shortness of breath?

[Glasscrafter]

Can left ventricular concentric hypertrophy cause shortness of breath, extreme fatigue and edema in my ankles without showing up on any pulmonary testing. I've had a CT scan of my lungs which was normal and my lung pressures are normal (from a right heart cath).

[Glasscrafter]

I also seem to be retaining fluid in my abdomen. When I press with a fingertip, it leaves an indentation that slowly fills in. So I don't think it is just peripheral vascular disease, although that could be contributing. Haven't got the report from the right heart cath yet. When I wake up in the morning, my legs and abdomen both have dimpling edema, but during the day, my ankles just look swollen and don't dimple.

[maggiemag]

If you had PVH it would have shown up with a wedge pressure higher than normal on your right heart cath, like maybe over 15-20 at rest. and your pulmonary artery pressure could still be normal.   It would be listed on the report as PCWP.  As I recall you do have diastolic dys. and that would raise the wedge pressure.  Remember that not all edema is from the heart, you can have peripheral vascular disease that worsens with age.  The veins in the legs just decide they are not gonna return all the blood to the heart.  I think some of that can be hereditary also, but don't quote me on that.

[Glasscrafter]

I'm not overweight by any stretch of the imagination. I don't wheeze, but do have allergies. Don't have asthma according to the most recent Pulmonary Function test, but seem to have exercise induced asthma. Could I have pulmonary venous hypertension without it showing as high pressure in the lungs?

[anacyde]

In some ways.  I have scoliosis, and my spine happens to curve rather dramatically around the left lung area.  I have an atypical curve, and with this going on, the muscles frequently get agitated and occasionally everything just locks up.  While I've been dealing with the pain aspect so long I don't often notice it, the curve has actually progressed after my pregnancies and is now causing me the breathing issues as well as degenerative disc disease.  So while not specifically the same, I do understand that the fusion and inflammation involved in AS can produce similar symptoms with breathlessness and air hunger.

[Flycaster305]

I certainly can't comment on your question regarding left ventricular hypertrophy, Glasscrafter, but I'm also a 35 year veteran of AS.  My spine isn't fused but my neck and sturnum are.  I used my AS and mild Asthma as reasons for being short of breath while exercising in the year 2001 and didn't deal with it, and had my first heart attack as a result.  I subsequently   had  another heart attack and numerous stents, each were preceded by shortness of breath with exercise, and believe that being alert to SOB symptoms during exercise are why I've survived.  If I were experiencing SOB, I'd check in with a Cardiologist soon, if for no other reason than to rule out a heart problem.  

[Glasscrafter]

I have ankylosing spondylitis, but am not fused, as far as I know, at this point. My inflammation has been uncontrolled on and off for about 30 years. When you mention your's was from your back, are you referring to something like what I have?

[anacyde]

I have no idea, but I do know that shortness of breath can come from a variety of non-cardiac and cardiac origins.  If your pulmonary testing was normal, that is a good beginning, but also frustrating in that you don't have answers.  Mine actually turned out to be from my back, of all things.