upcoming VCD/Vocal Cord Dysfunction conference by Nat'l Jewish, Denver, CO, July,2007

[concerned lady]

Hi All,

I'd like to share a little info about an upcoming medical conference, that some of you may be interested in attending (I'm planning on being there), to be held by Nat'l Jewish Medical & Research Center, in Denver, Colorado, this summer, Thurs.-Fri., July 19-20, 2007.

The conference is about VCD/Vocal Cord Dysfunction, also known as Episodic Paroxysmal Laryngospasm, Paradoxical Vocal Fold Motion, and many more names! When vocal cords inappropriately close up, completely or partially, people feel as if they are choking, & their throats are closing up, and they feel as if they are going to die!

VCD is very often mis-diagnosed as being asthma, or anaphylaxis, or hysteria. VCD can co-exist with asthma &/or allergies, etc.

I first found out about the existence of VCD, because both my hubby and I had it (a couple of years apart--not at the same time), and we both were misdiagnosed as having asthma! Unfortunately, Albuterol and Steroids, can cause or worsen VCD!

And, people can have BOTH asthma & VCD at the same time! Some people have been on asthma meds for literally decades, and yet, they didn't have asthma! They had VCD! And wow were they mad, when they finally found out what they really had. Steroids etc. had taken a big toll on their health!

Nat'l Jewish is offering their 3rd VCD Conference to all interested medical people (MD's nurses, etc.), and allied health professionals. Nurses have been conspicuously absent from Nat'l Jewish's previous 2 VCD conferences (2001 & 2003), probably because the VCD conferences were not brought to their attention,-- so I thought I'd help spread the word about this, now.

It would help to prevent mis-diagnoses, if nurses were to come to this VCD conference. Nat'l Jewish's previous 2 VCD conferences were fascinating and useful!

School nurses could suspect possible VCD in students, where their asthma meds were not working too well. (As several medical journal articles state--not all wheezing is asthma!).

With VCD attacks, there may be stridor (gasping) &/or a laryngeal wheeze (whistle)--I had both--, or neither (my hubby had neither), or, in many cases, no air can get in or out at all!

Possible (actual) causes of VCD are numerous, and need to be figured out in each patient's case, so that the causes can be effectively treated, to get rid of the VCD--Some causes include: high up silent gastric reflux, bad air quality, thyroid enlargement, partial paralysis of a vocal cord from a viral infection or from surgical complications, certain dystonias, neck muscle tension dysphonia, etc. Stress can make VCD worse, but except in some extreme situations, stress is not the cause of the VCD.

In addition to Nat'l Jewish's upcoming comprehensive VCD Conference this July, there are several other medical conferences coming up, that touch on VCD, that I have some info about, in my VCD website. See webpage 8, at http://cantbreathesuspectvcd.com/page8.html

If anyone has any questions, I'll do my best to answer them! Thank you!

Carol (Concerned Lady)

http://cantbreathesuspectvcd.com