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Mysterious shortness of breath: What has helped you?
Lung Health | Last Active: Oct 23 10:20am | Replies (3405)Comment receiving replies
Hi @alureon! I've pretty much eliminated most caffeine save for the occasional soda at a restaurant. Don't seem to notice a difference. But as far as progress- I feel like my breathing has stabilized to where it's manageable. I do still have the SOB and sometimes it's pretty bad but it's usually because of sinus inflammation, which I'm not sure the cause of; maybe allergies, but I've constant sinus inflammation for about a couple of years. Some days it's better than others. So I'm able to get a deep breath most of the time, but I still have that feeling quite frequently. But it is more stable than it was a year ago, so I guess I consider that progress though I'm by no means rid of it.
Exercise also helps me. I believe that is what is keeping it stable and not getting worse. I noticed a few years ago that when I stopped exercising for an extended period of time, SOB came back fierce! I believe exercise helps because of the Bohr effect (look it up), which is basically a better O2/CO2 exchange in your blood because of the CO2 being produced by exercise. That's the premise behind the Buteyko Breathing Method, the method that has also helped stabilize my breathing and improved it.
I took Vitamin B12 and Iron supplements back in 2012 when this all first started. For some reason, right after taking those the breathing problem completely went away but it was short-lived. I was a bit anemic at that time and maybe that's why the supplements helped, but not sure why it didn't make the breathing problem go away completely.
Do keep us posted! Everyone here has been real good about sharing what's worked for them. It's always worth a shot to try what other people are doing. Good luck to you and I pray and hope you find answers and a cure.
Replies to "Hi @alureon! I've pretty much eliminated most caffeine save for the occasional soda at a restaurant...."
Any food allergies? Dairy? I found that I have a food allergy to dairy. It was causing me one sinus infection after another. Once off dairy = no sinus headaches or infection.
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@gabrielm I would encourage you to get tested for allergies as a cause contributing to your breathing problem. Mold spores cause lung tissue to swell and when you're producing phlegm it's worse. That is the perfect breeding ground for lung infections. You can do saline nasal rinses for your sinuses, but make sure the water is clean or sterile...not tap water right from the tap. I use bottled water for this and I sterilize my nasal rinse bottle right before I use it. Look for sources of possible allergy problems inside your home like damp sponges or the inside of a drain or garbage disposal that can be growing mold. Dust is an accumulation of everything. I use HEPA filters all the time at home with carbon filtration and some 3M disposable surgical masks when I am cleaning and stirring up dust that filter out 99% of particles up to .01 microns. A big issue for me is my cats because of the dander, so I have to use a HEPA filter blowing on me while I sleep. I do allergy shots for lots of stuff including cats, and I wipe them down and vacuum at lot, and cover the bed and change it often. Using allergy pillow and mattress covers help a lot. Dust mites accumulate and trigger my asthma, so prevention is the key. Over time, lungs can be permanently changed from allergy exposure or infections, and you should try to prevent that. What I have learned to do when I get an infection in sinuses or my airways is to use Mupiroicin (Bactroban) topical antibiotic salve in my nose. Mayo had me do this before I had surgery, to prevent post-op infections, and I tried it when I had a respiratory infection and it worked, so my doctor gave me a prescription for it. What I notice when I get a respiratory infection is that I might have a slightly sore throat and my pulse rate goes up when I walk around, so I know I'm not getting enough air. I treat the infection for several days and my lungs get cleared and I feel fine again. Exercise is great, and kudos to you for doing it. It helps me, but not enough if I have too much inflammation from an infection or allergies.