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breathing difficulties and pain
Approx. a week ago I started to experience extreme difficulty with my breathing to the point that at times I feel like I am drowning.I am a 59 yr old woman with no previous history of this..I went to our local clinic where they prescribed Symbicort as well as Advair..This helped to some degree initially but I find that my breathing is now getting worse..The doctor then prescribed antibiotics to see if it could be a lung infection.So far (4 days) no change except that I am now constantly yawning as well as not being able to catch my breath...Now I awoke today to find I have extreme joint pain particularly in my knee area.Not sure if it is related but makes it very difficult to walk.Any advice would be appreciated as the only time I seem to get any relief is when I am able to fall asleep..
Thank you
Thank you
Yes you can get a pulse oximeter from Walgreens or probably most drug stores or online. I bought mine online for about $50.
I forgot to mention... A pulse oximeter is definitely a good idea. I got mine from a Walgreen's drugstore, but you can also order one online. I paid $50US$ for mine and I am very glad I have it.
Don't be afraid to go to an ER if you are really struggling to breathe, but DO NOT take any steroids until you are confident you have an accurate diagnosis, and that includes inhaled steroids. I was on them for over a month (injected, then oral, then inhaled). In the moment, they helped me breathe a bit easier, but they made me soooo much sicker. Steroids are bad news for an infection, as they suppress the immune system and allow the infection to run wild. Steroids for my breathing difficulties that sent me into a tail spin of more and worsening symptoms.
Don't be afraid to go to an ER if you are really struggling to breathe, but DO NOT take any steroids until you are confident you have an accurate diagnosis, and that includes inhaled steroids. I was on them for over a month (injected, then oral, then inhaled). In the moment, they helped me breathe a bit easier, but they made me soooo much sicker. Steroids are bad news for an infection, as they suppress the immune system and allow the infection to run wild. Steroids for my breathing difficulties that sent me into a tail spin of more and worsening symptoms.
It is possible to have an initial MS attack and then go decades before another one. But if these are the only two symptoms you have, I am guessing MS is unlikely.
I struggled with a very similar shortness of breath. I divided it into two parts. I would run out of air while talking...I sounded breathless all the time. I had to quit doing yoga because I was so out of breath. Then, I couldn't fill my lungs and take a satisfying breath every time I wanted to. I HATE the feeling and I know it well. I have had it for 18 months (although I am much improved now). It is called "air hunger." My neuro thought it might be the MS hug (and I had developed other MS symptoms), but it just didn't quite fit the description.
With development of other symptoms that could not be attributed to MS, I started researching on my own and eventually came to the conclusion I had Lyme Disease. I tested false negative twice, which delayed my diagnosis. I tested positive at IGeneX, a specialty lab that does more advanced testing. It turns out I also have Bartonella, which can make Lyme worse.
The reason I thought of Lyme for you is because you said you have developed joint pain. Lyme is famous for causing joint pain. It also likes to infect certain cranial nerves. When it infects the 7th nerve, you can have Bell's Palsy. When it infects the 10th nerve, you can get incomplete signals to your GI tract and/or your breathing muscles.
There is another coinfection of Lyme that is unfortunately all too common. It is called Babesia, and it is a parasite that is a cousin of malaria. It can come along for the ride with a tick bite, and it can cause significant air hunger. I have heard others with Babesia describe the drowning feeling you have. I haven't had that specific feeling with my Lyme + Bartonella, but my breathing problems have actually been more chronic than someone else I know with Babesia.
It is possible you just have Babesia. It is believed to make Lyme arthritis worse, so it could cause joint pain by itself, but it is not a well understood disease yet.
I encourage you to get tested for Lyme, Bartonella, and Babesia at IGeneX. Most other labs produce too many false negatives. Note that many people with Babesia will test negative, as it is very difficult to find. Its cousin, malaria, will infect many red blood cells and can easily be seen in a smear. But Babesia can make you sick with a very low rate of infection, making it harder to find an infected red blood cell.
You are certainly welcome to come to the Lyme forum...we have people there with experience with all 3 of these diseases.
You might also check out canlyme . org for more info.
I struggled with a very similar shortness of breath. I divided it into two parts. I would run out of air while talking...I sounded breathless all the time. I had to quit doing yoga because I was so out of breath. Then, I couldn't fill my lungs and take a satisfying breath every time I wanted to. I HATE the feeling and I know it well. I have had it for 18 months (although I am much improved now). It is called "air hunger." My neuro thought it might be the MS hug (and I had developed other MS symptoms), but it just didn't quite fit the description.
With development of other symptoms that could not be attributed to MS, I started researching on my own and eventually came to the conclusion I had Lyme Disease. I tested false negative twice, which delayed my diagnosis. I tested positive at IGeneX, a specialty lab that does more advanced testing. It turns out I also have Bartonella, which can make Lyme worse.
The reason I thought of Lyme for you is because you said you have developed joint pain. Lyme is famous for causing joint pain. It also likes to infect certain cranial nerves. When it infects the 7th nerve, you can have Bell's Palsy. When it infects the 10th nerve, you can get incomplete signals to your GI tract and/or your breathing muscles.
There is another coinfection of Lyme that is unfortunately all too common. It is called Babesia, and it is a parasite that is a cousin of malaria. It can come along for the ride with a tick bite, and it can cause significant air hunger. I have heard others with Babesia describe the drowning feeling you have. I haven't had that specific feeling with my Lyme + Bartonella, but my breathing problems have actually been more chronic than someone else I know with Babesia.
It is possible you just have Babesia. It is believed to make Lyme arthritis worse, so it could cause joint pain by itself, but it is not a well understood disease yet.
I encourage you to get tested for Lyme, Bartonella, and Babesia at IGeneX. Most other labs produce too many false negatives. Note that many people with Babesia will test negative, as it is very difficult to find. Its cousin, malaria, will infect many red blood cells and can easily be seen in a smear. But Babesia can make you sick with a very low rate of infection, making it harder to find an infected red blood cell.
You are certainly welcome to come to the Lyme forum...we have people there with experience with all 3 of these diseases.
You might also check out canlyme . org for more info.
Thank you for all your feedback..No, no runny nose or fever..I seem to be able to breath normally and then all of a sudden about once every half hour or so I cannot catch my breath..When I try to take a deep breath it's like I can't fill my lungs up with enough air..It's a horrible feeling.
To my knowledge I do not have MS although as a 13 year old child I was diagnosed with it..The reason I feel they were wrong was because I have not had any more symptons since the age of 13/14.I did have stents put in a few years ago as well as a leaky valve but to my knowledge have no further blockages.to "double vision"..No squeezing pressure thus far..My main concern is that the breathing is really scaring me..I automatically go into panic mode which I'm sure only aggravates the situation..
To sandythe greek..Where would I get one of those monitors?
JaneK..Yes, it totally exhausts me..The breathing tends to be worse upon laying down.
Again, thank you for all your feedback..Greatly appreciated...
To my knowledge I do not have MS although as a 13 year old child I was diagnosed with it..The reason I feel they were wrong was because I have not had any more symptons since the age of 13/14.I did have stents put in a few years ago as well as a leaky valve but to my knowledge have no further blockages.to "double vision"..No squeezing pressure thus far..My main concern is that the breathing is really scaring me..I automatically go into panic mode which I'm sure only aggravates the situation..
To sandythe greek..Where would I get one of those monitors?
JaneK..Yes, it totally exhausts me..The breathing tends to be worse upon laying down.
Again, thank you for all your feedback..Greatly appreciated...
Do you have MS? I've experienced something similar, when I had the "MS hug.". This is paresthesia in the ribcage area which feels like squeezing pressure, and can cause one's breathing to become quite shallow. Does this sound familiar?
I wonder if you can get your hands on a pulse oximeter. I bought one when I went on the propranolol to monitor my heart rate to make sure it didnt get too low. It shows your oxygen level and pulse.
Based on the prescriptions your doc gave you, I am guessing that he or she used a stethoscope to listen to your breathing and heard something going on. Keep in mind that none of us here are docs, but I had a really bad bought of bronchitis once that left me super fatigued from not getting enough O2. You must be fatigued as well. I found some relief from periodically making a concerted effort to draw deep breaths, which increased the O2 in my system. Yawning is our body's way of telling us we need more O2. Whenever it happens, draw several deep breaths and that might help you feel a bit better.
If you have a hubby or partner, ask them to keep an eye on your level of consciousness and speech. You should be fine, but If you start spurring or can't stay alert, it may be time to seek additional medical attention.
If you have a hubby or partner, ask them to keep an eye on your level of consciousness and speech. You should be fine, but If you start spurring or can't stay alert, it may be time to seek additional medical attention.
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