shorter exhales than inhales, COPD?

[Granola555]

I feel like my exhales are shorter than my inhales. is this COPD? I went to a lung doctor and did a lung function test which was normal. I explained my symptoms as my air feeling dense to breathe but I now notice that my exhales are a lot shorter than my inhales.

[stone-UK]

Hi

If your Spirometer test showed no signs of a lung condition, then you don’t have COPD.

The exhale is likely to be longer with COPD, to dispel the trapped air, a characteristic of COPD.

[Granola555 in reply to stone-UK]

Thanks. I'm having trouble exhaling fully it seems. With normal lung function, the exhales are supposed to be longer. My chest X-ray were clear a few months ago, the lung function test was normal 2 days ago. I wonder if I did the lung function test wrong.

[stone-UK in reply to Granola555]

Hi

A bit reading for you.

normalbreathing.com/pattern...

[Granola555 in reply to stone-UK]

Thank you. I looked through it a couple of times. I wanted to respond sooner but I was having trouble logging on.

[donut43]

Sounds OK I agree with stone uk and the reading he recommends.

Dan

[Granola555 in reply to donut43]

thanks for the affirmation

[lKeith]

Granola555

Hi , unfortunately I'm a mouth breather and have to make an effort to intake air thro' nose and exhale thro' mouth. Have you tried the pursed lips to exhale method. Eventually it does restore fairly normal breathing pattern.

IKeith

[Granola555 in reply to lKeith]

Thank you so much for your suggestion, this helped a lot.

[Hidden]

I struggle to exhale ......but have no problem inhaling soooo there must be some imbalance as my lungs are definitely not being properly emptied enough to allow me to fill up with fresh air........if that makes sense lol. I have severe emphysema . Come to think of it I'm quite a shallow breather my lungs hardly move a lot of the time unless I'm gasping for air after movement. I don't know if that's a problem or not.

[Granola555 in reply to Hidden]

Annastatia, thats how I feel but I don't feel out of breath, but there are times I feel like passing out or feel really weak. I also struggle with severe anxiety so it is hard to know what is real but these breathing difficulties do not seem like my normal hyperventilation syndrome induced by anxiety, it started after i heavily started using disinfectant sprays. I have had a lot of sick people in my family but none of them had lung issues. After struggling with my breathing, I am now fully aware of how significant lungs are and I hope you stay strong.

[Hidden in reply to Granola555]

Hi Granola, I hope you have stopped using the disinfectant sprays as your symptoms sound awful. I avoid sprays of any kind and use various wipes instead. I lie lol...I use hair spray !!! I spray like fury then quickly get out of the bathroom and close the door behind me. I dread to think how much of that stuff I have inhaled over the years.....all in the name of vanity.😕😕😟😟🙄

[greatauntali in reply to Hidden]

Annastatia, everything you say makes perfect sense to me. I am struggling to completely empty my lungs. I also have emphysema.

I asked my GP about the difficulty in emptying my lungs because this has just started with me very recently. Her response was that it is " quite common ". End of conversation.

[Hidden in reply to greatauntali]

HI greatauntali dismal response from your GP!! Best to ask your Respiratory nurse if the practice has one. I can't help as I don't know how to either. I expect to be going on PR in due course so I'll find out there. All the best xx

[Granola555 in reply to greatauntali]

that is the hallmark of emphysema. have you tried pressing your lips to exhale like Keith said?

[greatauntali in reply to Granola555]

Oh yes, but it doesn't work all of the time. It drives me crazy - desperately trying to breathe out in order to breathe in. Once I manage to empty my lungs, I am fine for another wee while.