Looking for diagnosis: fatigue, chest discomfort, heart palpitations, cough

Posted , 3 users are following.

26, female

These are my symptoms in chronological order:

  • progressive fatigue for 9 months now (had to stop running, have to spend most days lately in bed or sitting)

-breathing issues started a month ago (breathlessness just walking, or sometimes even sitting)

-chest discomfort about 4-5 days after (description below)

-dry cough lately causing lung pain

-heart palpitations

-leg aches

Tests conducted so far and their results:

-complete blood test, showing everything in order, except for bnp levels slightly high (106), and also showing I had had mono more than 2 months before

-ekg, heart echo showing everything in order (family history: father-double bypass at 56, brother-valve repair surgery at 25, mother diabetic

Detailed story:

For quite some time now (9 months) I have felt very tired. The fatigue has increased to the point where I have to spend most of the day sitting or lying down. I used to run, but I had to stop due to fatigue a month and a half ago.

About a month ago, I also started having breathing issues. I would be breathless just walking or sometimes even sitting. Eventually, I started feeling chest discomfort. I would describe it as something sitting on my chest so I could not get enough air, or like there was already something filling my chest that wouldn't let space for the air I needed.

A bit later, I also started coughing and having a bit of fever. The doctor I saw told me that I had a sore throat, and for the rest got me to do blood tests and go see a cardiologist (father-double bypass at 56, brother-valve repair surgery at 25, mother diabetic). The blood tests were all good, except for the bnp level (106). It also showed I had had mono more than 3 months ago.

The cardiologist did an ekg and an echo and said everything looked fine.

After about 10 days, the chest discomfort went away for a bit and I just had episodes every now and then. They would usually be accompanied by heart palpitations. I got diagnosed with bronchitis, and got treated with antibiotics for a week. The fever stopped but the cough persisted and has always been dry.

After the treatment, I returned to see the doctor for the cough and fatigue. At that point, he gave me a cough syrup, three days of prednisone, and an inhalator. He also told me to get a chest X-ray next and return in two weeks.

Since then, the cough has only worsened, to the point where it hurts my lungs. My chest discomfort episodes, breathlessness and heart palpitations have once again become more frequent. During this period, from time to time I also had leg aches.

One last thing I noticed is sometimes I am under the impression that my stomach puts pressure upon my chest, causing palpitations, chest discomfort and breathing issues. When this happens, the only thing that helps is walking around, because sitting or lying down only worsens the symptoms.

I would really appreciate any thoughts you might have on my condition, which is getting very frustrating. Thank you in advance.

0 likes, 6 replies

6 Replies

  • Posted

    Hi I experienced similar symptoms. I had problems breathing. Just sitting down too or getting up to walk about the house. Then the chest discomfort was awful. Like something was pressing really hard against my chest. Couldn't sleep as it was so uncomfortable. Still don't know the cause of it. I wish you well and sorry you don't have answers yet.

    • Posted

      Thanks for your answer. have you at least ruled out certain things, and if so what are they?

    • Posted

      The Chest X Ray showed severe scoliosis so they thought it was that. Turns out it might be due to an autoimmune disease. That's still undiagnosed. I was getting bad nausea and felt so unwell a few months before that. I think it might be all connected. What blood tests have you had of any?

    • Posted

      Ok, do keep me updated on your diagnosis. I hope you get well soon.

      I did do somewhat detailed blood tests, but I don't know which are the important things to look for. on the tests I did, everything was in order, except I had a slightly elevated BNP level (106). Which values are you talking about?

    • Posted

      I will do. And you too. I hope you get some answers soon. The only thing that has showed up on mybloods is the positive test for an autoimmune disease.

  • Posted

    I am not a doctor but maybe asking for a chest ct with contrast to rule out a pe.

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