Labored breathing symptoms and conditions

What a great website....My 2 year old son has been taking singulair for about 1 month, I know that he's having nightmares, his appetite has decreased substantially,and his behavior is unusually aggressive (I thought it was bad behavior picked up from day care...) I'm really having second thoughts about this medicine. confusing...this medicine does break up the thick mucas leading to labored breathing attacks...this is worth investigating more....what to do to have ur child diagnosed and treated properly.

I have had life-threatening spasmodic breathing episodes for the last year. My GP attributed it to asthma, because that's what it looked like, and they have given me prednisone shots and later on, antibiotic shots, to control it (for about 6 weeks at a time). I have well-controlled type II diabetes, so predisone can cause it to go out of control fairly quickly. Prednisone also caused some occasional pain in my feet, probably because of the elevated blood sugar. All the asthma drugs they gave me actually made me sicker, like Advair, etc. Lo and behold, I was able to talk my doctor into a referral to an allergist, and my allergy numbers are off the charts! All grasses, most trees, and many animals were high enough to cause anaphylaxis, especially when surrounded by more than one. Anaphylaxis can cause the labored breathing I suffered. Meanwhile, I have the lung capacity of an Olympic swimmer. I have an elderly friend who has gone to the hospital several times this year with the same problem. After I found out my results, I talked to his wife, and they discussed the allergy and infection aspect with the doctor. Turns out he had fairly severe allergies and infections that made his life-long asthma go way out of control. With a medicine for infection, he is 10 times better - the asthma is under control because it is not being jump-started by the low-level infections he suffered. I don't even have asthma, it just looks like asthma. I will begin years of allergy shots, just like in my 20's. (I am 55). The upshoot? Some people are suffering severe asthma symptoms. Others have a combo of problems which are exacerbating the asthma-like problems. Doctors who think you only have asthma tend to only treat asthma. Prednisone greatly reduces inflammation, which is a common factor in all the above diseases. So, calming the symptom doesn't mean treating the source. You long-term asthmatics should also look inot taking allergy tests if it is considered safe (they DO inject a small amount of allergens in your skin), and not spend 100% of your time with the pulmonary specialist who is only looking at your lungs. Also, you really need to do some cause and effect testing with antibiotics or similar to see if you have some type of infection. My friend and I are both on our way to better health because we went beyond treating the symptoms.

started taking seoquel 25 mg an hour before sleep, then 50 mg. went up to 75mg because i wasn't "tired" enough to sleep. it was working okay, but my friends had warned me that i might experience weight gain and absolutely uncontrollable hunger for carbs and sweets. and as a 46 yo woman that already weighed 200 lbs. that was not a happy prospect. but i ignored that; maybe it would be different for me. btw, i am diagnosed as bipolar 2 and am taking lamotrigine, celexa, lithium and now seroquel. i was in a couple months ago for anxiety and loss of time, for lack of a better term. my pdoc told be to get off the 75mg of benadryl i was taking and gave me samples of seroquel to help me sleep, etc.. so, after experiencing weight gain, sore breasts, bigger stomach (i don't have a scale), labored breathing when walking to the freakin' mailbox and feeling like a truck has run over me for at least half the day, then anxiety immediately following, i have decided to pitch the seroquel. also, i am going off lithium and my blood pressure med (i was taking that for migraines associated with pre menstruation and now am menopausal). i'm going to start melatonin again (which i used for years and it worked) when i'm weaned off the evil seroquel... sigh. and no, the docs DO NOT CARE ABOUT YOUR WEIGHT GAIN!!!! THEY JUST WANT TO KEEP YOU ALIVE AND UPRIGHT IF POSSIBLE! i'm more depressed knowing i could easily balloon upwards to god-knows-what. so if your doc hands you "free" samples of seroquel, please keep track of your symptoms. maybe it will work for you but be cautious, please!

My experience with Zocor was related to increased difficulty breathing; SOB was present with all exertion no matter how light. After awhile, I just stopped doing much of anything. The smallest exertion, such as getting ready for bed {brushing teeth, hair, washing face and putting on a night gown} invoked labored breathing and a pounding heart. After a week off the drug, the symptoms all by disappeared; now, 4 months later, I am up and around, walking longer walks and not short of breath. My problems may have been related to muscle weakness, but the heart is a muscle and the lungs function in conjunction with the heart.

I have been on 50 mg. of Toprol xl for 5 years I find it so hard to breathe. Like I have to make myself breathe or I'll just stop breathing. I can't sleep because my breathing gets worse even with my head elevated. I'm getting terrific migraines, ready to tear my head off. I'm short of breath, can't hardly do anything and I feel I ran ten miles.. I have heart failure and low blood pressure. He's giving me this for now and then palpitations. I think this pill is causing all my troubles including anxiety. HELP!!

This note is regarding some measures for healing and pain relief. I have been in pain due to taking Levaquin three months ago. My pain is widespread. I have peripheral neuropathy. My whole body is tender and sensitive. All of my joints ache. It's hard to walk or sit for long. My pain is still disabling but it has improved. I thought that I would share with whoever may be interested what has helped my pain the most. I see a chiropractor every week and I also see a Chinese doctor every week. The Chinese doctor does therapeutic massage (deep tissue) and he also does acupuncture weekly. The acupuncture doesn't hurt as much as you might think. Other things that I've found that are helpful are warm Epsom salt baths and any topical cream that warms the area such as zostrix. Creams for muscle soreness may work also. I try not to take pain medication because it can just lead to other problems . If I have to take something I take either excedrin or Tylenol. NOT ibuprofen. Also, the body can't heal as quickly if it is being bombarded with offending agents. Therefore I have eliminated the following: Sodas (regular and diet), nutrisweet, msg (read the label), bleached flour, caffeine and many other things. I try to avoid sugar and I use stevia as much as possible. I have done a lot of research regarding nutrition since this happened to me. What I have come to realize is that good foods are like medicine. I have to supply my body with the proper nutrients and it will heal itself. Lots of fruits, veggies, whole grains, nuts, lean meat (I don't eat red meat). I avoid fast food and processed foods. The rule of thumb is that if nature made it it's good for you. If man made it...read the label very carefully. I hope that this info will be helpful to some of you. My prayers are with you all.

chris

Update - 7th day with zero Toprol. Feel just awful... Breathing has not improved, tight band feeling around chest keeps coming and going like before. B/P spikes, headaches, etc. The Diovan (80mg) was making me cough and making chest tightness worse - so she tried me on Dyazide - made me dizzy and sick to my stomach. This has been just one of the WORST experiences of my life. I was SURE all my problems were related to my (4) years on Toprol - but on day 7 with NO TOPROL and not feeling better I am depressed, discouraged, and just want to curl up and cry and cry and cry. I have ended up in the ER three times since the weaning began - once for breathing, once for pulse (over 215) and once for severe abdominal pain. My family thinks that I am 'mental' and that it is all in my head???? I cannot take much more of this.....

Anytime our son has a cough or cold, my wife likes to play doctor and immediately administers Accuneb about every 6 hours. After two or three treatments, our six year son begins to have a fever, rapid heart beat, labored breathing, chest pain, headache, restlessness, weakness, flushing, and diarrhea. She worked in a doctor's office once and was given the assignment to repack pill drugs into smaller quanity bottles -- now she just can't wait to administer drugs, especially Albuterol. HELP!

Within 2 days of beginning Lisinopril for an "elevated blood pressure event", I bagan to experience labored breathing, like I had just walked up 10 flights of stairs. And that was at rest! I had some anxiety and was generally lethargic. I also began experiencing severe cramps in my legs, feet, and toes. My arches would cramp so bad I coulld hardly stand it. I thought this might be related to the diuretic in the medication. I also experienced muscle weakness. I called my doctor who told me to take half a pill each day. The effects were basically the same at half the dosage! The breathing still labored, less cramping, but same feeling of tiredness and lethargy. I quit taking it, made some lifestyle changes (less sodium laced foods, more exercise) to bring down the pressure.

insomnia, anxietyconfusion, loss of focusconcentration, intestinal gas, loss of appetite, weakness, sweating, and labored breathing , restlessness, lightheadedness, confusion, hallucinations, paranoia, nightmares, and a feeling of being in another world. How can one be awake so long and time seems to fly by so quickly but your not sure what you were doing...I was afraid to move.... The nice doctor gave me 7 pills with no papers. Told me to make sure I took every one . Gave me a prescrition for predisone. I stopped the predisone thesecond day thinking that was the one causing the weird things to happen.... I knew the next morning at 3 a.m. When I found this site. I only took four of the pills . I want my old self back.

84-year-old mother with severe breathing problems on Advair for 36 days. We took her off of it. She had:
- SEVERE joint pain and swollen limbs : especially left leg and foot and hands
- painful, sore tongue
- bloody noses
- blurred vision; swollen eyes
- dizziness (more than usual)
- itching, especially face and neck
- general sense that something not right in her head (she "could feel something is going on"); started having memory problems (she's a double PhD; no Alzheimer's)
- hair loss (a lot)
- shaking; tremors in arms and legs

Now back to Albuterol nebullizer 3x per day and Singulair. Might try Flovent with the above.

Doctor put her on Advair to get her off of prednisone (5mg/day). The Advair was like a 'miracle' drug - she had easier breathing within a day, and the breathing benefit lasted throughout the time she took Advair. She generally has very labored breathing and lots of air whistling in and out of her mouth as she walks. She is also on oxygen most of the time. She had tried Combivent inhaler (no longer effective) and Serevent inhaler (still will use this in emergencies). Also have emergency supply of prednisone but haven't had to use it.

Advair was GREAT with facilitating the breathing. Wish the side effects weren't so numerous and so serious.

Was prescribed Levaquin 500mg by an ER Doctor that could not definatively find the cause of a high fever (103.5). After 3 days on the pills I had to investigate the numerous side effects that I thought I was experiencing. This web site confirmed that they were indeed side effects. They included, insomnia, anxiety\confusion, loss of focus\concentration, depression\mood swings, intestinal gas, loss of appetite, weakness, sweating, and labored breathing. I am glad I stopped taking the pill before full 10 days. It's been 4 days since the last dose, and the side effects have finally passed. Good luck to all taking this evil drug.

sore ribs,labored breathing,cant sleep,temors

My doctor told me it would take a full two weeks to a month for Advair to have full effect. Two weeks after starting it I started getting short of breath. A month later I was having labored breathing. Six months later, he confirmed that I did indeed have an adverse reaction to Advair. There are a growing number of patients who cannot tolerate it and have to seek an alternative.
Diana

I meant to puit this in my earlier post but had to leave, so here is a continuation... My eyes were also becoming involved. I was getting *blurred vision*. I suggested to my doctors that the Advair was causing my *labored breathing* but they both poo-pooed the idea. So, being the trusted soul that I am, I went on taking the Advair, continuing to suffer, when I wasn't having trouble breathing before I started taking it. The Advair dosage was raised twice to the full dosage. After six months of treaments and steroids that weren't helping, I gave up and took matters into my own hands and simply stopped taking it. I called my family doctor and told him I was doing so and he agreed. The symptoms eased up within a week. He told me that some patients can't tolerate Advair. There are alternatives, but please, I urge you to be careful as some of them are similar to Advair. I'm not sure if it was the kind of steroid or the fact that the combined medication is in powdered form that triggered my side effects.

There is also a discussion board here where everyone can talk to each other.

I wish you well.