Hi everyone. I have had this fibromyalgia for at least 20 years. A few months ago I had the greatest of flare-ups which led my doctor to diagnose me for the first time with fibromyalgia. I also have severe osteoarthritis throughout my entire body and 2 new knees. Nothing has changed with my symptoms but maybe now that I am a wee bit older, 72, things want to get more severe. Normally, when I climb the steps, I get short of breath. Don’t think that I am out of shape. I am only 5 ft 6 inches and 149 lbs. My wife and I day-hike no less than 3 days a week and often times as many as 5 days a week. We day-hike the Shenandoah National Park Trails and have day-hiked the Yellowstone Trails. That is great therapy mentally and keeps us physically fit. I take my Tramadol with me in case the fibromyalgia kicks in too hard. I don’t take the Tramadol unless I am unable to function and have had to take it only twice in 7 years on the trails. Isn’t that funny; I can walk the mountains with minimal problems, on the average, but the steps make me breathe heavy.
Anyway, lets get to get to the subject of the breathing problems. For the last 2 months, when I stoop or bend down or even just lay in bed, my breathing becomes labored and my chest tightens. My doctor is checking me out for many potential possible reasons but agrees with me it may just be the fibromyalgia, which I believe it is. My wife has lost 2 husbands, one to bone cancer and the second to a neurogenic disease. She is greatly concerned for me and understandably so which has caused me to see the doctor, namely for her peace of mind.
I am appealing to you for a wee bit of your understanding and wisdom from your experience. Have any of you experienced this problem with the breathing? If you have, what have you learned, such as, how to deal with it? What is your experience? What advice can you give? I eagerly await your responses. I have become more concerned lately because the breathing problem has just recently started as I am lying in bed. No. It is not sleep apnea. That has been ruled out.
For clarification, do you take tramadol regularly in your daily life vs. on the hike? Because one of the side effects is depressed breathing:
Tramadol may cause decrease your ability to breathe , a condition called respiratory depression. Life-threatening respiratory depression can occur if you take too much tramadol . … You may not be able to take tramadol if you have severe asthma or any lung conditions that causes breathing problems .
azurelle
I said that I take the Tramadol only when I am unable to function (once only on those occasions) and have taken it only twice on hikes in the last seven years. Taking Tramadol on a regular basis is ill advised because you will eventually need stronger doses to have the same pain relieving effect thereby addicting one. Then eventually it will no longer have the desired effect. I am very much aware of the effects of Tramadol. 30 pills may last me a half year to a year.
Any blood pressure meds or lyrica? Both are known to cause breathing problems in fms patients over 60. In fact it does so to the point Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis is not uncommonly found among people with Fibromyalgia, especially for people who are female, 60+ old, and take medication Lyrica and have Blood pressure management.
Because tramadol in infrequent doses is effective, quite a few docs are also prescribing SNRIs these days (it’s believed that snri action by tramadol is why it works. SNRIs also cause some scarring on the lungs especially in older 60+ men. I’d sure get it looked at and a good drug review.
BTW that’s not as little tramadol as you may think. Those levels certainly won’t cause any of the problems you mentioned but there is an enzyme called CYP2D6 that metabolizes it. Iregular reqular use can really foul up the works. CYP2D6 is also a critical lung enzyme. If you are a poor metabolizer of CYP2D6 (about 25% of us are) and hit the Tylenol regularly it could be causing some problems.
More than likely it is a much simpler issue that all of that but the problems you are having are certainly worth having checked out. FMS should not be causing breathing issues, BUT keep in mind of all the drugs and potions etc, consistently in study after study, the single most effective treatment is exercise, an aerobic exercise at that.
TJ
Thank you very much. I just got back normal results from my Chest X-Ray, and Lab work. And the Holter Monitor is normal. So, let me try to get this straight. What you are saying is that even the irregular use of Tramadol can possibly cause problems. Am I right?
As we get older, yes (but its usually the associated tylenol). Irregular use of PRN meds are still a regular use in terms of phisiology) Our immune systems (wheich is what makes tramadol work) are easily confused.
But lets get real are those problems worth hours, days, or even weeks of non-function? Speaking of hiking. I have literally hiked thousands of miles in Glacier going back to my teens. I don’t take Tramadol with me (IM prednisone is my drug of choice) but I do take a walker. (makes quite a site) its a pretty cool walker BTW my son number 3 son and his crew who run a hot rod/body shop have made some nice modifications: Custom paint job (with flames) several cup holders, bear spray holder, headlights, all terrain wheels, and even a holder for my cane. Did a two night backpacking trip this summer. You do what you gotta do, to do what you want to do. Hang in there.
TJ
Are you our age or a wee bit older? We would love to see that walker. Can you send a picture? It was great chatting with you and I thank you for everything you have given me to think about. As Rocky says, “Rock On”.
And, keep in mind, it doesn’t matter how you use meds or how often or how little you take them, a negative reaction is a negative reaction. It could happen after one dose or after one hundred doses – it simply depends on your body and how it’s using the medication.
As an example, I was successfully on lamictal for 10 years to help control chronic facial pain, I went into a flare up, we decided to increase my dose to see if it would pull the flare back under control and that was my personal tipping point for lamictal. I upped the dose by 25% and went into negative side effects, so much so that I had to come completely off the medication. And this is after 10 years of daily, successful use!
Don’t fall into the trap of thinking occassional use won’t cause problems or reactions. It’s not the amount of medication or how often you use it, it’s how you react to the medication.
azurelle
Thank you very much. I enjoyed chatting with you and you have given me a wee bit to think about. God bless and keep hiking.
Hi,
I experience breathing problems when I am in a flare. I noticed that my breathing gets quicker and I cannot take deep breaths when this is happening. I’m not sure if this is the same feeling you experience, but when this happens to me I just make sure I rest more than usual and take things really slow so that my body can recover.
I also experience breathing problems when I am exposed to a certain fabric, dust or if my bed sheets are washed in a specific laundry powder, but this is more related to allergic-asthma and it worsens when I lie down as my airways become blocked.
I hope that you can find out where your breathing problem is coming from and that you and your wife can have peace of mind.
When I am in a flare, my breathing is effected. I can work about the house but am out of breath every 20 to 30 minutes. If I rest for about 15 minutes I can continue my work. That is the only way I can get things done in a flare.
When I climb the stairs from time to time I have heavy breathing for a while. I have been made fun of, belittled and made to feel so inferior. I just cleaned the two upper bedrooms and am so tired and breathless. I spent the last 20 years thinking I was out of shape and the male doctors said that I was just depressed, giving me all kinds of depressing medications. I find it funny that it took a female doctor to finally diagnose me with fibromyalgia. I scrubbed all medications, got on a gluten free, low sugar diet and feel so much better. But the breathing problem stays the same. Can’t have everything. But be happy with what you do have.