I was just wondering if anyone is suffering from breathlessness. Just recently when doing some walking outside with my walking stick i am becoming very breathless and have to stop
walking. I am unable to walk very far. I feel this has got worse in the last couple of months.(I had my stroke in November 22). As well as being in a lot of pain) i am feeling very low as i feel i am not getting any better. I am seeing my doctor next week and will talk to her about it. Has anybody else experienced this.
Hi @Tricia50 and welcome. I wouldnāt say I get breathless as such, itās more I have tendency to run out of air when speaking. So long as I keep my sentences short Iām alright. Thatās still a work in progress to get better control of it.
In the beginning, yes, definitely, particularly going uphill, I frequently had to stop and catch my breath. This is a stroke effect that should clear up within your first year of recovery. Iām over 2yrs post stroke now and can easily do 4/5miles without being winded or breathless.
But it is still good that you are going to mention it your doctor so she can check you over and give you peace of mindā¦is the pain in the chest?
Might also be good to take a little bottle of water along with you while you walk. I found my mouth would be hanging open and get dry as I frequently forgot to mentally check that it was closedā¦another little stroke quirk of mine
Anyway, enjoy your walks, now with this finer weather you should start to make some real progress with walking and distances
Breathlessness i think comes as an un added bonus to us which we didnt ask for but was dealt it for kicksā¦ i am 2yr post stroke and even now i get breathlessā¦
My wife is like Mark are you okā¦ me i am yeah am great couldnt be better Pant Pant doing great scooby doo impersonationsā¦
Somedays are always better than others even now i realised we have highs and lows or as emerald eyes calls them āblipsā
I still wonder if emerald eyes has actually real fingersā¦ as her sentences are huge sometimes and has took me 3 attempts at timesā¦ lol only jokingā¦
Yes I do have real fingersā¦and hear I thought I was making my sentences shorter
My trouble is with these little text boxes to write in.
They fool me into thinking Iām not writing much.
And then I hit the reply button and see just exactly how much Iāve written
And then I have to go back and fill in all the words Iāve missed
@Tricia50 There could be many causes of breathlessness & it is always wise to get new symptoms checked out especially if it is accompanied by any chest pain. Hopefully your GP can out your mind at rest next week.
Thank you for all your support and advice. I do not get any chest pain just breathlessness. I am on the medication Verapamil and one of the side affects is breathlessness. I was wondering as being on a lot of medication if that could be the cause. I am seeing my doctor next week so i will see what she says.
It is so good to have this format to express how we are feeling. I feel very supported and not alone.
Thank you x
Having read up about Verapamil now, I see it can cause muscle pain (is that the pain you spoke of?) and shortness of breath. Have you only been on them since your stroke? Hopefully your doctor might be able to switch it for another. The thing about medications is they can be a bit like buying shoes, you have to try on several pairs until you get the right pair to fit you, so good luck with next week at the docs
Itās possible your meds could be causing your issues. Hopefully your GP will check you over & rule out other causes then change your meds if needed. Good luck xx
Hi I am a new comer . My name is Gay . I suffer from breathlessness when talking . I was a singer and taught people how to breath from the body. Now I find it exhausting to speak for any length of time and avoid socialising . I assume it is because I am still so weak . My small stroke was last July and I feel that any progress I was making some months ago has stalled . Depressing!
Itās always stalling Gay, 2 steps forward 1 step back, thatās just the way it goes.
Some people find it useful to keep a diary to track of their progress.
Like I said above, try keeping to short simple sentences. Pace your speech with your breathing, in other words speak with a full lung and refill before the next sentence it will improve. Stay positive, that works too
@Tricia50 glad you are speaking with your doctor, donāt let them fob you off with itās stroke recovery, yes the nhs is stretched, but you need to sort this. It could be worse mine was a heart attack building luckily thatās all sorted. Weight also plays a part in breathless. good luck
Hi
I tend to get a bit breathless with physical exertion, e.g. walking more than 10 metres. I am also a singer and find I canāt hold notes anywhere near as long as pre stroke. However, grateful i can sing and am doing some breathingexs.
Blessings
it will improve. Stay positive, that works too