2 Weeks With The Valves 1/24/09
I had a rough week this week. Everything had been going well, I was walking every day (working from my rehab protocal) when on Tuesday morning I was bent down and trying to pull something out of a cupboard. I was really straining when all of the sudden I couldn't catch my breath. I had never experienced this experience before where I couldn't get a breath at all and I felt myself panic. I was finally able to recover enough to finish getting myself together and had to going to work. My breathing was bad and it remained bad. When I got home that night I was able to walk 10 minutes and I felt my airways open up and I thought maybe it was over. Not so, the next morning it was bad again. I struggled Wed and Thurs. Friday I went to the clinic with my bag packed to spend the night. I found my support team and informed them something was broke. They told me not to be alarmed, that all part of it. That if I should feel worse over the weekend call the pulmonologist on call. They said it normally takes about 3 months for the body to adjust to the valves and we don't even know if I have the valves. The said they would write a full report and forward it to the Dr. in charge of the trial here in Portland. This doesn't make any sense to me, I don't understand how you can feel good until one incident and immediately go down the toilet.
Replies
Shirley,
It definitely doesn\'t sound good but if i can relate an incident that I have had it may help figure out what happened to you.
On three different occasions in the past few months, I have had what they loosly call a bronchial spasm. My throat feels like it has someones hand around it. No air in or out. Fortunately two of thos times, ther was someone to do the heimlich on me. The other time I was geeting into the car and putting on my portable 02 and it happened. You do panic big time but I just got out of the car and did whatever I could and I recovered .
When I was at my doctors a couple of weeks ago, I asked him what was wrong and he gave me the bronchial spasm answer. He said the heimlich was an excellent solution but if you are alone just bend over from the waist. I have heard that if you look up at the ceiling and massage your throat it helps.
I have no clear cut answer but again this is the importance of people\'s experiences that we have recently discussed.
You aren\'t going down the toilet yet, just dancing around the bowl. As long as we dance we will do good. LOL
You know how serious I am about what you are doing so I hope I don\'t offend if I joke ever so often.
Stay steady and take each day as it comes and pretty soon 6 mos will be there.
Your friend,
Anna
I hope it all comes ood for you very soon Shirley.
big hugs to you, hang in there. Lisa x x
I am not sure, however, this sounds like a spasm and probably would be a normal reaction,(maybe not in all), but normal after having a procedure like that. It is kind of like lvrs, you are going along up here and then all of a sudden you are back here, and start up again. Surely if you got the valves, it will take your system a while to adjust to something foreign. Just my HO. Hope your breathing gets better soon.
I am so very sorry you have had a dificult time.
Please know I am thinking of you, and wish I could help.
Love you so very very dearly,
you are truly brave and strong...
Love
Holly
well, shirley, i\'d guess that you must have those little valves if you\'re getting some kind of reaction from them! so, that would be a plus, right?
now...on to the bending over and pulling and pulling so hard! are you a nut? you silly thing! i\'m sure you shouldnt be doing that!
bending over for one thing, seems to cut my oxy off! so, that would make me out of breath.
that thing about getting into and out of a car, almost gets me every time! i always have to stand or sit there and just do the plb trying to calm my breahting down.
you must remember...your sumo wrestler days are over! do things in a little bit easier way!
glad you had this checked out. now, take care of yourself, silly!
love you
margaret
I, too, have problems bending over and having my oxygen cut off. For me, I have had to learn to exhale (pursed lips) while doing so and it seems to help. I have a feeling when we bend over we kinda squish our lungs (which are already damaged and not able to get as much oxygen in) so it makes for less room to get air in.
That sounds like a really scary incident. I have had those kind of spasms, too, but not nearly as severe. It seems like I have to literally force my lungs to work during that time.
I hope you don\'t have many more of those episodes for I am sure it can be most frightening! And, I hope all continues to improve!
Best,
Joni