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Respiratory Disorders (Expert Forum)
Chest pain, backpain, some breathing changes, dizziness
Answered by
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Chest pain, backpain, some breathing changes, dizziness
by coloradoman, May 10, 2005 12:00AM
I am a 47 year old colorado man who has been having problems for nearly two years with progressive pain in back,chest,abdomen, headaches, burning skin + shoulder pain, Headaches and dizziness.
I also have develped spasm when deep fast breath. Al of these pains seem to be made worse by heavy excercise. I had a Ct scan done two years ago which showed old granulomous disease. I now have spasms when brathing fast which hesitate or studder. Recently I had a Chest x-ray which showed hyperinflation. I wrote to this forum and they suggested pushing for a 2nd Ct chest exam. I did, Which showed as follows: IMPRESSION 1) Fain right middle lobe or atelectasis 2) Old granulomatous disease, including calcified granuloma in the left upper lobe, calcified chest lymph nodes and calcification of spleen. 3) Fatty infiltration of the liver (enlarged). I went to Jewish National in denver and did an exam with spirometry and took radiographs with me. They called back later and scheduled a PFT, but not until two months. They did no offical readings of the MRI and CTs. Meanwhile, I am having difficulty making it through the day, by the end there is nothing left but wide spread body pain which seems to radiate from chest and spine. I don't know what to do next. I am afraid I am being viewed as a chronic pain patient, I know my pimary physician has taken that view. The pain and the dizziness have left it very hard for me to concentrate and remember things, I am an engineer and I need this ability daily. Can yuu offer any suggestions ?
I also have develped spasm when deep fast breath. Al of these pains seem to be made worse by heavy excercise. I had a Ct scan done two years ago which showed old granulomous disease. I now have spasms when brathing fast which hesitate or studder. Recently I had a Chest x-ray which showed hyperinflation. I wrote to this forum and they suggested pushing for a 2nd Ct chest exam. I did, Which showed as follows: IMPRESSION 1) Fain right middle lobe or atelectasis 2) Old granulomatous disease, including calcified granuloma in the left upper lobe, calcified chest lymph nodes and calcification of spleen. 3) Fatty infiltration of the liver (enlarged). I went to Jewish National in denver and did an exam with spirometry and took radiographs with me. They called back later and scheduled a PFT, but not until two months. They did no offical readings of the MRI and CTs. Meanwhile, I am having difficulty making it through the day, by the end there is nothing left but wide spread body pain which seems to radiate from chest and spine. I don't know what to do next. I am afraid I am being viewed as a chronic pain patient, I know my pimary physician has taken that view. The pain and the dizziness have left it very hard for me to concentrate and remember things, I am an engineer and I need this ability daily. Can yuu offer any suggestions ?
Doctor's Answer
by National Jewish, May 17, 2005 12:00AM
, May 17, 2005 12:00AM
The PFTs scheduled here at National Jewish Medical and Research Center, are probably the least important test to be done to make a diagnosis of your condition. Further evaluation should not await that test.
If these were paraneoplastic symptoms due to SCLC, as you suspected in your first posting, the tumor would be evident on the recent chest x-ray and CT scan. Since a tumor is not seen in your lungs, this suggests that your main problem is not in your lungs.
You clearly need a diagnosis. You should ask the neurologist and rheumatologist you saw in the past if they now have any new ideas. You should also ask your doctor at National Jewish. You may benefit from immunologic tests and imaging of your bones to find the cause of all your pain and fatigue.
If these were paraneoplastic symptoms due to SCLC, as you suspected in your first posting, the tumor would be evident on the recent chest x-ray and CT scan. Since a tumor is not seen in your lungs, this suggests that your main problem is not in your lungs.
You clearly need a diagnosis. You should ask the neurologist and rheumatologist you saw in the past if they now have any new ideas. You should also ask your doctor at National Jewish. You may benefit from immunologic tests and imaging of your bones to find the cause of all your pain and fatigue.
I have been watching your posts for sometime now and cannot belive at this point you do not have an answer for your malady. It seems to me you may be suffering from hyperventilation (symptoms dizziness, chest pain, headaches, tingles etc) amongst other things, this may seem bizarre but have you tried breathing re-training ie. Bueyteko (check spelling)
From your smoking days you may also have some chronic bronchitis, which give you the unusual chest feelings you have also. Re the CT results I am lost, but know one of the hazards of CT scans is that they show harmless nodes which need re scanning at a later date.
The inability to concentrate is probably just the stress associated with all this, especially considering this is going on so long.
I hope you find an answer soon, all WILL come clear in time.
C.
i've suffered for chronic 'hyperventilation syndrome" for a few years. basically chest breathing rather than diaphragm breathing. Over inflation of chest can cause chest pains. Satrving for air causes panic attacks - feel like dying so get fear and massive adrenalin - high pulse and physical shakes and dizzieness from too much oxygen/too little CO2. Have undergone breathing retraining with a physiotherapist and with daily exercises I'm cured. Well several times a week i notice bad techniue in myself and have to consciously go back to the diaphram. Hope this is your answer because it's really easy to fix with perservereance.
could you tell me if you have ever taken any Hydrocodin, Vicodin, OxyCottin, Roxicodone, Morphine.. ? I almost died during a breathing attack and am now diagnozed with Astma... never had Astma until I was prescibed Vicodin. Now I am starting to do some research on breathing problems ... took Roxicodine for years for cronic backpain (spandelo) I got worse over the years, musclepain, tiredness, breathing problems and ended up with breathing attacks you were discribing. Like a 'hick up' but into the breatheways and vocal cords. The doctors changed me from Roxicodone to Morphine and within 45 min I passed out ... luckely due to a friend being with me at the time my life was safed by an ER doctor who luckely knew that I was in allergic shock...
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