Shortness of Breath?

Dear Bonnie:

Bacteria love warm damp places. Your lungs are just such a place if you do not air the lungs out on a regular basis. Shallow breathing will leave dampness in the lungs and provide a breeding ground for bacteria and pneumonia.

GBS will affect the diaphragm and rib muscles which control the depth of breath. The good news is that most people who had GBS have a full return of these muscles after awhile. In the mean time, you may want to talk to a respitory therapist and develope some breathing exercises to air out your lungs.

Lee

hi bonnie, i have breathing problems also. i’m very prone to penumonia, bronchitis, pleurisy and asthma. i have found during bad times (paralysis events) or when i’ve over done things, i have more problems breathing. i get winded just bending over to tie my shoes. i find, especially with the weather we are having, to be in air conditioned places helps. the heat and high humidty seems to make breathing harder since having gbs. i have to use inhalers more and take it easy, especially when its hot out. i have been lucky each time i was paralyzed i was on the line between vent and no vent, when i did dip below the line i suggested using breathing treatments to make breathing easier and it worked. since gbs, i feel the muscles of my diaphram aren’t working as they should, just enough to get me by somedays. actually that is just one of my “over the limit” warning signs, when i have shortness of breath i know i have gone overboard and need to relax and rest. take care, i hopw we get some nice weather soon, no rain and temps in the 70s would be nice. 🙂

Boonie and Cheryl–I’m sending big hugs to you.

The past 12 months have been very, very bad for everyone with pulmonary problems. I had severe asthma/copd before GBS, and GBS made it much worse. I smoked from 1954-1990 and now regret every day of it.

I’ve been to “pulmonary camp” at Rusk Institute twice. The exercise helped; the lectures about “bad air out; good air in” did not.

Am on a number of meds (let me know if you want the names), drink lots and lots of water, use an oxygen machine and nebulizer. Massage also helps…respiratory therapists, even better. For my part, I have to get rid of the mucus plugs to get any relief.

Regards,
Marge

I agree with Lee who stated “GBS will affect the diaphragm and rib muscles which control the depth of breath”. I had a tracheostomy for about 4+ months, worked my way off of it and over time strenghten my breathing capabilities. I too was a smoker like Marguerite, during the period of 1960 to 1990, and suffered accordingly. About 6 months after getting off the trach, I was back to normal although from time to time I cough up muscus more than before becoming ill with GBS.