Lungs Filled With Air, Having Hiatal Hernia, GERD, Esophageal Ulcerations . On Nexium. Had Gastritis. Cure For This?

Posted on Fri, 17 May 2013

Question: I am suddenly having a hard time filling my lungs fully with air. When i do get a deep cleansing breath it almost hurts, like my chest is too tight to fill my lungs like that. I don't have any chest congestion, i'm a non smoker, i do have a hiatal hernia and pretty significant GERD. I started dexilant a few months ago because with nexium 40 mg BID i still had gastritis/esophagitis, esophageal ulcerations and irritation.

Answered by Dr. Payman Hajiazim (4 hours later)

Hi there, thanks for asking. it is probably panic like attack. The difference of panic like attack from panic attack is that it is caused by medical conditions. Since you have had erythema nodosum, you should be checked for some autoimmune diseases like lupus erythematosus. The doctor should have a full examination and also send blood sample for some items to be checked like C3, C4, etc.
Narcolepsy is sometimes a problem of rheumatoid arthritis. Eryhtema nodosum also could be one of its signs and chest congestion could be a sign for the involvement of the lung by this disease. So the doctor also will check about this problem in the similar way. I wish you a good health.

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar

Follow up: Dr. Payman Hajiazim (38 hours later)

Yeah, I was going to say...I know it's not a panic attack because I have had those before and this is constant. I think I was worked up possibly for lupus a long time ago but I can't even remember if they drew C3 and C4. Thank you for your help.

Answered by Dr. Payman Hajiazim (11 hours later)

Hi there, you are welcome. You can ask the doctor to see if there is any need to send blood for it to be checked. Let me know about the result please.

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar