Returning member with new symptoms?

I used to post here years ago but had a hard drive miss-hap and lost my way! Couldn't for the life of me remember the name of the forum site. Typical fibrofog. For some reason today it just came to me. Glad to be back.

I was visiting my massage therapist this week and while telling her about an episode I had she asked if I thought it was FM related. I had never even considered the possibility but it did get me thinking. I guess I am here today to see if it would seem familiar to anyone else.

No way to make it short so forgive the length of my post and some of the descriptive "gross-ness" as well.

I can recall these "episodes" happening less than 10 times in my life as an adult (I am 45). A search online and I think I may be having bronchial spasms. The most recent one happened last Saturday night and I was moments away from calling 911. I was sure I wasn't ever going to be able to breath on my own and had hopes that someone would find me in time. Luckily I was able to get my airways opened enough and recovered. Every time this has happened to me it is beyond frightening but this time I was really thinking I could die (suffocate).

I always seem to have a lot of phlegm. I cough throughout the day and produce enough mucus with the coughs to spit it out. Gross I know and I apologize again. I was eating a fun-sized candy bar (always happens when I am eating) and I usually chalk it up to something went down the "wrong hole". The coughing fit was so bad yet nothing was stuck in my throat. I ran to the bathroom because I knew I was going to vomit. I felt as if my lungs were balloons and I had coughed all the air out of them. They were clamped shut and I couldn't take air in to fill them up again. My eyes were watering to the point I could barely see. I was standing in front of a mirror and my face was the brightest shade of red I have ever seen a human capable of becoming. I am gasping for air with all of my might and making a very scary noise (wheezing perhaps)? Thinking back it more so seems as if my throat had nearly closed shut and perhaps not my lungs being empty? I vomited more and slowly but surely I was able to finally start moving some air. The mucous was being produced with such intensity I couldn't spit it out fast enough. Then I start to see bright red blood in the sink. The blood happened once before but was only a tinge. This was a good 3-4 mouth fulls. Once I was able to breath I realized that I was nearly frozen in place. My entire torso was one big cramp. My muscles were spasming and I could only move my legs/arms. I had to will myself to walk to the bed and lay down. I finally made it and recovered but I couldn't speak. I had lost my voice completely. I must have injured my vocal cords while gasping so strongly for air and of course I remembered the scary noise I had been making so I'm assuming I just overtaxed them. The voice started to come back within minutes however it remained almost laryngitis-like for a good 4 days.

DH had been in the shower during this and since I couldn't speak I knew asking for help wasn't going to work. He also can't see anything without his glasses and had I walked in the bathroom I would have freaked him out by the noise I was making and him not being able to see. I also was in self preservation mode and knew there wasn't anything he could do for me.

I did end up telling him what happened (had never before ever spoke about these "episodes"). He said that I should have used an inhaler. I have an older (now expired) inhaler I had been given for a past bout with bronchitis. I put that info in my memory bank and that is what prompted me to find out what has been happening to me. Including this time I have had one other over the past year. They are very infrequent. I have never had reason to suspect I have asthma but my little research shows what happened to me is more so common with people who have asthma, also those suffering with GERD. I DO have more common bouts with acid reflux so perhaps there is a correlation. Can't also forget about the massive amounts of phlegm I have constantly. I know there is a connection just can't wrap my brain around on where to start!

The blood issue while scary when I saw it isn't so much of a concern. I think it could be broken blood vessels in the throat/esophagus brought on by intense coughing.

Since so many things happens to us as fibro sufferers I thought I would ask if this is something that anyone else has been known to experience.

Hi there....welcome back!

Sorry to hear of your new issues....I can't say I have heard this relating to Fibro...as many of us have other health issues that can come up.

As Sherrine mentioned, make sure you find a good Gastroenterologist and go get this checked out so they can diagnose you and treat accordingly.

Keep us posted..

I am not sure if you have seen a gastro Dr. before. I bet you would get your answer. I have seen allergies to food do similiar things. Sometimes people esophagus needs dilated. It could be a number of things. That must of been real scary for you. I hope you find your answer soon.

Hi there, Lovemyboxer...let me join the welcome wagon! I can sure identify with forgetting a forum name - my password or name - or just about anything else!

With something that extreme, I would also doubt fibro as the cause....maybe the whole body cramp part, but not the coughing.

My mom used to have coughing fits kind of like you described (she had pulmonary fibrosis, and also Barrett's Esophagus...but I never was sure which accounted for the coughing.)

I'd get to a good doctor asap and get it all checked out. Hope you're feeling all better!

Debbie