Restricted Breathing

[kazzaz]

I have had numerous neurological symptoms which would point towards being ms and am at the moment being tested and awaiting results of mri, vep, sep's.

Have also had breathing problems, ie, labouring to breathe and other times just not being able to get a good deep breath in. Sort of like a vice around my mid-section! Also have a lot of problems breathing at night and wake up feeling like I'm suffocating and have to get up and move around to get some respiration happening!

Saw a pulminologist and he seems to think could be related to ms but doesn't think so because it is rare. Is it possible this could be related to ms????

What are your thoughts on ms breathing problems. I am worried if it's not ms maybe it's something worse like als??!!!!

Thankyou.

[National Jewish]

The breathing problems could be related to your neurological problem but we shouldn't assume that.  As described, this could also be asthma and/or a sleep disorder.  You should have pulmonary function tests (PFTs).  Your PFTs should include a measure of your peak inspiratory pressure.  This will check the nerve pathways to your breathing muscles.  You should also have a sleep study to check for nocturnal asthma and a sleep disorder.

Your neurological symptoms must be very distressing for you.  It would not be surprising if some of your symptoms, especially the breathing problems, are due to anxiety.

[kazzaz]

Also forgot to mention the last chest x-ray showed mild disc degeneration in the thoracic region and mildly hyperinflated lung fields. Is it typical in restrictive breathing problems for lung fields to be hyperinflated, thought this was more of a problem with obstructive pathology?