Sign-in to Ask A Doctor - 24x7
OR
Sign in with Google
Suggest Treatment For Breathing Difficulty
Question: I experience labored breathing and often times not all the time but often in the morning I wake up gasping for air. the labored breathing has occurred since april/may. the labored breathing seems to hit me in waves and lasts long periods of time. it has effected my ability to exert myself strenuously. I can walk but I stopped attempting to jog or run because it flairs up. I underwent a pulmonary function test which did not yield any thing of significance (everything in essence was normal) In July I had a chest x ray and extensive blood work while in the hospital all came back negative. I have also received blood work from a hematologist and primary care doctor. the only thing that came back was elevated liver enzymes. hepatits test came back negative. ultrasound of liver and kidneys also negative. I had an echocardiogram done of my heart in July which came back normal. I have had several ekgs done over the past few months all came back normal. I also had an mri and eeg done in july which came back normal. I should also say that for approximately a month my head began aching and has not stopped since. for the first week following the initial onset I experienced nausea in the morning and throughout the day. the nausea has since abated yet I feel it intermittently. My question is what diagnosis is most appropriate for my symptoms? Is there a test I have yet to take that would completely rule out something physical?
Brief Answer:
I would recommend as follows:
Detailed Answer:
Hello!
Thank you for asking on HCM!
I carefully passed through your question and would explain that your symptoms could be related to a metabolic disorder.
Sleep apnea can not be excluded either, especially considering your troubles with breathing.
Your normal cardiac ultrasound has excluded any possible cardiac disorder.
The respiratory function tests have excluded possible chronic lung disorder.
The brain EGG and MRI has excluded possible seizures or a brain lesion (tumor, inflammation, infection) which could be related to your symptoms.
Coming to this point, I recommend performing further tests:
- thyroid hormone levels to exclude a possibly thyroid dysfunction
- inflammation tests (PCR, sedimentation rate) for possible chronic inflammation, especially considering the headache and the respiratory troubles.
- an arterial blood gas analysis and a polysomnography for possible sleep apnea.
- vitamin D plasma levels for possible vitamin D deficiency.
If all the above tests result normal, I would recommend considering anxiety and tension type headache as a possible cause of your symptoms. Anyway, these are benign causes, which can be treated with success with antidepressants, leading to complete recovery of your symptoms. But before coming to this conclusion, it is important performing the above mentioned tests.
Hope to have been helpful!
Kind regards,
Dr. Iliri
I would recommend as follows:
Detailed Answer:
Hello!
Thank you for asking on HCM!
I carefully passed through your question and would explain that your symptoms could be related to a metabolic disorder.
Sleep apnea can not be excluded either, especially considering your troubles with breathing.
Your normal cardiac ultrasound has excluded any possible cardiac disorder.
The respiratory function tests have excluded possible chronic lung disorder.
The brain EGG and MRI has excluded possible seizures or a brain lesion (tumor, inflammation, infection) which could be related to your symptoms.
Coming to this point, I recommend performing further tests:
- thyroid hormone levels to exclude a possibly thyroid dysfunction
- inflammation tests (PCR, sedimentation rate) for possible chronic inflammation, especially considering the headache and the respiratory troubles.
- an arterial blood gas analysis and a polysomnography for possible sleep apnea.
- vitamin D plasma levels for possible vitamin D deficiency.
If all the above tests result normal, I would recommend considering anxiety and tension type headache as a possible cause of your symptoms. Anyway, these are benign causes, which can be treated with success with antidepressants, leading to complete recovery of your symptoms. But before coming to this conclusion, it is important performing the above mentioned tests.
Hope to have been helpful!
Kind regards,
Dr. Iliri
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
Good morning which specialist should I see you get the blood work done. I saw a second neurologist who wanted to do an MRI with contrast I have not done that test yet. I should also mention this labored breathing began when I started to come down from and ultimately off if geodone thank you
Brief Answer:
My answer as follows:
Detailed Answer:
Hello again!
Thank you for the additional information.
I would explain that your symptoms seem to be related to anxiety, caused by geodone withdrawal.
Coming to this point, I don't think that any other tests are needed, as they will probably result normal.
I would not recommend performing a new MRI with contrast, as it is not necessary (taking into consideration the adverse effects of gadolinium contrast).
I would just recommend re-consulting with your attending physician and discussing the possibility of restarting geodone or any other drug of this family, to help you manage these symptoms.
Hope to have been helpful!
Best wishes,
Dr. Iliri
My answer as follows:
Detailed Answer:
Hello again!
Thank you for the additional information.
I would explain that your symptoms seem to be related to anxiety, caused by geodone withdrawal.
Coming to this point, I don't think that any other tests are needed, as they will probably result normal.
I would not recommend performing a new MRI with contrast, as it is not necessary (taking into consideration the adverse effects of gadolinium contrast).
I would just recommend re-consulting with your attending physician and discussing the possibility of restarting geodone or any other drug of this family, to help you manage these symptoms.
Hope to have been helpful!
Best wishes,
Dr. Iliri
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
thank you. I have not taken geodone since 2nd week of may but am open to this information. who would perform the requested blood work related to the inflammation ( pcr, sedimentation)
Brief Answer:
My answer as follows:
Detailed Answer:
Hello again!
Inflammation tests can be requested by your general physician.
Regarding geodone, you should know that its effects usually last (in a lower degree) even a couple of weeks after stopping it. I recommend discussing with your attending physician on the possibility of restarting it in low doses or switch to another similar drug.
I think that your tests will result normal. This will confirm the fact that your symptoms are related to geodone withdrawal.
Hope to have been helpful!
Greetings!
Dr. Iliri
My answer as follows:
Detailed Answer:
Hello again!
Inflammation tests can be requested by your general physician.
Regarding geodone, you should know that its effects usually last (in a lower degree) even a couple of weeks after stopping it. I recommend discussing with your attending physician on the possibility of restarting it in low doses or switch to another similar drug.
I think that your tests will result normal. This will confirm the fact that your symptoms are related to geodone withdrawal.
Hope to have been helpful!
Greetings!
Dr. Iliri
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
Answered by
Get personalised answers from verified doctor in minutes across 80+ specialties
