Breathing

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billyd

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Learn about ALS
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I am fairly new to this forum and have posted too often but it helps to have somewhere to go with all this. I hope I am able to be a long poster and have no diagnosed as yet. I have trouble sleeping for any length of time because as soon as I cross into that pre sleep area I suddenly feel like I can't breathe, hence the xanax to get 2-3 hours. Well, last nite for the first time that feeling did not leave and I have that feeling of not getting enough air. I have minor asthma but this is not the same. Last pulmonology check in September was normal. Every day seems to bring something new. I now feel that whatever I have is progressing too fast and I have not felt at all well since late August. I would go to the ER but know that would be futile and can't even get into a clinic appointment for months, have a u of p appt for 17th of dec. now i feel how will i make it. I am losing my grip, i used to be a sane, rational family guy and now I am on the edge and don't know where to go, tried to make appt. with psych for some help, right three week wait for that lol.
 
Hey billy. You haven't posted too often. Have you tried sleeping on your sides. I did that for a few months when I felt I was struggling for breath before getting my Bipap. Hope this helps.
AL.
 
Hi billy- another tip is to try sleeping on an incline, like in a recliner. I think you just have to keep adjusting your position until you find something that works. Do you think it might be anxiety, or maybe perhaps your muscles are getting weaker in your chest? Unless you've had experience with either, you may not be able to tell yourself what is causing this, I suppose.
 
Breathing reply

I have tried positional approaches, no matter what just as I get the warm fuzzy feeling to drift off I feel the shortness on expiration and it startles me so then I take a zanax to get 2-3 hours and take another for another 2 hours. forget napping, just can't get there, like a zombie.

I have some asthma but this is not related to that. My breathing has been off since early summer that the pulmonologist explained by stating this is a bad asthma year. My FVC/FEV was normal in August. I see him on Wednesday for my bi-annual. I wish there was some comfort somewhere as I have felt quite ill since early september. I can't even get to a psychiatrist till 12/20. Everything is a long wait and meanwhile I am losing weight. I am not usually an alarmist, I was an emergency responder for years. I know my body and I am definetly in distress.
 
Hi Billy. That was going to be my next advice: you know your body. I am wondering why you are leaning towards a DX of anxiety. Although actually I know the answer to this as I had a bout of shortness of breath few a few weeks and felt true anxiety for the first time. I was ready to go see the psyc department myself, but in my case it seems I was having trouble adjusting to my CPAP. The fact that I was able to adjust is a good thing. Still remember that feeling, though.

Was it your asthma clinic or an ALS clinic that did the pulmonary tests? It could make a difference in getting to the bottom of this...Cindy
 
breathing

I don't believe it is anxiety, doesn't really improve with xanax, only gets me about two hours of sleep at nite then I wake and take another. The test was done by a pulmonologist. I am trying to get into u of p clinic this week. I know what is happening to me is not good and too fast. Everyone tells me to be optomistic but I have never felt so ill and I believe the breathing is related to weakness at nite.
 
Sounds like you need a sleep study test Pat1
 
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