Shortness of breath/ tight throat

[bobbi41]

Hello, I am 15 years old and around November 15th I got a cold that was going around school. Not too many people got it but the ones who did are still suffering. It began like a normal cold, runny nose, sore throat, coughing up phlem. But by the 3rd day (November 18th) I started noticing this tight sensation in my throat. When I felt my throat, it was only an inch big and was as thin as a straw. It scared me, but I just ignored it and figured it would go away. The next morning, I woke up to find that it didn't get any better. When I layed down to go to sleep that night, I began to panic and thought I was dying. My mom took me to the ER and when they tested my oxygen levels, it was 102%! I felt weak and dizzy and thought I was going to pass out, but they told me to wait in the waiting room. 4 hours later, they finally got me back into a room. They swabbed my throat, took my blood and sent me back for chest X-Rays. All came back normal. They put me on this cough medicine called Tessalon Perls and after about 4 days, I began to feel better. I went on with my normal life. But about a week later, I began to have the same tight throat sensation. I went to my family doctor and she gave me Clariton, thinking it was allergies. It didn't help. So, right before Christmas, I went to the local MedExpress and they said I had strep throat and gave me my first antibiotic (not in my life, with this virus). It helped for a little while, but as soon as I got off of it, my semptoms came back. By now, I had developed a few new semptoms. I now have this fluttering/vibration felling in my lungs and I am having a lot of chest pain and pressure. I went back to my family doctor and she perscribed me a Z-Pack and an inhaler. That was the best I had felt in 2 months! But the Z-Pack only lasted for 5 days, so it wasn't long until I was back to feeling bad. My sister was feeling my back one day after I had been complaining of pain and she said something felt out of place, so i went to the chiropractor. After getting my back and neck realined, the preasure went away! My family doctor scheduled me another chest x-ray and a pulmanary function test. After inhaling the breathing treatment, I felt a little better. But the results came back normal! My family doctor set up an appointment for me at a lung specialists office, but I had to get another pft. When I finally went to see him, he taught me diaframic breathing(which helped for a while) and said he would see me in two weeks. When I went back, he said my lungs and throat are perfectly fine, and that he would see me in a month. SInce seeing him, the back of my throat has become swollen and has big blisters on the back of it. I have been gargling salt water and it seem to reduce the swelling and the pain. My throat hasn't really been tight like it was for about a month, but my lungs feel heavy and it is hard to breathe. I have a rib that tends to move under my other ribs, and it hurts me sometimes. Could this have something to do with my problems? Does anyone have these problems too? Could it be anxiety?Please get back at me? :)

[bobbi41]

Thanks, Becca! Well we layed new carpet in my room about a month before I got sick. We thought that that could be what is causing these problems. I researched it and an allergy to the formaldehyde found in carpets and the glue can cause shorthness of breath, tight/chest pains, cough, and weezing! So we put some plants in my room, opened the windows and I haven't been in there for about 5 days! I am feeling a little better in the lung area, but my throat and tongue still swell quite often! I hope this is it :)

[becca494]

You said you have big blisters in the back of your throat??Did you go and get a culture or throat swab?  Chest tightness can be a sign of anxiety.  It does sound like your doctor was teaching you how to do diaphragmatic breathing. This is a great technique to help breathing which will help reduce anxiety. Take a deep slow breath through your nose and exhale slowly through your mouth until all the air is out. This takes PRACTICE. It really works, too. I don't think there's really anything wrong with you. You sound like a normal really bright teenager. Good luck