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My Inability to Yawn with IPF
After my lung transplant in December of 2015 I found myself finally able to yawn. This is something I wasn’t able to do for the preceding 11 months, either. Several days after I was transplanted, I was discharged from the intensive care unit (ICU) to the regular transplant floor, which is when my mouth opened wide and out came an extremely gratifying yawn. It was a wonderful feeling to be able to yawn. I didn’t know how something that is an everyday occurrence could bring me so much joy…
When I was pre-transplant I had a hard time being able to take a deep breath, as I’m sure most of us who have suffered with this disease can relate. Among other things, not being able to take that satisfying breath was very uncomfortable. I felt like I was leaving something behind; mainly my oxygen. I suppose having a restrictive disease can do that to you.
About 3 months past my diagnosis I reflected and thought to myself, “I haven’t yawned in quite some time and I can’t remember the last time I did.” I self-monitored this until I received my transplant. I didn’t yawn the entire time. My doctors stated this was a rare occurrence and not many patients experience this problem. There was no explanation given, other than it happens. I chalked it up to being idiopathic like my disease.
I would take every opportunity I could in order to poll pre and post-transplant patients when I saw them at clinic visits, support group meetings, and pulmonary rehab. There were only several who had experienced this dilemma. We had all suffered not being able to yawn. I think about this often, especially when I take a deep enjoyable yawn.
I am interested to see how many of our forum members have also experienced this dilemma?
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2 Replies
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@mark-koziol
This is so interesting to read because i can’t yawn. I am fairly new diagnosed, about 1 year and for the past few months, i fear having to yawn because it hurts and very had to do. I was telling my husband about it and wondered if others had this too. Of course deep breaths are hard, painful ( burning feeling) and yawning is just so hard. Thank you for posting this. I have an appointment next week with family doc and i am telling her it is time she referred me to a respirologist. Doctors have dicked around with me enough. I had radiation for breast cancer, had a chronic cough and some chest pain ( right side), cat scan showed PF which they told me may never progress. 6 months later cat scan said no progression. PFTs said mild ILD. BUT i have increasing symptoms. My father had IPF. At first dx’d as from radiation, later changed to IPF. He had bowel cancer. He died after 5 years of the disease. He did not have good medical care in my opinion.
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Hello Nan, thank you for commenting. I’m sorry you have to endure this disease. It’s unfortunate something we take for granted is taken away from us. Sometimes there is nothing better than a good old fashioned yawn. I hope your new doctor will be able to alleviate your symptoms. Thank you again. Please keep us updated. Mark
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