maybe hyperventalating while running

[Beccamom]

My daughter is treated for CF, although not diagnosed. I'm diagnosed with CF. Her lung function prior to CF treatment was FEV1 50% a year later she hit 100% and since she ranges in the 90s.

She was running in marching hand this week and had an odd issue with breathing. She did her nebulizer hypersal and vest before band and it worked in that she did not cough during the run. However, when she finished she was out of breath. She looked around and most people were out of breath. However after 15 minutes her friends seemed back to normal. She could easily take deep breathes, but she felt like she was breathing air with less oxygen. She said it was like going to Colorado which she has been to Denver at high altitude. She said she became light headed, dizzy, and her fingers began to tingle.

So what happened? We have been told she does not have asthma her original mis-diagbosis because after albuterol or Xopenex her FEV 1 decreases not increases. Any other ideas?

She also has Ehlers Danlos syndrome hyper mobile type, but does have a heart murmur and bruie in her neck which I were declared normal by cardiology through echo and neck ultra sound.

Does she need to learn to run and breath? She is 14 and enjoys running. This is the first timed run she ever tried.

 

[Melissa75]

This sounds like a panic attack to me. I can't say that with 100% certainty but the worry over her initial SOB after running and the feeling that she is different from her peers probably triggered it. The tingly fingers and lightheadedness are classic. Over time she can begin to recognize that secondary SOB feeling as anxiety and teach herself to undo it with other thoughts, the knowledge that she is not deprived of O2, and a distraction activity that takes her out of the spin into panic.

 

[nmw0615]

I agree with Melissa. I used to have panic attacks and the tingly feeling, lightheaded feeling, and SoB is exactly how I would feel. Once I learned a few meditation and breathing tricks, I was able to get control over the attacks and only rarely have them now.

 

[Beccamom]

Thanks for the ideas. She ran again today, but stopped due to pain sharp in one spot between two ribs. Not out of breath. Usually a pain like that is followed by a blood streaked mucus plug coming up.

Would you have fealt better seeing a pulsox showing you were OK? I could send her with her portable pulsox if that would help her learn being short of breath is normal?

Thanks for the input.

I agree with Melissa. I used to have panic attacks and the tingly feeling, lightheaded feeling, and SoB is exactly how I would feel. Once I learned a few meditation and breathing tricks, I was able to get control over the attacks and only rarely have them now.

 

[Printer]

Becca:

This is an issue that I would discuss with her CF Specialist.

Bill

 

[Beccamom]

Thanks for the advice .

i talked with her doctor today and we agreed she hyperventilated because she pushed herself too hard. Now she brings her pulsox to practice and sees if she is actually having a hard time breathing or not and that helps her relax. She even told her doctor she wants to join the track team.

Becca:

This is an issue that I would discuss with her CF Specialist.

Bill