Whistle(Wheeze) Coming From Throat. Any Theories?

[Agreeky]

So as some of you might know my breathing issues has been the vein of my existance. Two pft have indicated I have upper airway obstruction. But two different ENTs have checked down my throat and see nothing abnormal. Anyway, sometimes I get a whistle when I breath out. My bf heard it the other night it was so bad. Now it is gone again... I was terrified it was a stridor, but I did research and those almost always occur when you inhale. Mine is on exhale. Any theories?? I have acid reflux that comes to my throat, maybe that cause irritation? I would love input..

[dkd]

I have a wheeze that feels like it's in my throat (not all of the time, it comes and goes). I told the pulmonologist and he didn't say anything about it. I just had my second PFT yesterday and the tech said it was normal. My ENT said my vocal cords were a little irritated looking, probably from reflux. My gastro said I didn't have reflux. So who knows???

I'm about ready to give up on all the testing and just say it's the dysautonomia. I have a referral to another neuro so maybe he'll know what's going on??

Have you been to a pulmonologist? Mine said the only other thing he could do was a bronchoscopy which involves sedation, so I don't think I'm going to do it. Especially with my repeat PFT being normal. I don't feel normal though

[looneymom]

Look up Vocal Cord Dysfunction. The doctors thought my son had asthma. They put him on inhalers and it made him worse. My son was diagnosed by an ENT. My son was scoped while it was happening. However, I know doctors are not convenient at just any time. If you can catch it on video when it's happening, that might help. A speech pathologist can teach you breathing exercises to make it stop. Once my son learned the breathing exercises, he has not had a problem with it again.

Rachel

[Agreeky]

Dkd the local Pulmo has been kind off jerking me around. I think it is time I had a bronchoscope... He wants me to have a neck ct. Hate getting all that radiation though... Have had so many xrays and other cts. Looneymom I have read up on that. Did he have voice changes?? I begged the ENT office to see me when I had the whistle bad.. But of course they could not see me. Nothing gets accomplished : (

[looneymom]

Yes, he did. It sounded like asthma part of the time, sometimes a whistle or a strider. He had a hoarse voice afterwards. My husband and I figured it out after seeing videos of this online. I came across a doctor online that had several videos that demonstrated striders, and vocal cord dysfunction. He was an ENT. Does it happen at a certain time, after exercising, when stressed? If you have a phone that takes videos, keep it handy and record it when it happens.

My son had a bronchoscope last year. He did not do well coming out from the procedure. If you don't do well with anesthesia, you might not want to go through this procedure. It will show any abnormalities but the neck ct might be easier. I would advise you to try and video tape an episode. Then find an ENT or Pulmo that does know what vocal cord dysfunction is and show him the video. If this is the correct diagnosis, you will need a speech teacher to teach the breathing exercises. I was just fortunate that I was able to get my son to an ENT when it was happening. When it happens, does it last for awhile? This happened for 3-4 hours at a time with my son. After he learned the breathing exercises, he could make it stop within a couple minutes.

Rachel

[Agreeky]

Thanks for all the information Rachel. Sorry I took so long to respond. My voice only gets a little hoarse sometimes. But I think I could have what your son did. I went to the lung doctor today and he thinks it's vocal cord dysfunction. He wants to send me to a specialist that looks at that part of your throat. Also, I'm getting a special CAT scan that does images of me breathing in and out. I do not know what situation triggers it. I have noticed that I get in more at night when I'm at home. Could be because of certain triggers in my house. I also do get in more after I exercise. I am wondering If GERD can cause vocal cord dysfunction. And I do have that. Hopefully it is something easily treated : (

[looneymom]

Agreeky

It's good to hear that you are getting somewhere with this. Vocal cord dysfunction can be set off by several things. However, do you ever have a cough, or throat clearing with this? The reason why I ask, is because my son also has a vocal tic. I really think his vocal tic started with the vocal cord dysfunction or may have even caused it. When my son was younger, he would always seem to have a cough. I was told it was an allergy cough. However, I'm pretty sure that allergy cough was a vocal tic. They are hard to tell apart. A vocal tic can sound like a cough or throat clearing. If this is going on a neurologist can help with the vocal tic. Hope you get some answers and vocal cord dysfunction is much easier to get under control than the vocal tic. However, I wanted to make you aware of this combination. Also don't let the doctor tell you it's all in your head. It's not and you cannot prevent it from happening unless you know what triggers it. However, exercise and GERD can trigger it. My son was checked for GERD. It was negative also.

Rachel

[spinner]

Its possible to have an enlarged thyroid--i have one.

There is another condition known as laryngeal reflux. Usually affecting older folk but the

acid makes its way all the way up to the trachea and seeps into the lungs.

Might be worth investigating since you have breathing issues.

By the way, have you done elimination diet of gluten? So many of us have multiple chronic

problems.

It can go something like virus- leaky gut- reflux- apnea- DA - asthma -- hpa axis, etc etc etc

[Loulou]

Thyroid nodules can also cause breathing issues, my blood tests for thyroid hormones like tsh is always normal but my doctor had a thyroid scan dine and just found five nodules. I'm waiting for the biopsy to come back now. But my point is that you should maybe get it check.

[spinner]

For further research:

1. inflammation (see dr. hyman)

2. Allergies onset

3. leaky gut syndrome

4. esophogeal reflux

5. blood vessel restriction

6. sleep disorder setting off asthma

7. constricted airway or anaphylactic

8. Wheat (see modern wheat and dr. davis) and "wheat belly"

9. see breathing techniques (deep diaphragm breathing)

10. Consider keeping your environment cool, or humidifed or not

11. a possible environmental allergen (mold)

12. blood disorder, anemia,

13. blood vessel constriction causing asthma

14. a more severe reaction to excitotoxins (MSG , aspartame, do you drink diet soda?)

---processed foods? Leaky gut?