Bronchial Spasm

[Andrashko]

Last night was a bit of a scare for us. John started not being able to breath. (He has MSA-C). He had an episode in the morning as he woke, where he couldn't get a breath, i ran and grabbed his inhaler (not knowing what was going on, as I had been in the other room. He took a puff, and within 30-40 seconds was able to breath shallow breaths. Eventually he came out of it within a few minutes, but very scary. Then later at night before we were heading to bed, it happened again. This time lasting longer, and he wasn't able to use his inhaler as his throat seemed closed off. I call the ambulance and by the time they came, he was able to take small shallow breaths again, but this is getting too scarey. I know our neurologist has told us about these bronchial Spasms, and John did have a few a couple years back (this was before he was diagnosed), but then hadn't had another for a couple years. What can we do when he is having these? The doctors at the Emergency room didn't have much advice (as usual, never heard of MSA-C), so they ran labs, xray etc and found nothing wrong and released him. They have him on medication for acid reflux, but other than that there isn't much they say he can take for it, seems he just has to "deal with it". Is anyone familiar with this, and what do you do when this happens? I've been told that these spasms usually if they don't relax, the patient will pass out, then the muscles relax and patients can start to breath, but with MSA, the muscles don't relax and stay clinched. Told that with MSA-C patients will pass because of this. Any advice would be hugely appreciated.

[FredaE]

Terrifying. I get these from acid reflux and have mediction to control the reflux.and breathe in cold air from the freezer which seems to calm the inflamation enoughbut I do not have MSA so I have no idea what sort of response he will have.

Sometimes symptoms appear and go away again with MSA or it may be nothing at all todowith MSA. Thinking of you both

[IvyRose64]

Alan had this and was prescribed carbocistaine but only after he’d been admitted to hospital with aspiration pneumonia. He also had acid reflux medication. We never really had where he stopped breathing it was more choking with him and struggling to breathe because of it.

[Paul_and_Sue_Wood]

Hi

I had something similar with Sue last year and they called it a Laryngospasm which is the valve within the larynx going wrong so you cant get a proper breath.

Like you, I couldn't find anything to help as it's one of those unpredictable events.

I seem to recall something to do with adrenaline but that's a paramedics prescription.

My advice if it happens again then 999 which is what I was advised, luckily it's not happened again.

[Hidden]

That does sound horrendous. Has John been issued with any medicines to help his muscles relax etc? Perhaps you could contact the MSA Trust and explain this to them. I have found them to be very responsive... Good luck. X