Am I getting to be a drama queen?

[Getupngo]

Okay, my last "whew!" post ... that was good news. But I spent today in the ER. Here's the story ...

For the past few weeks ... I've been short of breath, on and off. When I get up in the morning, I have to just drag myself around for about 20 minutes until normal breathing resumes. I've been sleeping well, until last night. Up and down. And this morning I felt a few small pains in my chest. Called a doctor for an appointment and was told to go to the ER. Now.

Sooo ... long story short (sort of) I had a chest CT looking for a blood clot in my lung (yeah) but it came back clean. Showed no abnormalities in the heart. However, was told that this screening misses 10 percent of serious heart problems. So tomorrow I'm doing a cardiac stress test.

But this is the thing. While I was there, I realized I my breathing problems actually started last summer -- on weekends -- when it seemed all the campfire smoke on my loop at the state park seemed to funnel right at my rig. I got an air purifier and closed up my rig about 4 p.m. on Friday night and ran it until Sunday morning. I have problems breathing indoors, but when I go outside it feels a lot better. I think all that particulate pollution did me some damage.

So I'm also following up this week with a pulmonary specialist.

Anyway, that's my story. The good news is that I wasn't having a heart attack. We'll see how everything else goes.

[ali1257]

Janice, glad to know you did not have a heart attack...those chest pains can be real scary. Hope you get to feeling better real soon. Ali

[rvgrammy1953]

Janice, so glad you're doing okay right now....It just maybe you are very sensitive to smoke....a visit to the "lung doctor" is a good idea... Humidity can be rough, too....Keep us posted....

[Paulette]

Janice, I'm glad too that there are not blood clots or heart attacks! Maybe it is just the smoke sensitivity??? Let's hope.

[Cedar518]

your smoke theory sounds logical. I'm so glad to know that the other tests came back ok. Good luck!

[retiredhappy]

Glad to hear it wasn't a heart attack. Please keep us posted. Does the air purifier help?

[BirdbyBird]

My theory is that is is better to go get something checked out and find out....that "it was something simple", or "nothing serious" than wait until your body crashes and have someone ask you, "What were you thinking? Why didn't you take care of THAT earlier...?"

[AlmostThere]

Janice, wow, what a crazy, scary time you've had this past week! Good news that you didn't suffer a heart attack. The stress test will also help rule out anything and give them a baseline for any future visits. Prayers that the culprit will be found out and it's an easy fix.

[Nasoosie]

Sure glad you had the sense to go to the ER and get checked out! Smoke could very well be the culprit----second-hand ciggie smoke takes my breath away very quickly---I lived with smokers all my life. Then I foolishly joined them, and made my breathing even worse.

Keep us posted about your stress test---a good idea, as someone has said, for a comparison in the future!

Breathing problems are nothing to fool around with.

[mtngal]

What all the others said and NO you are NOT getting to be a drama queen. Life happens and the best way to handle it is to TALK to your friends....and that's us so be sure to keep let us know how things go with follow-ups.

[Rufflesgurl]

Janice - Sooooo glad you got things checked out!! These bodies are a complicated machined that's for sure. By the way, have you had your thyroid checked?? Another crazy little gland that can cause strange happenings in our bodies but it's a very powerful and very important gland.

Keep knowing your body and if you're concerned, get things checked!!

Linda

[WickedLady]

Let's hope it is just the smoke as that would be an easy fix and the lungs do clean themselves out given time.

[Sparkle]

How about Sleep Apnea? I can't understand it being smoke sensitivity when it hits you in the morning after a nights sleep. Where would the smoke be coming from. I have two friends who suffer from this and the mask you wear at night has made all the difference to their lives and health.

[avalen]

not a drama queen at all, better for them to say everything is A-OK, than
for you and the neighbors start to smell something "funny" in the air
When I had chest pains a couple years ago and drove myself to the doctor
they gave me he** for not calling the ambulance, told me it was THEIR job
to tell me if it was a heart attack and it turned out to be gurd, which also
turned out to be fine after I healed up from the fosamax burn. And lets all
remember the NEW symptom for women with a heart attack is jaw pain.
So glad you didn't have a heart attack and will put my order in to the guy
upstairs that your lungs are fine as well.

[Getupngo]

Okay, in terms of my heart I'm officially outtathewoods.

I can't believe it, but I got a call from the cardiologist about two hours (hours?) after
the test, and was told my heart was normal and the bloodflow is normal as well.

I just glow in the dark right now.

My roommate has a theory that the upcoming 5-year anniversary of my husband's
death this Friday is what is (psychologically) taking my breath away. And yeah,
hospital tests notwithstanding, my heart IS broken. Still. So maybe she has a point.