Kickas.org Forums Ankylosing Spondylitis General Discussion #1 AS Web Support Group Breathing difficulties

Hello

Just wondering if anyone had an advice.

Since Friday I have noticed my current 'flare' getting worse. One noticeable difference apart from pain, is that I am having slight breathing difficulties.

My chest area feels constricted and even "irritated" somehow and my breathing is quite shallow. There is no pain, but I am out-of-breath very easily and have noticed that I can't hold my breath for long. Usually I hold my breath when I put hairspray on because I don't like to inhale it, but I can't hold my breath for longer than about 5-7 seconds before I feel I am desperate for more oxygen and I feel dizzy, lightheaded and my heart races.

I've also been getting quite severe headaches and generally feeling very fatigued and drained.

Is this perhaps a sign of inflammation in my chest area? I thought that breathing problems came when you are bent over and your chest cavity becomes restricted. I googled the subject yesterday and that is all I couild come up with.

I would be very grateful if anyone has any ideas? I think I should get on with some breathing exercises for starters.

Thanks so much

Hi Tink.
I have had the very same problems this past 2 weeks.
Breathing problem has been a chest ifection I got from that sinus iffection I had.
As for the other symptoms I feel the same no idea if they are linked to the infection or to AS.

So sorry I cant help with any info, just wanted to let you know I have had the same. I am seeing the doctor tomorrow so I will be asking about it then. Will let you know what the doc says ok.

Take care mate. Hope this passes soon.

I'm not in work today due to chest problems. I feel as if I'm in a vice, can't breathe properly but unlike you I do have pain, all round my ribcage and especially around my sternum. Had it before but not this bad. Hope you get sorted.

Hi Tink, bonjour. Yes, think this is a common problem, chest restriction. The costo aggravated by the Sjogren's does it to me, have to do deep breathing exercises. Climbing the stairs here gets me a bit beathless - but try to do the extra set of, for 'exercise' of lungs.

As for holding breath, haven't tried that in a forever (never use hair spray, nor even fragrances, can't abide the smell and an allergic to the spray) but do still try holding a note, or 'hum' on a sound: as in the a,e,i,o,u sounds. Breath control - much the same as holding yr breath. That is helpful. And ensuring intercostal diaphragmatic, deep breathing, down to the bottom of the lungs - you can feel the intercostal muscle expand: feel it with your hands, each side of lower rib cage.

Hope you manage to sort, horrible. Meanwhile take care. Stop and *Breath!

Alibat - Sounds like our lovely AS friend, costochrondrosis, has come for a visit. Not the kind you want to come knocking on the door - pain in the AS...

Hope you get rid of him soon...

Hello Trish
Thanks so much for that - I think I'll pop to the doc's if I'm no better tomorrow. It's so hard to tell what's what sometimes, isn't it?
Saying that, my husband remembers me having breathing difficulties when my AS was bad before. (This is a small flare in comparision).
I really think it's time I see a specialist over here about my AS and get checked over, I've been avoiding it up to now because I'm not sure what they'll do ove here - but there is only one way to find out!
Hope you soon feel better too.

Hello, sorry to hear about your chest problems and pain. Is it something you have regularly, or is this a new thing for you (if you don't mind me asking).
I have upperback pain and general feeling of discomfort, but nothing that hurts when I breath as such.
Sure hope you feel much better soon.

Hello Molly
Yes, as I thought breathing exercises are something I need to get started on ASAP.
I don't generally walk round holding my breath btw! It was just striking to me because I do it every day with me hairspray!! Perhaps I'd be well off to ditch the hairspray - it is pretty potent stuff and doesn't make much odds to my hair really!
Thanks for the advice and reassurance. You just never know what to expect next with AS and start to think you are blaming everything on it! Either that or you think something else is wrong and it IS the obvious (AS).
I've been out of the game for a bit, this flare is like learning about the condition all over again for me.
Forgive me if I am asking such obvious questions!
I keep "googling" but it is not very helpful most of the time. It's much more reasurring to get some advice from you lovely people who are speaking from personal experience.

Dearest gal - 'forgive' as if I wouldnot! Nowt 'to' forgive anyroad. Ask away. IF I have any kind of an answer then will post, or post and say I don't have one, but here's a hug to keep ya going until one turns up (An if the worst comes to the worst, then we can always send for Bruno; or Kevin, or even perhaps Alan? <LOL> Ve av veys of etc etc )

Hope you can ID a rheumy. Will check out le Point, see IF anything comes up from a search there. Hope springs, but...

Ditch the hair spray, ya never know - and why hold yr breath for spray? Much better to breath control on a 'note'. Mmmmmm is a good one, don't have to open yr mouth with Mmmmm and end up with dried out tonsils! Take a good intercostal breath first.

Take care hon

Tinkerbell, I think you should get checked out anyway. If you don't have pain in your ribs or sternum, it doesn't seem likely to me that your current breathing difficulties are caused by your AS, but are more likely to be an infection that could get serious. Especially as you have dizziness etc. associated with it. Maybe it's nothing serious but it doesn't hurt to check it out rather than making any assumptions at this point.

What brought on your flare? I had the impression that your AS symptoms were well controlled by diet?