Member Comments are provided by individuals and reflect their personal opinions only. Under NO circumstances should you act on any advice or opinion posted in this forum. ALWAYS check with your personal physician before taking any action regarding your health! MedHelp International and our partners, sponsors and affiliates have no obligation to monitor any comments posted on this site, or the content and/or accuracy of such exchanges. MedHelp International does not endorse the views of any user.
Respiratory Disorders (Expert Forum)
Shortness of breath
Answered by
This forum is for questions and support regarding lung and respiratory issues such as: Allergies, Asthma, Bronchitis, Colds - Flu, Chronic Cough, COPD, Cystic Fibrosis, Emphysema, Fibrosis, Lung Abscess, Nasal Polyps, Pleurisy, Pneumonia, Sarcoidosis, Sinusitis, Tuberculosis.
Shortness of breath
by ha44, Jan 22, 2006 12:00AM
Hi. I am a 21 year old female with a history of Raynaud's disease. About three years ago, I developed chilblains on both my fingers and toes. I have also been experiencing slight shortness of breath with or without exertion. I also sometimes feel as though I am not getting enough air in. During exercise or walking outside in cold weather, I experience a bloody taste in my sputum. I have went for ecgs, chest x rays, and pulmonary function tests, yet they have all come back negative. Within the last few months, I have been experiencing tachycardia, especially when lying supine. I have not yet seen a doctor about this complaint. However, every doctor I have seen about my other symtoms have been unable to find anything wrong. I have seen numerous GPs and a rheumatologist.
Any insight would be greatly appreciated.
Any insight would be greatly appreciated.
Doctor's Answer
by National Jewish, Feb 23, 2006 12:00AM
, Feb 23, 2006 12:00AM
There are many people who have features of connective tissue disease. However, they do not fulfill the diagnostic criteria established for any one disease. In such circumstances, they are often considered to have “undifferentiated” connective tissue disease (UCTD). Over time, people with UCTD may evolve into one of the more specific connective tissue diseases, such as lupus, Sjögren’s, or scleroderma. Color changes of hands and feet with cold exposure are known as Raynaud’s. The cause with Raynaud’s disease is unknown. Raynaud’s phenomenon is due to other conditions such as connective tissue disorders, blood vessels problems, blood disorders, neurologic disorders, and exposure to drugs, toxins, or trauma. Please read our undifferentiated connective tissue disease (UCTD) information at http://www.nationaljewish.org/disease-info/diseases/rheum/uctd/index.aspx to learn more.
Member Comments (2)
by Sunny602, Jan 22, 2006 12:00AM
Have any of the docs done what is called an echocardiogram? It looks at your heart valves and also pressures of the pulmonary artery. If they haven't looked into it, it might be worth a shot. If it isn't pulmonary, it might be cardiac..who knows, but hopefully the doc will be able to sort it all out. Good luck. Sunny :)
