Shortness of breath/weakness

[shurely]

I was told to stop my spiriva in Aug. that I had been using for about 3 yrs. This was after I had a PFT for the first time. I've had three ct scans over the past three yrs. Shows granulomata and calcified nodules..no change. For the past couple of days I've been very SOB and my arms feel weak and heavy. My chest doesn't hurt it just feels tight/full. Today has been worse. I was also put on neurontin 1 1/2 weeks ago for headaches and wonder if that could have anything to do with it. I just feel so tired and breathless. Any advice will be appreciated. Thanks in advance.

[National Jewish Health]

The main side effects of Neurontin® (gabapentin) are dizziness and sleepiness.  It could be the cause of your feeling tired.  You should inform the doctor who prescribed the Neurontin® (gabapentin) of your new symptoms.  He/she may want to have you temporarily discontinue the medicine to see if your symptoms subside.  Significant chest or respiratory symptoms are not reported as an adverse effect of this medicine.

Shortness of breath and tightness of the chest could be caused by a problem in your heart or lungs or associated with anxiety.  If from the lungs, you could be experiencing Spiriva® HandiHaler® (tiotropium bromide inhalation powder) withdrawal symptoms, depending on what type of lung problem was being treated with the Spiriva® HandiHaler® (tiotropium bromide inhalation powder).  These symptoms, along with your arms feeling weak and heavy, could all be due to anxiety, but could also be symptoms of more serious disease of the heart or lungs.  For that reason, you do need to see your doctor to sort this out.  It is just not possible for us to do that with limited information.

Good luck.

[shurely]

Thanks for your reply. I am worse in the afternoon and evening. Did you feel like that? It seems like I'm not hardly as bad today...at least not yet. I just feel like I can't get a deep enough breath. If it was a PE, it wouldn't come and go like that would it?  How are you doing now? What are they doing about the last ones found in your lungs?

[TiffJay]

Go to the doctor or ER.  The only symptoms I had for a massive PE was SOB.  I have, in the last two weeks been diagnosed with more DVT's and PE's in both lungs.  Request a d-dimer test.  It is the way they started to look for mine.  Be persistant!!  I know that it is hard to manage the finances of illness, but the alternative is not very appealing.
When I was first diagnosed with DVT's and PE's in January of this year I had let it go for 10 days.  I am lucky to still be here.  My chest just felt like it had pressure on it.  I didn't feel like I could get full lung capacity.
Please get it checked out.  

[shurely]

I'm still having these same symptoms. Can someone please give me any ideas or suggestions. I know one of the suggestions would be to see my dr. but I can't really afford it right now. I feel so tired and weak. It seems like the breathless feeling starts at the middle of my stomach and I can feel it through the front of my shoulders.