I’m young. I’m 5’7″. And, I weigh 129 pounds. I don’t smoke. I eat nutritious foods. And, my exercise routine includes a 2-3 mile run in the park every other day. I’m healthy. So, why can’t I breathe?
I can’t completely catch my breath if I talk while I walk up a flight of stairs. And, although I love extreme cardio-exercise like kickboxing and running, I have to take constant breaks to get my breathing back to normal. Running late for the subway in the morning? Forget about it. I don’t eat breakfast until I get to work. So, on more than one occasion, when my empty stomach and I have tried to run the subway stairs to catch the train, I’ve had to double over and put my head between my knees just to stop myself from fainting.
I can’t ever seem to get enough air.
So, when I went to see my doctor for a routine physical a week ago, I brought all of this to her attention. I told her that I think I should be able to be physically active without getting as winded as I do. She didn’t seem worried. “You have a healthy lifestyle,” she said. She continued with the routine physical by checking my weight and blood pressure. However, just to double-check that everything was okay, she listened to my heart and lungs again. She also had me breathe into a little spirometry machine. “What’s the reading?” she asked. I looked at the gadget, and I read the reading. She double-checked the machine. Apparently, my lung capacity is about 20% below the absolute bare minimum for someone my age and height. So, something’s wrong. But, what exactly is it? I may find out today when I have my follow-up doctor’s appointment and more tests. Best-case scenario? It’s asthma. Worst-case scenario? It’s the congenital heart problem that’s common in my family. I await the test (and the subsequent results) with bated breath. Literally.
{ 12 comments… read them below or add one }
I’m praying for asthma. That’s sad. Hope they can find you a medication that will make it an easy fix. Please let me know if I can help?
At least you still have a sense of humor. :) Thinking about you, Funky, and hope all turns out well.
Your lungs look fine to me.
i’m sending positive vibes. good luck with the diagnosis. the important thing is that you’re monitoring and tracking the issue early.
hey fbc,
i’ve not been on here for a while now but i’m TOTALLY with you on that breathing thing. now, i can’t say my lifestyle is AS active as yours but i do know that it’s always been this way with me, even when i was much younger and we did sports in school. swimming, running, soccer, whatever. i was even a swimming instructor, nearly incapable of doing my requisite laps without having to hold onto the pool sides for dear life, to simply catch my breath!
so much so that when we were climbing the Andes (the Inca Trail) a few years ago, i was always shamefully the last one in our group, and not bc my body ached or i couldn’t endure the hike, it was just that i could never manage to catch my breath! i constantly wondered if i was missing my second lung? it was terrible and embarrassing and honestly, i’m FITTER than that, forgoodness’sake.
so, i’m pullin’ for ya. i hope it’s none of the two options presented and something much less benign. for me, also.
i can’t remember my last fake online name, so let’s just go with
“georgia o’peach” for now. :)
Ask them to test you for a blood clot in the lungs. Seriously. Close friend of mine who is similarly healthy was having the same issue. She chalked it up to being “tired” and “working too hard” until finally her mom talked her into going to the emergency room. They tested her and admitted her on the spot. Blood clot in the lungs, on blood thinners for six months.
The kicker? The doc says her birth control pills caused it. They eliminated everything else — blood pressure, cholesterol, glucose, etc., every other test is normal. She doesn’t smoke, drink, etc. All she does is take birth control pills. Not trying to scare you, just something you might want to have them test for.
Hey FBC!
I’ve been reading for a while now… started with Nerve.com.
I’m concerned for your breathing. In today’s world of Insurance Company controlled medicine, Docs aren’t allowed to really know patients or think much past the simple. It’s up to us to do the research and tell the doc’s what we need. Consider carefully what Bee said in her post yesterday. Above all else, be aggressive and demanding. Make sure you get what you need.
You are worth it.
Keep us posted.
SilverBack
Fingers crossed for asthma.. Wishing you well. Sending you postive thoughts.
Oh SHIT! I’m so sorry to hear this…and now I’M going to wait with bated breath (you’re so damn cute) until I hear back re: all of this. I’m glad you’re taking action and not ignoring the problem, though. As long as you take on an active role in controlling whatever might be causing this, you’re going to be just fine. In the meantime, try to stay positive and stop talking when you walk, dammit! ;o)
(((HUGS)))
I’m glad you’re taking this seriously. Quite often people just let these things go by, until they have to go to the doctor. Good vibes and a big hug for you, FBC.
THANK YOU!!! :-)
Hey FBC:
I have the same symptoms and spirometer issues. I have been treated as having anxiety, but you tend to be anxious when you can’t breathe! In my case, I had asthma when I was younger. I’m pretty active and travel a lot, but when I talk I feel like I’m going to pass out sometimes. I think it’s just asthma, but would like to know how you are and how you’re treating this.
Thanks,
Scott