Horrible week... Please help :'(

[Sam205]

Well this all started last saturday november 30. I had a pain on my right side, where my ribs arm and i usually ignore it. Since i was born with bad lungs im used to random pains around my chest unless its unbearable. Well i then couldnt inhale or felt like i could and i thought i was having an asthma attack and thought i was gonna die so i went to the hospital and they did and x-ray and ekg and everything was normal. And i kept researching untill i figured out its most likely anxiety. I have had constand feeling of chest tightness and random pains whether it be aches or sharp pains and i went to my doctor again and she said it could be heart related since its hard ot tell with just ekgs and xrays and made an appointment with a cariologist next friday. I feel i cant wait that long. I have constant feelings of tighness in my chest and as f i cant get a good bretah even though i am. I end up yawn or taking deep breaths often which i think leads to me hyper ventalation. Is there anything i can do to stop this feelings of shortness of breath constantly for about 5 days and random pains around my chest. I already tried that method of diaphramic breathing and pursed lips and also the breath for 5 seconds hold and exhale for 7 and that bring relif for about 10 seconds and it comes back. I also had heart burn a few times but i dont know what to do. This was the first time anything like this has happened and when i law down for sleep i really stay awake iuntill 4 am cause i feel i cant breath when i lay down.
Ive been getting about 4 to 5 hours of sleep a night cause i stay up scared that it could be other things. I never had a feeling this long and this annoying in my life or that i can remeber. Anything i can do to completly get rid of this chest tighness and feeling of not being about to take a good breath because its been constant for 5 days no relief besides sleep. Ive also lost 3 pounds in this week since i havent been eating as much as i usually do cause i dont feel that hungry.
Thank you so much and im 14 years old and a male.
5'9 and 143 pounds if that helps.
5'9 143 pounds

[Lee Grant Irons]

Sam,

Hang in there. You can make it through this.

You said you have had chronic lung problems from birth. Do you have a pulmonologist that you see to help you take care of your lungs?

Did the doctor give you any anxiety medicine to help you through until you see the cardiologist?

Are your parents with you when you go to the doctor?

Some thoughts on what it could be:

1. Dust allergy or asthma
2. Acid reflux (can get into your airway and cause swelling and burning)
3. SOmething associated with your existing lung condition

[Sam205]

I know it's not asthma since I wheeze if I have any asthma symptoms and my parents are with me all the time. My doctor said she can't diagnose it as anxiety untill after I go to my heart doctor. I do have some heart burn but it goes away in 10 minutes and isn't much of an issue. I'm almost certain it's anxiety cause I have these peaks were I feel I can't breath and I start to have those thoughts were what if my heart is messed up and stuff like that. I have a feeling of constant shortness of breath even though I'm breathing fine also random chest pains all over my chest...

[Sam205]

Help any one please

[AmberGbenga]

Try take a bath, drink a glass of warm milk before bed, heat pack between your shoulder blades, maybe use 2 pillows to have you chest abit more open to sleep. Maybe find some natural calming stuff, I know of some but It's probably Australian product so unsure where your from or what could be a substitute. Maybe take some Advil, it relaxes muscles and relieves pain. Distract yourself, if it is anxiety this will help, granted it won't go away fully unless you are completely head on with what your doing, take it easy mate, take 2-3 deep breaths in and out then continue to try breath regularly. Maybe try a puff or two of an asthma puffer, this helps me sometimes. Hang it there, we are all here for you.

[Chris C]

You know what helps when you feel like you can't take a deep breath? Vicks. Just put a little under your nose.

[JLBnole68]

Hi Sam, sorry you're feeling like this. Have you been diagnosed with acid reflux disease? A lot of the symptoms you are describing can be caused by GERD. You mentioned bouts with heartburn, coupled with the shortness of breath. I'm sure that's making you anxious as well, which certainly isn't helping. As for the acid reflux, it can cause all sorts of problems...sinus infections, respiratory problems, shortness of breath, heart palpitations, chest pains, excess gas trapped in the thoracic cavity (causing heaviness, pressure and breathlessness). Have you tried an over-the-counter medication like Prevacid (lansoprasole) or omeprazole to control the heartburn or acid reflux? Even if you don't feel the acid in your throat, it can often happen when you lie down. These are very good medications at controlling the reflux by inhibiting acid production in the stomach. Some other things to try are mixing some baking soda or apple cider vinegar in water and drinking it (these aren't pleasant, but they work great), or elevating the head of your bed so you aren't sleeping completely flat. It really does sound like this could be a huge part of what's going on. I have GERD, and you just described most of the same stuff I've dealt with. Hang in there, try some of this stuff and I'll bet you'll start feeling a lot better. Don't get yourself all worked up. Try to stay as calm as you can. Anxiety does nothing but make the symptoms worse. Easier said than done, I know, but once you start feeling some relief from the pressure and feeling like you can't breathe, a lot of the anxiety will start to subside. No worries, ok? You're going to be just fine. We're all here to help and provide as much help and comfort as we can.

[Lee Grant Irons]

I agree with JLBnole. GERD can cause a lot of problems.

In addition, you did not answer the question about the pulmonologist. If you have had a chronic lung condition since very young, you should be having periodic checkups with a pulmonologist. Do you? What is the nature of your lung problems? Is it asthma alone, or is there something else? It is just that if you seem to be having trouble breathing, it could be anxiety, but it also could be something associated with your chronic lung problem, and you would likely need a lung specialist to rule this out. I understand why you primary doctor would like to have a cardiologist opinion before jumping to the conclusion that this is primary anxiety. However, the emergency room at the hospital is not sufficient to completely rule out something going on with your lungs that might be associated with your chronic condition. Emergency rooms are really only good for bleeding, protruding bones, known poisoning, and stopped hearts. They are not good for what doctors like to call "non-specific symptoms," or in other words, things that require almost an amount of differential diagnostic effort.

Also, I am curious as to whether you think your parents are taking this as seriously as you are taking it. Are they showing what you feel to be an adequate level of concern?

[Sam205]

Thanks guys and I was born premature with just underdeveloped lungs with asthma since birth so I only have asthma and i don't have a certain doctor for it but I usually got to the emergency room if I get any symptoms of asthma

[Lee Grant Irons]

Okay, I'm glad it is not more complicated than that. If you are having an asthma attack that your rescue inhaler is not helping you with, then the emergency room is the right place to go. By the way, if you feel you are having an asthma attack and your rescue inhaler does not help you, then it really could be GERD that is causing the feeling. Then anxiety just makes it feel wore and puts you into a downward spiral, with the anxiety feeding on itself and making things feel worse and worse. Anxiety will also feed your GERD, making it worse. Does your doctor have you on acid reflux medicine? You might want to talk to your doctor about seeing a gastroenterologist, who can investigate the GERD possibility further.

[Sam205]

Well i have been having heart burn more then usually but i usually drink caraway tea for it and i will tell my cardioloigist this friday about it so he might reffer me to another specilist

[Lee Grant Irons]

You should definitely talk with your parents about the possibility of GERD. They should be helping you to see the right doctors.

[Sam205]

I do feel alot better and today i didnt have that feeling on anxiety peak were i could breathe at all and heart starts pounds but i still have a few chest pains here and there and feeling like i cant get a good bretah but that feeling has subsided a bit.

[Sam205]

I still feel chest pains all over my chest and back and it still bothers me. I also feel much better in the morning and gradually increase over time of the day. i have my cardiologist appointment on friday and i really want to go but i got to wait :(

[Lee Grant Irons]

I still feel chest pains all over my chest and back and it still bothers me. I also feel much better in the morning and gradually increase over time of the day. i have my cardiologist appointment on friday and i really want to go but i got to wait :(

This sounds like me during the throws of my thyroid condition. Did you say whether the doctor had tested your thyroid?