Paralyzed Diaphram - Lung & Respiratory Disorders / COPD Message Board

Kingpin · 07-20-2001, 09:18 AM

Back in March, I was taken to the ER with shooting pains going up and down my arm when I extended them.They at first thought it was heart attack, lung clots, etc.
Turns out a fever I had a few days earlier, then the day I went into the hospital, attacked my spine and damaged my Phrenic nerve and Brachial-Plexus. Appears the virus has damaged the nerve that operates the diaphrams. Is any one out there that can offer me a clue as to what I can do for myself, or has had a similar situation.

I am getting annoyed at the constant back pain, the Bi-Pap device I have to use at night and the loss of energy and strength.

Sherryann · 07-29-2001, 04:21 PM

Hi,
I had surgery in Oct.2000 to have a tumor removed from my spine.They told me that during the surgery that I had aspirated, at first they thought that I shot a clot.Unfortunately it left me with a paralyzed diaphram on the left side. I am now on oxygen 24 hours a day and it has been this way since the surgery,I keep hoping that it will get better,but it really isn't going to get much better now I am trying to learn to live with this,needless to say I get very depressed at times. I am a 45 yr.old woman who never had breathing problems prior to this.If there is anyone out there that is going through a similar problem I would love to hear how you are copeing with this. Thanks

------------------

Fl_Girl · 08-08-2001, 04:59 PM

Hi Sherryann & Kingpin,
After about a year of dealing with shortness of breath I finally went to the Dr. to find out what the problem is. The doctor assured me it was asthma. After dealing with this for as long as I had, I just had a gut feeling that this wasn't asthma. She sent me home with inhalers. I asked for a chest xray just to rule out any thoughts of a mass or tumor putting pressure on my lungs. Never did the thought that something was wrong with my diaphragm cross my mind. Next day the chest xray comes back and the doctor says..there's a problem with your diaphragm...what happened to the asthma?, were my thoughts. Guess I'm bitter still..probably more at my self for not having this looked at sooner. So after a CT scan, MRI, fluroscope, it is definitely paralysis of my right diaphragm but as of yet we've found no reason. Have had no surgeries to damage the nerve. No infections that we are aware of that could be attacking the nerve. Nothing showed up on the MRI of the cervical spine. My Dr has told me to call the Mayo Clinic In Jacksonville Florida. I did today and they do phrenic nerve stimulation so I guess we're Jacksonville bound next. Dont know how much if at all this will help your situation as I dont know the specifics of your situation. I am still functioning fine, with the exception of the shortness of breath, can't sleep flat on my back (feel breathless) crouching postions (pulling weeds in the flower bed, pulling dog toys out from under the bed) take my breath away and make me wheeze. I have also noticed that I can't eat as much as I used to be able to. Maybe thats a good aspect of this whole mess I've found myself in. I may not be able to breath but by dog I'll get thin. I have to laugh at this point, if I dont, I'm so scared of whats next I'll loose my mind. Might just loose it anyway....Thanks for listening....

Suzie2 · 12-05-2004, 12:51 AM

This seems to be an old thread, but I hope some of you that did the above posting are still checking.
About 5 months ago, I went into the hospital with right side pain. After 2 days of x-rays and CT's, it was determined that it was due to my gallbladder. The surgeon removed the gallbladder but there was mention that I could possibly have phenomena. I had had a cacky type cough for about 4 months.
The story goes as follows: I was sent home and I just couldn't recover. After 14 days, my primary care doctor called me and said that he and a radiologist was looking at an x-ray and that I needed to return to the hospital. It turned out to be that I had a very bad infection in my right lung....strep. I ended up with two chest tubes. A surgeon had tried to insert them with a local and cut on me three times before deciding that I would have to go to surgery to have them placed. After surgery, I ended up with a collapsed lung and was on a ventilator and in ICU for three days and then a total of 14 days in the hospital with the chest tubes. I felt like someone had ripped my back & right breast apart with barbed wire when they were removed. One had been placed through the back on around under my arm pit and then into my right breast and then into the lung.
I have continued to be very sore in all these areas since then. I didn't really feel as though anything was wrong until I returned to work after a 3 month period. I immediately started having shortness of breath and chest pain in my right lung area.
I just went to the lung specialist this past week and he wanted to rule out my heart before going any further. I still felt as though the pain and discomfort was coming from my right lung area, but he insisted that I have a stress test next week. But, before I left the doctor looked at my chest x-ray from a month before and called me back as I was leaving. I had another chest x-ray and then he compared them. He came back into the room and told me that the scarring from the infection had gotten lighter and then said that my diaphragm was out of place and was too high. Since I'm not a medical person, I didn't ask the questions that I should have, so I have been surfing the web to try and locate any information that I could about the diaphragm. After reading this about a paralyzed diaphragm, this seems like what has happened to me. If anyone is out there, would you care to reply. Deep down in my right lung area hurts very bad. Sometimes when it gets to a certain point, I have to hold the area to try to obtain some type of comfort. I can't sleep on my back. I'm still on for the stress test next week, but I just know that the pain is coming from the diaphragm. Is there any hope for this if it should turn out to be a paralyzed diaphragm?
Thanks,

mopalese · 07-01-2005, 10:08 PM

I've been experiencing similar problems as those mentioned above for the last couple years. Mostly at night as I wake up gasping for breathe. I feel like the right side of my espophogus is "frozen". The only thing that has gotten me to sleep is Xanax. It seems to relax everything. My symptoms seem to come and go. I can have good weeks then...BAM...I'm sucking wind again. Nighttime is brutal as I try to get to sleep. What's funny is that I hiccup when clear my throat and I seem to lose all control of my esophogus. Burping becomes impossible. It can sometimes be very uncomfortable...even painful. I too feel like I'm going crazy at times. I don't know what to do. No one seems to understand what I'm going through. I'm 40 years old. Well, my Xanax is kicking in and I'm gonna try to sleep...wish me luck!