Breathing problems only better when lying down!
Posted , 67 users are following.
I have suffered with asthma for decades and from infancy - before the invention of Ventolin! My asthma is accompanied by noisy wheezing and only alleviated by using medicines and sitting backwards on an upright dining chair and leaning over the back of it. My asthma has historically never lasted more than 2-3 days and has become much better after being prescribed Symbicort inhalers a couple of years ago.
Recently however, I have been getting symptoms of breathlessness and coughing, with NO wheezing. This only gets better when I lie down flat! My asthma medication does not help, nor a course of antibiotics in case it was a chest infection. My doctor keeps saying it is probably my asthma but I have never experienced this before. It is lasting for weeks at a time and I am worn out! Help
2 likes, 116 replies
sandin94699 minimemo
Posted
I have had shortness of breath and a persistent cough since February 11th.
My shortness of breath, I need to breathe deep every few seconds, I can never get enough air in my lungs it seems! This affects my every day life. Once in a while I can get enough air, it feels amazing, then it’s back to starving for air. Of course all of this is accompanied by chest tightness.
First ER visit, Feb 15th. chest X-ray came back normal, flu test came back negative. EKG came back good.
Second ER visit, Feb 22nd. They did a d-dimer, came back normal, then a cat scan which also came back normal. EKG came back good. I was sent home with Zithromax, I took the 5 day treatment & at the end of the 5 days, I had no cough and could breathe normal again for 2 days!
Feb 26th, I developed a sore throat, I then developed a fever of 102 on the 29th, that was on going until 5th of March. I went to the walk-in clinic on the 6th. The Dr said my lungs sounded horrible, diagnosed me with Bronchitis and prescribed me medication.
I took the medication, it ran it’s course.
Still, shortness of breath and a dry cough that will not go away.
I went to the walk in clinic again, last week. The Dr told me I sound great but wants to send me to the hospital for another chest X-ray. I get a chest X-ray, he calls me and tells me that my lungs are as clean as a whistle!
i have no idea whats going on. im 26, non smoker. my shortness of breath is all day long. sometimes i feel a bit if relief when laying down.
Annayk sandin94699
Posted
I hope you figure this out. I just posted to Chantelle....
I have the same symptoms. Shortness of breath that improves when laying flat. It gets so hard to handle at times- the suffocating feeling. It seems better when I first wake up, but as soon as i start moving, it is worse. I had a calcium score scan done and that was zero. Next is an echo. I almost want them to scan me sitting upright, because i am better when I am flat and I am worried they might miss something. This is getting hard
saoirse43378 Annayk
Posted
Hi Annayk,
Have you been checked for Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome?
I have posted about this further along in the thread if you are interested.
I hope you feel better and find your answers.
kim49549 minimemo
Posted
I also was diagnosed with Asthma, but I did find Mold in the house. When I finally got it cleaned out it got better. Then when I moved out it got even better! Hardly had any breathing problems for months. Now, it is back! Doctors now say I have chronic bronchitis. Just sucks cause it takes everything out of me. This time they prescribed steroids. I am not happy about it as I am already over weight, but it does seem to be helping the first 3/4 days.
b06877 minimemo
Edited
i know this is an older thread but it looks like there are some newer replies with people having the same issues i am. i had flu A in mid-Feb with a cough that went from a dry hack to really wet and productive. i was wheezy the following week but then good for two weeks. a dry cough started to ramp up again and then i was tired with a low fever so they diagnosed me with a secondary bronchitis/walking pneumonia.
now, my productive cough has mostly cleared but i'm left with a tickle on my throat that causes kind of relfex type of coughs all day, with no issues at night. i also had some mornings with notable shortness of breath after getting out of bed so i went in because i was worried about COVID. they told me that i still had some bronchial congestion and could expect symptoms to get better over 1-2 weeks but this new tickling phenomenon is really odd.
like other posters, i am very worried about getting CV while i am still recovering! 39yo female
jeff75920 b06877
Posted
with me, it's often like there is a feather in my throat. It's very hard NOT to cough. I use sinus sprays often and have done for many years. I kind of wonder if it's somehow related.
kristy52863 minimemo
Edited
hi everyone! i have had shortness of breath for the last 3 weeks and cannot figure out why. it goes away when i am laying down, but within 10 minutes of waking up it starts again. i have had two chest xrays which both came back clear. i have no cough, no other symtoms except shortness of breath. i have never smoked. i am 33 years old and this is the first time anything like this has happened. any suggestions? it has been impacting my every day life.
thanks!!
saoirse43378 kristy52863
Posted
Hi Kristy,
Have you been checked for Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome?
I have posted about this further along in the thread if you are interested.
I hope you feel better and find your answers.
linda23421 kristy52863
Posted
Hi. I am having the same problems.Have you figured out what was causing them ?
stephen82801 minimemo
Posted
I am having the same issue. My breathing seems easier when laying flat on my back in bed. It feels like i cant get a full breath or like there is thick mucus in my throat. What did the Dr say your all had and how did he fix it. this started for me around late March early April.. I was worried about Corona Virus but I am not feeling sick other than the tightness in my chest between my collar bones. I kinda clear my throat and there is some very thick white phlegm not green or yellow. Please reply what you all figured out When i looked up my symptoms CANCER always comes up...
kim84458 stephen82801
Posted
I am experiencing the very same thing as you. It developed in March. Did you find out what it was?
kim49628 stephen82801
Posted
same here!! Any luck in an answer? I am just starting the process.
michael90217 stephen82801
Posted
hope youre feeling better. hi, im experiencing the exact thing you've experienced as a 31-year-old, otherwise healthy man. i noticed mine after playing basketball and lying down is the closest i get to relief. its been about 2 months of this. did you ever figure it out?
chantelle53585 minimemo
Posted
100% try taking multivitiams! i never thoight they work but if i skip a day it comes back! defo worth a try!
sully58 minimemo
Posted
Hello all,
I can yell you Ive had this problem for years before Ive gotten any relief. I always felt it was a respiratory issue since I had shortness of breath, deep coughing, and chest tightness. I had every test possible for respiratory and allergies. Finally found out I had heart disease (angina) and blocked arteries. After a couple stents and meds I improved but the biggest help is nitro glycerin tablets. when my chest hurts and start coughing I take a nitro and feel fine within minutes, this is due to angina. I feel better after sleeping because my heart has not been working so hard while sleeping. This is my situation and I hope it helps others. I wish I could say it goes away forever but it still comes and goes however now I can manage it better. Also, I found a quick relief for minor attacks is Hall's cherry cough drops does provide some fast short lived relief. Good luck everyone!