Sarcoidosis and Pericarditis

I am a 56 year old woman.  Recently diagnosed with stage 2 Sarcoidosis.  My cat scan and xrays have shown granulomas for the last two years and recent shadows and several changes in the lungs.  Lung function tests were very poor.  
I was also told that I have fluid around the heart.  I had been diagnosed with fluid around the heart two years ago as well which subsided without treatment.
My doctor is planning to treat the Sarcoidosis with very large long term doses of Prednisone (60 mg per day).  I am currently awaiting an appointment with an endocrinologist to rule out diabetes before taking the Prednisone.
  
My symptoms started in January 08 after I had a Niessen Wrap (Fundoplication) surgery.
  
Symptoms are coughing up blood, frequent heart palpitations, extreme shortness of breath, chest discomfort among other things.
The coughing up blood is still continuing.  Most often in the sputum, but three times it has been a large amount of bright red clotty blood.  On those occasions I woke up at night with a gurgling sound in my chest and had to cough up the blood.
I also have extremely itchy skin, lesions on the torso which have been recurring every year and lasting for five to six months.

I have been on inhalers for three years for asthma but now the doctor thinks my asthma like symptoms may be caused by the sarcoidosis and not asthma.

I am still taking inhalers but experience extreme shortness of breath with an exertion or walking even half a block.

Question:  This sounds like a mess.  Should I be checked for sarcoidosis in other organs besides the lungs?  What about the fluid around the heart?  How concerned should I be?


This discussion is related to Fluid around the heart.

[Momto3]

Hurricaine3513,

I'm sorry I am not familiar with the conditions you describe, but I wanted to welcome you to the Heart Forums.  

You have some great questions and while you may get some good answers on this forum, you might have a better chance on one of the Expert forums.  To post your question on one of the Expert forums, click on the associated link (to the right) and repost your question to one of the doctors.  The Expert forums take a limited number of questions, but it's definitely worth a try.  You may want to try the Interventional Card. forum as I believe they generally accept more questions/day.  Good luck and please keep us posted as to how you're doing.  

[hurricaine3513]

Thank you so much for the welcome and for the advice.  I will try the expert forum.

I am just trying to sort out my feelings at this time because everything looks very uncertain and kind of scary.

Your kindness is wonderful.  Take care.

[kathy1752]

Sorry you are having all these problems, I too have stage 2-3 sarcoidosis....did the prednisone   for 7 months and weaned myself off........I started having chest pain, coughing and vomiting, blood or phlem after, eating, drinking anything sweet or with sleep. My PCP had me do endoscopy with a GI and found an ulcer in my esophogus...........have you gone that route......I would think your doctor would have you admitted and find this problem ASAP with the blood coughing...........Keep the faith