Shortness of Breath, heart racing, no diagnosis

[ptkds]

Ok, a little history. I have Celiac disease. I have been told I possibly have Fibromyalgia.

When I was pregnant with my last child (she is almost 3), I had an increased heart rate and was put on bed rest. EKG was normal, so it was just assumed it was from the stress of having another baby (she was my 4th and was born within a year of my 3rd baby). My heart racing didn't really go away. I finally went to see a cardiologist and he did an ECHO, stress test, 1 month holter monitor, and EKG's. All were normal. He did put me on a beta blocker. Two months ago, I wound up in the ER because I was having trouble breathing. No idea why. I now get short of breath when I do the smallest thing. I have been to the ER 2 more times since. During one visit, the dr. heard a small heart murmur and said I had a prolonged QT interval on my EKG. I called my cardiologist and he just blew me off and told me my heart is fine. My heart races, but not as bad since I take the beta blocker. Laying down even makes me short of breath. I feel like I can't get enough air in my lungs. I went to a pulmonologist (he seemed determined to figure it out) and he ordered a Lung Function Study. It was mostly normal. I had some air trapping and an increased respiration rate. I can't get another appointment with the same pulmonologist until June. The other pulmonologist just blew me off. Recently, I have learned that I have nodules in my thyroid. Most are consistent with Multinodular Goiter, but 1 is different. I am having a biopsy done on that one tomorrow. But they said my thyroid was not enlarged that much and it woudln't be causing an obstruction making me short of breath.

Does anyone have ANY ideas of what could be going on? Any comments or suggestions would be great. I am at my wits end. No doctor can seem to be able to figure it out or want to figure it out. I just don't know where to go next. I feel like if I wait until june for my next pulmonology appt, I will suffocate or something. My condition seems to worsen daily. Someone please help me.

Thanks

[KatEyes]

Have you had any scans of your lungs? I have had shortness of breath for years, but only about a year ago did it get to he point where it showed up on xrays. I have an inflammatory process (possibly autoimmune) that affects the tissue's ability to process air. As you know, cardiac problems can also cause shortness of breath. It can be incredibly frustrating when we KNOW something is not right in our body, but the answers have not yet become apparent. I was at the point where the only diagnostic thing left to do was an angiogram, but I wasn't willing to go with that invasive procedure yet. Glad I waited since it turned out to be a lung issue.

When my sleep disorders (OSA, PLMD) were not yet diagnosed, doctors had run tests to rule out things like lupus and rheumatoid arthritis, and finally said that maybe my pain was from fibromyalgia. I told my doctor that I needed answers, and a normal result was not an answer, so what's next? You don't want to undergo unnecessary procedures, but at the same time, you want to know what's wrong. It's a fine line. All I know to suggest is to tell your doctor (any of them) that you are concerned about your continuing symptoms and the lack of a diagnosis. Also that you would like to discuss the various possibilities for causing your symtoms and other options for diagnosis. It sounds like they have exercised due diligence in their attempts to diagnose you, but your symptoms remain and you are not comfortable to leave it at this. Tell them that and see where the conversation goes.

[Dr J Singh]

Hi,

I have gone through your history. The only thing I could think was of bronchconstriction /narrowing of the airways due to the beta blocker. Although, the newer beta blockers don’t cause much narrowing of the bronchi/airways but still there’s always a risk especially when the dose of the beta blockers is high. I will suggest a beta blocker like nebivolol which does not cause much bronchoconstriction. Please discuss this with you cardiologist and maybe stopping the beta blockers for a few days will help you see yourself whether it leads to an improvement in the symptoms.

I hope that helps. Please do keep me posted. Kind regards.