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Can't take a full deep breath, weird pressure on my left abdomen/ribs...need help!

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kimberly38
kimberly38

I woke up January 1st feeling tired and short of breath. I didn't think anything of it maybe I was just exhausted. By Wednesday I started to panic because I couldn't take a full deep breath. I found myself yawning more to try and get a deep breath in. And even that didn't work all the time. I also felt some pressure on the left side of my ribs and slight chest pain and decided to go to the hospital. They did an ekg, chest x-rays, and blood work and all came back normal and healthy. They sent me home and nothing changed so I found myself going back 2 days later this time I could barely catch my breath I wasn't sure if I was having a panic attack due to me feeling like I couldn't breath fully. They ran the same tests all over again and also did a CT Scan. Everything came back normal but they said it's possible I have pleurisy which is an inflammation to the outer lining of my lung, they said that could be making it hard to breath and they gave me 600mg of ibuprofen and sent me home. It's now day 13 and nothing has changed I have been waking up with my body shaking with tightness in my chest due to not being able to take deep breaths. it's making me get really bad anxiety and I tried to explain it to my boyfriend and he thinks it's all in my head and it'll be gone on it's own. I went to my Primary Care Dr who gave me a breathing test through a tube which came back not normal. They said I might have asthma but they need to run more tests. I'm 28 healthy and I am not a smoker and no history of asthma in my family. Plus when they gave me the test I was really shaky which I think affected the test. She also prescribed me Medrol which is a steroid for inflammation for 5 days. I'm on day 4 and still no changes. They gave me an inhaler to try and that did not work either. I know I don't have asthma, no coughing no wheezing. She also said it's just anxiety and prescribed me lorazepam 0.5mg to take as needed until they run more tests. I took one last night and it got me sleepy but it did not help me breath better. I'm at a loss right now because I don't know what it could be. I've been very weak and dizzy if I stand up for too long and it's been affecting my everyday life. I don't have much of an appetite either. I read some people mention it could be from GERD or a hiatal hernia etc but could that really cause me to not be able to breathe? I just want to know if there's something they haven't checked for that could be causing this? If anyone has any ideas it would be greatly appreciated.

1 like, 3 replies

3 Replies

  • ford25
    ford25 kimberly38

    Posted

    We got the same symptoms! But its in my right chest. The shortness of breath is worse. I cant do light task without gasping for air. I cant even talk for long like i used to. I cant deep breath. When i do i cough. Please tell if you got better. Im starting to feel depressed thinking im the only one feeling this
  • ford25
    ford25 kimberly38

    Posted

    Hi im 17 yrs old male. Ive been feeling this sharp chest pain in the right side of my chest since when im 16. On and off. And last month i felt nothing so im convinced it's gone. But this past few days it cameback and its worsen. I can now feel shortness of breath and i always belch. The sharp pain is back too it worsen when i try to sit down or lay down or even move. But my biggest problem is the shortness of breath. I fear this. I cant talk for so long gasping for air. I cant deep breath. When i do i cough. And i cant do this. I have school. Doing light tasks like going upstair or even walking makes me gasp air and rest. I had this for 3 days now hoping it will just go away. When I wake up this morning i thought its gone cause theres no chest pain and i can now breathe freely but when i stood up i started to feel the chest pain and the shortness of breathe again. I have school tom. Please i know its not normal. Is it anxiety or i have more serious health problem? Im not taking any meds too cause i dont know which one ill take. Help me. I think im depressed now with my condition sad i cant live like this. It will ruin my happy life for sure.

    • kimberly38
      kimberly38 ford25

      Posted

      I understand what you are going through. I've been to the hospital 3 times last week and to my personal Dr. I can't get up for too long or I get fatigued very fast. I set up an appt with a pulmonary specialist and I want to have an endoscopy done as well to see if there is anything the Drs couldn't find. It's very stressful having to deal with it all day long. I was also given anxiety meds but all that does is try to calm you down it doesn't make u breathe better. I would suggest going to see your Dr and going from there. Try to stay positive I know it's easier said than done.

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