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Chest tightness


Leela

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My mom has been experiencing some chest tightness for a few weeks. She doesn't seem to have it when she's lying down. So she feels better at night and in the morning. As the day goes on, it tightens up. She has been struggling with SOB for even longer. Her onc. doesn't have any ideas on what would be causing these things as he says that air is moving well when he listens to her lungs. Her pulmonologist has tried many things (listed in profile) and she is now weening off Prednisone. The steroid does not seem to have improved the SOB at all, but has eased the constant tickle in her throat. She continues to go to respiratory therapy 2x a week.

Has anyone else experienced this? It just seems odd to us that lying down eases this. She is having a CT scan next week, which they have added her neck to this time. Just wishing there was some way to help her feel better in the mean time.

Thanks,

Lisa

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Lisa, I have no clue what could be causing your mom's SOB or other issues for that matter. I too deal with SOB, but in my case it's heart related and nothing to do with my lung, because my SOB started when all my heart problems started.

With all that your mother has been through it just may very well be caused from who knows what, chemo, tumor, heart, lungs, etc, etc,. If her lung CT comes out fine, I would diffently have someone check the heart. Maybe a heart echocaridogram would be in order. It can't hurt.

We learned in my case a few months ago that I have a Sevear Mitral Valve Leak, and my cardiologist said this WILL cause SOB. I also might have a blockage in one of my grafts from a past by-pass that I had, but and Angiogram would have to be done to find that out. So, don't rule out the heart. I hope it's just nothing though.

I did repiratory therapy too, and it didn't do any good for me. But then again, it wasn't my lung that was the problem. :roll::wink: All my Sats are prefect.

The lying down thing is kind of puzzling to me too. But, nothing is normal after lung cancer and treatments.

Keep us posted on how she is doing. Hope she's feeling better soon.

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Hi Leela,

Tony has the same problem, but opposite times. He feels worse when he lies down at night, even though he might be pain-free all day. It's weird. I try massage and he is now taking Norco to ease the pain at night. He sometimes has it during the day, like today. We have no clue whether it is his cancer, loculation, pleural effusion, or just breathing in a funny way that stresses certain muscles. His SOB continues to get worse.

In other words, I have no clue. Gee, what a help I am! :roll:

Welthy

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Thank you both so much for responding. It is true that who knows what is causing what or what combination of things can cause what. My mom did have an echocaridogram in early August, along with an EKG - both normal. But if the CT shows nothing new, maybe we'll ask for another. She has really seemed to stump the pulmonologist, but thankfully he hasn't given up on finding a cause yet.

The respiratory therapy doesn't seem to be doing much for my mom either - she is struggling to maintain her weight the way it is. She is such a trooper though and I admire her strength, even more than I did before this horrible disease took hold, if that's possible.

Thank you guys again. You both and Tony have been through so much already and I marvel at your strength as well. I keep you all in my prayers. (((Hugs)))

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