Trouble Breathing

[deedle453]

I have seen three different Dr.s for this annoying condition, and none have a clue.Started about two months ago,difficulty breathing while lying down at night.Could not lie on left side, felt like I was suffocating.Constant feeling of congestion at base of throat, coughing lots, but non productive.Have a 24/7 feeling like I am breathing through a straw.Went to Emergency ward a month ago and had many tests ,chest x ray,ecg, cbc, all tests came out negative for any problems. ER Dr, said it was anxiety,gave me Atavan,and sent me home. Still having same symptoms a month later.Just saw family Dr. and he put me on Advair Diskus 500/50 for 2 weeks, then will have a PFT to see if there is any permanent lung damage, as I was a smoker for over 30 years, but did successfully quit over 5 months ago.Have almost finished the Advair,and see no improvement in these symptoms.Getting very frustrated due to the fact this is interfering with my life everyday.Any suggestions?? One specialist I saw saqid that if the PFT tests come back inconclusive he will send me to an Eye,Nose, and Throat specialist.Is it possible I have throat cancer?? Yikes!

[death52502]

In regards to "deedle453" 's question.  My daughter "six" is having the same issues only she has been getting respiratory infections as a result.  All kinds of tests, no narrow tubes, allergies been ruled out...ect.  She was 3 weeks early in birth.  The doctors at Childrens Hospital Denver, mentioned possible respiratory malfunction on top of their thought of this acid reflux stuff.  Daughter will be on Acid Reflux meds for six weeks until they put her under for a Lung Scope....I am not sure what to think.  I travel a lot as part of my job and am extremely fit, and when I am away I breath like an Olympian but when I go home to Colorado/Wyoming I suffer the exact same symptoms as my daughter.  I have to sleep on one side to prevent the weezing ect.  I told the wife to switch the butter, she uses pale country crock among other seemingly paranoid causes like deordorant.  I used to get Bronchitis infections and pneumonia seasonally in the spring and fall, but only in colorado and Wyoming.  Since having my Wisdome teeth removed, zero major infections since (8 years) but the wheezing and difficulty breathing continue and come in waves.  Food does seem to bother it, especially pizza on the rarity we do eat it.  This daughter looks like she got all my dominant chromosomes and the other, who looks like Momma, has zero issues thus far, infact never had to go to hospital outside of check ups....How can this not be a food allergy, allergy, or altitude thing since we have always lived 5,000 to 6,000 ft.? All born and raised Colorado....Abuteral seems to assist her and I as a temporary but after a while doesn't work as well and in her case, not much at all as of late... I have been gone now for 1 year at sea level, no issues, I went home for a couple of weeks and came back with a chest cold and miserable sleep as I had to sleep on one side, wheezing, caughing while at home.  3 days later I was perfect after caughing up crap from the pits of my chest and a 3 mile run.  She caught RSV a week after I left, Pneumonia and then lung collaps due to mucus getting caught in passage way in lung, flown to Childrens Denver from Cheyenne....All good, Even on max O2 so I am not sure Altitude has anything to do with it...Gotta be something we both have.  Your thoughts would be appreciated.

[Dr. Kokil Mathur]

Hi
Welcome to the forum!
Pain and discomfort in your chest could be acidity or heart burn. The other reason could be due to esophageal reflux (GERD), where the food in your stomach is thrown up into your food pipe or esophagus. This also causes burning sensation or discomfort in the chest area. Another possibility is hiatal hernia, where a portion of stomach herniates into the chest cavity through the diaphragm. This could cause suffocation while lying on left.
You need to confirm this with a gastroenterologist. A severe GERD or a hiatal hernia can cause breathing problems. Does not look like throat cancer, but since you are going to an ENT this will be ruled out.
Hope this helps. Please let me know if there is any thing else and do keep me posted. Take care!