Breathlessness

[Quaddie]

After likely TTS diagnosis o am still getting breathless at times of stress how will i know if its because I'm hyperventilating or because of heart condition ? Thank you

[fishonabike]

if i recall correctly you had your Takotsubo episode recently - i have also experienced this condition and am a member of the very helpful Facebook support group for people with this condition

you may already know about what i say below, so please forgive the repetition but it may also be helpful for others with this condition

it is hard to tell the difference between hyperventilating and the breathlessness caused by a poorly functioning heart, so an important step is to learn some breathing techniques which can help you feel more in control - there are plenty available online, this is a good starting point: nhs.uk/mental-health/self-h...

you may not have been told much about what to expect after a Takotsubo episode because most health professionals have very little awareness of the condition as it was only recently recognised

breathlessness is a sign that your body is not getting enough oxygen - many heart conditions can cause breathlessness because the heart cannot pump as well as it should, so the oxygen in your blood is not reaching parts of your body as quickly as you want it to

Takaotsubo causes inflammation of the heart muscle which reduces how well the heart pumps in more than one way: 1) it can cause swelling which obstructs the blood carrying vessels and 2) it affects the heart muscle cells at a microscopic level and the muscle cannot pump effectively

so while your heart is repairing and recovering you need to reduce your activity levels and reduce the work you expect your heart to do - stress and anxiety also make your heart work harder so learning techniques which help you manage those is always a good step

also some medications can affect your breathing - beta-blockers like Bisoprolol are often prescribed after Takotsubo, they can affect your breathing - there are alternatives which you could be prescribed instead

if controled bretahing and resting more do not ease your breathing, or it gets worse you should get medical help through your GP, 111 or emergency services - your breathing should improve as your heart recovers but this takes time, it can take much longer than the doctors predict

please consider joining the Fb Takotsubo Support Group - there are also phone helplines run by the BHF and Cardiomyopathy UK and staffed by specialist nurses

[Quaddie]

Thank you yes you do recall correctly my myocardial infarction was on 26/9/23 abroad and diagnosis of TSS was on 27/10/23 after an admission in the UK with chest pains. Thank you for your explanation of breathlessness and link to nhs site very helpful. Take care