# Gasping for Air



## dp16 (Aug 18, 2002)

Hello there, I'd appreciate any help. My gp says he thinks I have gerd. It wil be a month before I can see a GI. Here's my issue, every time a lay down at all (I have been having my head and shoulder elevated drastically but not help there), after about an hour I start coughing, then I throw up (sometimes it just acid, sometimes food is there too) and then it takes about 20 seconds to get a breath of air. The first part is uncomfortable but the inability to get a breath is terrifying. It seems like I go about a 60 to 90 seconds, depending on how long the coughing & vomitting last, without a breath. I have been taking nexium for three days and it seems to be helping a little. Thanks in advance for any help


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## MishaDonna (Aug 7, 2002)

Dan,Sounds terrible! I don't know about the not breathing thing, except this sounds like a symptom you should report to your doc. (I wonder if smelling salts would help.) Maybe I can help a little with the lying down thing. Finish eating 3-4 hrs. before you lie down. You need to elevate from AT LEAST the hips up to your head. Head and shoulders doesn't do it; no bending at the waist. I found it's even better to elevate the head of the whole bed 6-8 inches. Started with 7" cinder blocks then switched to a nifty product called BedBloxs (or Blocks). Lightweight, easy to get under wheels. Next, try sleeping on your left side. That helps me a lot. I also take licorice extract DGL (a form of licorice that will not raise BP) before bed and a cup of warm camomile tea (along with my Aciphex and relaxation tape). That's all I know, maybe a Gaviscon, too. Good luck, hope you are better soon.DMB


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## MishaDonna (Aug 7, 2002)

Dan,I forgot one important thing. If you haven't already, cut down the amount of food you eat at any one meal. I started with half as much and now am about 1/3 as much. Really helps.DMB


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## billbill17 (Jul 22, 2002)

I have a strange thing: when I get in my car and drive, I feel a heaviness coming on, and I too have difficulty in breathing. Sometimes I have to breathe thru my open mouth, because I can't seem to get enough air via my nostrils. When I take a deep breathe, I even feel tightness in my chest,perhaps even slight pain. Because I have hiatal hernia, it may be that the position of sitting in a car, coupled with the anxiety I have about driving, causes my symptoms to increase. Its as if my stomach wants to come up into my chest, thereby making breathing difficult, but when I stop and get out of the car, the symptoms subside! strange. Am I the only one who experiences this? (it seems to get worse if I drive when bloated and constipated).


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## Rowe2 (Sep 26, 2002)

Hello, I was curious to see that people with GERD were having problems being short winded. I was diagnosed with GERD, and occasionally have bouts of shortness of breath. It is a scary feeling. I do not experience any pain in the chest, just not able to get that good deep breath. When I went to the gastro dr., I was having the very same problem with the breathing and acid in my throat. I have been taking Prilosec to control the acid, which helps. Anyone have a clue what causes the short breath sensation?


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## Guest (Nov 21, 2002)

I too become short winded from time to time when I feel a full sensation in my upper stomach. Doc says it is GERD. Wonder what causes it hard to breath? I have had two EKG's - one in April of this year and was fine. I don't smoke (have in the past) but I don't have a cough or rattle. I wonder if because I am a female with induced menopause if it has anything to do with that? Anyone have an anwser?


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## kamie (Sep 14, 2002)

Female with Induced menopause?See a Cardiologist.I thought I was a female w/ induced menopause.I went through hot flashes and the whole surgically induced menopause nightmare.Then I had my hormone levels run.I'm still not in menopause!!!!!!!!!!!I had that much excess estrogen.No wonder I was sick.Kamie.


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## jamiethorntonlewis (May 22, 2002)

I was wondering if anybody struggled breathing as a result of IBS like me. The result of pressure, wind and trapped water.jamie


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## MsJanB (Jan 26, 2000)

Hi,The symptoms you described happened to me last spring. I'm also a vocalist, and had been having trouble with my singing voice. Loss of high notes,cracking voice,etc. I started with a chronic,unexplained cough that started last February and lasted until June. I had several episodes of nightime severe cough episodes out of deep sleep when I would sit up in bed having bouts of not being able to catch my breath. It was very SCAREY. I found out later it's related to gerd and the episode is called a larengopharengeal spasm, which means the gastric acid has come all the way up to your larynx(vocal cords).So, you need to ask your doctor about it.I actually had to see a ENT doctor(voice specialist) who knew exactly what it was, and told me all about the diet and lifestyle changes plus medicine I needed to take to try to stop the damage to my vocal cords. Hope this is helpful to you.


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