Have been plagued with this for some time with some thinking that bad cardio associated with inactivity due other maladies I suffer was a probable cause.
But am now scheduled for extensive PFT (pulmonary function) study and consultation with a pulmonologist.
I will admit to being a tad apprehensive not knowing how my dyspnea will be treated.

Anyone here have an experience with dyspnea?

I do not, but, since I'm currently going through some medical wackiness myself, please accept my wishes for nothing but positive outcomes.

quote:

not knowing how my dyspnea will be treated.

No way to know how you will be treated, until the exact cause can be determined. There are a gazillion causes of dyspnea (i.e., shortness of breath). It could be due to heart issue(s), or lung diseases, or CNS or psychological....

I'll give an example of the importance of knowing the cause before treating blindly. Patient with dyspnea without any recent cough/cold symptoms. Doc listens to the lungs, hears wheezing and prescribes albuterol. Patient gets worse and ends up in the ER. Turns out that he has progressive heart failure resulting in increased fluid accumulation in the lungs. So, the correct treatment is to take care of the heart disease, then the fluid problem in the lungs will go away. Throwing a ton of albuterol at the lungs will not solve anything. Students and interns are always taught, "Not all wheezing are asthma".

^^^^^^^^^^^

Thanks Doc. Didn't realize there were that many causes.

A basic question, Bob, is whether you are short of breath at rest or with exertion; or if SOB (to use the medical abbreviation) lying down that gets better sitting up.
PFT's are a good place to start, particularly if dyspnea is not primarily with exertion. If with exertion, one would also need to think of cardiac causes, as Q suggested.
Good luck!

The dyspnea is upon exertion only.

To date they've noted atelectasis in my right lung.
And there is lung damage (chronic blunting of the right costophrenic angle) from the repeated plural effusion and resulting thoracentesis from an early cancer drug I was on.

The PFT should tell more.

I have nothing useful to offer re: a possible diagnosis....
I would tell you that you should expect to be tired after doing the PFTs...they are a pretty good work out, even if your lungs are normal. Plan to go home after the tests and take a nap.
Very best wishes from a S.Dak. native ( near Aberdeen ).

I agree with mike ^^^^. If they do a thorough pulmonary workup, you will be pooped when it is over.......but that is how you get the info as to what is going on, and treat it correctly.

A couple years back I had heart palpitations and shortness of breath on exertion. Dr was about to put me on some meds but after blood work came back they found my hemoglobin to be 4.6, I was severely anemic. Turns out I had a slow on/off GI bleed from a stomach ulcer that I just ignored for the better part of a year. They sent me to the ER for 3 units of blood and a bag of iron- out in a day feeling much better. Get a full lab workup in addition to cardiac and pulmonary tests if you havent already done so.

Years ago I had a young woman with aortic regurgitation on the cath lab table when her hemoglobin came back something like 8. She eventually needed her valve replaced but not until 10 years later.