breathless

[LeeB]

We went to Lindy's folks for thanksgiving to see them and all our kids. On the way down Tuesday morning I had an attack that left me short of breath. I had Lindy stop and let me out of the truck and I walked around till I felt better. We went on to San Angelo and I felt uncomfortable all night. Next morning was no better and I felt like I was being squeezed in a vacuum. I couldn't stand it any more and had Lindy take me to the ER. They ran all sorts of tests and determined I wasn't having a heart attack then turned me out. I still don't know what was wrong and am still somewhat short of breath. I got an inhailer from the MIL and that helps. I'll go see the doc when I can get an appointment. What really gripes me about it all is that the ER doc wouldn't listen to a word I said. All he heard was that I had family history of heart trouble. Doctors irritate the fool out of me. No wonder I won't go till i think I might be about to die.

[Radar67]

After I quit smoking, I gained some weight, went from 200 to 218. At the heavier weight, I had trouble with shortness of breath, especially when I was working on something. Doc said it was exercise induced asthma, and prescribed albuterol inhaler. The inhaler solved the problem on the short term, but the symptoms kept coming back. I decided to drop some weight and the problem went away. I'm back down to around 200 now.

Have you gained any weight?

[metalspinner]

A few years ago, we took my MIL to the ER thinking she was having a heart attack.  They didn't seem to think so and sent her home. >:(  The next day we were very sure she was having a heart attack so we took her to a different ER.  Sure enough she was definately having the attack. :

I visited the ER last weekend because my spine felt like it was plugged into a wall outlet.  When the doctor finally came in to see me, he was telling me my diagnosis before the door had even shut - literally.  The only tests they ran on me was my blood pressure when I checked in. :


Your sentiment about the ER docs is right on the money.

[beenthere]

LeeB
I don't pass on family history to a Dr.
My thought is 'let them figure out what is wrong, not fall back on what might or might not be passed on to me'. It's a cop-out on their part. IMO

Hope you are feeling better soon, or already!

[DanG]

Lee, don't wait for an appointment!!  Go to an ER!  I'm thinking they probably did an enzyme test and it was negative, so they hustled you out the door right quick.  When I had my heart attack, the Paramedic did an EKG and could tell I had "something cardiac going on."  At the ER, they drew blood right away, then left me alone for several hours.  Then they came back and drew more blood and left me again.  Then a Doctor came in and told me I was having a heart attack.  He explained that the enzyme test frequently doesn't show anything when the attack is in the early stages, but usually shows up on the second test.

Don't play around with this, Man!!  This is no time to be shy about sticking up for yourself.  If they say it isn't a heart attack, then you should demand to know just what it is, and make them prove it.

[LeeB]

I didn't think it was a heart attack and they did do two sets of blood tests and chest xrays also. I have gained a bit of weight and feel that is contributing, exspecially since it seems worse after I eat. It doesn't help either that my back is totaly out of wack right now, making it that much harder to take a full breath. The doctor decided he wanted to do a chest cat scan after I questioned about being turned out with no diagnosis. By this time I had lost any faith I might have had in them. This is the same radiologist that mis-diagnosed my MIL's hip replacement problems. When the doc was so brash as to ask me if we even have doctors in Arkansas that was it. I left. I was  alittle short of breath this morning but feel better now. Walking and moving around seems to help some. I'll keep on top of it till it is fixed or at least under control. Thanks for the concern guys.

[Linda]

Several years ago, my mother injured her cervical spinal cord carrying a heavy corn pot filled with water. 

Unfortunately, it happened just a few months after she had a quadruple bypass. 
The paramedics heard her say she had a sharp pain in her neck and that she immediately felt so weak she couldn't hardly stand.  They falsely assumed it was heart problems again, so they didn't take any neck precautions and further injured her neck getting her into the ambulance.  The false assumption carried on further into the ER.  They did finally find the problem, but she had lost all feeling and control in her extremities (Quadriplegic) by the time they figured it out.   

I have asthma which can cause the same symptoms you are talking about.  Driving in heavily polluted air (vehicular exhaust) can compound asthma or heart problems.

Whatever it is, it could be life threatening, so be assertive with your doctor.

[Ironwood]

I am down w/ everything stated previously. But my first thought was enviromental. I wonder if when your back home things will clear up. Take care.

         Ironwood

[Roxie]

Let me preface my remarks by saying I am not a medical professional.  What you describe sounds like an asthma attack.  Did you cough and have foamy stuff in your throat?  If the inhaler helps, it makes me think even more that you had an asthma attack.

I was forty when I had my first experience with an asthma attack.  It happened when I was cleaning my cats scratching post.  I'd had cats all my life and never had any reaction whatsoever to them.  Suddenly, I couldn't get my breath and I had a spasm like cough.  I really thought I was gonna die.  I went the next day to see my doctor, and a blood test confirmed that I had developed an allergy to cats.  I keep an inhaler with me all the time now just in case. 

My point is that it could be asthma, or your heart, or even a hiatal hernia, but the only way to know and take precautions is to follow up with a doctor that you trust and who will listen to you.  Please let us know what you find out!

[LeeB]

No cough and no foaming up. I did have asthma as a child. Feeling better today. No meds and only one short breath attack just a few minutes ago, but it is better now.

[Tom]

I already asked for his mill, so you guys don't need to do that.  He ain't giving it up.  :D :D :D :D

[James P.]

Tom  :D
LeeB , I am like you in the sense I would wait til the last minute before I did anything.but  It could be very serious. I watched the show the Doctors on Friday. Nov 27 . A guy on it was having shortness of breath. I just will pass on the coincidence . Also I went to the doctor for Lyme disease . had been bitten by a tick about 1 1/2 months earlier. I had a red ring about 5 inches in diameter with a smaller red spot where the tick bite was. They did blood work came back negative. I read online  that the blood test for Lyme are flawed. amazing my doctor relies on them for my health. Also caught the worst cold I ever had while I was there. here is the episode  http://www.thedoctorstv.com/main/show_synopsis/486?section=synopsis

[Ironwood]

Lee,

This is where your sleuthing may pay off. I would begin by analyizing any "triggers" in your enviroment that may have changed. It may be something VERY subtle, and even not in your control. Think personal belongings (new pet, new synthetic something), but also outside influences (local factories, local harvest that just started). I dont know where or how you live, but funny little things can have great impact on us. The compounding effects of slightly ill health combined w/ other factors are extremely hard for conventional medicine to diagnose. These are things that will likely never be asked about by the average doctor. They seem to look inside, I would do everything possible to look outside as well. DON'T let them have the easy way out if you end up back under care. I know for me, I lean on my "detail oriented" wife ALOT as she will ask / write down questions I wont even think of. You have to educate the docs on your baseline health but also small things that may complicating the picture they see.

                 Good luck, Ironwood

[LeeB]

Went to the doctor this morning, different one this time. Ran some more tests and sent me for more blood work. Seems my lungs are working fine and I don't have a PT. Still no answer to why I am short of breath and my O2 levels are low. He wants me to go to a cardiac specialist for more testing. Ther ain't nothing wrong with my heart. Maybe I'm just too fat and can't breath around all this gut.

[Tom]

That doesn't speak for the low O₂

Question them about a sleep test, apnea, lack of rest.  I still wouldn't write off PT until I saw a pulmonary Specialist. 

[Stephen Alford]

Hey LeeB  do you notice any difference in your heart rate prior to the shortness of breath. If you are atrail defib (probably spelt wrong, I am getting worster by the day), your heart can be jumping a cog and that will cause the shortness of breath.  It will return to normal and all looks well, no problem.  It is an electrial problem the going in or coming out can be dangerous.  Just something to watch for.  Take Care.

[LeeB]

Hadn't noticed any thing like that. Heart seems to be fine. I watched my eating today and feel much better. I went outside and split and stacked some fire wood with out getting short. I think it's an eating thing or more likely too much of an eating thing.  :(

[DanG]

I can't say nothin about the eating thing since I ain't never seen you, but ya gotta remember that yer diaphragm gotta have somewhere to go on the downstroke.

[BcWoodWorks]

This is the same radiologist that mis-diagnosed my MIL's hip replacement problems. When the doc was so brash as to ask me if we even have doctors in Arkansas that was it. I left.

Unreal...I'm glad you have good self-control. I would've probably left as well...but not before letting off words colorful enough to do a painting with.

Glad to hear you're feeling moderately better. Keep an eye on it, and keep us up to date pal. 

[LeeB]

Went and had a cardio stress echo and all is clear. Doc said come back in about 10 years. Only time I get short of breath now is when I let my mouth over rule my brains (not hard to do) and eat too much.