Very Active Young Girl, been short of breath for almost a year

[kpb468]

Hello! I have had every test under the sun and seen almost every type of dr. possible, and no one can figure out why i cannot get a deep breath (ever, even at rest), get a deep yawn, and get so short of breath when exercising or simply picking up something heavy. Everything comes back normal. I would consider myself very fit. I am a cross country and track runner in college, and since last july I have not been able to get a satisfying breath. It came upon me all of the sudden, and has not been right since. I have seen a pulmonologist, cardiologist, infectious disease dr., allergist, ent dr, and three normal family physicians. I also got shingles about a month ago and am only 19 so that is a little strange but not too uncommon. It has affected running and a lot of aspects of my life greatly :( I also dont have any pain. Does anyone have any ideas what could be wrong with me? Or Has anyone ever experienced/is experiencing this? Anything would be greatly greatly appreciated!!! :) Thank you so much!

[kevinlevrone]

Hello everyone,

I had this air hunger for 17 months. No other symptoms. Countless tests including heart effort echocardiograms, lung spirometry and x-rays, brain MRI, upper GI, dozens of blood tests all came back negative. Doctors were clueless. I tried asthma medication and it only marginally worked.

Through much research I concluded that it is possible that I may be having LPR (laryngopharyngeal reflux). Most of the time there is no heartburn associated with this condition.

So I empirically took Nexium 40mg twice daily and Gaviscon at bedtime and 15 days later I am almost air hunger free. Most people respond in 4 months according to the PubMed studies.

Please, try this for at least 2 weeks if all other tests are normal.

Hope this helps someone. This problem has been ruining my life for almost one year and a half.

[LNCorner]

I can't comment on the rest but the shingles isn't that uncommon I got it when I was in grade 5, so I was about 9.

[kpb468]

Thanks so much for the posts! I will definitly try the breathing exercises and I'll ask my doctor about that. I almost feel like it is a muscle thing, maybe, so I will definitly look into that! thanks again :)

[hava]

30 July 2009 - If you will try anything to help your body then -
Do the following starting with 30 seconds, and increase the timing everyday.When you can do this for 5 minutes, you will notice improvement in your breathing.Come back to report your progress, when you can do anulom vilom for 15 minutes, and I will suggest some more techniques.
Build up your timing gradually.If you feel tired or dizzy, stop and resume after one minute.
Anulom Vilom –
Close your right nostril with thumb and deep breath-in through left nostril  
then – close left nostril with two fingers and breath-out through right nostril  
then -keeping the left nostril closed  deep breath-in through right nostril
then - close your right nostril with thumb and breath-out through left nostril.
This is one cycle of anulom vilom.
Repeat this cycle for 15 to 30  minutes twice a day.
Children under 15 years – do 5 to 10 minutes twice a day.
You can do this before breakfast/lunch/dinner or before bedtime or in bed.Remember to take deep long breaths into the lungs.You can do this while sitting on floor or chair or lying in bed.

[barbie48]

Hi,
I m having a lot of shortness of breath also and went to a lung specialist who did pulmonary function tests. Ct scan showed elevated diaphragm-they did somehting called a sniff test that showed I have a paralyzed diaphragm. I have no idea if this is what you have but it wouldn't hurt to ask about it. Mine was caused by a chest surgery which probably damaged my phrenic nerve. I hope you find out whats going on, Take care.
Barb