Has anyone had any success to tame Shortness of Breath? Thx

i've now entered year 6 of long covid (March 2020 onset) and SOB is one of my longest lasting, most terrifying symptoms. i have undergone an overwhelming # of tests - just completed my 3rd pulmonary function test since 2022. My latest is largely unchanged. Haven't discussed the results yet but some of my docs interpret it as saying i have COPD, others say asthma. the report itself is clear: as with the other two I've had done, bronchodilators don't help. Every radiological test i get (xray, CT, MRI) shows "hyperinflated lungs". I show scarring and loss of lung volume. My biggest issue however is not structural - it's my diaphragm (which is flattening) and dysautonomia-triggered episodic crises where i can't draw breathe and my accessory respiratory muscles in my upper chest, neck and back get overtaxed, causing cramping and severe pain as i struggle to breathe. I end up in the ER and they never find anything. Nada. Zip. On a regular basis, my rib cage and diaphragm get 'stuck'. I've made a lot of progress opening this up via physical therapy (find a good one who can assess for this and do osteopathic interventions as needed). I should mention, I had major abdominal surgery a year ago where my surgeon found "extensive inflammation/adhesions" throughout my upper abdomen when he opened me up - including a highly inflamed and enlarged Median Arcuate Ligament - this is the ligament that supports the diaphragm. He removed this and all the adhesions which has helped me to breathe easier. So I'm much better than I was several years ago, but it has not been an easy path to identify and resolve issues. I still have daily torso pain related to ??? Something's still drastically off, but its identity evades me and my providers. I feel for you, OP and all who are commenting. I don't have any cures I can share with you. But you have no idea how badly I wish I did. 🙁

i've now entered year 6 of long covid (March 2020 onset) and SOB is one of my longest lasting, most terrifying symptoms. i have undergone an overwhelming # of tests - just completed my 3rd pulmonary function test since 2022. My latest is largely unchanged. Haven't discussed the results yet but some of my docs interpret it as saying i have COPD, others say asthma. the report itself is clear: as with the other two I've had done, bronchodilators don't help. Every radiological test i get (xray, CT, MRI) shows "hyperinflated lungs". I show scarring and loss of lung volume. My biggest issue however is not structural - it's my diaphragm (which is flattening) and dysautonomia-triggered episodic crises where i can't draw breathe and my accessory respiratory muscles in my upper chest, neck and back get overtaxed, causing cramping and severe pain as i struggle to breathe. I end up in the ER and they never find anything. Nada. Zip. On a regular basis, my rib cage and diaphragm get 'stuck'. I've made a lot of progress opening this up via physical therapy (find a good one who can assess for this and do osteopathic interventions as needed). I should mention, I had major abdominal surgery a year ago where my surgeon found "extensive inflammation/adhesions" throughout my upper abdomen when he opened me up - including a highly inflamed and enlarged Median Arcuate Ligament - this is the ligament that supports the diaphragm. He removed this and all the adhesions which has helped me to breathe easier. So I'm much better than I was several years ago, but it has not been an easy path to identify and resolve issues. I still have daily torso pain related to ??? Something's still drastically off, but its identity evades me and my providers. I feel for you, OP and all who are commenting. I don't have any cures I can share with you. But you have no idea how badly I wish I did. 🙁

Hi...I've asthma no inhalers would work for me so when I was sent to The COVID clinic doctor in there put me on ENERZAIR breezhaler on it 4 years now only inhaler that would work got COVID in 2020 ...

SOB is one of my LC symptoms this last 5+ years related to my dysautonomia, high BP at rest but ‘postural hypotension, not Pots’ on standing with high HR. My lungs have been tested and pronounced OK, even sleep apnoea too mild to treat, but with slightest movement can get breathless: standing at stove stirring a sauce within a minute has me bent double on chair breathing like done a 4 minute mile! Between years 1-3 I was put, and left on, 5 different simultaneous antihypertensives and it is these that I have been juggling ( removing or changing doses) to try to improve my symptoms. Only this morning my husband and I were discussing I was less breathless this last week as I had reduced one of the BP drugs ( doxazosin) by half, so naturally wondering if I might benefit from lowering it still, but then have to find something else to get BP/HR down! Anyway are you on any drug that might be contributing to breathlessness?