Hyperventilation

[juliesharp]

I was wondering how many people have been diagnosed as asthmatic as a child but never wheezed then as you got older consultants and gps have decided it is hyperventilation as no wheeze.

I find it really frustrating as both consultant and GP say it is not asthma but hyperventilation but continue getting me doing peak flow meter twice daily and taking asthma medication.

When you research hyperventilation the treatment is different to asthma. It really winds me up.

I got informed at my last appointment that my consultant was leaving so I am hopeful a new person might see some sense.

I am sat on red inhaler, brown inhaler, blue inhaler, blue nebules, singular, cetirizine, nasal inhaler, eye drops, esomprezole, peptac, hrt and hydrocortisone.

Since adding hydrocortisone instead of prednisolone I have gained lower back pain, legs pain, stomach pain and sleepiness. Not impressed. Waiting to see endocrine for this.

And a new respiratory consultant in January.

Who else are told it not asthma as no wheeze or oxygen change it is hyperventilation?

[Emmaleigh]

That a lot of meds if not asthma or allergy. I'm In a strange position with my diagnosis at present my gp has told me she thinks hyperventilation although I wheeze and cough lots have also been blue due to O2 at 86 my diagnosis of Asthma was made as a baby now nearly 30 I have had negative mannitol and histamine challanges. I'm currently waiting a scope challange my cons. Is reluctant to add meds until he knows it's asthma for sure I'm on flutiform 250 and ventolin nebs and inhalers and dymista nose spray and pred when needed.

[Jessiepup]

We have been through hell this year with our son (age14) who was on and off diagnosed with asthma for 6 weeks. A&E twice but not asthma - hyperventilation . All the steroids and inhalers of course did not work.

He was not anaemic but his Ferritin was low and his MCV count was low on the full blood count Which mimicked the symptoms of severe anemia. We saw 4 consultants privately before a cardiologist explained what was happening.

This scenario may have been ruled out with you but worth a thought.

Btw it took 4 days on iron for the hyperventilating to stop then he suffered fatigue which took longer and Vit D

[Hidden]

I think you may need to review the side effect lists of the medications as some drugs can cause you to hyperventilate.

[juliesharp]

See with me the inhalers do work as does the physio exercises. None of the tablets I am now on cause hyperventilation. Prednisone can but I have been taken off it and put on hydrocortisone instead.

I am happy to settle with hyperventilation but not with all the meds. So annoying!

[Polzovatel]

Hi, How can hyperventilation be diagnosed?

[Katinka46 in reply to Polzovatel]

I think that the best test for hyperventilation (AKA dysfunctional breathing and overbreathing) is a cardio-pulmonary-exercise test. This is usually done on an exercise bike, you are strapped into something like a WW1 gas mask, and studded with electro-cardio gram stickers and have to peddle like a mad thing for 12-15 minutes. They then analyse the results. Dr Christopher Warburton at Liverpool Chest Hospital claims CPET is the gold standard for dysfunctional breathing. I have had 3 of these and none of then came up with dysf-breathing. But I was still labelled as such...

Treatment is respiratory physio to teach good breathing techniques.

All the best and let us know how things go.

K xx

[juliesharp]

Sorry polzovatel I do not know!