Lungs feel "weak" in the morning?

[bin_tenn]

Hey all! I hope you're doing well. Not much going on here lately aside from some anxiousness due to caffeine overload. Haha! This isn't so much a concern as it is just baffling and I'm curious to know if any of you have had it, and how to possibly get relief.

For many years now I sometimes wake up feeling like my lungs are "weak" for lack of a better description. Sometimes it's bad enough that taking a moderately deep breath causes my chest / lungs to hurt like hell, then it triggers a cough. The cough is usually dry. Other days it's just slightly difficult to catch a full deep breath, but no cough.

Oftentimes when I wake up and first get out of bed, immediately engaging in physical activity makes me extremely short of breath. If I wait 30min-1hr after getting up and around, I feel great, no issues. This never occurs during the day, only first thing in the morning. I've discovered lately that if I stay in bed for 5-10min and take some good deep breaths, then get up, I feel significantly better and don't really have any trouble at all.

Yes, I'm a smoker, so that's certainly a contributing factor. But any other tips for helping this? Could it be environmental? I do have chronic post nasal drip, so I'm assuming a lot of this is caused perhaps by the crud dripping down my throat all night. It's no better but also no worse than when I can first remember it happening years ago. Doc and cardiologist both have given me a clean bill of health, and my annual physical always checks out just fine. So obviously no known danger.

Anyone else?

 

[matisworried]

i feel the same way most mornings. mine has been chalked up to a combination of chronic post nasal drip and severe acid reflux (LPR to be specific.) do you have reflux? or have you ever been diagnosed?

 

[bin_tenn]

i feel the same way most mornings. mine has been chalked up to a combination of chronic post nasal drip and severe acid reflux (LPR to be specific.) do you have reflux? or have you ever been diagnosed?

Oops. Yes, I definitely have reflux. What is it about the reflux that exacerbates this? Is it the reflux itself, or does it trigger some other "thing" that leads to this? I was on a PPI for a couple years after a freak episode of GERD mixed with other things caused an afib episode. No issues since, and I stopped the PPI a little while back. I occasionally take Tums and / or a prescribed Famotidine at bedtime if needed.

 

[matisworried]

Oops. Yes, I definitely have reflux. What is it about the reflux that exacerbates this? Is it the reflux itself, or does it trigger some other "thing" that leads to this? I was on a PPI for a couple years after a freak episode of GERD mixed with other things caused an afib episode. No issues since, and I stopped the PPI a little while back. I occasionally take Tums and / or a prescribed Famotidine at bedtime if needed.

think about what reflux is: acid from your stomach being regurgitated into your throat. ACID. SCORCHING. YOUR. THROAT. if you have lpr, the acid goes up past the voice box where there's less protection. this creates tons of irritation and swelling. the reason it can be worse in the morning is because gravity isn't keeping the contents of your stomach where it belongs when you're laying down... especially if you're doing things that aggravated your reflux. imagine 6-8 hours of reflux going on every night.

 

[bin_tenn]

Hmm. Not sure that's causing mine, but it may be. I've not had a scope done, nor have I received an LPR diagnosis; just good ol' GERD. Oh well. Interesting to know that you feel the same way most mornings, and I guess the reflux is the one major thing we have in common, huh?

 

[matisworried]

Hmm. Not sure that's causing mine, but it may be. I've not had a scope done, nor have I received an LPR diagnosis; just good ol' GERD. Oh well. Interesting to know that you feel the same way most mornings, and I guess the reflux is the one major thing we have in common, huh?

and chronic post nasal drip.

have you considered the weather as being a cause? it's very dry this time of year. that can lead to some congestion. smoking probably only aggravates it all, too. not lecturing, obviously... to each their own, but it could be a contributor.

 

[bin_tenn]

and chronic post nasal drip.

have you considered the weather as being a cause? it's very dry this time of year. that can lead to some congestion. smoking probably only aggravates it all, too. not lecturing, obviously... to each their own, but it could be a contributor.

I'm sure smoking is a major factor here, I don't deny that at all. Haha. No worries. The weather I've thought may contribute as well, but this happens year round. There's no particular pattern that I've noticed. It happens sometimes, sometimes not. It is much worse some days, but other days hardly noticeable.

What do you do about LPR? I've wondered before if I have that, but I've not talked to my doc about it yet and know very little about it. I just know I have chronic post nasal drip, an occasional "wheeze" resolved by a quick cough (loosens up mucus), chronic throat clearing as well. Not sure what LPR symptoms may be as opposed to typical reflux, but that's the crap I deal with.

 

[matisworried]

treatment is more or less the same. lifestyle changes and meds.

lpr is often called "silent reflux" and many that suffer, myself included, don't get typical reflux symptoms.

the main symptoms of lpr are hoarseness, chronic cough, asthma, noisy breathing... you can also have post nasal drip, sore throat and trouble breathing.

 

[bin_tenn]

Hm

treatment is more or less the same. lifestyle changes and meds.

lpr is often called "silent reflux" and many that suffer, myself included, don't get typical reflux symptoms.

the main symptoms of lpr are hoarseness, chronic cough, asthma, noisy breathing... you can also have post nasal drip, sore throat and trouble breathing.

Hmm, okay, thanks. I may ask my doc when I see her again in January. I have several of those symptoms, but that doesn't mean it's LPR. Doc will obviously know better than I do. I've been working on lifestyle changes. Eating better, avoiding trigger foods and such.

By meds do you mean typical reflux meds, or are there meds specifically for LPR?

 

[matisworried]

Hm


Hmm, okay, thanks. I may ask my doc when I see her again in January. I have several of those symptoms, but that doesn't mean it's LPR. Doc will obviously know better than I do. I've been working on lifestyle changes. Eating better, avoiding trigger foods and such.

By meds do you mean typical reflux meds, or are there meds specifically for LPR?

typical reflux meds, sometimes multiple. i was on 40 mg of omeprazol twice daily for a few years... most people take 20.

making sure you don't eat four hours before bed is pretty crucial if you're waking up with symptoms.

 

[bin_tenn]

typical reflux meds, sometimes multiple. i was on 40 mg of omeprazol twice daily for a few years... most people take 20.

making sure you don't eat four hours before bed is pretty crucial if you're waking up with symptoms.

Alright. I was on Pantoprazole 40mg for a couple years, and the normal is 20mg for that one as well. I don't typically eat within about two hours of getting in bed, and I only drink a little water around the time I lay down.

 

[matisworried]

Alright. I was on Pantoprazole 40mg for a couple years, and the normal is 20mg for that one as well. I don't typically eat within about two hours of getting in bed, and I only drink a little water around the time I lay down.

I've always been told no food for four, liquids for two. my wife works until 7 most nights so we don't eat dinner until closer to 8. needless to say, i frequently don't heed that advice and i often pay the price.

 

[bin_tenn]

I've always been told no food for four, liquids for two. my wife works until 7 most nights so we don't eat dinner until closer to 8. needless to say, i frequently don't heed that advice and i often pay the price.

Ha yeah, I'm not sure I can go without food for that long, honestly. I LOVE food. I've never had an issue with weight, but I can really throw down on some food.

 

[matisworried]

Ha yeah, I'm not sure I can go without food for that long, honestly. I LOVE food. I've never had an issue with weight, but I can really throw down on some food.

hahaha! i hear ya!

good luck with everything. try some changes at home. it might help you at least rule some stuff out, when deciding whether or not to ask the doc about it.

 

[bin_tenn]

hahaha! i hear ya!

good luck with everything. try some changes at home. it might help you at least rule some stuff out, when deciding whether or not to ask the doc about it.

Yep, I think that's a reasonable plan. I've not been doing as well lately in avoiding triggers for reflux. It hasn't caused my reflux episodes to return like they were before, but I've certainly had it more than before. I need to get back to drinking water more than anything else, that's the biggest thing (I love sweet tea and an occasional Pepsi or Coke).