Shortness of Breath

Beth Gallagher

Beth Gallagher

Well-known member
Seems lately I find myself increasingly short of breath. I am more sedentary in the cold months so I guess I need to get up and make myself walk around more. The shortness of breath bothers me a bit because I recall that the "Red Devil" (Adriamycin) chemo I had often causes heart problems that can manifest years after treatment.

I guess I'll talk this over with my PCP at the end of this month, and then my oncologist in May.
 
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I wonder if a pulse/oximeter might be handy to have around. I know they measure how oxygenated your red blood cells are, but cannot tell you if you have enough of them, so they may or may not be beneficial in all cases.

That sucks, Gallagher. You know if it gets bad, you can go to the ER and say "heart" and they'll move you to the front of the line (I hope it does not get to the point.)
 
John Brunner said:
I wonder if a pulse/oximeter might be handy to have around. I know they measure how oxygenated your red blood cells are, but cannot tell you if you have enough of them, so they may or may not be beneficial in all cases.

That sucks, Gallagher. You know if it gets bad, you can go to the ER and say "heart" and they'll move you to the front of the line (I hope it does not get to the point.)
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I do have a pulse oximeter, and also my Apple watch 6 can monitor blood oxygen. So far I haven't had any issue with that and my BP seems normal. I don't have any other aches, pains, swelling, etc. If I develop other symptoms I will head to the ER.

The only thing I'm doing different lately is putting the steroid drops into my eye. Naturally I googled that and it says that it is possible that the drops are causing an issue but not common. I have one more week, down to a single drop a day so I guess I'll finish them.
 
Beth Gallagher said:
I do have a pulse oximeter, and also my Apple watch 6 can monitor blood oxygen. So far I haven't had any issue with that and my BP seems normal. I don't have any other aches, pains, swelling, etc. If I develop other symptoms I will head to the ER.

The only thing I'm doing different lately is putting the steroid drops into my eye. Naturally I googled that and it says that it is possible that the drops are causing an issue but not common. I have one more week, down to a single drop a day so I guess I'll finish them.
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I've been putting steroid drops into one ear. I think I'll reread the side effects.

Jeez, if it ain't one thing it's something else. My urologist's nurse that does a really good job is having her second baby so is going to cut back to one day a month in the multi-facility practice (I guess to maintain her certs.) I was telling my neighbor, and realized that I never envisioned uttering the words "My favorite nurse." *sigh*
 
John Brunner said:
I've been putting steroid drops into one ear. I think I'll reread the side effects.

Jeez, if it ain't one thing it's something else. My urologist's nurse that does a really good job is having her second baby so is going to cut back to one day a month in the multi-facility practice (I guess to maintain her certs.) I was telling my neighbor, and realized that I never envisioned uttering the words "My favorite nurse." *sigh*
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Sad that favorite might actually mean competent these days.
 
Beth Gallagher said:
Seems lately I find myself increasingly short of breath. I am more sedentary in the cold months so I guess I need to get up and make myself walk around more. The shortness of breath bothers me a bit because I recall that the "Red Devil" (Adriamycin) chemo I had often causes heart problems that can manifest years after treatment.

I guess I'll talk this over with my PCP at the end of this month, and then my oncologist in May.
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Beth, hopefully it is nothing serious , and you are fine.
 
Beth Gallagher said:
Seems lately I find myself increasingly short of breath. I am more sedentary in the cold months so I guess I need to get up and make myself walk around more. The shortness of breath bothers me a bit because I recall that the "Red Devil" (Adriamycin) chemo I had often causes heart problems that can manifest years after treatment.

I guess I'll talk this over with my PCP at the end of this month, and then my oncologist in May.
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Beth,
Sorry to hear of your discomfort.

Just curious do you take a baby aspirin daily?

Maybe you should call your PCP and explain your condition, he / she may want to check it out.

Tony
 
Tony Page said:
Beth,
Sorry to hear of your discomfort.

Just curious do you take a baby aspirin daily?

Maybe you should call your PCP and explain your condition, he / she may want to check it out.

Tony
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Hey Tony. No, I don't take baby aspirin but I do take three BP medicines. I have an appointment with my PCP in a couple of weeks so I'll discuss with her then.
 
I grew up in a Smoke or Choke household. So naturally I started smoking when I was 10. 40 years later my Doc told me she could hear the cracking sounds of Emphysema in my lungs. I went home and got rid of all the ash trays, cigarette lighters and cigarettes and quit for good, and I haven't smoked since. That was early February, 2006. I saved all the money I previously had spent on cigarettes and 10 months later in December, just before Christmas I saw an ad in the local news paper for a hotel room that rented for $270 a night in the summer for $90 if you stayed 2 nights. I called and made a reservation for the week of Christmas. My wife and kids were quite jazzed when I told them out of the blue to pack up, were going on vacation. We got there and the desk clerk said we would possibly have the whole place to ourselves. (And we did.) So we got a room on the 3 floor. The hotel was bone empty all week long. The view from our room was fabulous.

2660430050053964499iregy-K-fs.jpg


121891373ZJGk-Qd-fs.jpg


The hotel claimed they were the closest one to the high water mark in California at the time, at 35 feet away...
 
Axel Slingerland said:
I grew up in a Smoke or Choke household. So naturally I started smoking when I was 10. 40 years later my Doc told me she could hear the cracking sounds of Emphysema in my lungs. I went home and got rid of all the ash trays, cigarette lighters and cigarettes and quit for good, and I haven't smoked since. That was early February, 2006. I saved all the money I previously had spent on cigarettes and 10 months later in December, just before Christmas I saw an ad in the local news paper for a hotel room that rented for $270 a night in the summer for $90 if you stayed 2 nights. I called and made a reservation for the week of Christmas. My wife and kids were quite jazzed when I told them out of the blue to pack up, were going on vacation. We got there and the desk clerk said we would possibly have the whole place to ourselves. (And we did.) So we got a room on the 3 floor. The hotel was bone empty all week long. The view from our room was fabulous.

2660430050053964499iregy-K-fs.jpg


121891373ZJGk-Qd-fs.jpg


The hotel claimed they were the closest one to the high water mark in California at the time, at 35 feet away...
Click to expand...

I've spent Christmas on the east coast shore a couple of times (I live inland.) The beach is a different experience in the winter. The only struggle was finding a place to eat on Christmas Day.

In a parallel to taking vacation with your saved cigarette money, when I quit drinking I treated myself to a Club Med vacation (I usually went camping and fishing for vacations.) 35 years later and I still rationalize buying myself stuff with the beer money I continue to save.
 
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