Breathing Issues
Original Post: I was recently hospitalized with a serious asthma attack. Home now, I’m wondering if the breathlessness of all the coughing could be attributed to PPS. I’m a tad concerned about losing breathing capability. Should I worry, or just wait for recovery to come? Coughing is exhausting.
Dr. Bruno’s Response: I would suggest that you ask your physician about pulmonary function studies to see what’s what, and would ask for lung function studies with CO2 measured. ALWAYS go to the source of the issue and please do not just assume that PPS is the cause. I hope you feel better.
Additional Post: My dad had breathing issues for years. The doctor said wasn't asthma but because he wasn’t sure of what it was, he was treating it like asthma. Dad had non-paralytic polio as a child (seemingly to fully recover) but as he hit middle age his body started to have problems. A PPS physician suggested it was PPS. They discovered his intercostal muscles were weakened and he had polio spine. With treatment he is now off all asthma inhalers and ventilation.
Dr. Bruno’s Response: Lots of Polio survivors have Respiratory Muscle Weakness due to Polio. Therefore, proper diagnosis is critical. Most require a Bi-Pap (NOT a C-Pap).
See the article: CPAP, Bi-Pap and Volume Ventilators