Feeedback please

[Emelie B]

Hello to all,
I have been trying to figure out why I am wheezing and have been since the middle of Dec. I told my onc. and we took a chest x-ray that came back clear. He told me to call primary care doctor. I did and she put me on Augmentin for 10 days. Actually, cleared up a sinsus infection that I had complained about, and was told to use Claritin. Wheezing continued.
I thought to myself, maybe it is my heart. Been on Herceptin for 24 months now and had not had an echo for 4 months. Had the echo and met with cardiologist. Echo great-64% but he thought wheezing sounded like asthma. Ok.. I spend time on internet and see that acid reflux and asthma seem to go hand in hand much of the time. Cardiologist refers me to pulmonary doctor who does breathing tests and says it "maybe" asthma, gives me an inhaler to use 2 times a day and one for before I go to the gym. Been using it for a week now, still wheezing.
I also saw a gastroenterologist and had and endoscopy done on Tues. and now waiting for biopsies to come back.
She gave me a prescription for a acid pump inhibitor and I just started that.
My annual brain MRI-that I insisted on- came back clear so that was very heartening.
So, now I guess I have to insist that I get a PET scan. Have not had one in 5 months am wondering why my onc. does not want to order one for me.
So, if anyone has any idea what may be going on, please let me know.
I feel like I am the only one driving this trying to find out why I am wheezing.
Frustrating to say the least.
Best wishes to all and please know you all give me strength and courage each and every day when I read your posts.
Emelie

[Vicky]

Maybe? I had much the same symptoms- it was a tightening that I felt in my chest and lungs early January, and when I called my onc he had me go to the ER. They admitted me and ran tests ruling out all of the things you've mentioned. Heart, lungs, etc. all were fine. I also went home on a proton pump inhibitor. BUT still felt the tightness and also felt like an inhaler might do the trick. But when I mentioned it to my onc the next week, he suggested trying Carafate- its for ulcers and damaged esophagus from acid reflux. It took a full two week course of it, but slowly I healed and have to say the tightening stopped and I could breathe fully again. So I guess its worth me mentioning to you anyway. Hope you get relief soon!!

[BonnieR]

Do you have allergies?

[Emelie B]

Hi Bonnie,
No, I don't have any allergies that I know of. I am not sure how long it normally takes for the inhalers to become effective, but I'm still wheezing after 7 days of treatment.
If I am still wheezing on Mon. I think I will call pulmonary dr and see what is up.
Just wish it didn't affect my energy level so much.
Thanks for posting back,
Emelie

[sarah]

Do you have a crushing pain in your chest? I had pain in the chest and had a fibroid in the lung from radiation and apparently had had a heart attack without knowing it. It had nothing to do with Herceptin. My echo and EKG were normal. So if you have any chest pain, see a cardiologist and maybe start taking baby aspirin with dinner. Not realizing my symptoms, I may have damage my heart more than necessary. not sure yours is similar but be safe and sure, I wish I had been.
sarah