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Tight Chest, Congested Feeling no Cough, Discomfort Taking Deep Breath
Hi. This is my first post. I hope that someone can provide some insight. I've read several posts but cannot pinpoint the exact forum to be in.
I am 49. Quite fit. Normal blood pressure. Normal lab work. Low CT scan number (which I had done in the middle of all this). Chest x-ray normal.
Suddenly in April of this year, my chest started feeling a little tight like I could not take a full deep breath. It was intermittent and mild. Later it developed into what felt like chest congestion but I had no cough. My doctor thought that I might have a mild infection and prescribed antibiotics which seemed to help. It later returned and we discussed if I may have asthma (which I never have had). I have no trouble exhaling or other asthma-like symptoms. However, we tried an asthma-allergy medication for a couple of weeks which made no difference.
I consulted a friend (who is a primary care doctor), and he suggested that I may have silent-reflux (LPR). I've never had any digestive issues or anything to even hint at reflux. My diet was already healthy but I cleaned it up even more, cut back on coffee, alcohol, and tried PPIs (prilosec and pantaprozole) for a month. It really made no difference.
I visited an ENT who used the scope and saw "some" swelling around larynx and agreed with the LPR diagnosis. He encouraged me to keep on the PPIs for another month or so (which I did, along with diet changes), but in the end has made no difference.
My primary doctor suggested that I visit a pulmonologist for their opinion and breathing tests (if required). He thought that I was fine, agreed with LPR diagnosis. We scheduled breathing tests just in case my condition did not improve. After a month of the same, I had the breathing tests done. I was told that my lungs were "pristine" and I should consider a gastroenterologist.
I visited a gastroenterologist and he disagreed with the LPR diagnosis and said that I really have no symptoms of reflux. He offered to do an endoscopy (just to cover the bases) but implied that he did not think it was necessary. I told him that I had been taking the PPIs and he asked if I felt better. He said I should be feeling "like a new man" if it were reflux. I told him that my symptoms had remained constant. He suggested that I stop all PPIs and see if my symptoms change. He even suggested that I may want to see a pulmonologist (which I had already done). I hate taking unnecessary meds, so I stopped. Sure enough, my symptoms have not changed. Still the same daily chest discomfort, tightness.
So here we are nearing the end of September and I still feel the same. I'm not sure where else to turn. My wife thinks that I should get the endoscopy done just to be sure, but to me it really feels like a lung issue. When I take a deep, I feel resistance. It feels like bronchitis without the typical symptoms.
Thank you.
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Have you found any answers?
I have the same problems. I know it is the lungs because if i lay on my chest and cough hard it slightly loosens and i cough up a tiny bit and it gives me temporary relief. Are you still suffering?
Good morning and welcome to Mayo Connect.
I'm going to ask some questions, and see if we can find others like you with whom to chat. There are so many issues that can cause this, it helps to have a starting point. When you talk about being able to bring up phlegm (mucus) it makes me think there may be an underlying condition in your lungs.
When you report this has been going on for two years, have you seen a doctor for it? Did it come on suddenly, as part of an illness, or seemingly out of nowhere? Do you have any other longstanding medical conditions?
Sue
Good Morning Realtor. It's the beginning of November and my symptoms persist. They're still about the same. Some days I feel fine and the symptoms are very mild while other days the SOB/air starvation is significantly noticeable. I still run 4x/week. 2-3 miles a day and lift weights 4x a week. O2 sats during the runs range from 95-99%. Sometimes during heavy exertion while lifting, O2 sats dip to 93-94%. I try and remain busy constantly moving. To date, according to the doctors, my lungs and heart are clear and normal. Last CXR in September as compared to a previous CT, was normal. I am getting another opinion from Johns Hopkins Pulmonary in January. I've made an appointment to see a GI and try to schedule an upper GI as I do suffer from acid reflux and regurgitation. Reflux can play a role in inflammation of the bronchial tube which often leads to SOB. Maybe it's as simple as monitoring my diet and making some dietary changes, I'm continuously looking for answers to date. Interestingly, it seems like my wife suffers from very similar symptoms as I do. Not sure what to make of that as of right now. Hope you're finding some level of relief.
Almost the same symptoms 3 months post COVID. I was away from work almost a month due to fatigue and shortness of breath issues. I had the flu shot on Thursday and then yesterday I had R sided chest pain, shortness of breath and problems getting a deep breath. These symptoms are episodic but scary when they occur. Still have a steroid inhaler that I use now and then. I think this is going to continue and appreciate any recommendations of supplements or anything that may help! Long haul…
antihistamines? steroid inhaler? po steroids? hemoglobin? cpet?
the term is called “air thirsty”!
Could it be pleurisy?
I am experiencing same exact symptoms as many people here. For at least 6 months now have shortness of breath which comes and goes. Some days imperceptible but then it comes back and I feel like I have a chest inflammation and labored breathing. No or minimal phlegm, however. No fever. After exercise like a run or a swim I'm coughing a lot for perhaps a half hour. I am 62 and I have always been perfectly healthy, but during a routine physical in October my doctor found that I my red blood cell counts are low. Did new blood work 3 weeks later and still low.
Now seeing a hematologist and will have new labs done in 2 weeks, but he doesn't seem like he feels the anemia is related to the chest congestion/shortness of breath. Will also be having chest xray done in 2 weeks. I feel like there must be some relationship because again I have always been perfectly healthy and get regular exercise. Also strangely, but perhaps unrelated, I have a tinnea cruris that I can't get rid of and I have also never had this problem in my life before.
Hi @dav3. Your post caught my attention because I can relate to the shortness of breath issue. Mine started many years ago and is not as bad today but thought I could maybe offer a little help at least with that particular symptom.
I am by no means a medical professional, but have done research throughout the years to find links and treatments for the shortness of breath issue. Mine is more of an 'air hunger' where I can't fill up my lungs all the time, but one thing the doctors found back when this started for me in 2012 is that I was anaemic. I think it can affect breathing depending on the type of anemia, and mine was due to low iron. The body needs iron to produce hemoglobin which helps transport oxygen through the bloodstream. Low iron can hinder this process a bit causing a shortness of breath sensation as well as fatigue.
I've learned to do some breathing exercises over time which has helped with the breathing issue. There are many methods and types, but some that I've either done or looked into are the Buteyko Breathing Method, Alexander technique, Winhoff method, and simply belly breathing as well as learning to meditate to help calm the breath. The basis of the Buteyko method is that you do breath-holding exercises to build up CO2 in the blood, which temporarily dilates the blood vessels and 'opens things up' including airways.
It'd be interesting to see if you have any mineral deficiencies. When I took iron supplements back some years ago, the breathing issue went away, although it did come back, so I can't help but think that the iron supplements helped improve my breathing.
If you don't mind sharing your results when you get them, it'd be interesting to see what the doctors discover especially with the mysterious cough.