Has anyone else dealt with this? I've had it for a while, talked to the doctor before and even been for lung function testing (quite a while ago). But it's getting quite a bit worse and driving me NUTS!

People continually look at me and ask what's wrong when I sigh and, if they don't know me really well, they look at me really funny when I say I'm just breathing.

Yes, I've noticed it with myself, too. It's most noticeable at night for me......because I'm trying to relax and fall asleep and it seems like I'm constantly taking deep breaths. I do it, too, during the day but I guess I've got more to distract me then so it's less noticeable. I get that tight constricting feeling in my ribcage. I guess it's just part of the MS fun we all have!

Hi nemsmom,

I am going to assume your lung function was fine

Sighing could be your way of getting more air. Many times this happens when we are not breathing correctly or holding our breath. It is possible to forget how to breath correctly.

Learning correct breathing techniques can help. Breathing does not always come naturally, we have to work at it . Start trying to focus on your breathing, paying special attention to breathing from the diaphram. It can take time and practice.

For me, like Kitty, it happens at night. It's completely involuntary and seems to be as I am relaxing and very close to sleep. SO has noticed it.

ANN

Yes I do that too. Sometimes i automatically take a deep breath. I always assumed it was because I was not breathing correctly and my body needed more air.

Well....actually, it wasn't fine, just nothing we can do about it because they assume it's caused by my MS, grr. My diaphragm strength for breathing in is 60% of normal and breathing out is.... I think it was 12% I know it was somewhere close to there. This was about two years ago I believe and I have noticed it get worse. The doctor said that for patients that have severed a nerve or things like that they do a major surgery, cut the diaphragm and attach it lower.. but they don't do that for MS patients.

I have also noticed mine is worse at night or when I'm trying to rest.

I am sorry, nemsmom This is such a crappy disease

I haven't gotten that.....but I do have excessive yawning caused by my antidepressant................

Is that what causes my excessive yawning??

I thought it was just me and not relating it to MS. I do have a lung problem so I was going to try to find a ENT DR. here where I just moved to 3 years ago.

This disease has taken over the body completely. What gets me annoyed is when some drs. are blaming everything on the ms at first and then maybe it is something else other then the ms.

Jappy