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Bending over post lobectomy causes significant shortness of breath?
I’m 7 months from lobectomy of left lower lobe. By and large I do pretty well from a pulmonary function perspective. Not as great as the docs led me to expect, since I absolutely do not have 99% of my capacity back, nor do I see evidence the other lines are taking up the slack.
So that’s an “is”. But what I don’t understand is why bending over causes a severe loss of capacity.
I notice it just wiping up a spill or sponging off baseboards. Stuff like that.
Does anyone else experience that?
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With only 3 weeks apart, that must have been difficult. Did you have wedge resection or did they take the lobes? Surgery would have reduced lung capacity.
By Tagresso becoming toxic do you mean pneumonitis?
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1 ReactionDemand that you have your heart evaluated. For three years I begged my pulmonologist for supplemental oxygen when I would be exerting myself. I continually managed the 6 minute pO2 walk test without dipping below 92. A new pulmonary function test demonstrated that there was no further loss of lung function.
After a bad fall I experienced increased trouble breathing. I was admitted to the hospital where a series of tests were performed. It turned out I was experiencing heart failure and placed on a diuretic. Within a week I was breathing easier than I had in a couple of years.
Thank you for your reply….
I had wedge sections removed from each lung, which is called VATS. Lung function has been OK….. But breathing poor since surgeries in 2020. Very strange!
Toxicity: I was sick on only 40mg. Targresso With blood results concerning. Also in and out of the ER. I had to stop Targresso after 1 1/2 years.
Thank you for sharing. I thought I was having a heart attack in March of this year, but the blood results in ER came back normal. Do you remember what tests you did for heart failure?
I had shortness of breath before my two VATs and it is now increased.
I have mulltiple reasons to have shortness of breath. Apart from loss of lung capacity due to cancer treatments, I also have pulmonary fibrosis and pulmonary hypertension ...my O2 is fine sitting but drops to dangerous levels with exertion. So I now have prescription for O2
I agree with Denzie comment about having your heart checked as a potential cause of shortness of breath. I had a right heart catherization (the gold standard for determining pulmonary hypertension) but unfortunately they could not complete it so they did a TTE (a noninvasive or minimally invasive ultrasound imaging test that uses sound waves to create pictures of the heart).
My ER doctor ordered them. Let me see if I can figure out from the my chart.
I had been to the ER twice before, both times they wrote it off as COPD.
This is a list of tests I had when I was in the ER and before I was discharged three days later. I believe it was the TTE that diagnosed the left ventricular insufficiency.
Making matters worse, I had the same test done a year previous to rule out heart disease, the results were the same and the cardiologist only sent a note saying I needed to make no changes in management. The cardiac hospitalist told me the results between both TTE tests were identical.
ECG
CBC W/auto differential
Blood gas venous
Magnesium
Troponen
Comprehension metabolic panel
Trans thoracic echocardiogram w/color flow and Doppler
Basic metabolic panel
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2 ReactionsI have had similiar experiences. I think some things fall between the cracks. Apart from the fact that ER is mainly to stabilize the patient, not treat them, the right doctor has to look at those tests against the back drop of certain symptoms. Sometimes I think they are leaving decisions to their colleagues and not following up.
I started with shortness of breath which lead to abnormal chest xray, CT Scan and PET scan which all pointed to lung issue. Also blood gas not normal. Then, at same time, I had sudden onset of numbness in lower legs and went to ER because it was right there and they found elevated Troponin levels in blood so they kept me and then did angiogram after which revealed a 70% LAD blockage. I had cardiac stent but that did not take away the SOB. After 2 and 1/2 years the conclusion was that my SOB has multiple causes: I have lung cancer, interstial pulmonary fibrosis and pulmonary hypertension...and I need Oxygen for exertion and sleep.
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1 ReactionZio by iRhythm is a heart rate monitor that captures beat-to-beat cardiac rhythm for up to 14 days.
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1 ReactionTargresso puts burden on heart. My mother's heart rate increased to 100 + per min. Bless you!
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