Breathing problems and GERD

After your comment on your life expectancy, I had to go back and read a bit more about IBF.  I am so sorry you have to deal with all of this, it just isn't fair. I always tell my sister's that if someone could find out what is wrong with me and fix it they can have whatever I own! Nothing is as important as our health.

 

She, and yes along with 20mg Prednisone for 5 days, and then the Omeprazole which I couldn't take as it made my breathing worse. The Mucinex 600mg twice a day for all of the mucus I had. It didn't seem to help. Do you not get the mucus?  Not sure anything but diet is helping. I have had this for twenty years but when it first started, I couldn't think of anything else but not being able to breathe (deeply). The only issues I have had in twenty years is that I can't breathe deeply, and if I push it with walking, even slow, my breathing gets worse. Well, I was so disgusted not being able to exercise that I pushed it (3.5mph on the treadmill for 30 mins) and ended up at Drs office mostly to show her how this affects my breathing. So she then said to me there is something more going on here and diagnosed the GERD. I am new to her so she has no idea yet of my whole picture. I did not have horrible acid reflux, however, I am now seeing it was the main issue (other than breathing), and now I am not sure if I can stop the acid reflux after pushing the exercises as far as I did. When this first started 20 years ago I just all of a sudden while exercising on a bike couldn't finish and was sick as a dog, I was sick for years, eating what I wanted and would keep trying to exercise, but never put it together, that it could have been GERD. I had no symptoms other than a little acid now and then. But when I look back, I now feel like I did when this first happened. I still wouldn't have put it together had I not went to my Dr to show her what I looked like after trying to do normal exercise. She asked if I had acid reflux and I told her not really, and she just knew, and now I do too. I have been chasing lung and heart Drs to figure this out. I couldn't have been any further from the true of what was going on. Still don't know why I can't breathe if it is HH or other things like what these posts say.  It is so nice to have others input and especially validation of what my issues are. I have searched the internet dry trying to find someone that has the same or at least similar issues but never found anyone because I guess I really didn't know what my real issues were until now. I have been diagnosed with everything under the sun and nothing just ever made sense to me so I would just keep on searching and searching hoping to find an answer. I hope this will now be my year to resolve at least this GERD problem.  It would be so amazing for all of the people on here to sit in a room together and discuss these problems along with Drs to get them to hear what we are saying (by all of us explaining our issues in our own way) hoping to say something that would trigger their great minds and be able to find out why we can't breathe normally.  Guess I am dreaming a little but still have hope to fix this problem. 

Cheryl

It is good to have hope, I also have hope that my breathing will be restored, this happened to me just 2 years ago but the haital hernia I have had for many years.

Jo

WE can always have hope for a better future, never give up.  Now that you explained your issues they are actually different from mines.  In my case it all started 2 1/2 years ago and I was 98% healthy and strong, did exercise 3-4 weekly and was in pretty good shape.  Sure, 26 years in the Military did help a little. ;-)  Within 6 months I had HBP, Chronic Sinus, Cholesterol, bad Cholesterol, IBS and Neurophaty.  They put me on many medications at the same time which I never had one in my first 52 years so it hit me pretty hard with numerous side effects specially when they gave me antibiotics for 3 weeks on top of the other medications.  So I started to eat better and before I got off all those medications they came with the blow.  They told me an x-ray showed mild COPD (suspected), they did a 2nd x-ray and again Mild COPD (suspected).  So anxiety kicked in and my breathing problems started  and dizzy 24/7.  This lasted many months.  But I accepted my condition just like Jazz said I took biofeedback and I was no longer dizzy, breathing was normal and I got off all the medications except for the anxiety medication which I was taking and still am taking a low dose. BP, cholesterol, IBS, Nerve damage normal. No medication needed. Sinus under control with no medications. Then I took the COPD test and came out with flying colors, but to top that I just recently requested a chest CT because I was not totally convinced I had no COPD and it came out unremarkable.  They also ran 3 Asthma test which I came out above average for a man of my age. Sure, in the process I develop mild reflux and gastritis.  Recent test show I have it on my esophagus and the back of my throat/vocals (hoarseness).   But we do have one thing in common, As for the breathing and chest heaviness/pain when I stand, walk, eat or try to run is when I have the problem.  When I lay back or sleep I'm 80-90% good so basically is all  day long. When I sit sometimes I feel the problem mild or moderate but it goes away with time.   I feel the pressure under the breast-bone which sometimes moves to my head as well like sinus congestion but their is no sinus congestion.   Lets keep on looking for an answer, if we all help each other we might find some options and direct our Doctors in the right direction. To bad is all about time and money now, so if you have to much to say some of them don't  have the time to listen. ;-( 

I guess I was under the impression that the breathing problems came with a Hiatal hernia, which doesn't seem to be true. After you had the surgery and diaphragm repair are you waiting for your diaphragm to heal know if your breathing problems were from your diaphragm or if they are from something totally different? 

Reading your story and your lung function tests are all over the place, nice roller coaster ride, but now everything shows good.  However, the good test results don't add up to being able to breathe right. I can't take a deep breath is this what you feel? As long as I am exercising or working fairly hard my breathing is what I call locked up. It stays that way for days unless I stop physical activity.  The worse it gets the farther up in my throat it moves and the breathing gets worse. 

You really are at a stand still, are you near a University hospital? 

What was the acid reflux test you had done to pinpoint exactly the places it was affecting your esophagus? Scope?  My tooth enamel is wearing off and I didn't know I had an issue with acid reflux, I wonder what my insides look like? 

The pain under your breastbone is that where most of the people find they have Hiatal hernias? 

Hope you had a decent day, we had our first nice day of 70 degrees. I am in MN and it has been snowing off and on until last week. It is almost gone in most spots. 

I decided to quit exercise/walking today in hopes of feeling better and my breathing will come back, it has improved a lot and it is only one day. It just amazes me that this is affecting my breathing, and like you I want to know why. I suppose you really don't get a break on your breathing because the GERD doesn't stop. This really makes me wonder if I had surgery like others have mentioned on this site, maybe the breathing would be ok??? Do you get weak from the reflux? Or is it the lack of air that makes me weak?  

Rainy day for us here in Florida. ;-(  Even Mickey is not happy. ;-)

I believe we get weak from both, but if the lack of air is from reflux then fixing the reflux will take care of the whole problem.    For now the surgery is not the best option for me because I have read of people saying they did not improve so at least for this year that is not my main option. Just 6 month ago they told me I would get better after removing my gallblatter and as you can see I did not. ;-(   But one thing is for sure, when I first got sick 2 1/2 years ago I was not weak and this really started when reflux came into the picture and I lost more weight.  Their is always tomorrow, so lets keep on looking until we find an answer. ;-)

I lived in FL for 20 years, PBG'dns, sounds like you are near Orlando?

 

Yes, I live in Orlando 20 minutes from Disney.  ;-)

Papote

I had the haital hernia surgery 8 weeks ago and I had been having pain in the upper back, still had it after surgery and was told it was caused from pain in the repaired diaphragm.

My diaphragm is almost healed and pain is gone but still have the breathing problem.

I have read on some of these blogs, after having the surgery, breathing was restored, I am still believing mine will also be restored.

Jo

Yes, I would as well. ;-)    My breathing problem comes with chest pain (chest-bone), upper back and Rib Cage pain. I believe the Upper back, breathing and Rib are all connected to my chest heaviness/pain which they say is the mild reflux.  Not sure mild reflux would do this but a couple of the specialist I see besides the GI do believe is the reflux. Now, I also have Gastritis with Moderate inflamation which I believe is the reason for the reflux. I have everyhing in the book to heal my Gastritis and is not working just like the PPI's. ;-(   Hopefully my new GI will lead me to recovery. ;-)