I read the other posting here about breathing problems. I have had, for some time now, an unresolved issue with breathing problems -- the need to constantly breath deeply, never feeling like I can get a deep breath at times. My nasal turbinate is chronically swollen, and I can't breath normally through the nose passage. I've been to an allergist, my regular doctor, an ENT... had turbinate cautery performed with no lasting results. I've since found that a friend out in California has the same symptoms: breathing difficulty, waking up at night choking (almost an apnea type thing), nasal turbinate swollen... he's also said that 5 of his friends who are also on Protease Inhibitors (the common factor here) have the SAME symptoms. The HIV specialist I see at Dartmouth says he's never heard of these problems before. My breathing problem does not appear to be related to lactic acid buildup. This is just a few of the very annoying side effects that I presume are related to the drugs, that are making life absolutely miserable. I wonder if you can shed some insight as to what is going on here. We're mystified. Thank you.

This would be the first I've heard of the possibility that PIs cause swollen nasal passages or breathing problems. Before you assume that this is due to medication, I suggest a trial of an aqueous nasal steroid inhaler and/or an antihistamine, such as cetirizine. Allergies are common, too, and your symptoms sound very much like they are allergic in origin. Good luck!