seekhelp
Frequent Contributor (5K+ posts)
Member # 15067
posted
Ever since I took that Bactrim DS for 3 days (now off), all kinds of symptoms stirred.
The last 2-3 days, I'm getting a disturbing one IMO. I constantly feel a tightess in my upper left and / or right chest area. It's above the breast line.
I really can't tell if it's muscular or more. At times, I'll break out into sweats as well. I have went through cardiac stress tests (2x), 3 echocardiograms, 1 transesopogeal echocardiogram, 24-hr holter, numerous EKGs, etc. All were perfectly normal and my last tests were May-09.
Can gas pressure cause this feeling? I mentioned I had some issues with my stomach feeling bloated in my other thread.
I nearly collapsed Sat trying to walk a bit through Wal-Mart with my family. The pressure in my upper chest was making it hard to breathe and my lungs just couldn't get full air. I've been getting head pressure/squeezing too and imabalance feelings (unsteady). I'm also waking up freezing cold and it takes an hour or two to feel normal again temp wise.
I had an arterial blood gas draw today. Perfectly normal.
I passed a pulmonary function test last November even though amazingly I can't exercise a bit and struggle to breathe well sometimes.
Should I be concerned about heart issues since a cardiac cath was never performed. I'm significantly overweight. The cardiologist stated repeatedly my heart is perfect. On the other hand, he said 10% of people can't be Dxed unless a cardiac cath is done??? Hmmmmm...
This just SUCKS> I'm very down. One year into treatment and this has been my worst month so far healthwise. Combination Abx has made me spiral downwards. My daily symptom severity ratings are more severe this month. I feel like it's all for not and a waste.
I could call my LLMD, but it wouldn't help. Answer 99.9999999% of the time would be herx, I don't know, talk to your real PCP, stop meds.
is this classic Babesia? Something else familiar?
Posts: 7545 | From The 5th Dimension - The Twilight Zone | Registered: Mar 2008
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posted
Not sure if I have the answers, but I know when I was on Bactrim by breathing was significantly worse. Then again, my breathing sort of stinks normally too.
I have a weird sort of asthma, which is mostly just 'chest tightness', no wheezing. My doc thinks my immune system is sort of on overdrive, which is what is making my asthma bother me. Before say, 5 years ago, I never had real breathing problems (unless I was around lots of dogs/cats).
One test you can ask your doctor for is calcium scoring. It is similar to a heart CT-scan, but without all of the radiation (so don't get that one). You just want a calcium scoring, which is about equivalent to 4-6 chest x-rays. It is a good predictor as to your artery health. I also suggest a VAP lipoprotein test, which is a blood test for cholesterol and particle sizes. It is much more accurate than standard cholesterol tests.
I've had a cardiac cath done about 5 years ago (which came back perfectly normal). But it's not something you want to do as a diagnostic test -- no fun at all, trust me.
You probably should schedule an appointment with your doctor to go over the breathing problem. It may be pulmonary related, babesia, etc. There are some simple things your doctor can try to rule out certain things: a proper pulmonary test can rule out asthma, for instance.
Posts: 584 | From NY | Registered: Feb 2009
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seekhelp
Frequent Contributor (5K+ posts)
Member # 15067
posted
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Posts: 7545 | From The 5th Dimension - The Twilight Zone | Registered: Mar 2008
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massman
Unregistered
posted
Does it have to be related to lyme and what you are taking for it ?
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sixgoofykids
Honored Contributor (10K+ posts)
Member # 11141
posted
If you just started taking abx combos, it's bound to get worse before it gets better.
Babs causes all kinds of problems. I thought I would have a heart attack from babs .... and I was so sick, I kinda welcomed it, but it never happened.
Be sure you're constantly detoxing .... detox is so important when you're on the heavy combos because it creates so much in the way of toxins.
-------------------- sixgoofykids.blogspot.com Posts: 13449 | From Ohio | Registered: Feb 2007
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feelfit
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 12770
posted
Well, you know it is what landed me in the hospital last month...same sx. I had the cath done and it was ok.
Doesn't have to be related to Lyme Massman, but Seekhelp seems to have had ample testing...so what else could it be?
My breathing, heart stuff happened after starting Babs tx....coincidence?
Anyways, Seekie I get the same stuff. As Six has said, sometimes I even 'hope' for some sort of defining event, for closures sake. Can't keep running to ER daily with scary breathing and heart sx.
Feelfit
Posts: 3975 | From usa | Registered: Aug 2007
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posted
Same problem. Have had lyme for 13 years...
Shortness of breath or air hunger. Chest tightness Sharp pains. "Heavy" heart. Skipping & slowing.
It sucks more than any of my other symptoms.
Have never been able to run or even walk more than a block.
Frequently pass out if standing for more than 5 minutes.
& im not overweight...
Have had all those tests named & all came back normal.
I wish somebody would be able to help me figure it out too!!!
Posts: 48 | From San Francisco, CA | Registered: Mar 2009
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massman
Unregistered
posted
Know when a spinal bone does not move correctly it is stuck and can cause pain ? That is what Doctors of Chiropractic mostly work on.
Ribs should also move correctly when you breathe. If they dont you can get a little shortness of breath or have great shortness of breath.
MDs pretty much are clueless about it but your description sounds to me pretty much like a stuck rib. When and if seeking a chiro fid one who has adjusted ribs a lot.
If it is a rib and you get a good accurate adjustment you will know almost immediately.
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sixgoofykids
Honored Contributor (10K+ posts)
Member # 11141
posted
Good point, Massman. I was surprised that a lot of my pain came from bones being stuck. Toxins can cause the bones to move, then the stuck bone creates a good place for more toxins and pathogens to congregate. Think of a stagnant pond and what happens to it.
-------------------- sixgoofykids.blogspot.com Posts: 13449 | From Ohio | Registered: Feb 2007
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seekhelp
Frequent Contributor (5K+ posts)
Member # 15067
posted
I agree 100% with you Massman. I was just thinking this an hour ago. I feel horrid. it's bad a bad day.
I'm getting tremendous presure in my left shoulder / neck area. It's been all day. It feels like something is literally stuck and popping horribly. I don't recall any injury. My left ear feels very plugged and my left jaw is full feeling. Gosh, I hope this goes away.
One year ago I had arthroscopic surgery on my left shoulder. Could Lyme have attacked it? Something else with the Bactrim DS? That pill destroyed me. I am scared to think what would've happened had I stayed on it for another 4-5 days seriously.
This out-of-state Lyme care just sucks honestly. When acute issues arise, you're screwed. I'm starting to tire of it.
Unfortunately, I've had other issues today...almost trembling some of the day, felt like my feet / legs were feeling off (not numb, but weird), stomach dropping feeling, severe nose/eye drainage, terrible chills, sweats). I tought I was going to die.
I'm wondering if I should take a week break off Abx or something? I don't want to hurt myself. I'm pretty sure my inability to detox makes Lyme treatment hopeless, IF I have it. It's a losing battle and I need another specialist to help with it. I'm not going to get that assistance from my LLMD and I believe it's a very serious problem. Perhaps a second doctor to help with this separate issue though I can't afford much more.
[ 09-22-2009, 01:10 AM: Message edited by: seekhelp ]
Posts: 7545 | From The 5th Dimension - The Twilight Zone | Registered: Mar 2008
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seekhelp
Frequent Contributor (5K+ posts)
Member # 15067
posted
Just another nightmarish day. I got 1 hr of sleep last night. Still had chest pressure last night and broke into sweats and woke up at 6 AM with uncontrollable chills. Nothing was helping. It finally went away.
My BP got elevated to 189/112. It's NEVER like that. I felt very, very anxious. I almost went to the ER today, but went to an Internal Medicine doc.
He did EKG, chest X-ray...said I was fine. My BP was 120/82 there @ 10:30 AM. I still can barely go outside without my chest muscles tightening. I went to the Chiro today and he said my muscles were the tightest he's ever seen.
The Internal Medicine doc said don't even talk to him about Lyme. He has no interest in it. This was a new doc I saw. He said I talked to much, babbled too much about my health history. How nice. He said just tell him why I'm there today. He said I seemed 'anxious.' I was as all day I've felt like I'm literally wired and shaking.
If this becomes the norm, I'm scared. That Bactrim DS destroyed me. I had a full CBC, MCP, and Urinalysis panel done Sunday...all perfectly normal. Arterial Blood Gases totally normal. This is just insane. I can't breathe and have zero stamina w/o one explanation.
Can anxiety really last 96 hours straight? Everytime I try to stand for any prolonged period, my BP elevates and I get shaky. It wasn't like this before the Bactrim.
Doc gave me an anti-inflammatory med and said I'll be fine. He said to follow up with my 'Lymes' doctor. Never asked to see my tests or anything. Didn't care. THIS IS A CRIME HOW DOCTORS TREAT LYME PATIENTS. We're human beings right that deserve dignity and respect?
Posts: 7545 | From The 5th Dimension - The Twilight Zone | Registered: Mar 2008
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I have found myself in a many similair situations & feelings with the physical intensity vs the doctors.
Just try to stay as strong as possible till it passes...
Posts: 48 | From San Francisco, CA | Registered: Mar 2009
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feelfit
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 12770
posted
To answer your question "can anxiety last 96 hours straight"?
Yes. I have had atypical anxiety that lasted weeks on end. 24/7. My body felt like it had to keep moving, shaky, unable to settle down. I lost a lot of weight from the continioius need to move, fidget, etc.
This was before I had a diagnosis. It took klonopin and Paxil to calm me down and save my life because I was so tormented it was killing me.
Typical anxiety does not present this way. Infectious anxiety does.
Just my thoughts again, but I think that bactrim *may* be a drug that was really hitting your symptoms. I have gone through similar reactions on drugs. I cut down. And then re-start. Maybe if you continued with the Bactrim at small doses this reaction would go away in a few days time.
Some things are just unbearable though and we need to stop.
Thinking of you, Feelfit
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