Shortness of Breathe

[revir47]

I had a very stressful job, started to get very sick in Feb. of 2006.  Shortness of breathe, felt like someone was sitting on my chest, also couldn't breathe when laying down.  Went to ER in March of 2006, and said I had Pericarditis.  Sent me home.  Have gone to a Pulmonary, Heart, Rheumatology, Muscle Specialist- everything looks fine. Have had lung x-rays, echocardiogram, stress tests, pulmonary tests, arterial blood test, ct tests, ekg, EMG muscle tests, MRI and Sleep apnea test. (I now have a machine for night time )  Just got off Predisone a month ago.  Not on anything now.

I STILL have shortness of breathe, ESP. when I walk up stairs, when I lift things, going up hills.  Sometimes, I just wake up short of breathe.  Stress also REALLY stirs it up.  My wife and I are really wanting to find what is wrong!

I am planning on going to a clinic for EXPLAINED shortness of breathe.  

Any more ideas?  

Thanks

[revir47]

Thank you for your help.  I am going to go see the doctor tomorrow and will mention this to him.

Thanks again!!!

[aadams]

I was on a (CPAP) machine for about two months. This mode of treatment for fatigue and shortness of breath was not effective.  I was then referred to a pulmonary specialist who diagnosed my condition as unilateral diaphragmatic paralysis.

For about ten years prior to the onset of symptoms I was known to have a pulmonary condition called diaphragmatic eventration (an elevated diaphragham on one side).  However, eventration was said to be somewhat common and of no significant concern.

This is a long shot, but I thought it might be worth posting as a response to your search for information.  Diaphragmatic eventration is often overlooked or missed altogether.  In my case, I suspect eventration was actually the onset of slow but progressive paralysis.

Did your pulmonary specialist find any evidence whatsoever of diaphragmatic eventration?  If not, you may want to consider additional tests to affirmatively rule this out.

[revir47]

Sorry, the Clinic is for UNEXPLAINED Shortness of Breathe

[National Jewish]

After seeing all of these physicians and having all of these tests, it is difficult to even venture a guess without at least seeing the results of the tests, performing a thorough history and a good physicial examination.  I would suggest going back to the pulmonologist and discussing the fact that you are still having these symptoms.