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Nancy, my name is John and I also have a right paralyzed diaphragm. It's been about three years now. Like you I have done a ton of research on it and I am also 74. I kind of got the impression from my pulmonologists that he didn't know what to do because he never really explained things or had a course of action. He had me do three pulmonary function test over a about a year and a half and I passed them all. I have been a senior swimmer before this diaphragm problem and I have continued to swim. At first it was tough, could hardly do twenty five yards without stopping to rest and catch my breath. I am now up to doing two hundred yard swims without stopping with a short rest then starting again. I personally think that the swimming and taking in big gulps of air and exhaling has helped with expanding that lung. As far as walking or riding my bike I never had a problem with breathing only with swimming. Do you have a spirometer? I bought one when this first started and I use it every now and then to check my lung volume. You can usually get them at any drug store. You take care, we'll keep in touch
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@john. Thanks for your nice note. This whole thing about lung function is puzzling to me because I took some sort of breathing test and my lungs are working within normal capacity. I finally deduced that my floating left diaphragm is letting my other organs float up into my chest capacity, thereby reducing my lung capacity and leading to chest pain and shortness of breath. The thoracic surgeon I'm seeing has done plication surgery and specializes in minimally invasive surgery using robots. He's chief of thoracic surgery at a major university affiliated hospital, and I have confidence he knows what he's doing. It's taken a while, but I had my xrays and test results relating to my paralyzed diaphragm sent to Mayo and they have been scanned into their system. They have to mail them, surprising in this day of the internet. I'll be seeking a second opinion via video conference to ease my mind that this plication surgery is the best course. The main thing that would convince me to have the surgery is to prevent serious issues down the road. The surgeon spent quite a bit of time asking me about my stomach, which he said is located in a really odd position. So far I haven't had any digestive issues. I asked him if he had done a test to see if the phrenal? nerve was working, and he said the sniff test showed it wasn't. Anyway, February is my least favorite month, and I always seem to drag through it. It's almost over, the snow has pretty much melted, and it's wonderful that it is still light by 6 pm. I started my small step incremental exercise and breathing regime and do have one of those things you breath into. I'll add it to the regimen...good thought. I've never been a swimmer, but I admire how much you can do with your paralyzed diaphragm. You've really inspired me. Thanks. Nancy