What Could Cause Labored Breathing After A Long Walk And A Game Of Golf In An Elderly Man With Atrial Fibrillation?

Posted on Fri, 23 Feb 2024

Question: i am 72 year old male who is active but the following things have been happening. Like today i ate breakfast and then walked 1.5 miles no problem and then went and played 10 holes of golf before the rain. After playing i seem to have labored breathing I had afib and had an ablation but still take flecainide and toprol for it and also have hashimotos thyroiditis and take levothyroxine for that. I also take 1 mg of klonopin for anxiety. I am sitting here now watching golf on tv but the labored breathing bothers me no big now but it seems to be below the sternum in diaphragm area. I just dont know what to do with this condition it has been going on for sometime not sharp pain and blood pressure and portable EKG machine does not indicate afib. What are your suggestions and your thoughts. Is it something related to golf swing or the meds that i take.

Answered by Dr. Dr. Jolanda (57 minutes later)

Brief Answer:
read the following

Detailed Answer:

Hello,

Yes i can understand your concern and i am sorry about your actual situation.

If you were my patient and according to the history you provide i would recommend you to do a chest X Ray, an ECG and a cardiac ultrasound. If they come negative than a Spirometry test should be done. If it is negative too than this labor breathing should be as a probably gastric reflux problem which should be examined further and treated too.

However the thyroiditis itself if its not equilibrated well migh be one cause too.

So please discuss with your doctor for the above.

I hope to have been helpful

Regards and feel free to ask me again

Dr.Jolanda

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Raju A.T

Follow up: Dr. Dr. Jolanda (2 hours later)

I do think i should get a chest x ray i just visited my electrocardiogest and i am getting an ECG next week i get one every so often with her. I am also going to see my gastro guy in 2 weeks and i will run the results and thoughts of our talk and my other doctors talks by him and see what he feels.
I wonder if i have pulled or stretched a ligament or muscle in that area. Might need an MRI in order to find out. I have one of those Lung Performance Peak Flow Meters and i test out pretty high on that. I did see that one of the side effects of levothyroxine is labored breathing or shortness of breath. I go for walks and stuff and doesn't seem to bother me. i don't like to take a lot of drugs. your thoughts

Answered by Dr. Dr. Jolanda (5 hours later)

Brief Answer:
continue discussion

Detailed Answer:
Hi again

According to the history i don't think this is related to a ligament or muscles. However first the comorbidities should be excluded and then the MRI if needed.

Regards

Dr.Jolanda

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Remy Koshy