Question: You mention that I am not having copd, you also mention that the stress and inflammation affects the lungs equally not one area more than other. You mention that I am noticing it more in upper area than lower. You also mentioned that this condition of inflammation can cause air trapping. I have heard over and over, but not by you, that a pft is the "gold standard" for diagnosing and determining lung disorders. I have been told that my 7 tests that span 15 years have a relatively stable outcome less the fef25/75, that I should feel about the same as when I took the first but age adjusted for getting older
Tonight, I went to put fuel in auto, while waiting for pump to finish, I crossed my arms on my midsection. The position that I had my arms pressed in on my chest so that I would inhale and only feel lower fill up and that upper chest had no area to fill. Now why does the upper not want to fill as it should. I look at the pft and do not find any section of the test that would indicate air trapping in this section . Stranger yet is that it still isn't filling as it should but my chest breathes better when lying down than when standing.
I remember three years ago, the first time that I noticed that I was breathing only in belly but that I felt like my lower abdomen was pressing against and keeping the lungs from expanding and that my upper lungs were not working
Now I could ask you my thoughts on this for your response but instead I will let you tell me why. I created a list tonight of all times that breathing was hard for me it started in 1998 at college while hurrying to get to class. I still smoked then and I attributed the sob while climbing three flights of stairs to cigarettes then I went year by year to pull out the events triggering sob. There were not many until 3 years ago then it exploded. I can find lots of stressors Many times I told my naive self that I damaged a part of lung and that I was headed for the grave. Oh the sob I felt was not the type of breathlessness from running or playing sports. This was a different sensation that hung on and made your uncomfortable. When I read about my mothers diagnosis, I really read on it so I could answer her questions on sensations. Maybe that is why I think I have lung areas that are damaged. I don't know, I just want my lungs to work as they use to that they work as a whole and that I don't have an area refusing to help breathe. Sorry for the long essay.

Yes the main question is about why my upper chest will not functioning as it should.
The rest was describing how things have been during the prior tests and yet I don't seem to feel as I think I should.

I also followed your Flovent dose age instruction and a Xanax and I slept through till one hour before I needed to get up. Still tired and could sleep longer.

I have heard of ct but not ct thorax nor have I heard of vq scan

6:40 am

Xanax at 8:15 last night. Flovent same time

Not sure I have to request from dr

I took the xanax and flovent 1 hour before bed then I slept for 7 hours and woke. Looked at the clock and considered getting one more hour before I needed to get up. I dozed but never fell back asleep. Slept well for the 7 hours before I woke.

Yes I was stressed. I was worried about starting to have difficulty breathing right from the minute I arose. Plus the fact that I wanted to stay in bed and sleep more just to feel rested

I did sleep well but when I arose the first thing that hit my mind is the uncomfortable feeling of not getting a breath in as I should or think i should as I get up and get ready for work. I enjoy the staying in bed because as I lay there I find no breathing issues but the minute I get active, I start having some breathing obstruction. I also have it while sitting here at my desk, I dont understand because I hear your words that its anxiety and inflammation but when I arise, it returns as I get moving. Then I think that i have a problem or wonder if it is one that pft misses

First I was not frustrated nor was i feeling bad. So do not worry. I too do not understand, I once mentioned that I read on COPD when my mom got it. I remember a part that said that upper lungs tend to get emphysema while lower get AAT emphysema.

I too have a hard time thinking about sleeping well yet wake with an issue. other than the thought that I breathe shallow when sleeping and am taking or trying to take deeper breathes when up and about.

I know your not trying to criticize me. I do a good job of that anyway.

Sorry, no one had AAT, I was reading about copd and I remember the section about emphysema, all types including AAT, I was just mentioning what I read. That smoking related attacks upper lungs and AAT attacks lower lungs. That is what it said, whether right or wrong, I remember that part.

Lets hold this thread open for now. I do not care about ATT, my concern is about my upper lung not breathing, expanding as it once did. That I let my mind try to understand what is going on and what may be answer. I search for answers on computer using my descriptions and up comes emphysema.

What is worse is the thought that after good pfts, a passing chest xray, if i was to have a ct scan and it shows emphysema, i dont know how I would do.

This next bit may sound funny but I sit at a desk and my desk top is level to the bottom of my ribs. As I lean against it and it gives light pressure inward, I notice that my breathing is mostly in my stomach and little to upper chest. The pressing in also limits the breath taken.

I always wonder if I lose some weight and if my upper chest is tight from stress, would i breath equally upper and lower and with much more ease.

yes you may demand

My weight has gone down and then back up

I was overweight, lost the weight, gained it back when I moved here. I am roughly 25 pounds over my desired

yes I can, Ill have to see how to upload them

Sent and they are not pretty

I do not find the images to be worth looking at. It is not so bad when you look in the mirror.

Central obesity? thats new, I can guess the explanation. Are you saying that this is putting pressure on the diaphragm or what.

Tell me of this and its participation to my problems

Arent you supposed to be sleeping right now?


Sorry, I have no issues when laying down, when sitting i do get uncomfortable. standing and sitting are close but more to sitting. I sit for work, i sit at home,

My exercise has been the following over the past 16 years
2000 started work that required sitting, Walked daily 1 mile
2001 Started exercise program at wellness center
2004 Added biking to program
2006 stopped wellness program walking stopped
2006-20011 biking went down till no biking in 2014 and little in 15
2012 Mom Died, Lots of things that had no exercise but were stressfull.

I did a poor job of mentioning that i felt as if my abdomen was pushing against the diaphragm. But that has been bothering me for awhile.

Also do I understand you correctly that damage to lungs from smoking does upper and lower equally?

XXXXXXX Football or Soccer Football?

Yes I am in office and I can talk, I am working in between conversation text.

So, lets think of this, I quit exercising as I once did, I become sedentary and slowly put on weight. In this time period, I am dealing with mom and her home along side my own issues causing higher stress. My breathing becomes a concern because of watching mom and all my stress, The inflammation grows and grows and so does the stomach. Now my psychiatrist told me some time back that Stress causes stomach and digestive issues. I dont know if that is a factor, but if these are all causal factors to my health or should I say my breathing, this would be a big step in understanding. but all of that is a big what if? to try to connect all of them. I do believe that the exercising has caused sedentary and weight gain, and I still believe that my diaphragm has been pushed by my abdomen.

I also believe that I have let stress grow so much that I am sensitive to the Mediators that are released in my body, You said the lungs are one are they go to.

Wow just too much going on. Did i really let this much stuff grow and occur.

I do not follow UEFA soccer. I do follow XXXXXXX football. Yes I need to start exercise. I may have to find gym in another city. My home is a small city with no gym with equipment or size to help me.

I think you will agree that I will need to start slow and work up to a good exercise program.

get the abdomen down and may breath much much better.

No Jogging, never ever. Treadmill at 6-7 kilometers per hour or bike riding. loved the bike. knees do not like the impact of jogging. Again, start slow and work up

Actually I do not mind the crunches, I prefer to do them so that I am not wrenching on my neck as I am doing them.


I also love to swim but none in the town i live. It is only 2000 people.

I think i will find a month to month program until i move back home up north. There I can get everything. It is a very good size city with many gyms and many exercise choices.