

Its so confusing you know, so many of us have a breathing problem.  I have had mine for years, it just gets worse.  I can only walk a few yards and i can't breathe and have to lie down.  

I had a pulmonary function test this week and will get the results next week, then see a pulmonologist...its so ----- slow, it wears me out. I just have to do this, i need to do whatever it takes to help myself.

Starting to get depressed again, but  holding it at bay by talking to people.

Its not a fun disease thats for sure.  For once in my life i have no control over something..

I will report my findings to you...has anyone else been tested for the breathing thing, i would be interested to know what you found out.

hugs, meg.  

[jensequitur]

Most of my breathing problems have been related to spasms of the diaphragm.  If the diaphragm spasms while you're breathing in, it will do exactly as you described, Marcie - it'll sound like you're sobbing.  I've had that happen to me quite often.  

I also had the same episode you describe, except I thought it was an anxiety attack.  I couldn't breathe, so I lay down on the floor and thought calming thoughts, while I concentrated on breathing in and out normally.  Eventually the feeling went away.

I also have a sort of air intake thing where my diaphragm spasms, and it sounds like I'm trying to breathe in and hiccup at the same time.

I wouldn't worry too much about it unless it's a constant thing.  (Of course, I've been living with mine for several years, so maybe you shouldn't listen to me!)

[PastorDan]

Marcie, I hear you there, but if you're one of us limbolanders, and recognize something newly mentioned as an MS symptom as being a part of your recent history, the neuros will be even more convinced that you're talking yourself into symptoms.  Maybe some docs already read this forum as Sandie speculated, but I suspect most couldn't handle the bruising that their ego would suffer.

[Siddy1]

I've had quite a few breathing problems. I get more of a sob sigh - like when you have been crying a lot and afterwards you take in a double breath within one breath if you know what I mean.  It happens without warning

I also get a feeling of not being able to get enough air.  I was particularly frightened one time when my husband was grilling on the patio.  I went to sit outside with him and I couldn't breathe. I was gasping for air.  I thought I was going to choke. All I could sense was the smell of charcoal burning. I started to take little breaths until I came inside the house. It took quite a while to get back to normal.  It did shake me up though.  I didn't know what it was,  fearing some lung problem, which I didn't want to know about.  It really ticks me off that all these things are MS related - can't someone somewhere give us a break?

Marcie

[jensequitur]

I don't have sighing, per se.  But when I'm already fatigued, I will feel short of breath, and have to take deeper breaths to eliminate the feeling.  

The about.com article says that respiratory muscles can be weak, causing the lungs to not inflate properly.  About 20-25% of MS patients have 60-70% respiratory capacity, compared to 100% of the normal healthy population.  There's also sensory issues, making the brain think that it's not getting enough air.  I think mine is a little of both - I feel like maybe I'm getting enough air, but I'm not breathing deeply enough, or I'm getting a wrong signal from the lungs.

[sandie490]

I went on line about the sighing problem, and ms, and found a website about ms that actually cited frequent sighing and hiccuping as a symptom of ms, under pulmonary disturbances or problems with ms.
Maybe, it's not a common symptom of ms, but apparently the ms medical society have found that it common enough to post it in the symptoms list.  I'll see if I can find the website again so you can see it.
This sighing started about 2 years ago.  It started out just once in a while, but some of my other symptoms had started also at the time, and I just wasn't paying attention to it cause my father in-law had just died and I had just had surgery.  Then the sighing started going from once a week to once a day now its on and off all day.  But it's not like that everyday, but I do it at least 3 times a day.  It's just sounds like a very dramatic sigh, but loud.  Drives my hubby crazy, that's how often it is now, where he and my daughter notice it.  I do have asthma, but I have never had this happen before, I hardly ever need my inhaler.  
I Don't seem to have any breathing problems with it, like I'm not out of breath or anything.  One dr or nurse I spoke to said it sounds like a neuro problem though.

[meg321]

Hi sande,

I have a breathing problem also have all the sighing constantly & yawning .

My Dr said it is not MS that causes it.  I am being tested because it just gets worse and worse.  I am having pulmonary function testing this week.  I think its is my asthma, i had it when I was a baby.  Not sure why i didnt think of it faster but i guess I just got lost in all the other symptoms of MS.

It would explain a lot and hopefully it can be helped.

Will keep you posted on the test results.

hugs, meg

[uk2]

Hi i am not dx but i get constant yawning before i go into a flare i yawn 8 times in a min for ages till i lay down and then after a few hours that stops and the flare begins.

Your lungs could be trying to get more air into your blood system i'm not sure one for quix this maybe.

sam

[Ufrustrated2]

how bout yawning? when i work out, when i can, i find myself yawning. one would think getting the blood pumping wouldn't do that, but it does for me.