Breathing difficulty

Hi @spenjen. May I suggest what you are describing is like many under the post covid umbrella where mitochondria function or lack of affects so much🙃 For many of us pushing thru uses up precious mitochondrial cell energy for breathing and many other body functions. Pacing and not allowing yourself to get to that hard to breath or “feel it” place allows mitochondria to continue generating energy and hopefully heal for optimum function again. My neuro PT assisted with diaphragmatic breathing exercises that also slowly, as in months/yts regained muscle throughout body to assist breathing and continue steady forward motion recovery. Hope your healthcare system offers that or similar resource for quickest healing possible 🌈

I have similar symptoms and have been diagnosed with heart failure with preserved ejection fraction - HFpEF. I do have diaphragmatic issues (elevated right hemidiaphragm), but my cardiologist thinks the HFpEF is more of the culprit for the shortness of breath.

@lucyvt I too have the same congestive heart failure as you describe, but my cardiologist here at Hopkins does not believe this has anything to do with my severe breathing problems. Wow, this is so difficult!

My sense is you are mouth breathing. I learned in Yoga a technique for breathing. It requires you to rest your tongue on the pallet of your mouth. Then breath in and out softly through your nose.
I emphasize “softly”. Please try it. Then let me know.
I was diagnosed with Systemic Lupus Erythematotus in 2014. I have practiced yoga since 1990.
My best wishes 🙏

@spenjen Mine is not congestive, just weaker muscles in the heart. Mine says it is why I am short of breath. So difficult to understand why your dr says something different.

Hello Spenjen, you are describing several symptoms—such as oxidative stress—that are commonly seen in people diagnosed with ME/CFS and Long COVID, often linked to skeletal muscle weakness and mitochondrial dysfunction.

@dyas hi
Just checking in to see if you tried my suggestion.
Oh yes 👍 the Mayo Clinic is a marvelous source.

@dyas
I am not a doctor, just an 80 year old trying to find momentary relief. I have an Apple IPhone and an Apple Watch. I’ll begin by saying I don’t work for Apple. I have on my phone the application Health.

A feature in this application that measures your sleep. At my age and physical condition (good) I should have a reading of 70 or more.

The application also tells you the importance of sleep.

Oh yes I also have an application Blood Oxygen. This application and Health will give you the visibility you need as to your condition

One final plus. I can share this information with my health provider.

Take good care.

Just met with my Dermatologist. I want to add I have Lupus, the Systemic Lupus Erythematotus form. Lupus was first identified around 2014. Eight years later I graduated to SLE. I had no idea I was going to have the pleasure of joining a very special group. Of the approximate 1.5 million who have this disease only 150,000 are male.
I am one of the 150,000 passed on from a sister of my Grandmother (my Mothers mother). With the help of a fantastic medical team we have dealt with this irritation for more than 12 years.
You know those FLARES those Red blotches that alert 🚨 you to stand by? Well, we found something that helps. The product is CLOBETASIL PROPIONATE OINTMENT USP, 0.05%.
I am too old to see this Auto Immune Disease eliminated but mark my words it will be eliminated.

Take good care.

@spenjen
My wife recently had an ablation for afib, and she has shortness of breath, similar to yours. We are hoping that it will disappear in Recovery or they discover the cause to deal with it, but in the meantime, when she feels shortness of breath, she will grab one of those little cans of oxygen that they sell online or at drugstores and it does give her some relief.