Guest guest Posted March 8, 1999 Report Share Posted March 8, 1999 >I have been short of breath frequently, even while just sitting. I just feel like I am not getting enough air. I will suddenly need a fast, deep breath. I have also had this gut feeling (which have been very reliable in the past) about this breathing problem and have this great fear that I will have trouble breathing. >> Your respiratory system is not doing everything that it normally does automatically. You feel like you have to " remember to breathe " , right ? This is evidence of brainstem compression and isn't to be taken lightly. I had the same problem, and it got worse quickly (weeks). See your neurologist or whoever is orchestrating your care, soon. Respiratory failure is one of the most serious symptoms that an ACM patient can suffer from. Chip " Breathing isn't optional " -Respiratory Therapist @ Abbott Northwestern Hospital in Minneapolis =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= E-mail: chip@... (ACM-1, 28 months post-op) St Croix Beach, Minnesota Home page: Http://www.pressenter.com/~chip/chiari.htm =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted March 8, 1999 Report Share Posted March 8, 1999 In a message dated 3/8/99 9:25:39 PM Eastern Standard Time, scrow@... writes: << I have been short of breath frequently, even while just sitting. I just feel like I am not getting enough air. I will suddenly need a fast, deep breath. I have also had this gut feeling (which have been very reliable in the past) about this breathing problem and have this great fear that I will have trouble breathing. If anyone has any similar problems or knows what this is all about I would appreciate it if you could email me. Thanks! , scrow@... >> Hi , I had this before my surgery in December 98. Just like you, I could be sitting there and just start gasping. For me, it was nothing but the old chiari. I would pant just walking out to the car, through the house, or even sometimes if I just said too long of a sentence. This was one of my symptoms that went away immediately after surgery. I still get short winded easily, but at least it's not when I'm sitting down doing nothing. Stairs kill me, but now it's probably from being just plain old out of shape. After 6 months of being down and out with all this $!@*, my body is screaming for physical activity. I still can't walk more than 1 1/2 miles, but oh well... Hang in there. BREATHE!! Tina ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted March 9, 1999 Report Share Posted March 9, 1999 In a message dated 3/8/99 10:52:55 PM Eastern Standard Time, chip@... writes: << Your respiratory system is not doing everything that it normally does automatically. You feel like you have to " remember to breathe " , right ? >> I have had this problem on and off for about five years. Just when i can't stand it anymore it eases up again. I find that it has to do with how much i do with my arms. Using my arms and upper body tends to fatigue my muscles and that extends down to the ones that control breathing. Also i acknowledge that it has to do with pressure on the brainstem too. Lately i have had alot of pain and pressure in my head. and it gets worse when i lay down and try to go to sleep. I see my nsg again on the 26th and will have to talk to him about it. I really don't want to go for surgery. am hoping maybe we can try some new meds to ease this off for a while. Terri in NH ACM1 and MS ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted March 9, 1999 Report Share Posted March 9, 1999 has always had breathing problems. After the decompression surgery they would ask him to blow in the breathing machine and he would throw up everytime. Did anyone else have this problem? Sherry Mother of decompressed 10/21/98 ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted March 10, 1999 Report Share Posted March 10, 1999 To All, Shortness of breath isn't nessarily related to ACM, in my case it is related to the stroke. If someone has had a stroke which has ended in paralysis then the muscle's around the lungs will begin to shrink. The shortness of breath in people with just ACM occurs because the chiari is putting pressure on the nerves that control breathing. Correct me if I'm wrong Chip or Ronny. June ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted March 10, 1999 Report Share Posted March 10, 1999 The Brainstem. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted March 12, 1999 Report Share Posted March 12, 1999 Original Article: /list/chiari/?start=13650 > Hi Everyone, > > I am a little scared because I have been having shortness of breath/pulmonary problems. They have been getting worse. I have Chiari 1, 8mm,no surgery. > > I spent the morning getting tested in the pulmonary unit at the hospital. Having to quickly inhale as much as I could and then blow out as hard and as long as possible, while the technician goaded me on, was like having a migraine every eight minutes. It was not pleasant to say the least. The technician said that things weren't " normal " but didn't say what or how mild or severe they were. She also had never heard of Chiari (shock) so she said my Doc would have to explain how my results were related to Chiari. > > I have been short of breath frequently, even while just sitting. I just feel like I am not getting enough air. I will suddenly need a fast, deep breath. I have also had this gut feeling (which have been very reliable in the past) about this breathing problem and have this great fear that I will have trouble breathing. > > If anyone has any similar problems or knows what this is all about I would appreciate it if you could email me. Thanks! , scrow@... > Hi , I too get short of breath. I guess it is my brain stem irritation from chiari. Plus, My blood pressure will swing on both ends. Either I will be very low blood pressure or high blood pressure. I also wonder if this is related to ACM. I am seeing a neurosurgeon. He is considering if my case warrants decompression surgery. They still think my symptoms are possibly MS but if they would just read ACM disease profile I think they would see this closely matchs what I experience on a daily basis. Best of Luck, Take Care Ann Reitz ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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