astmah?

[rockstar1000]

my best friend, also a girl in her teens.  she has problems breathing well when she runs.  its bad all year around, and when she went to the doctor, she was put on 2 different pills for seasonal alergies, but they havnt done anything.  any ideas would be great....thanks

[Dr. Kokil Mathur]

Hi

Breathlessness on exercising could be due to a lung problem or due to a heart problem. Lung problems like asthma, emphysema, bronchitis. Heart problems like valve prolapsed, cardiomyopathies etc.  It could also be due to diabetes, anemia, obesity or a thyroid problem. All these problems can start in early teens. I think your friend should discuss these possibilities with her doctor. She may need to undergo a few tests like blood tests and ultrasound to reach a diagnosis. I think you should discuss the possibilities with your doctor. Please let me know if there is any thing else and do keep me posted.

[KatEyes]

Communication is key - her doctor needs to know that the allergy pills are not helping her symptoms. I don't know if her being a teen means she is a minor, but if so, hopefully she is communicating her continued problems to her parents and they are taking them seriously. Any unusual breathing difficulties merit a good look to rule out medical problems that need treatment.