deep breathing problems

[curiousinIN]

I am being treated for a UTI as my urinalysis have shown (only shown) elevated white blood cells.I was put on levaquin, and after a few days, started to have problems taking a deep breath and would have to make myself yawn to get the deep breath (chest xray normal,ECG? normal).I was given a 10 day run of septra and my UTI went away,though my breathing problems would come and go.My UTI returned in the form of flank/lower back pain and a urologist diagnosed me with prostatitis and i began a longer run of septra (on my fifth week).At the beginning my urine was cultured and it showed various bacteria.Throughout I have had several Urinalysis each with elevated WBC only, though the last one had only 3-5 WBC but did have a small bit of hematuria, that the doctor said not to worry about the blood and that he no longer saw bacteria in the microscopic urinalysis.I also recently had a CBC and liver panel which all were normal, and i had them test my thyroid (also normal)because during my breathing problems it seemed as if my trachea above my chestbone was larger than normal.Now i do not seem to have much lower back/flank pain.Throughout this septra run, my urine has looked gold, but the color seems to fall to the bottom of the toilet quickly, though it does dilute with the water i drink.It does seem a bit bubbly/foamy, when i urinate, but goes away quickly.Ive never had any pain urinating.My breathing problem still exists, as i have a pain under my right armpit.My dr put me zoloft thinking (and probably correct) that my breathing problem is a result of anxiety due to ill. curious?

[National Jewish]

Your doctor is probably correct.  Anxiety over an illness can be a problem for any of us.  This is especially true if you fear that the urinary tract infection (UTI) and now prostatitis may be a sign of a more serious health problem.  Any other association between your UTI and your breathing symptoms is extremely unlikely, especially with a normal chest x-ray.

Prostatitis is a more common disease than most people realize.  It occurs in men of all ages.  It can result in blood in the urine, but not usually when the prostatitis is resolving.  After you have recovered from this current illness, the hematuria will need to be evaluated further.  Blood in the urine can be a sign of other health problems, such as kidney stones.  Also kidney stones can also make you more prone to infections, but in most cases do not.

[curiousinIN]

Oh yeah...24 year old male - non smoker, was drinking 2 cokes a day, 3-4 beers a week.  But have been on no caffeine/alcohol diet for 5 weeks.

[curiousinIN]

My Urinalysis came back negative today for everything.  But my breathing difficulties still persist.

[bactitech]

http://www.drugs.com/cons/Septra.html

Here is some information on Septra, which is a sulfa type drug. (I am a microbiology technologist - we read out your urine cultures). Any sulfa drug will make you pee yellow. Your urine has a higher specific gravity than the water in your toilet bowl; hence your overly yellow urine will sink to the bottom of the toilet when you go. The more dilute urine is, the closer the specific gravity is to water, which is 1.000.

http://www.drugs.com/cons/levaquin.html

Here is some information on Levaquin, which is the trade name for Levofloxacin, which is one of the quinolone antibiotics. Does your doctor think you had an allergic reaction to Levaquin? It is listed as a rare side effect (along with lots of other things). If so, you must be careful if you are ever prescribed Ciprofloxacin, Gatifloxacin, or any of a number of other drugs in the fluoroquinolone family. I would definitely ask your doc (I assume you're seeing a urologist for your prostatitis) about why he switched you from Levaquin to Septra in the first place. Did he think you were allergic?

Also, if you're still having problems breathing, I would ask for a referral to a pulmonary doc. Your urologist only handles the plumbing.

[curiousinIN]

bacitech, thanks.  Originally when my breathing problems started, my doctor took me off of quinolones.  Then after a few days, and a shot of steroids, i still had the problems.  That is when he ordered the Xray.  Then he did refer me to a pulmo doc.  I started to breath a little better (possibly because of the steroid) but went into the hospital anyway and did a bunch of breathing exercises hooked up to some machine.  If i remember correctly, i had no problem bringing in oxygen and my lung volumes were good, but when exhaling as long and as hard as possible, I really struggled, like i didnt have much to exhale.  The next week,my breathing problems subsided as i thought it was the steroids and my cessation of levaquin so i cancelled the appt with the pulmo doc.  

Most of the time I am breathing fine, just some times getting a deep breath is really hard, and it honestly seems to be mostly when i think about my lingering health problems.  I seem to be sleeping fine, which really makes me think its just a little anxiety..and hopefully this zoloft will kick in.

[rmsalt]

Hi, has your breathing problem gotten any better? Your symptoms sound just like mine. I have been to the Doc three different times and had test done with everthing showing normal. For about three days this week I was starting to feel like my breathing pattern was returning to normal and the weather brought a blast of cold air and now my symptoms have returned. My Doc thinks it could be LPR (laryngopharyngeal reflux) but I'm not sure. It seems kind of odd. My breathing becomes labored (inhale and exhale) but I feel it more in my throat than my lungs... I think. I guess I'll just have to wait it out. My Doc says as long as it doesn't get any worse and things gradually improve I should be fine. Even if it takes 6 months. Good Luck!