Last two eve's difficulty breathing....

hawkdon

hawkdon

Well-known Member
Location
Liberty MO
Both wed ev and thurs eve I went into what I call "panic" breathing, for some reason I had a very difficult time drawing in a breath...I would use my breath inhaler with mixed results..last eve was the worst of two nites...I stayed awake, I guess out of fear,
and it took a long time to get my breathing down to normal....I am COPD and heart
condition, but don't know what caused this episodes....took a covid test this morning
(home style) and it was inconclusive.....a couple times last eve I came close to calling
911 and getting a ride to E.R. but didn't do it....My personal doc is too busy to see
me today, so we will see what the weekend brings.....the joys of aging !!!o_O
 

CinnamonSugar said:
@hawkdon I don't know what all is going on with your health/lungs but what you describes sounds like it was a legit reason for going to ER. I hope you get some answers ((hugs))
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Yeah, that's what I'm thinking. They'll probably do a nebulizer treatment...but they sell those at the pharmacy. Maybe your doc will order one for you. All s/he'd have to do is call your pharmacy.
 
Murrmurr said:
Yeah, that's what I'm thinking. They'll probably do a nebulizer treatment...but they sell those at the pharmacy. Maybe your doc will order one for you. All s/he'd have to do is call your pharmacy.
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If he doesn't have a nebulizer, he does need one. Also, he absolutely should see a pulmonary specialist, not just a primary physician.
And he better learn to contain his panic and breathe properly, expelling his carbon dioxide.

I have asthma, allergies and emphysema. I know a bit about what he went through. He needs the help of a pulmonary specialist..
 
Sure hope you feel better.
I would do a MurrMurr says and get to a specialist.
Until then, you could check u-tube for Pranayama (breathing) techniques
that could slow breathing and heart rate instantly. That might help.
There are some great posts on here from wiser folks than me.
 
Gaer said:
Sure hope you feel better.
I would do a MurrMurr says and get to a specialist.
Until then, you could check u-tube for Pranayama (breathing) techniques
that could slow breathing and heart rate instantly. That might help.
There are some great posts on here from wiser folks than me.
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As I also have COPD (walk slower to help with breathing) this could be helpful. Thank you.
 
Despite being fully vaccinated and boosted both my wife and I came down with what was probably the Omicron version of Covid. In my case I developed considerable chest pain. Went to the ER -- the Covid had infected my lungs and that was the source of the pain. Fortunately I had been put on Paxlovid which cured me. Both the wife and I are fine, but I did learn something about Covid. Getting into the lungs it can be dangerous. Lung pain and shortness of breath can be symptoms. If blood oxygen is diminishing your body senses it and the heart starts beating faster to compensate, another symptom. A useful device that the ER gave me is a device called an Oximeter. Insert your finger and it measures pulse and more importantly, blood oxygen. If your blood oxygen gets below 90%, and stays there -- get to the doctor!
 
I have severe asthma and use inhalers plus a nebulizer. It is really scary when you can't breathe. If you don't have a pulse oximeter, you can order one from Amazon. It's good to have more than one.
Like @ElCastor you will know when to go to the hospital.

Being so short of breath that you are afraid to sleep, it is really best to go to the ER. They can quickly give you oxygen, (ambulance would too) and test to determine if it is your lungs or heart.

Don't wait if it happens tonight. Things can go bad very quickly, and it does not have to. With the right medication you can feel good in a short amount of time.

Edited to add: My pulmonologist told me that when your oxygen level is low, the brain and heart are getting less oxygen than they need to function properly. Hmmmm brain? I wonder if that is my problem?
 
ElCastor said:
Despite being fully vaccinated and boosted both my wife and I came down with what was probably the Omicron version of Covid. In my case I developed considerable chest pain. Went to the ER -- the Covid had infected my lungs and that was the source of the pain. Fortunately I had been put on Paxlovid which cured me. Both the wife and I are fine, but I did learn something about Covid. Getting into the lungs it can be dangerous. Lung pain and shortness of breath can be symptoms. If blood oxygen is diminishing your body senses it and the heart starts beating faster to compensate, another symptom. A useful device that the ER gave me is a device called an Oximeter. Insert your finger and it measures pulse and more importantly, blood oxygen. If your blood oxygen gets below 90%, and stays there -- get to the doctor!
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He should get an pulse oximeter, and a good one. Not $9.95 piece of junk. The oxygen read out is mandatory when one has such breathing problems. He really has to get into a pulmonary specialist.
 
Hawky, we're worried about you! This can't go on. :(
Indiana Joe said:
If he doesn't have a nebulizer, he does need one. Also, he absolutely should see a pulmonary specialist, not just a primary physician.
And he better learn to contain his panic and breathe properly, expelling his carbon dioxide.

I have asthma, allergies and emphysema. I know a bit about what he went through. He needs the help of a pulmonary specialist..
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Joe, is right! You need to see a pulmonary specialist. ASAP! 😘
 
Not to scare the crap out of you, but this might get you to the ER to get checked out. Only 6 years ago, I was 49 years old and a very close friend of mine was also 49 years old. He suffered from breathing issues as well and had chronic bronchitis. On a Friday, I was speaking to him on the phone and he sounded awful with his breathing. He told me pretty much the same thing you have explained to me that his Primary Physician had been too busy to see him that day and he didn't think it was severe enough to go to the ER at that time. He was going to wait it out the weekend. To make a long story short, that was the very last time I ever spoke to him. He passed away that night in his sleep. They determined after his family had an autopsy done that he passed due to not enough oxygen to his brain and he had a massive Stroke from that.

So, like I said not to scare you but please think about going to the ER and getting checked and at least getting a Nebulizer treatment. It is much better to be safe than sorry.
 
Kika said:
He can see one in the ER, as well as a respiratory therapist.
No waiting weeks for an appointment.
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I can only give you my slant on visiting the ER with such a condition. I've done it few times. I sat around for more than six hours each time waiting for my turn. Unless triage deems your condition as immediate and life threatening, you are going to sitting around for quite a time.. And all they will end up doing is either temporarily alleviating the condition or get you admitted for treatment. They might mumble something as to the cause, but that's it. One needs an in depth examination, diagnosis and prescriptions for the proper meds.

An ER visit is demanded, but its relief is temporary. Get to a specialist.
 
Annika said:
To make a long story short, that was the very last time I ever spoke to him. He passed away that night in his sleep.
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Similar experience about 20 years ago. She was 58, I even went there to drive her to the ER. She refused, felt she would be better soon.
She was found dead the next morning in the bathroom with the inhaler in her hand, and the nebulizer running in the bedroom.
 
ElCastor said:
Despite being fully vaccinated and boosted both my wife and I came down with what was probably the Omicron version of Covid. In my case I developed considerable chest pain. Went to the ER -- the Covid had infected my lungs and that was the source of the pain. Fortunately I had been put on Paxlovid which cured me. Both the wife and I are fine, but I did learn something about Covid. Getting into the lungs it can be dangerous. Lung pain and shortness of breath can be symptoms. If blood oxygen is diminishing your body senses it and the heart starts beating faster to compensate, another symptom. A useful device that the ER gave me is a device called an Oximeter. Insert your finger and it measures pulse and more importantly, blood oxygen. If your blood oxygen gets below 90%, and stays there -- get to the doctor!
Click to expand...
I also had some chest/back pain for 2 days, which is gone now. It may be caused by the coughing. I already had the oximeter last year & it always read 95 - 99.
 
Kika said:
Similar experience about 20 years ago. She was 58, I even went there to drive her to the ER. She refused, felt she would be better soon.
She was found dead the next morning in the bathroom with the inhaler in her hand, and the nebulizer running in the bedroom.
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I sometimes kick myself and especially right after it happened with a lot of what if I just drove over to his place and demanded he went to the ER, but that is all hindsight. It is so sad.
 
hawkdon said:
.My personal doc is too busy to see
me today, so we will see what the weekend brings.....the joys of aging !!!
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I'm sorry that you are going through this. But please don't think it is because of aging. Shortness of breath is a symptom of something else. Could be your heart or your COPD, as you said, but could also be something else. There is no way to tell except to get to the ER preferably by ambulance. They can treat you during the ride. Please take care of yourself. You have a lot of people here who care about you.
 
Kika said:
Don't do that to yourself. I did drive to my friend. She was adamant to not go. Talking just made her worse. I'm just sorry I did not call 911 and let them try to convince her. Hindsight is always 20/20.
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It is just very hard. Just knowing I could have been one of the last if not the last person to have spoken to him and trying to give him just a bit more advice to get him to go. It may not have made a difference, but who knows.
 

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