Need Advice Tired of the run around

[lovemylabs]

I am a 42 year old female that has never smoked but started having problems with my breathing in 2005 went to pulmonary doctor they found nothing. As the years passed it has got worse so I went to a new family doctor who sent me to a cardiologist he did a work up on my heart found nothing until he did a stress test on a treadmill with the oxygen meter and my oxygen drop in the first phase, they made me stay on for 8 minutes in which my oxygen dropped to 71, he did a CT of the heart, CA and found nothing and he told me Friday nothing is wrong with the heart he can't help me. He didn't even tell me anything new to go try or what I should do next. So please anyone give me suggestions I feel like giving up I am out of breath, tired all the time, headaches, muscle sore, and overall feel bad

[zodiacqueen]

Hi, glad you got a diagnosis.  What is PFO?  I've probably seen it before, I just can't recall what it was.

Boy, do I know what you mean about not being able to do much anymore.  I've had shortness of breath for 2 years now, and am also tired of the run around.  I don't have insurance, so it's very hard for me to see a specialist.

Oh, about the CT with contrast-I hope that you are absolutely positive that you really did have it with contrast( they inject you with an IV in the  arm with it so that your blood vessels show up).  It really sounds like the pulmonary embolism could be the cause-especially since you're a non-smoker and your oxygen saturation dropped.  I don't mean to keep bringing this up, but pulm. emb. can be very dangerous, so just trying to help.

Staci

[lovemylabs]

Thank you Staci, sorry I didn't mention I did have a CT of the Lung, my Arteries, and anything else they could think of. I went to a new doctor Thursday and he said I have a PFO and need surgery so now I am looking for information on that. Your right I am not letting this go because I went from a very active person to someone that can't even go to the grocery store or cook dinner.

[zodiacqueen]

Hi, have you had a CT scan of your chest with contrast??  If the cardiologist ruled out heart trouble, then it's got to be your lungs.  The CT with contrast would show if you had a pulmonary embolism, which would not show up on an ordinary x-ray.  Do some googling and look up pulmonary embolism.  It's a blood clot in the lungs that cause shortness of breath, and asthma like symptoms.  Do not let this go, ask for the ct with contrast.

Staci