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Suggest Treatment For Shortness Of Breath And Sleeplessness After Respiratory Infection Recovery

Posted on Mon, 8 Feb 2016

Question: I had a upper respiratory infection in October, treated with several rounds of steroids. It then turned into chondroitin on my left breast bone and rib. A few weeks later I broke out in shingles on my left back around to my bellybutton. Took Valtrex and have experienced slight nerve pain. In the midst of all this I was having shortness of breath that has progressively worse. I have had multiple cat scans of chest, ABDOMEN, and PELVIS. All have been negative for blood clots. But most recently it has become hard to sleep on my left side or flat as it makes my short of breath much worse. I have to sit and bend force to catch my breath. I have had test done and noticed in November my creatine kinase was 71 and this week it is 260. My comb? Was 2.5 Troponon was no should I be worried about a heart attack....I am 39. Waiting on results of echocardiogram but Ekg is normal?

Answered by Dr. Drkaushal85 (50 minutes later)

Brief Answer:
Possibility of heart muscle damage is more.

Detailed Answer:
Thanks for your question on Health Care Magic.
I can understand your concern.
Your all symptoms are suggestive of heart disease and your reports like increasing CPK and high Trop levels are more in favor of cardiac muscle (myocardial) damage.
These enzymes are liberated from heart muscles when damaged.
Sometimes ecg can be normal. But you need to get done 2d echo and myocardial perfusion scan to rule out heart muscle damage.
So consult cardiologist and discuss all these.
Hope I have solved your query. I will be happy to help you further. Wish you good health. Thanks.

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar

Follow up: Dr. Drkaushal85 (21 hours later)

Thank you for your response. My troponin levels are normal and my ckmb is 2.5. Still have short intervals of rapid heart beats and feel like I am breathing through a fog on my left side. The error said it could be muscular instead of heart but I guess I don't understand how someone like me could have heart damage. I have a cardiology appointment soon and will get my results of my echo tomorrow. I am scared of having a heart attack tonight....I do not understand any of it. Does a high kinase mean I already had one or one is possibly coming? Should I be in the hospital?

Answered by Dr. Drkaushal85 (3 hours later)

Brief Answer:
If your CPK and Trop levels are normal then no need to worry for heart atta

Detailed Answer:
Thanks for your follow up question on Health Care Magic.
I can understand your concern.
You told in your first question that your CPK and Trop levels are high. So I though of heart muscle damage.
But if your CPK and Trop levels are normal then no need to worry for heart diseases.
But better to consult cardiologist and get done 2d echo to rule out heart damage.
No need to worry for heart attack.
Please let me know
1. Do you have stressful life?
Please reply me answer of above asked question, so that I can guide you better. I will be happy to help you further. Wish you good health. Thanks.

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar

Follow up: Dr. Drkaushal85 (17 hours later)

So sorry about the confusion. I got the test mixed up...my creatine kinase went from 71 to 267 in One month. My comb was 2.5 and my troponin was normal range. I had a negative brain mri but not sure results of echo yet. I still get pressure in my head and short of breath, like I have to struggle to deep breath...I don't have much stress but there are issues! Lol

Answered by Dr. Drkaushal85 (4 hours later)

Brief Answer:
Have you ever undergone PFT?

Detailed Answer:
Thanks for your follow up question on Health Care Magic.
I can understand your concern.
Sorry to say but I am also confused about certain parts of your query.
Please clarify these things.
You are having increasing CPK. Please tell me is it plain CPK or CPK MB?
And what is 'comb ' which was 2.5?
Have you ever undergone PFT (Pulmonary Function Test)?
Please answer the above asked questions, so that I can guide you better. I will be happy to help you further. Wish you good health. Thanks.

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Sonia Raina

Follow up: Dr. Drkaushal85 (14 hours later)

My PFT was normal...My creatine kinase was elevated at 267 on 1-5-16. My creatine kinase in November was only 71 so it has gone up. Both times my troponin was normal. My ck-mb was 2.5 on 1-5-16. My biggest question is why it would go up...is it heart or muscle and what is the danger zone?. We do not have heart disease in our family but we do have MS. I wonder if my TKI Gleevec could have damaged heart muscle since I have been taking it for ten years or before I was diagnosed with shingles and after I had a ton of Cat Scans and chest X-Ray's? I am just clueless on what it all means.

Answered by Dr. Drkaushal85 (1 hour later)

Brief Answer:
No need to worry for heart diseases.

Detailed Answer:
Thanks for your follow up question on Health Care Magic.
I can understand your concern.
Now I got you completely. You are having normal troponin and CK MB. So no need to worry for heart diseases.
You are having rising CPK level. This suggest possibility of muscular damage is more.
No need to worry for heart muscle damage.
So take painkiller and muscle relaxant drugs.
Don't worry, you will be alright.
Hope I have solved your query. I will be happy to help you further. Wish you good health. Thanks.

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar

Follow up: Dr. Drkaushal85 (5 hours later)

Thank you very much, you have been very helpful!!

Answered by Dr. Drkaushal85 (36 minutes later)

Brief Answer:
Please close the conversation and rate my answer.

Detailed Answer:
Thanks for your follow up question on Health Care Magic.
I can understand your concern.
Thanks for your kind words. I am truly obliged
It's always great to hear positive feedback from patients.
Hope I have solved your query. If you are not having further queries, then please close the conversation and rate my answer.
You can ask me directly on bit.ly/askdrkaushalbhavsar.
Wish you good health. Thanks.

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar