Over the last few weeks have been getting short of breath when climbing stairs etc...and now just when not doing much....I have also had dizziness....thinking it was because I have upped the pred slightly to 11mg, I`ve ignored it....but today, I nearly fainted....the worst feeling....of dizziness I have had....and heart beating out of chest...then it calms...
I have rheumie app Dec 12th.....not sure about waiting that long....BP is 175/80...so don`t know what`s really going on....
Eileen has mentioned AF in the past....this has got me wondering??
Any suggestions welcome....thank you...
You need to get your GP to do some checks - AF is a possibility but there are other things. It could simply be a fast heart beat which is then often followed by a very slow beat as the heart calms too much - and that can make you feel faint. That upper BP reading is too high and needs treating - is that all the time or just when you've had a "spell"?
Darn - no idea what I said the first time! So in case it takes ages...
It could be AF, but there are other things it could be. That systolic BP is too high and needs treating - so you really do need to see your GP and get him to check.
Hi Linda,the bottom value (diastolic)is acceptable but the top one (systolic )is too high.That plus breathlessness really needs a trip to GP or at the very least a trip to the blood pressure nurse at your practice.He/she will get the doctor to see you if they think it is necessary.
Our practice nurse got me straight to see my GP when I was breathless at my annual review (I also had swollen ankles ).Good luck.
Linda, perhaps a simple blood test for iron levels? Shortness of breath and dizziness can be symptoms of low iron levels.....just a thought. Regards, tina.
If you've put on weight the likelyhood is that it's that making you short of breath. That is what I put mine down to and so does my GP. Dizzines is probably the PMR.
I certainly cannot advise you what to do about those conditions. I can tell you that my first couple of months on medrol (methyl prednisolone) sound very similar to yours. During that time I went to the hospital emergency room twice. They found no irregularities in anything. Both times I went home shaky but recovered.
The only symptom similar to yours that has remained with me is the shortness of breath on exertion. My experience has been that reducing my dosage of medrol tends to increase the shortness of breath on exertion. The most recent rheumatologist that I visited confirmed that in some PMR cases shortness of breath on exertion is a symptom just as is muscle stiffness and pain. It is not a characteristic for most PMRs but for some.
Have only just thought to check blood pressure....have been dizzy on and off, but today three "episodes" when nearly fainting, and I`m sitting down! the room spins and I feel as though I`m not there for a minute or two....heart races, and then it leaves me shaky.....will ring doctor tomorrow.....I don`t feel confident at all to go out, it just comes on so suddenly......even just sitting down talking to someone......no warning.....
Think I should check BP more often in the day to get more of a picture?
Thank you...
It was something I developed as the first sign of a flare in February - and although I could do with losing some more weight it certainly wasn't due to that - it developed from one day to the next!
Two years ago I had what I called a "banging heart" and breathlessness climbing stairs. I have since been diagnosed with AFIB. I feel that this was caused by the pred but of course the Cardiologist looked at me as if I was mad....
I am now on medication which includes the new type blood thinners.
I still have a few episodes and I too have fainted. But on the whole I am much better. Ask your GP to do a holter test and this may show what is happening to the heart. .
Hope you feel better soon
Mary x
If it is happening that often you definitely need it checked out. If it lasts long and you are worried - do dial 999. A paramedic will be able to do checks including an ECG. I know the feeling you describe - I've had it too very very occasionally. It is scary!
My cardiologist is confident my A/F is due to the autoimmune part of PMR - it was certainly there long before pred as I realised once it was well controlled with medication! Still happens occasionally but not too much of a problem yet.
Thank you Eileen and all who have replied....must get it sorted ASP, it is so scary....can`t let it carry on, not after today`s episodes......Thank you again......
Just an update, still feel ill, have been to doctor`s she has ordered many blood tests and an ECG ....told me surgery would ring later today with appointment for the latter...they just have....in 2 weeks time!. One of the nurses is off sick, and to want both things done together takes longer........well, methinks I will be ringing back on Monday....not waiting that long!....
Nothing surprises anymore does it!
In the meantime - if you feel really unwell - dial 999, the paramedics are great at checking those sort of things! They have ECG machines with them - so you could get the bloods done asap.
Linda please do as Eileen suggested, when I had a racing heart my GP told me to ring 999 . Dont wait 2 weeks...
In the US I can just go to a hospital's emergency room. They do a whole bunch of tests, starting with ECG. Costs a bit, but worth it to me.
Thank you Eileen and everyone with replies....I won`t hesitate it I feel any worse to get help....
Doctor did say if I feel worse come back straight away.....just don`t see the logic in them seeing ill patients, and to find out what`s wrong, you have to have a blood test that they make you wait 2 weeks for!....
Fingers crossed....things start to improve soon! Thanks again everyone....
Yes thankfully mine is well controlled too with medication there was talk of an ablation but I am not sure that I would go ahead with that....
In many cases here, Canada, if you have a problem like this the doctors want you to go to emergency rather than to their office. The hospital has all the equipment and the ability to do all the tests, which the doctor would have to send you to the hospital to get anyway.
Of course the result of this, added to a few other situations like a major shortage of family doctors, means very long waits in emergency, unless you are sick or injured enough to be triaged to the head of the line.