still hard to breathe

[nicci72]

I'm still having difficulty breathing. Had blood work and my hgb is 11.5. I went for a chest xray on Friday. The GI doctor gave my tylenol 3 with codeine for the pain. I'm not sure what else to do.

[MagTX]

This sounds very familiar to me as I had this issue also when I treated 3 yrs ago.  Chest xray didn't show anything and a simple pulmonary test in the docs office didn't show anything significant either.  Doc tried a few different nebulizing meds over a several week period but nothing worked to help with the horrible air hunger and mild chest pain I was feeling. About the only thing that took the edge off was taking a low dose anti anxiety med, as needed, to help get me thru treatment.  Sometimes the anxiety from having SOB can give you more anxiety and things start to escalate from there, like having some chest tightness or pain, then you feel more air hungry and it becomes a cycle....  I hope your getting some relief from the pain med he prescribed, but if this persists and they don't find anything wrong other than your low Hgb I'd talk to doc about getting a low dose anti anxiety med like ativan to help with these symptoms.      Keep us posted..      

[screaming48]

At one point, if I had the energy, I would have rolled some old lady for her oxygen bottle!

That was funny, my mother in law is on oxygen right next door, thanks for the idea lol..
just kidding, but you made me smile, warped sense of humor I guess

[nicci72]

My starting HGB was 13 it's now 11.5.  Waiting for my dr to call with the other results and chest xray. I definitely become SOB very easily.  I even gave myself a nebulizer treatment the other day at work to see if that would help.  And of coarse it did nothing but make my heart race.  

[adamben101]

All oral treatment with riba and others.  week 1 HGB 14.  Week 2 was 12.  I feel it.  Some shortness of breath.  On week 6 tomorrow.  Definitely feel riba kicking in

[flcyclist]

It sounds like you are about a month into trt and about that time I really started the feel the Riba kicking in.  The effects of the other meds will also impact breathing.  My normal breathing wasn't too labored, but it is easy for me to get out of breath doing simple yardwork, like trimming shrubs, weed wacking, etc.  I often have to pause a bit and catch my breath, especially with the heat.   Good idea with the chest xray to rule anything out.  

Watch you cbc's closely and keep copies for yourself.

[medicmommy]

How much has your HGB dropped in the last 4-6 weeks? Rapid plunges in blood values can give the sensation of air hunger. -Mine went from 13.5 -10.5 in 6 weeks and I experienced chest pain, shortness of breath (air hunger), and some pretty ugly fatigue.
-At one point, if I had the energy, I would have rolled some old lady for her oxygen bottle!
If a rapid drop is what you're experiencing, it slows and levels off -and your body gets used to it. If you are at the 8+ week mark of treatment and your counts are not slowing down, get checked for thyroiditis. -Sometimes the treatment inflames the thyroid (thyroiditis) which accelerates the hemolytic anemia. Good luck and hand in there! ~MM

[working dog]

even though my hgb is going back up i still get out of breath a little....nothing like when it was really low but not normal yet....i think its just a sx....billy

[curiouslady1]

Sometimes anxiety/fear can make the effect worse.  Could your doctor prescribe a mild tranquilizer?  Just curious.

[joemc34606]

I to notice a shortness in breathe, not hard to breath but definitely laboring more. If I do anything strenuous I loss my breath very easily. Just attribute it to the meds. Joe