Heavy Breathing through Nose

[LARWLSN]

Just wondering if anyone else has run across this -- my mom (PSP/CBD, near late stage) suddenly, out of nowhere, for seemingly no reason, starts breathing very forcefully through her nose. It sounds like she is trying to snore while awake. Does doesn't seem agitated in any other way.. some days it happens for nearly 20 mins at a stretch, over and over and sometimes not at all. Never while sleeping. She is no longer able to communicate, so we can't figure out what the trigger is. Thanks for any help/suggestions in advance.

[LuisRodicioRodicio]

Hi LARWLSN!

Among the various symptoms that are described for PSP in the final stages are these:

-Shortness of breath

- Adductor laryngeal breathing dystonia, a relatively unrecognized complication of PSP. After swallowing crushed meds, patient becomes short of breath, wheezing and gasping for air. (Queer)

I don't know of a remedy, only that they can occur at this stage.

Hug and luck.

Luis

[Joluu]

Hi Larwlsn. My mum does this too.she's had psp for 10 years and has been having similar episodes for the last 4 years.she can still communicate and is totally unaware of these episodes so not at all distressed by them. To complicate matters she also has heart failure which causes sudden episodes of shortness of breath so maybe worth getting you're mum's heart checked in case it's not actually the psp. Non of our docs can tell us what's psp and what's the heart failure.Good luck

[LARWLSN in reply to Joluu]

Thanks for the reply -- sorry you are going through this as well - amazing your mom has had PSP for a decade. I am very sure we won't get that far.

[PMPL]

Hello, I've just seen your post.My Mum also had episodes of heavy nose breathing. She was unable to communicate so I never really knew why.

I used to gently massage her lower jaw muscles to "un clamp" her jaw for her and help her open her mouth . When her mouth opened it stopped it.

I felt perhaps she "couldn't " open her mouth so could only breathe through her nose and it wasn't enough for her ... this was pure "summation" on my part given she couldn't tell me.

It did work in terms of stopping it.

I always made sure her nose was clear ( decongestant spray) so if it happened and I wasn't there straight away she has the best possible air entry via her nose.

I shared this with the carers and all looking after her towards the end so everyone could help .

My thoughts are with you .

[LARWLSN in reply to PMPL]

good ideas... thanks. Since putting up this post, mom wound up in the ICU with acute kidney failure. She has bounced back a bit, but i wonder if that was connected to the forceful breathing.