Shortness of Breath

[Hobbits]

Has anyone had episodes of SOB ( shortness of breath) while on a biologic? Can biologics cause this? I have stopped all other drugs.

I’m having many episodes each day where I feel short of breath. Sometime going up a short flight of stairs can get me so winded I can nearly talk until I lean on a wall to rest and catch my breath. Kinda feels like my heart will beat out of my chest. I also am woken up from sleep with SOB. and it happens also if I’m just sitting. Sometimes after eating.

My doctor wants to rule out any heart issues first so I have completed wearing the heart monitor halter for 48 hours. I will get results in a few days but really I don’t think it’s my heart.

I have never had asthma.

I have not ruled out stress/anxiety but never had such issues before.

Wondering if anyone has any personal experiences to share and what the cause was.

[allanah]

Yes I know of people here developing sob due to drugs. Do keep going to doc and maybe give your rheumy helpline a ring? Get well soon

[Hobbits in reply to allanah]

Thanks Allanah, All drugs from my Rheumy -Sulphasalazine and Vimovo have already been stopped there is nothing at this point he can do. My PCP is handling all my care at this point. The Remicade is prescribed by my Gasteronlogist and it treats both RA and Crohn’s disease. A Gastroenterologist can prescribe a higher dose of Remicade then a Rheumitologist can as Crohns requires a higher dose to treat than RA does. I’m on the highest Remicade dose available for my weight, ( I believe the dose is double for patients with Crohns) it was recently increased which why I think it’s possible the Remicade could be causing my sob.

My family thinks I may have asthma but I’m certain it is not, as I don’t think it’s something you just develop out of the blue, and I have no phlegm or anything.

My PCP is starting at the beginning, investigating and testing my heart, everything takes weeks and weeks and it’s quite scary when you can’t breathe. I’m struggling to get through a work day. Going outside in the freezing cold seems to help me breathe better for some reason.

Hope someone in here has advice or experienced similar.

[allanah in reply to Hobbits]

Good luck. I hope they get to the bottom of it soon. Get well quickly xxx

[Hidden in reply to Hobbits]

Actually, you can develop Asthma. I was diagnosed with late stage asthma in my 50s. I'd never had it before. Mention it to your GP to be on the safe side.

[Hobbits in reply to Hidden]

Wow, ok sounds like something to discuss. Thank you!

[hawker955]

No but if your treatment includes methotrexate, lung damage is a recognised side-effect. Also, biologics make one very susceptible to lung infections Plus rheumatoid arthritis can cause profound anaemia and thereby make physical effort very difficult. It sounds to me that you clearly need proper medical advice from your rheumatologist.

[Hobbits in reply to hawker955]

I had Methotrexate years ago but not on it now. Yes, my doctor mentioned about rechecking my bloods for I think iron and my thyroid. Still waiting on those results.

[hawker955 in reply to Hobbits]

Good if you are being tested. The answer will be in the tests I expect. Beware iron supplementation unless absolutely definitely established that you are iron-deficient. This requiresa blood-smear for what is termed microcytic anaemia. The Americans and then the Japanese identified iron intake as being the main dietary influence on heart attacks and far more important than , say, cholesterol intake. This is not tabloid headline and scare-mongering but peer-reviewed and published research.

[alexask]

I would try CoQ10:

ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/824...

I have recommended this to my sister in law who is suffering from shortness of breath - diagnosed as Asthma, though not RA- she has been using it for about 4 weeks. Will let you know if she shows improvement.

[Hobbits in reply to alexask]

I will look it up and do some research on CoQ10

, thank you!

[helixhelix]

You have had your blood pressure checked haven't you? Or is the 24 hour heart monitor you mention the blood pressure holter?

I had problems with SOB, and after the effort test and the 24hr holter most of it was down to slightly high blood pressure. Since getting that under control it's been a lot better. Unfortunately the ultrasound also showed a problem with one of my heart valves, and nothing can be done about that right now and it's the (bad) luck of the draw as not down to RA or the drugs it seems. I'm now fine on the flat, but any change of level and I'm Ms Tomato Face.

[Hobbits in reply to helixhelix]

The 48hr holster was a heart monitor. It had electrodes attached all over my chest and the holster part held the machine that records all the data. My doctor wants to rule out any heart issues first before investigating anything else.

My doctor has checked my blood pressure. She says it’s fine. However my husband always laughs and tells me she doesn’t know how to check blood pressure. As far as I know it’s ok. Maybe I will pop into the drugstore and have it done there just to be certain. That must be scary to have a heart valve problem esp if they can not do anything about it.

Hoping to get some answers soon. Thank you for sharing it really does help just to chat.

[Hobbits]

I received the results of my cardiac holster.

I had many episodes of SOB while wearing it. 7 of them registered with heart palpitations but they said it’s not enough to indicate heart issue. So basically my results were unremarkable.

My doctor is now sending me for a stress test and a 45 min echocardiogram. I’m pretty sure both will be negative. I don’t think my issue is with my heart.

Near the end of my doctors we both started thinking perhaps my issue is anxiety. She wanted to give me s drug but I asked to wait to see my test realists first. I take so many medications and I don’t believe in just popping pills. Make sure you are certain you need to be taking the drug first.

As I was about to leave my doctor asked how I sleep, I told her not very good. She shook her head knowingly as that also is s sign of anxiety. I then explained to her the physical reason I can’t sleep. My feet and my hands burn like fire, the get electrical shocks and sometimes parts of my feet go numb and it’s hard to walk. The doctor then looked a me and asked about my B12. My B12 is generally low due to malabsorption of my Crohn’s disease so I get injections. My vitamin D has been abnormal for years and I’m in 5,ooo a day as my body doesn’t absorb well.

I went home and gave myself a B12 shot as per my doctor and resumed vitamin D. Within 3 days my sob has stopped. However my feet and hands still burn like crazy.

I suspect my Remicade is causing this. I’m near the end of dose, and due for another infusion early March. I see my Rhumatologist and my gastroenteritis later this month.

Not sure whether is not to even bother with the stress test and echo since my sob had just suddenly stopped.

This is all very confusing. My sob and burning feet and hands may be two separate issues or not.

I just looked up Remicade and it in fact can cause peripheral issues to extremities and sob. I believe the issues are related but not certain, they happened around the same time.