LAM Symptoms

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People often begin to show symptoms of LAM between ages 20 and 40. Usually, TSC-LAM is not as serious as sporadic LAM and may not cause symptoms that affect the lungs. If left untreated, LAM can cause serious and life-threatening health problems.

If you have LAM, you may have one or more of these common symptoms:  

• Chest pain or aches that get worse when you breathe in
• Shortness of breath, which may happen only during high-energy activities at first, but over time may start after simple activities, such as dressing and showering
• Severe chest pain and shortness of breath, which can be symptoms of a collapsed lung (pneumothorax)   
• Extreme tiredness
• Frequent coughing, which can produce bloody phlegm, or mucus, that is made in your chest
• Wheezing or a whistling sound when you breathe

You may have other symptoms that are caused by LAM cells in other parts of the body.

• Lymph nodes that may be larger than normal: This can happen if LAM cells are in the lymph nodes. Usually these lymph nodes develop in the stomach area (abdomen) or the chest and cannot be felt. Rarely, larger-than-normal lymph nodes may develop in places where they can be felt, such as in the neck or under the arms.
• Abdominal pain: Many people who have LAM get benign (noncancerous) tumors in their kidneys. If these tumors grow large enough, they can lead to bleeding in the kidneys or fluid buildup, which can cause pain in the abdomen.