Breathing difficulties?

[Momto2girls]

So, we have the Sulfasalazine, but we haven't started it yet b/c we were trying to give the no Zyrtec expirement a chance to work. I didn't want to go off the Zyrtec at the same time we start Sulfasalazine and then not know which one was helping?

So far she's still constipated -- didn't poop today -- very little yesterday -- but her tummy pains seem a little better -- I think it must be b/c we've been doing little to no gluten. Now, she's been able to sleep the past couple of nights (even without Zyrtec) which is unusual for her. And her eczema does not seem any worse, so maybe we will be able to go without it for the winter?

But today she told me that she sometimes can't breathe. Like, for a few breaths she can't get in air, but then she can, and then it starts over again. She said it sometimes happens in the night but also sometimes during the day. And when I asked her how many times it has happened she said "a million." You gotta love trying to get information from a 4.5 year old.

So, I am wondering -- could this just be since going off the Zyrtec, and maybe an allergen is bothering her now? Could this be the start of asthma (considering she already has allergies and eczema), or is there anything IBD-related having to do with breathing? I will call the allergist in the morning, as I hate to mess around with breathing issues. But, I haven't actually witnessed anything?

Thoughts?

 

[Patricia56]

Anxiety would be my first guess. Sounds like mini-panic attacks.

Not typical of asthma in any way I have ever heard of or seen with my son.

Could be related to reflux maybe but it would certainly be atypical unless she is aspirating. However in that case I would expect she would be coughing, sore throat, chest pain, chest infections - i.e. other sx that went with that issue.

Hugs.

If it's anxiety doing a lot of medical tests to "find" the reason may only make it worse. so you may want to have a private chat with her various doctors about the sx and your thoughts before any tests/exams are undertaken.

And yes, a little kid can have panic attacks. Especially when they have experienced invasive medical procedures. They can develop symptoms of PTSD too.

 

[Momto2girls]

Well I gues. It possible although she's really not my anxious kid. And she hasn't even had blood taken since like sept. and her scope was last April? Nothing else at all?

 

[Patricia56]

I'm sure there are some other possibilities, it's just what struck me as the most efficient explanation for her symptoms.

So the main other things that comes to my mind would be muscle spasms in her neck, throat, esophagus or diaphragm.

If she's constipated really bad, she may have a lot of stool in the transverse colon pressing against the diaphragm. Depending on her position - bending over, etc - it might feel like she couldn't breathe.

Reflux could also be causing spasms in her esophagus or throat that might feel to her like she can't breathe.

Maybe a call to the pediatrician would be a good place to start. He can listen to her lungs and check her for other "normal" breathing issues first.

 

[Devynnsmom]

(((hugs)))) it doesn't sound like asthma to me. My son had asthma (my dad did too) when he would have problems, it never went away on its own. Whatever it is, I hope you figure it out. That must be scary for her.
My 11 year old started Sulfasalazine in Nov and is doing wonderfully. Good luck

 

[my little penguin]

Was she running or playing when she had trouble??
My DS started exercise induced asthma about that age where he had trouble breathing.
I couldn't tell but he could and would let me know.
A std lung function test is no invasive and your allergist should be able to do it .
They have a kiddie version for those over 4 .
If she has asthma you can have shortness of breath.
Look at national Jewish website for early warning signs of asthma there may be other things on the list that you just didn't think were related to asthma

 

[my little penguin]

http://www.nationaljewish.org/healthinfo/conditions/asthma/asthma-checklist/

 

[Momto2girls]

Thanks everyone. Well, she wanted to talk a lot more about it this morning and I could tell then when it was happening to her. It sounds to me like she's having trouble getting a full breath in -- I've had this happen to me before (I think everyone has?) and so I know what she is feeling. She said that she tries yawning and that usually helps her get the air in but sometimes that doesn't even help. She does say it happens sometimes when she is sitting -- and when she bends over the chair when her tummy hurts. And she is constipated now (didn't go yesterday), so maybe that is pushing against her diaphram? It is hard to know with Gracie but when we've had x-rays in the past she's always had a "large load" and with her inflammation in the TI maybe that is possible? I am just totally guessing.

This does seem to be related somehow to doing off the Zyrtec? Unless it is coincidence?

MLP, I know with the MAST cell thing the daily Zyrtec helps a lot -- I wonder if something like that is kicking in without it?

Also, she said she was up in the night with wrist pain. This is new. She sometimes complains of ankle pain (she calls it "getting a bump on her ankle") but she's never complained of her wrist.

I think I will call the allergist this morning since we just saw him last week and he's the one that said to go off the Zyrtec.

 

[Momto2girls]

MLP, thanks for the link, she does have some of those symptoms:

Breathing changes
Feel funny in chest
Headache
Easily Upset
Chin or throat itches (I thought this was interesting -- she does have this, but more noteably her upper lip itches a lot!!)
Pale
Grumpy

 

[Patricia56]

Interesting. Might be more than one thing going on too.

I'm glad she finally told you.

For the constipation, are you doing a regular toileting schedule?

 

[Momto2girls]

So in a remarkable turn of events, the allergist said to put her back on the Zyrtec and see if it gets better. Okee dokee!

So, that is my big medical mystery of the day!

 

[DustyKat]

Has the Zyrtec made a difference Momto2girls?

If not has she had bloods done recently to check for anaemia?

Dusty. xxx

 

[Momto2girls]

Hi dusty! I don't think the Zyrtec has helped yet? But it has only been two nights. I know it takes 4 days to get out if ur system so I wasn't sure if it was as long to be fully effective? I did do a little research and apparently it is called air hunger? If that is what she is experiencing. Can anemia cause that? I think her last check for anemia was last April? I know she will have to have a full physical before her mre so maybe then?

 

[DustyKat]

Yes, anaemia is one of the causes of air hunger and many of the other symptoms you have mentioned.

I would have them draw bloods for a Full Blood Count, B12, Folate and Iron Studies. There are varying types of anaemia with some symptoms common to most and some symptoms that are very specific to a particular type of anaemia. These tests will give a good indication of whether anaemia is present and if so in what form.

Dusty. xxx

 

[Momto2girls]

I didn't even know that anemia could cause those symptoms. I do worry b/c Gracie doesn't eat any meat -- at. all. Never has! Just refuses! I've always leaned toward being a veggie but my hubbie and older daughter eat plenty of meat, chicken, fish, but she will not! And of course when she started getting constipated, dairy was the first thing to go!

Now, she's been back on just a bit of cheese (she likes a bit of shredded cheese over her rice, for probably 2 meals a day!). And she does eat some yogurt. But, that's it.

We do give her vitamins. And it says 100% of B12. But no iron. I think we thought iron would be too hard on her already upset tummy.

Well, I am interviewing a new ped tomorrow. I guess we have a few things to discuss?

Oh and I forgot to mention she is allergic to nuts and eggs!

 

[Momto2girls]

Ummm...hello! I just read that one of the causes of a high platelet count is anemia!? Is that correct?! She had high platelets on her last blood draw. Which of course NO ONE was concerned with!!

 

[Momto2girls]

Ok I found the labs. So a CBC was done back in sept. we did one then bc her lab in I think June showed low neutrophils I think and we needed to be sure those came back up and they did. But the platelets were high. But hemoglobin and hemocrit were normal. Do you think that can change in just 4 months? Her symptoms do sound like anemia.

 

[Dexky]

I found this on Wiki. When we started our GF experiment, we were warned that the diet could cause it's own problem.

Deficiencies linked to maintaining a gluten-free diet

Many gluten-free products are not fortified or enriched by such nutrients as folate, iron, and fiber as traditional breads and cereals have been during the last century.[49] Additionally, because gluten-free products are not always available, many Gluten-Sensitive Enteropathy (GSE) patients do not consume the recommended number of grain servings per day. People who change their standard gluten-free diet to implement gluten-free oats at breakfast, high fiber brown rice bread at lunch, and quinoa as a side at dinner have been found to have significant increases in protein (20.6 g versus 11 g), iron (18.4 mg versus 1.4 mg), calcium (182 mg versus 0 mg), and fiber (12.7 g versus 5 g). The B vitamin group did not have significant increases, but were still found to have improved values of thiamine, riboflavin, niacin, and folate.[50] These dietary changes can greatly reduce a GSE patient's risk for anemia (especially Iron Deficiency Anemia) and low blood calcium levels or poor bone health.
Oats can increase intakes of vitamin B1, magnesium, and zinc in celiac disease patients in remission.[51]
[edit]

 

[Momto2girls]

Wow. Geez! I never knew this?! I have to say, she was never a big cereal or sandwich eater to begin with. She would munch of cereal with no milk every once in a while, but it was like a handful -- not a bowl with milk or anything every morning. And except for an occaisional grilled cheese (before we have up dairy) she doesn't eat sandwiches.

By the way, what is GSE? Is that just another fancy way to say Celiac?

You think you are doing something good, and then you realize that you weren't at all??

Like going off the Zyrtec. She does seem to be breathing better now. I don't know what to think.

 

[Patricia56]

So you have labs from June and September yes?

Anemia is formally diagnosed by a drop in both hemoglobin and hematocrit below normal levels and degree of anemia depends on the degree of drop in those numbers.

My son has signs (fatigue mainly) of anemia well before his H&H drop. When his ferritin falls then we know he needs iron supplementation or he will quickly become anemic.

There are lots of possible causes of anemia including b-vitamin deficiencies and blood loss and chronic inflammaiton.

elevated platelets can also be a sign of inflammatoin and can be due to rebound from having had low platelets. There's other causes but a single elevated reading in the absence of other abnormal labs should be viewed with caution, especially since your doctors don't seem to be alarmed.

I suggested in an earlier post that you contact her pediatrician for help with this problem. I really think that is your best bet at this point since there are a number of possible causes for these symptoms and they need to be ruled out. I don't know nearly enough, not being a doctor, to even guess at them all but other things that come to mind include heart or blood pressure issues.

 

[Momto2girls]

I have Sept -- not sure I have June? The only number that was not normal was platelets. I am interviewing a new ped this afternoon. She's been seeing my doctor in the meantime, which is fine as she is family practice, but I would rather a ped. So I need to get someone lined up. Thanks!