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Getting Winded And Pain In Legs While Climbing Stairs. What Could Be Causing This?
Question: When I climb one flight of stairs I get winded and the back of my legs ache. I had a shower of PE in my lungs a year ago. I do not have high blood pressure and my oxygen is good after I climb the stairs, as I have checked the oxygen stat right after. I take blood thinners, coumidan, but this acts like another PE, could it be?
Hi,
Thanks for posting your query on XXXXXXX
After going through your query I would like to comment the following:
1. You seem to be suffering from exertional breathlessness with pain in both legs.
2. You had a past history of hypothyroidism, chronic bronchitis, sleep apnea and PE.
3. Also you aren't desaturating.
4. Since you are on anticoagulants, the chances of PE recurring are quiet low.
5. Also since you have associated chronic bronchitis as well as sleep apnea, they need to be managed well. Inhalers and oral bronchodilator medicines need to be taken as per clinical evaluation findings. Management depends on pulmonary function tests. Also depending on the severity of sleep apnea CPAP ventilation may be required.
6. Do take plenty of fluids as pain in the calves may be a sign of dehydration.
7. Is their tenderness in both your legs (Pain on pressing the calf region of both legs) ? If yes then a detailed evaluation may be required at this stage. Investigations in the form of bilateral lower limb colour Doppler and chest xray may be required.
8. Thus it is suggested that you get yourself evaluated from a pulmonologist as mentioned above.
9. Also yearly flu vaccination and 5 yearly pneumococcal vaccinations should be taken by you.
I hope I have answered your query. I will be glad to answer follow up queries if any.
Please accept my answer if you have no follow up queries.
Regards
Dr. Gyanshankar Mishra
MBBS MD DNB
Thanks for posting your query on XXXXXXX
After going through your query I would like to comment the following:
1. You seem to be suffering from exertional breathlessness with pain in both legs.
2. You had a past history of hypothyroidism, chronic bronchitis, sleep apnea and PE.
3. Also you aren't desaturating.
4. Since you are on anticoagulants, the chances of PE recurring are quiet low.
5. Also since you have associated chronic bronchitis as well as sleep apnea, they need to be managed well. Inhalers and oral bronchodilator medicines need to be taken as per clinical evaluation findings. Management depends on pulmonary function tests. Also depending on the severity of sleep apnea CPAP ventilation may be required.
6. Do take plenty of fluids as pain in the calves may be a sign of dehydration.
7. Is their tenderness in both your legs (Pain on pressing the calf region of both legs) ? If yes then a detailed evaluation may be required at this stage. Investigations in the form of bilateral lower limb colour Doppler and chest xray may be required.
8. Thus it is suggested that you get yourself evaluated from a pulmonologist as mentioned above.
9. Also yearly flu vaccination and 5 yearly pneumococcal vaccinations should be taken by you.
I hope I have answered your query. I will be glad to answer follow up queries if any.
Please accept my answer if you have no follow up queries.
Regards
Dr. Gyanshankar Mishra
MBBS MD DNB
Note: For further follow up on related General & Family Physician Click here.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
Answered by
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