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Dr. Andrew Rynne
MD
Dr. Andrew Rynne

Family Physician

Exp 50 years

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What Causes Breathing Difficulties Intermittently?

I am a 73 yr old diabetic (53 yrs diabetic, last A1C 7.4) in good condition (was walking 3 to 4 dogs about 2 miles twice a day but cannot now) prior to this problem and have had difficulty breathing for about a month. This came on suddenly (overnight) after a long day working in the sun. Due to a shortage of doctors (Butte, MT) I have not yet been able to see a pulmonologist (sp?). The problem is intermittent with some days being near normal and other days totally debilitating. Heart and MRI are normal. I recently move from sea level to 5500 ft but had 30+ days to acclimate before this happened. Any suggestions?
Thu, 6 Nov 2014
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Pulmonologist,  's  Response
Thanks for your question on HCM.
In my opinion you should definitely consult pulmonologist and get done chest x ray and PFT (Pulmonary Function Test) .
In high altitude oxygen concentration is low as compare to sea level. So one has to inhale forcefully and rapidly to achieve proper oxygenation.
If you are having underlying lung disease like bronchitis , than at high altitude your problem will be more. So in your case we need to rule out this first by chest x ray and PFT. You can do deep breathing exercise to strengthen your lung functions.
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What Causes Breathing Difficulties Intermittently?

Thanks for your question on HCM. In my opinion you should definitely consult pulmonologist and get done chest x ray and PFT (Pulmonary Function Test) . In high altitude oxygen concentration is low as compare to sea level. So one has to inhale forcefully and rapidly to achieve proper oxygenation. If you are having underlying lung disease like bronchitis , than at high altitude your problem will be more. So in your case we need to rule out this first by chest x ray and PFT. You can do deep breathing exercise to strengthen your lung functions.