Unexplained SOB

[Adampfdavis123]

Hi guys,

I am 31, male and for the last 4 months I have been struggling with unexplained shortness of breath. Thank you for this forum as it has kept me mentally straight throughout this process.

It started 4 months ago, after finally knocking 10 years of social smoking on the head (with a few periods of chronic smoking), after moving back to my parents home when I found out about the pandemic. I was cleaning my bedroom and inhaled a lot of dust. The next day I woke myself up wheezing - I've never wheezed before but for a few weeks before I'd been admitted to a&e regarding stabbing pains in my back and shortness of breath which I thought was anxiety. After I woke up, I had a different kind of SOB which was much stronger, as if I couldn't pull a full breath. This stayed with me until today, 4 months later.

It took me 6 weeks to get a chest xray which seemed clear, 3 months to get a referral to a respiratory clinic which has been under review for a month.

I was hoping to label my symptoms and it would be interesting to know if anyone here suffers the same:

· Chronic SOB

· Stomach tenderness

· When I force air out of my lungs, I get whistling and growling noises in my throat and chest.

· I feel faint and 'out of this world'

· Headaches

· Acid Reflux

The confusing part of it is I'm very fit, play football 4 times a week, and regularly run. I bought a peak flow as a friend said it could be allergic asthma but I blow between 650-720 - never higher, never lower. Since the SOB and lockdown I haven’t trained apart from a few runs which were definitely affected by this SOB. I am currently on the blue and brown inhaler but they don't do anything.

I have this constant impending sense of doom with not knowing. I know a lot of it stems from anxiety but this doesn’t feel right.

Thank you.

[TeaToasty]

Just some thoughts. Your story suggests possible lung tissue damage and/or reactive airway inflammation from whatever was in the dust you inhaled. It sounds like you may have swallowed some of it too, thus the reflux and stomach pain.

Your baseline physical fitness gives you a lot of reserve to tolerate it. But, the smoking had already done some silent damage.

I would investigate what was in the dust that could have caused such dramatic response--chemicals? Insulation materials? Diatomaceous earth?

If I were in your situation, I would find some help for the anxiety, including breathing techniques. I think you will find those types of suggestions on this forum.

I hope this gives you some ideas to work with.

[Adampfdavis123 in reply to TeaToasty]

Hi! Thanks so much for taking the time to reach out. I guess respiratory testing is the only way forward but it’s so difficult with this current pandemic.

I’ll look for the breathing techniques and let you know how I get on when I finally get these tests!

[Hidden]

Its good you are now under the hospital respiratory clinic, hopefully they will get to the bottom of what is causing your symptoms.

I wonder have you had a CT scan yet? Have you been prescribed any bronchodilaters?

The stomach pain could be due to the acid reflux but that would just be a guess.

Shortness of breath can be caused by many things but good you are now with respiratory clinic. Anxiety can cause this but its best to get thoroughly checked out with the symptoms you have been experiencing for 4 months.

Hope any pending test results will show the cause and can be easily treated.

Best Wishes

[Adampfdavis123 in reply to Hidden]

Hi! Thanks for taking the time to reply.

No ct scan unfortunately - the doctor because of my age thinks that it could be breathing dysfunction and isn’t hastening anything. The doctor originally did check me in person and said he couldn’t hear anything wrong with my lungs so it’s very strange.

My tests have been put on hold apparently because it’s a ‘routine’ case and they have no idea how long this will last for. Obviously this doesn’t help at all!

Looks like it could be a long road to finding out what’s wrong!

[knitter]

I wonder if you are allergic to something in your parents home, I know your peak flow seems ok, but I wonder what it was before you started with the breathlessness .

I know it’s a difficult time to get tests for allergies.

Were you tested for the virus at all.

Have you been given any suggestions to help with the anxiety .

The BLF have a helpline on 03000 030 555 , open during office hours for people in the UK .

[Adampfdavis123 in reply to knitter]

I did think that but after a night out in the past, I used to get SOB anyway which none of my friends did so I wonder if it’s an underlying condition I’ve had that’s just taken a nastier turn. Would be unfortunate so young too, and unsure how I’d be so fit if my lungs weren’t in good condition.

I haven’t been tested for the virus, no. By the time I could get hold of a test, I’d been showing symptoms for months so doctor said there wasn’t much point.

Thank you for the suggestions!

[Scottldn]

Good luck, I sympathise and echo your points. I'm 33, long time heavy smoker. Stopped cigarettes end of last year after first bout of breathlessness.. A and E said chest infection then (oct 2019) . went away much quicker than this second spell. Long standing cough, coughed up small amount of blood once about two months ago, shortness of breath followed and with me since.

My GP been absolutely useless but I managed to get a referral eventually and chased the hospital who were fantastic, going for spirometry tomorrow at last, fear it will be first of many tests for me. Also having back pain, cough improving though. Its the sob that is so hard to cope with.

I'd advise being proactive in chasing... understandably respiratory consultants and the NHS are busy at the moment but it does help to keep at it.

I agree about the forum helping stay sane when can get no advice elsewhere and have spent hours over the past 6 weeks reading through the forums. So many over the years seem to have such a wealth of knowledge and I think are such kind people... their lucky families and lucky us! Too many to name all but 2greys, Bkin, bernadette, caspiana have all really touched me with their expert advice and kind words to others.

Thanks to all and good luck to you in getting the sob diagnosed and hopefully sorted. I get it mostly at rest (used to it on exertion over the years i think). Terrifying times having just been married last year and hoping a full life ahead. Stay strong and don't let it get to you like i did! Finding it hard with work already last week but the sob makes one make foolish and hurried decisions... was back in hospital for surgery on finger after chopping the top of two off being mindless opening coconuts.

Been wanting to contribute for a while now but felt too early in my journey and then typing not easy since most recent accident. Best wishes to all!

[Adampfdavis123 in reply to Scottldn]

Scott, how did your tests go? They have put mine on hold due to covid 19 which I think is extremely unfair considering I’ve waited 4 months already!

Anyway, let us know how you got on.

[Scottldn in reply to Adampfdavis123]

Spiro showed normal results, was really happy all day then realise with breathing still terrible start to worry about cancer due to almost every symptom (realising also had lost weight at the tests yesterday). Trying to stay positive and will have a call with consultant next week. Hoping for the best for you too in getting the tests you need done and hoping you feel better! And yes does seem unfair if you've been waiting so long.. perhaps try to see if you can be referred somewhere else if they could see you sooner?

[2greys]

There are so many reasons to explain your symptoms, it would be remiss of me to give them as I am not a doctor. You will really need to see a specialist to get a proper diagnosis and a CT Scan with contrast. Try and keep calm until then, no amount of worry is going help you.

Being SOB is a horrible, at times you may even think you are suffocating which induces a 'fight or flight' response at which point panic can set in, making things a whole lot worse. Be assured that you will not die from suffocation, at the worse you might pass out whereupon the fight or flight response will cease and your breathing return to normal.

Anxiety is a very real condition, that you need to be able to control and relax. When this happens to me, I try and imagine lying on a nice pebble beach, in the sun. A wave of water crashes on the beach whilst breathing in through the nose, and as the water slowly recedes , with a hissing sound as it filters through the pebbles, breathe out slowly with pursed lips, as if blowing candles on a cake, keep repeating this until that feeling of panic has gone and you are back in control once more.

Wishing you luck with your diagnosis, hoping it is only a mild complaint.

[Patk1 in reply to 2greys]

Very gd advice,2greys x

[Adampfdavis123 in reply to 2greys]

Thank you! After hearing back from the booking team, it’s unlikely that I’ll get an appointment any time soon.

Very tempted to go private but it’s £250 just for a referral...I guess they do say ‘what’s the point of money if you can’t spend it’

I will definitely push for a CT scan of my lungs. Thanks for the recommendations.

[Patk1]

I hope u soon get sorted and get advice u need.meanwhile,i would say when sob, try slow and deep breathing - as 2greys suggests,in thro nose & slowly empty air from lungs thro pursed lips. Its worth practising when yr not struggling with sob,so yr more confident.id 2nd advice to visualise lying on fave beach, breathing as suggested.it does help x

[Adampfdavis123 in reply to Patk1]

Thanks! I will definitely give that a go!