Overcoming VCD

My husband and I each had VCD (he in 1998, and I in 2000). We each were diagnosed at Nat'l Jewish, in Denver, CO. Very nice and kind folks working at Nat'l Jewish, which is a respiratory center that is expert at diagnosing VCD, asthma, etc. (Nat'l Jewish's "LUNG LINE" nurses are at 1-800-222-LUNG/5864) After we worked intensively on finding & removing our VCD causes, triggers, etc., and after we stopped having VCD attacks (almost entirely) for a year, I made a website about VCD (in early 2001). The title is: "Can't Breathe? Suspect Vocal Cord Dysfunction!". Here's a link to the home-page: cantbreathesuspectvcd.com I agree: VCD is "not" in the head! It's in the neck (larynx/voice box). Sometimes, there are structures near the vocal cords that "close up" (adduct), rather than the vocal cords closing up. Sometimes, several structures (including or not including vocal cords) can be closing up when they shouldn't. Usually, this "Upper Airway Dysfunction" (coined by docs at Nat'l Jewish) is treated the same way that VCD/Vocal Cord Dysfunction is: --speech therapy (taught by a VCD-savvy Speech Pathologist/Therapist) --look for, find & remove (or treat) underlying causes (see my website for food for thought, at cantbreathesuspectvcd.com ) Chlorine (in pools, and in bleach) is a known VCD trigger, as EdC discovered. I hope that pools will not be treated with chlorine someday, but instead, maybe with UltraViolet light. However, venting would still be needed, because U-V light creates ozone, which is a respiratory toxin & irritant (VCD trigger)! Reflux is also a major VCD trigger. However, reflux meds (acid blockers) have bad side effects that include nerve damage (peripheral neuropathies, etc.), osteoporosis, and promotion of various intestinal infections (including Clostridium difficile/C. diff., Helicobacter pylori/H. pylori, etc.). For some non-drug ways to combat VCD-causing reflux, see webpages 5 & 10, etc., in my website. But, don't suddenly stop taking acid blockers. That can cause "rebound" extra acid production, making reflux even worse, which makes VCD worse. For those who have asthma, consider learning Buteyko breathing methods, which are drug-free. Why? Because many asthma meds are VCD triggers! Don't suddenly stop the asthma meds, though. First, learn Buteyko, and if it helps, work with your asthma doc, to gradually wean down the VCD-promoting asthma meds (if safe in your situation). See info about Buteyko, in Reference #30, on webpage 9 of my website. There's an amazingly large number of causes, triggers, aggravators, and pre-disposing conditions that can lead to VCD. Many of these can be found, removed, or gently treated (often without meds). I've heard from MANY people (most with VCD) since 2001, and most were able to "cure" (or if not cure, control) their VCD. But, it takes some tedious searching, to uncover all or most of one's VCD causes, etc. I'm not totally convinced that more women suffer with VCD than men. I think that men tend to suffer in silence, more than women, so that could be a factor skewing the data. However, there may be a hormonal component, that could cause more women to get VCD. The key is to TEMPORARILY (like for a couple of weeks) look for, find, and then remove all (or most) of one's VCD causes. Search for causes in my website, for example. This means, stop swimming & stop strenuous exercises, for say 2 weeks, while doing an intensive search for all your other non-swimming VCD causes, triggers, etc. This includes keeping a total diary/journal, daily, for, say a week, to help figure out what is causing what symptom. See Appendix F on webpage 10, for ideas about keeping the total diary/journal. Webpage 4 has some VCD-stopping methods. Webpage 5 (and other webpages) describes many causes of VCD. Webpage 10 has "tips" about sinus problems, reflux, ergonomics problems, etc., all of which can promote getting VCD. VCD is not well understood by most docs. But, some do know about it. Good luck to all! Carol/Concerned lady (former RN/nurse, former VCD patient) cantbreathesuspectvcd.com

My husband and I each had VCD (he in 1998, and I in 2000). We each were diagnosed at Nat'l Jewish, in Denver, CO. Very nice and kind folks working at Nat'l Jewish, which is a respiratory center that is expert at diagnosing VCD, asthma, etc. (Nat'l Jewish's "LUNG LINE" nurses are at 1-800-222-LUNG/5864) After we worked intensively on finding & removing our VCD causes, triggers, etc., and after we stopped having VCD attacks (almost entirely) for a year, I made a website about VCD (in early 2001). The title is: "Can't Breathe? Suspect Vocal Cord Dysfunction!". Here's a link to the home-page: cantbreathesuspectvcd.com I agree: VCD is "not" in the head! It's in the neck (larynx/voice box). Sometimes, there are structures near the vocal cords that "close up" (adduct), rather than the vocal cords closing up. Sometimes, several structures (including or not including vocal cords) can be closing up when they shouldn't. Usually, this "Upper Airway Dysfunction" (coined by docs at Nat'l Jewish) is treated the same way that VCD/Vocal Cord Dysfunction is: --speech therapy (taught by a VCD-savvy Speech Pathologist/Therapist) --look for, find & remove (or treat) underlying causes (see my website for food for thought, at cantbreathesuspectvcd.com ) Chlorine (in pools, and in bleach) is a known VCD trigger, as EdC discovered. I hope that pools will not be treated with chlorine someday, but instead, maybe with UltraViolet light. However, venting would still be needed, because U-V light creates ozone, which is a respiratory toxin & irritant (VCD trigger)! Reflux is also a major VCD trigger. However, reflux meds (acid blockers) have bad side effects that include nerve damage (peripheral neuropathies, etc.), osteoporosis, and promotion of various intestinal infections (including Clostridium difficile/C. diff., Helicobacter pylori/H. pylori, etc.). For some non-drug ways to combat VCD-causing reflux, see webpages 5 & 10, etc., in my website. But, don't suddenly stop taking acid blockers. That can cause "rebound" extra acid production, making reflux even worse, which makes VCD worse. For those who have asthma, consider learning Buteyko breathing methods, which are drug-free. Why? Because many asthma meds are VCD triggers! Don't suddenly stop the asthma meds, though. First, learn Buteyko, and if it helps, work with your asthma doc, to gradually wean down the VCD-promoting asthma meds (if safe in your situation). See info about Buteyko, in Reference #30, on webpage 9 of my website. There's an amazingly large number of causes, triggers, aggravators, and pre-disposing conditions that can lead to VCD. Many of these can be found, removed, or gently treated (often without meds). I've heard from MANY people (most with VCD) since 2001, and most were able to "cure" (or if not cure, control) their VCD. But, it takes some tedious searching, to uncover all or most of one's VCD causes, etc. I'm not totally convinced that more women suffer with VCD than men. I think that men tend to suffer in silence, more than women, so that could be a factor skewing the data. However, there may be a hormonal component, that could cause more women to get VCD. The key is to TEMPORARILY (like for a couple of weeks) look for, find, and then remove all (or most) of one's VCD causes. Search for causes in my website, for example. This means, stop swimming & stop strenuous exercises, for say 2 weeks, while doing an intensive search for all your other non-swimming VCD causes, triggers, etc. This includes keeping a total diary/journal, daily, for, say a week, to help figure out what is causing what symptom. See Appendix F on webpage 10, for ideas about keeping the total diary/journal. Webpage 4 has some VCD-stopping methods. Webpage 5 (and other webpages) describes many causes of VCD. Webpage 10 has "tips" about sinus problems, reflux, ergonomics problems, etc., all of which can promote getting VCD. VCD is not well understood by most docs. But, some do know about it. Good luck to all! Carol/Concerned lady (former RN/nurse, former VCD patient) cantbreathesuspectvcd.com