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Respiratory Disorders (Expert Forum)
Sudden Breating Problem...
Answered by
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Sudden Breating Problem...
by xtrodinary, Jul 30, 2009 11:07PM
Hello. My dad has recently been having many problems. He was recently diagnosed with Lupus and is on medications to suppress it. It has been suppressing it pretty good. In the mean time, his lungs have been diagnosed with Fibrosis and have lost 80% of their functionality. On meds he is doing better now. However he seems to be having coughing attacks randomly every few days. Once in awhile he will all of a sudden stop breathing in. HE will only be able to breathe out. It lasts anywhere from 5 seconds to 30 seconds. Then all is normal. Sometimes is happens while drinking things and other times just after coughing. It seems like Laryngospasm but could it be related to the Lupus or is this something new on its own. It has been happening randomly for about 4 years now and no doctor can figure it out. They just put him on Allergy meds but they dont seems to help... Any ideas? What would be the next steps if any? Also is it life threatening?
Doctor's Answer
by National Jewish Health, Aug 04, 2009 02:15PM
, Aug 04, 2009 02:15PMTo: xtrodinary
A loss of 80% of one’s lung function, secondary to pulmonary fibrosis, indicates fairly severe lung disease. Pulmonary fibrosis is usually a relatively untreatable disease, so your Dad’s being, “on meds he is doing better now,” suggests that pulmonary fibrosis may not be the correct diagnosis. Right or not, his response to meds is definitely good news and one possibility could be that he has Lupus related lung disease, that can be responsive to drug therapy.
I doubt that his episodes of suddenly stopping breathing are related to any of the above, Lupus or alleged pulmonary fibrosis. It is more likely that your suspicion of laryngospasm is correct. If not already performed, your Dad should have his larynx and vocal cords directly examined by an ENT specialist, using a fiberoptic laryngoscope. This would rule out anatomic abnormalities of the larynx and/or cords and might provide clues (for example, inflamed cords) about the diagnosis. There is a functional disorder of the cords that interferes with inspiration, called Vocal Cord Dysfunction (VCD). In some instances, this functional abnormality occurs spontaneously. In that circumstance Speech Therapy is often effective. In other instances, more akin to laryngospasm, gastroesophageal reflux disorder (GERD) may result in recurrent aspiration and this can cause the cords to spasm. In this situation, treatment of the GERD, can prevent recurrent spasm. Neither of these situations is life-threatening, but can be very scary and, if sustained can result in fainting (syncope) or “passing-out” and, for example, if one is driving a motor vehicle at the time, yes that could be life-threatening.
That it occurs, “while drinking things” also suggests aspiration and this can be secondary to a swallowing disorder, sometimes the first sign of a neurological disease. You may want to discuss this possibility with his doctor and he may need to have a radiological swallowing study, to rule-out that possibility.
When these attacks occur with increased frequency, especially with loss of consciousness, and no preventive therapy proves to be effective, it may be necessary for the person to have a permanent tracheostomy
Good luck
I doubt that his episodes of suddenly stopping breathing are related to any of the above, Lupus or alleged pulmonary fibrosis. It is more likely that your suspicion of laryngospasm is correct. If not already performed, your Dad should have his larynx and vocal cords directly examined by an ENT specialist, using a fiberoptic laryngoscope. This would rule out anatomic abnormalities of the larynx and/or cords and might provide clues (for example, inflamed cords) about the diagnosis. There is a functional disorder of the cords that interferes with inspiration, called Vocal Cord Dysfunction (VCD). In some instances, this functional abnormality occurs spontaneously. In that circumstance Speech Therapy is often effective. In other instances, more akin to laryngospasm, gastroesophageal reflux disorder (GERD) may result in recurrent aspiration and this can cause the cords to spasm. In this situation, treatment of the GERD, can prevent recurrent spasm. Neither of these situations is life-threatening, but can be very scary and, if sustained can result in fainting (syncope) or “passing-out” and, for example, if one is driving a motor vehicle at the time, yes that could be life-threatening.
That it occurs, “while drinking things” also suggests aspiration and this can be secondary to a swallowing disorder, sometimes the first sign of a neurological disease. You may want to discuss this possibility with his doctor and he may need to have a radiological swallowing study, to rule-out that possibility.
When these attacks occur with increased frequency, especially with loss of consciousness, and no preventive therapy proves to be effective, it may be necessary for the person to have a permanent tracheostomy
Good luck
