Wellness

[PilatesLover]

I was just diagnosed with this at the allergist's office. I've been having trouble with my asthma, or so I thought, but the breathing tests showed my asthma is doing very well. He told me it's vocal cord dysfunction. 

We went down a long checklist land he determined mine is from stress. He gave me breathing exercises to do.

Is anyone here dealng with this? TIA

[dex]

I don't know anything but I do know that stress is hard on your body.I think those breathing exercises might also be helpful during an asthma attack along with your meds of course.

[fortune]

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@PilatesLoverwrote:

I was just diagnosed with this at the allergist's office. I've been having trouble with my asthma, or so I thought, but the breathing tests showed my asthma is doing very well. He told me it's vocal cord dysfunction. 

We went down a long checklist land he determined mine is from stress. He gave me breathing exercises to do.

Is anyone here dealng with this? TIA

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@PilatesLover

Did he do a thorough exam of your vocal cords?  What are your symptoms?  How long have you had these problems?

[NickNack]

I would suggest seeing an Ear, Nose & Throat specialist to make sure that's a correct diagnosis.  I was very hoarse for a long time.  It came on suddenly.  My doctor sent me to an ENT and he stuck something down either my nose or my throat.  I don't remember which.  He examined me thoroughly to make sure there wasn't a tumor or anything suspicious.  There wasn't.

He told me it would probably just get better over time, and it did.  I didn't feel sick at all.  It was very strange.

I know you're not hoarse, but I still think a visit to an ENT would be a good idea.

[jubilant]

I'm not sure what the doctor meant by "dysfunction".  I did have nodules on my vocal chords years ago that a test showed up.  I ended up having them scraped off in an outpatient surgery and was fine after that.  In my case, I was hoarse.

[wagirl]

pilateslover---yes,my DD has that condition, but the dr ruled out asthma or other allergies. It bothers her from time to time and epecially when her gerd flares up--she takes an acid reducer everyday and if she misses a dose than thats when it gets worse. And I agree about the stress part ---do you have acid reflux---that may be a trigger too. DD says it's like trying to breathe thru a straw.

[LilacTree]

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@PilatesLoverwrote:

I was just diagnosed with this at the allergist's office. I've been having trouble with my asthma, or so I thought, but the breathing tests showed my asthma is doing very well. He told me it's vocal cord dysfunction. 

We went down a long checklist land he determined mine is from stress. He gave me breathing exercises to do.

Is anyone here dealng with this? TIA

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@PilatesLover

There is a joint in the throat called the cricoarytenoid joint.  It is often affected by rheumatoid arthritis.  Mine is, and I get hoarse frequently.  Sometimes I lose my voice for several hours.

I am always suspicious when a doctor diagnoses "stress."  Have you been checked for RA? 

[PilatesLover]

Wow, thank you @LilacTree. I do have RA, have had it over 25 years. I will ask my rheumatologist about it.

Thank you everyone for responding, I appreciate it.

[PilatesLover]

@wagirl yes it feels like breathing through a straw, or like someone's hands are around my neck. I thought it was thyroid nodules. I recently got diagnosed with silent LPR, a form of reflux in the throat, and it hasn't been silent lately.

one thing after another!

[LilacTree]

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@PilatesLoverwrote:

Wow, thank you @LilacTree. I do have RA, have had it over 25 years. I will ask my rheumatologist about it.

Thank you everyone for responding, I appreciate it.

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@PilatesLover

You're lucky that you are just now getting this symptom from RA that you've had for 25 years.  I've had it for 14-15 years, and this symptom showed up fairly early.  It also causes choking, especially when I drink water.  I don't know if you have experienced that (and hope you don't).

Your rheumatologist will certainly be aware of this symptom of RA.  I don't take any of the biologics which, if you take any of them, may mitigate this problem.  I can't take them because of my proclivity to get infections very easily.

My RA is severe.  All of my test scores are "off the charts" (R-Factor, anti-CCP, C-reactive protein, and sed rate), according to my rheumatologist.  I also have Sjogren's, mild scleroderma and hypothyroidism, which started autoimmune disease during menopause, although they didn't call it that back in the day.  The rest of the symptoms started much later, six months after retirement which kinda ruined my "golden years."

My best to you.  I hope your RA is in better control than mine.