This is topic Shortness of breath anyone??? in forum Medical Questions at LymeNet Flash.


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Posted by Geneal (Member # 10375) on :
 
Other than significant joint pain, one of my first symptoms of Lyme was and still is shortness of breath.

I have had pulmonary tests, x-rays, etc. Everything normal so far.

Have a nuclear stress test in two weeks due to abnormal echo.

This is one of the scariest symptoms as I feel like I can't breathe. I know I am oxygenating, but still feel like I can't get a good breath.

Have first appt. with LLMD in 3 weeks. Already dx. with Lyme from Western Blot.

Can anyone tell me if this symptom gets better with treatment.

I'd hate to spend my life laying down (only position I can get a good breath in).

All information is deeply appreciated.

Thanks,
Geneal
 

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Posted by kitkat32 (Member # 9682) on :
 
Hi Geneal,

It's always correct to get anything cardiac checked out. You can never be sure if it's lyme or not. I am glad to see you are doing that.

Yes, it can be from the lyme. SOB and chest pain were one of my first symptoms..10 years ago. I thought I was going to die. I have also gone through all the testing, several times. I always pass my tests.

When I started treatment last March I was having constant SOB. I also had a racing pulse and could always feel my heart beating in my neck. It use to scare the you know what out of me.

After several months on abx I woke up in the middle of the night and shook my husband awake. I told him something was really wrong. He asked me what I was feeling and what he should do. "Do I need to take you to the ER?" After I calmed down and thought about it I realized I wasn't feeling my heart pound in my chest or neck anymore. At first I thought my body was shutting down. Then my hubby said that that was normal, he doesn't ever feel his.

My point is it does get better with treatment. For me, I was so used to feeling it that I freaked out when I didn't. It has been a couple of months now since I have had no SOB or palpitations. It still feels strange to me to feel "normal" in that sense.

I hope that your appt. with your LLMD goes well. Make sure you take all your cardiac results with you. A good LLMD will send you for those tests anyway so you should show that you have had them done already.

kit
 

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Posted by canbravelyme (Member # 9785) on :
 
I had / have shortness of breath - it's more like I can't breathe deeply enough. It can be a symptom of Babesia ("air hunger") - please check it out, because if the Babesia isn't treated first (or long enough), and you do have it, you will have to be like me and have an antibiotic treatment failure and redo your course of antibiotics.

Best wishes and good health,

Canbravelyme.
 

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Posted by am36 (Member # 9409) on :
 
severe shortness of breath here. did I say severe?

I have other muscle weakness as well, so we assume it's muscle weakness, especially as it gets worse when I talk or heaven forfend-sing.
Cold air makes it somewhat better.

It was suggested to me to do an MIP-MEP (maximum inspiratory/expiratory pressure) pulmonary test. It's not routinely done on the pft's

BTW, I know this from when they thought this was myasthenia gravis---if breathing trouble is being caused by muscle weakness, then
a pulse oxygen count is not an effective way of evaluating it, as the patient is getting enough oxygen, just working like crazy to get it.

my #1 worst symptom, and believe me, I've got lots of other symptoms!
 

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Posted by kelmo (Member # 8797) on :
 
am36...I have had the same problem, I'm glad you've mentioned it. I've driven myself to the ER for asthma, crazy for air, and my pulse ox is 97. They think I'm just having an anxiety attack.

Yeah, anxious I can't breathe.

My dauther gets this, too. I would hope that if it's babesia that she would show pos for it. What she has now is Bartonella and mycoplasma pneumonia.

She is supposed to be taking a month break from antibiotics to help heal her gut, but her air hunger came back real quick.

Kelmo
 

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Posted by sadie420 (Member # 9294) on :
 
SOB or Air Hunger is often a symptom of Babesia. Artiminisin is an herb that addresses babs. Also, I use a salt pipe that helps.

Sadie
 

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Posted by char (Member # 8315) on :
 
Mine was not terrible, but is lessening with treatment.

It is listed as a Babesia symptom, but I am experiencing a bit of it as a herx on lyme abx.

Inhaler helped me a bit.

Char
 

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Posted by Penn92 (Member # 9207) on :
 
Char - if your abx for Lyme is doxy, that can hit the babs a bit. My LLMD just put me on artemisinin on the hunch that I have babs (though I tested negative) and I have already herxed after only 4 doses of 100mg each. His clue was that I herxed a bit on doxy. Just a thought for you.

Totally with you on the short of breath. I'm a singer and I find I can't sing nearly as long without taking a breath as I used to. Frustrating to be breathing every other measure. Check into babesia with the LLMD.
 

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Posted by KarenB (Member # 10510) on :
 
I to have problems with breathing, Can't quite get a deep breath.

primary doc treated me last winter with inhalers etc. Did not help.

Also sent me for cardiac stress test etc.

Everything was normal

Now I know it is just another ugly symptom of lyme.

My lymph nodes in my neck are constantly swollen,
Anyone have this?

karenb
 

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Posted by shoney (Member # 9925) on :
 
Doxy also hits babs? I started on Doxy, tested + for babs but didn't have a lot of sx. Maybe the initial doxy knocked it down. I thought only mepron/zith worked?
 

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Posted by Penn92 (Member # 9207) on :
 

quote:

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Originally posted by shoney:
Doxy also hits babs? I started on Doxy, tested + for babs but didn't have a lot of sx. Maybe the initial doxy knocked it down. I thought only mepron/zith worked?

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