Why do I feel like I’m suffocating when I lay on my back?

Posted by saylorcaptain @saylorcaptain, Jul 12, 2024

In may 2024 I had some severe heartburn from chorizo tacos. A few days later my right shoulder/neck muscles started hurting. Then on June 4th when i laid down on my back in bed I immediately felt like I was suffocating and had to sit up. I have had X-rays, CT scan of lungs, heart tests which all came back normal. I am sleeping in a chair until I can get answers. Please help. My sleep has suffered.

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slarson14 | @slarson14 | Jun 27 8:51pm

UC Riverside has both gastroenterology and pulmonology groups associated with them. Great place to start your search. Good luck!

Make sure you get a board certified doc, either way.

yooper1949 | @yooper1949 | Jun 29 11:53am

I have a paralyzed left diaphragm and can't lay on my back for a minute or 2 and I struggle to breath. I quit eating anything with sugar, you have to read the labels, and my miserable stomach felt like it was on vacation after a week or so. I never knew I could feel so good. I also stopped flour.

yooper1949 | @yooper1949 | Jul 1 8:38am

I had a severe GI bleed in 2004. Due to blood loss I got a spinal cord injury at c5 c6. In 2018 Mayo Clinic diagnosed me with paralyzed left diaphragm. I had a cough, Mayo Dr. said my stomach was pushing 3 organs upward, touching my lung causing the cough. Could lose weight or surgery, I lost 30 lbs and cough went away. I'm taking blood thinners for a-fib now and had 2 procedures to install a watchmen device. Both times it didn't work out. Dr said my heart is twisted. I feel my stomach is pushing up the diaphragm which is also pushing on my heart. Wondering if anyone was diagnosed with this type of condition. I'm 76, male, try to be as active as I can, have to be careful, easily get winded.