Hyperinflated lungs

[T_A_A_T_J]

So I went to the g.p after feeling breathless and getting chest pain that had been going on for a few days with this I kept getting very hot and often feel sick .... the g.p refured me to a&e for an ecg and bloods witch came back fine and an x-ray they felt wasn't needed so the said I'm ok to go it's anxiety related .... I told them i felt I wasn't anxious but they werw convinced it was ... I went back to the g.p as symptoms persisted and he then refured me for an x-ray ..... after going back for results and being told the x-ray looks fine I had a call 2days later at 8.30pm from my g.p to say they have relooked into my x-ray and shows I have hyperinflated lungs and I need to arrange an appointment for a pulmonary function test witch I'm awaiting ..... Iv tried to look up about this and all im finding is its copd noe im only 26 and have 3 young children one of witch has complex needs so I'm bit worried now ..... anyone else had this with nothing to worrie about

Many thanks

[Katinka46]

Welcome to this very supportive forum. Your story confirms what I have said here before: our health care personnel are more often than not excellent but sometimes some of these scans seem to slip through the net. I think radiologists are asked to look out for certain things and so other things are not picked up. I expect the x-ray was requested to look for pneumonia and when that was negative everything was assumed to be fine. Luckily it was looked at again. Hyperinflation can happen as a result of a few conditions. The PFT should be very helpful in diagnosing the problem. The test is in three parts, looking at different aspects of the way your lung functions. Spirometry looks at obstruction, then there is a test which looks at how effectively the lungs absorb oxygen, and the third part looks at lung capacity. It is entirely painless. Ask for a print out of the results; the computer processes all the numbers immediately.

I am sorry you have had this trouble. It is very worrying for you, especially when you have little ones to care for.

All the best

Kate

P.S. I soooo sympathise with the false anxiety label. I have had more than my fair share of that. The number of doctors who have told me I need cognitive behavioural therapy is massive. A long story...

[T_A_A_T_J in reply to Katinka46]

Thanks for your reply yeah I'm glad it was found and not missed just shows instead if ruling it of as anxiaty Mr Dr wanted t9 be sure with x-ray he also put in his report to take to a&e than I was NOT anxious .... I just struggle to get that full deep breath my mum often says try breath from your stomach and not chest or other way lol I do worrie because if the children and don't want anything to stop me being the energetic mum I should be for them instead I'm always tiard and get out of breath so easy then get all hot ..... it's hard as as much as I don't want anything wrong with me I'm glad if that's the right word they found something so I don't feel like I'm being a hypochondriac and being told I have anxiety all the time

[Katinka46 in reply to T_A_A_T_J]

Your GP sounds good. Phoning you at 8.30pm. Wow... unheard of. I am concerned about your situation. You are far too young to have COPD. Can I ask if you smoke? And all this came on suddenly? Did there seem to a trigger, like an infection, or an inhalation of toxic gas? House fire? Sorry, too much interrogation. All things that your doctor has probably already asked.

Forgive a batty old Zebra (rare disease), but it is because I had such a difficult time getting a diagnosis that my ears twitch when I read stories like yours.

All the best

Kate

[T_A_A_T_J in reply to Katinka46]

I use to be a social smoker nothing major if I went out with the girls (hasn't been done for along time ) never smoked in pregnancies and not touched a fag in over a year and half if I did smoke it was only like a couple for socialising and could be one month then not again for a year or so kind of thing ...... I had a tattoo done few months back when I started hyperventilating and they thought they could hear a crackle on my lungs and said I had just gone past my pain threshold and my body was in abit of shock then they said it was anxiety again ..... only fumes iv been round is when I clean my house with bleach ECT ..... it was more of a sudden thing yeah

[leakeadea in reply to T_A_A_T_J]

Hi there,

I'm very sorry to hear about your breathing issues and even more sorry to hear that you have been brushed off with the whole "it's anxiety excuse"! I have been accused of being anxious soooo many times myself over the years but I have proved every single doctor wrong, when I have finally been officially diagnosed, usually with what I believed was wrong with me all along!

I have responded to Kate above because she said she is a Zebra and I am a Zebra too. I'm wondering if you have any other symptoms, like joint pain or being overly tired etc, not that being breathless doesn't make you feel really exhausted most of the time!

Claire 😀

[leakeadea in reply to Katinka46]

Hi Kate, I'm a fellow Zebra, so I think I know what you're thinking re the cause of hyperinflated lungs in T_A_A_T_I .

I have EDS my zebra condition but also APS, an autoimmune blood clotting condition.

Much of my breathing and oxygen issues have been caused by repeated sprays of smaller clots and micro clots to my lungs.

I've now lost blood purfusion in the micro vessels of the alveoli where oxygen transfer takes place.

I also have issues with my lungs that are EDS related, like the air sacks collapsing causing lots of fluid/mucus on my lungs and this can makes my breathing and breathlessness worse.

I wonder if she has any other symptoms of EDS or Hypermobility Syndrome, especially given the crackles on heard on her her lungs after the tattoo?

I can feel like I've inhaled half a swimming pool sometimes but other times my lungs sound clear.

Claire

[Katinka46 in reply to leakeadea]

Dear Claire

I have just looked back at your posts.

I think it would be better if I send you a pm via the forum. I think we have a lot in common.

Kate x

[leakeadea in reply to Katinka46]

Ok thanks.

I have responded T_A_A_T_I as well but I responded to your post first, as I wanted to see if you were thinking along the same lines as me🤔!

[T_A_A_T_J in reply to leakeadea]

Hey sorry for late reply I just get very hot and clammy qick often get light headed and have passed out a few times but put that down to low bpm or blood pressure as I can be as low as 49 and as high as 62 as normal but when the Dr got me to walk all of 10feet it shot from 62 to 125 think it was and my sats dropped I get alot of muscle pain aching from little things and ends up with throbbing pain currently had a mri on my lower back pelvis area as if iv walked or stood all day I'm in pain also had one occasion where I got up in the night for the toilet and I fell to the floor it was like my leg wasn't there but with the breathlessness some times are worse than others and get heavy chested and sometimes have a stabbing feeling and can travel to my shoulders also suffer with headaches very tiard alot and poor memorie and feeling nauseous alot some times feel my heart is gunna pop out my chest and if I eat some foods I can't go toilet and I think my mucels are tight as can't even touch me toes without it hurting lol also when I went to see someone about my back the put in my report I had absant reflexes (abnormal nuroligay) or something

[leakeadea in reply to T_A_A_T_J]

It's very late and I must get off to bed but I will respond properly tomorrow.

I really think you need to get thoroughly checked over and not just for your breathing. You may possibly have something rheumatological going on and/or something neurological.

I have Ehlers Danlos Syndrome hypermobile type and this affects all my joints and muscles and my digestive system and my breathing and lungs etc. You may also possibly have issues with autonomic dysfunction as this is common with EDS and other autoimmune conditions too.

I'm not medically trained but I am very well trained about the conditions I have, so can give you advice or point you in the right direction, if it turns out that you have anything similar to me going on.

Please don't feel worried about the suggestions I'm making, or the conditions I'm mentioning, none of them are life threatening and they can all be treated. I know you are keen to be as fit as possible for your young children.

You have mentioned you have children but have you ever miscarried?

[T_A_A_T_J in reply to leakeadea]

Hey morning yes I have miscarried and also got told with my last although I'm very slim it was rely hard to scan me as they think my womb or sumink is tilted back more also been told I may have to have bloods done to see if it's rheumatoid arthritis I wake up and I just ache and just getting ready I feel I need to go bed again lol also my daughter has complex needs and a deletion of a chromosome and I believed to have the same also had meningitis as a baby so put that down to bad Memorie and not being very smart

[leakeadea in reply to T_A_A_T_J]

I think that you most definitely need to have blood tests done. Unfortunately some people who have autoimmune conditions like rheumatoid arthritis can be "seronegative", which means that they have negative blood test results but still have the condition.

It has taken me years to get my diagnosis, my EDS wasn't diagnosed until my early thirties despite suffering with terrible pain and fatigue since being a very young child. It took 18 years for me to have my blood clotting condition diagnosed despite having tons and tons of clotting events and every single symptom of the condition. I really don't want you to have to go thru that. You're very young and have children ,so it's very important that you get a diagnosis and treatment if necessary as soon as possible.

There are multiple reasons for breathlessness, fatigue and joint pains etc, like anemia and low iron levels, vitamin D or B12 deficiency, so your GP needs to do some thorough blood tests on you and refer you to a rheumatologist if needed so they can see if your symptoms are rheumatological or autoimmune in nature. I believe you said that your GP is already arranging for lung function tests.

One thing I want to mention is APS or Hughes Syndrome, its why I asked about miscarriage. This is also an autoimmune condition that causes the blood to be too sticky and it can also cause lots of the symptoms you have. It can also cause miscarriage which is why I asked. This is what I have finally been officially diagnosed with very recently, after many years of banging my head against the brick wall of multiple doctors and specialists and like you being told I'm anxious. Too right I'm anxious when I know I'm having blood clots in my lungs and on my brain!

Please be assured that I am in no way saying I think you definitely have any of the conditions I've mentioned, as I said before I'm not medically trained and you must be thoroughly checked over by the relevant specialists.

Please tell your GP about your other symptoms because the more information you provide him with, the better chance he has of ordering the correct tests and referring you to the most appropriate specialists.

Do let me know how you get on. Be strong and don't let anyone brush you off with the "you have anxiety" excuse! 😉

Take care for now, Claire

[angie105]

According to my drs hyperinflated lungs are a sign of COPD.

[Clamdigger]

Dr's do that when they don't have answer.. some times when your increasing your meds your heart rate goes up plus your breathing harder ... I get shaking hands from the medication when I increase.... . ... .. My Osteopath says your lungs are bowed and you have trapped air...She has this method of getting the trapped air out.My MD has never looked to see if my lungs were bowed .Your Dr could of looked at your lungs to see if they were bowed.. .. last time couple of weeks ago my asthma was getting worse I go into another walk in clinic .after five days on predisone not getting better. I ended up at another walk in clinic .... The Dr he asked me about being upset ... I said maybe I need more predisone my lungs are not clearing I told him I'm 61 not a teenager........ he said he was going to report me for snapping at him ..I just said so what ..What my Dr is going to give me shit for needed more medicatiion .Were I'm older I don't let them pull that one on me .Plus a xray dosn't show everything I made them get me a CT Scan because I felt something other than asthma was going on.. They did find something else... . .......I'm sorry for you going through this at your age it is rough with children to raise.. But don't let any Dr tell you your upset or feeling up tight.... Keep pushing for what you want.....