Shortness of breath

CGAR · 02-07-2012, 05:48 PM

Hi guys,
Sorry, I know this has been talked about. I searched old posts, but, figured I'd ask anyway.

I've noticed lately I'm getting out of breath quicker. After climbing the stairs or longer than usual conversations.

My breathing tests are fine, I have no problems breathing, swallowing or laying down sleeping.
I'll go for a brisk walk for 20 or 40 minutes without issue.

It just seems to be taking longer to either catch my breath or settle back to normal breathing.

I really have not been getting my heart rate up as far as working out or hitting maximum heart rate.

Maybe I'm just out of shape with not really working out. (maybe the last 6 months worth of stress?)

Thanks,
Casey

pmbenb83 · 02-07-2012, 05:53 PM

Hi Casey,
Sorry to hear your breathing is getting worse. My husband had a similar issue in 2010 and it ended up being pneumonia. He swore it wasn't, because he wasn't coughing. If it gets worse, it wouldn't hurt to be checked by your doc or get a chest x-ray. It was an easy fix for my husband.

I hope it's something simple. Good luck!

Take care.

Ms. Pie · 02-07-2012, 06:04 PM

Are you trying to stand up straight to stretch out your core for some breathing room? Sometimes I find myself kind of hunched over when moving around which squishes my stomach and lungs a bit causing me to feel short of breath.

hjlindley · 02-07-2012, 07:26 PM

I was short of breath and had my potasium leveil checked. It was low, added K and problem solved. A simple blood panel for electropytes might work. I do find that i a lttlie sob afgter the stairs, but the more water aerobics I do, the better.

Good luck!

marypat · 02-07-2012, 07:31 PM

sometimes mucus can get thicker, when ur muscle are a little weak it's alot harder to clear. mucinex (Guafenesin) thins it out and a vaporiser works wonders. Also deep breathing and stretching helps.

CGAR · 02-07-2012, 07:39 PM

LOL. Water Aerobics. I just had a vision of joining my Mom`s class.
She is the youngest at 70.

Mucinex! strange enough I had an issue with post nasal drip last month and looked for mucinex. (not able to find in Canada) Dr gave me a sample of Avamys that may or may not have worked, it just seemed to go away.

Thanks for the advice.

marypat · 02-07-2012, 07:43 PM

well mucinex is the exspensive version of robitussin, but you only want the tussin in the robitussin. here wallyworl 's tussin is 2 bucks a bottle, mucinex 12 bucks
(Guafenesin is the drug name

fitzroy · 02-07-2012, 10:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CGAR

LOL. Water Aerobics. I just had a vision of joining my Mom`s class.
She is the youngest at 70.

This made me laugh. My physiotherapist had been pestering me for months to join hydrotherapy. All I could imagine was line after line of blue-haired ladies in frilly swimming frocks. I finally succombed and joined in in December. Sure enough, there was a small collection of older women there as well as others for a variety of reasons. I'm going to continue with it once things restart in a week. Don't discount the oldies though. They can have a wicked sense of humour.

I'm not on the PALS side of the fence, nor do I want to even acknowledge that that might be the diagnostic path I'm on. But...

As to the shortness of breath. Your description fits me pretty darned closely. I can walk at a managed pace for extended periods, but one or two flights of stairs will floor me. My Rheumatologist and GP have both noted it along with a reduction in chest expansion. The assumption is it's ank spond-related until proven otherwise. Some of that should clear up with the MRI next week.

Good luck to you and I hope it's something straight forward.

CGAR · 02-07-2012, 11:05 PM

Thanks Fitz, but nothing about my journey have been straight forward so far.

Good luck to you with your MRI. My last one I had, I sang `Maroon 5, Moves like Jager` in my head for an hour!

EGBAR · 02-08-2012, 07:54 AM

[QUOTE=CGAR;212201]LOL. Water Aerobics. I just had a vision of joining my Mom`s class.
She is the youngest at 70.
/QUOTE]

Haha, You got to be careful, My wife pointed out a cougar for me yesterday, and she was walking through the grocery store with tennis balls on her walker, I guess we are getting older.

I have been having problems with breathing since the on set of this. Actually the first sign was a suspected PE, turns out my over night )2 was dropping to dangerous levels. I am on a BiPap and sleep much better at night, but I notice I get winded doing small things.

CGAR maybe you should see a pulmonologist, maybe something else is going on other than ALS, it sounds like you are pretty active.

Georgia Peach · 02-11-2012, 04:44 AM

I have to chime in on this one. During last summer, my husband and I joined the water movement ladies (mostly stroke patients) at the county pool. Needless to say, I was the youngest member and Scott was the only man. As the summer progressed along with the disease, the water against his chest made him cough and feel uncomfortable and we stopped attending.

Unfortunately, he hasn't been in any water since his pulmonary embolism which negated him walking any longer. It's a good memory of working out with the ladies and they were so solicitous of my husband as he drove his scooter to the edge of the pool. I'm sure we gave the life guard fits!

cervus · 02-11-2012, 10:22 AM

Bob found he had shortness of breath the summer before he was diagnosed. He used to love to walk anywhere, but on our property mostly. He had to stop once in a while to catch his breath. This would have been the summer of 2010. He didn't need a BiPAP until April 2011. Take care of yourself! Yasmin.

cervus · 02-11-2012, 10:34 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CGAR

LOL. Water Aerobics. I just had a vision of joining my Mom`s class.
She is the youngest at 70.

Mucinex! strange enough I had an issue with post nasal drip last month and looked for mucinex. (not able to find in Canada) Dr gave me a sample of Avamys that may or may not have worked, it just seemed to go away.

Thanks for the advice.

Bob used mucinex later on in a nebulizer so it is available in Canada. Just an FYI.

Al · 02-11-2012, 03:27 PM

I can get Mucinex in Orangeville Casey.

AL.

CGAR · 02-11-2012, 04:01 PM

Thanks guys.
I'll check around again.

Al, did you find it at a chain store?

Worth trying out. Every once and a while the post nasal drip kicks in and the speech takes a huge downturn.
It's terrible, it happened just after Christmas. I though it was just progression, but then after it cleared up, I realized it was the post nasal drip.
It really sucks not knowing if things are progression of ALS or if other ailments are causing havoc.

One day at a time, right?

Cheers,
Casey