Sign-in to Ask A Doctor - 24x7
OR
Sign in with Google
What To Do About Lightheadedness And Breathlessness While Despite Taking Low BP Pills?
Question: I can be walking and suddenly I start to feel light headed and can't breathe, have to lie down to be able to catch my breath. They have checked my heart, blood pressure, and had neuro scans. all they offered is low blood pressure pills and gaderaid, which haven't helped.
Brief Answer:
I would explain as follows:
Detailed Answer:
Hello,
I passed carefully through your question and would explain that your symptoms could be related to orthostatic hypotension or a possible cardiac arrhythmia.
For this reason, I would recommend performing further tests:
- an ambulatory 24-48 hours ECG monitoring to investigate for possible cardiac arrhythmia
- thyroid hormone levels for possible dysfunction
- D-Dimmer levels for possible pulmonary embolism
- blood electrolytes for any possible imbalance
- a Head Up Tilt test for orthostatic hypotension.
You should discuss with your doctor on the above tests.
Hope to have been helfpul!
Kind regards,
Dr. Iliri
I would explain as follows:
Detailed Answer:
Hello,
I passed carefully through your question and would explain that your symptoms could be related to orthostatic hypotension or a possible cardiac arrhythmia.
For this reason, I would recommend performing further tests:
- an ambulatory 24-48 hours ECG monitoring to investigate for possible cardiac arrhythmia
- thyroid hormone levels for possible dysfunction
- D-Dimmer levels for possible pulmonary embolism
- blood electrolytes for any possible imbalance
- a Head Up Tilt test for orthostatic hypotension.
You should discuss with your doctor on the above tests.
Hope to have been helfpul!
Kind regards,
Dr. Iliri
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
24 hour ekgs and heart monitoring have been done twice at 2 hospitals with no heart problems. this happened in the hospital with heart monitor and blood pressure monitoring and no change in either. When this happens I feel like I am suffocating even with oxygen on. It is very frightening. My blood was also being monitored with no low levels or signs other than potassium. The G2 sport drink is high in electrolytes and potassium and after a week, I am still having the episodes.
are there any other ideas?? Come on, I can't be the only person this has happened to. Please ask other doctors to think about this, please.
are there any other ideas?? Come on, I can't be the only person this has happened to. Please ask other doctors to think about this, please.
Brief Answer:
I would explain as follows:
Detailed Answer:
Hello again!
Thank you for the additional information!
I agree with you that you are not the only one to experience such episodes, but from the other hand, you should know that these episodes are not really specific for any disorders and further investigations are necessary to establish the possible underlying causes.
Considering the fact that when this happened, the monitor did no show any cardiac arrhythmia, or any low blood pressure (suggestive of orthostatic hypotension), we can exclude any possible cardiac causes.
If your oxygen levels were normal during these episodes, we can exclude a lung disorder too.
Anyway, I would recommend performing pulmonary function tests to totally exclude a lung disorder, which could cause the shortness of breath.
If this test results normal too, the main causes to consider would be panic attacks or temporal lobe epilepsy seizures (although the symptoms are not typical of this disorder).
For this reason, if the pulmonary function tests and thyroid hormone levels result normal, the last test to do would be an EEG.
You should discuss with your doctor on the above tests.
Wishing all the best,
Dr. Iliri
I would explain as follows:
Detailed Answer:
Hello again!
Thank you for the additional information!
I agree with you that you are not the only one to experience such episodes, but from the other hand, you should know that these episodes are not really specific for any disorders and further investigations are necessary to establish the possible underlying causes.
Considering the fact that when this happened, the monitor did no show any cardiac arrhythmia, or any low blood pressure (suggestive of orthostatic hypotension), we can exclude any possible cardiac causes.
If your oxygen levels were normal during these episodes, we can exclude a lung disorder too.
Anyway, I would recommend performing pulmonary function tests to totally exclude a lung disorder, which could cause the shortness of breath.
If this test results normal too, the main causes to consider would be panic attacks or temporal lobe epilepsy seizures (although the symptoms are not typical of this disorder).
For this reason, if the pulmonary function tests and thyroid hormone levels result normal, the last test to do would be an EEG.
You should discuss with your doctor on the above tests.
Wishing all the best,
Dr. Iliri
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
Thank you for your time and giving me some things to discuss with the doctors.
After 6 months of tests and many doctors including specialists this has been disheartening as well as terrifying. I really appreciate your input. For your information, the EEG was also done without results.
Thanks again.
After 6 months of tests and many doctors including specialists this has been disheartening as well as terrifying. I really appreciate your input. For your information, the EEG was also done without results.
Thanks again.
Brief Answer:
I would recommend as follows:
Detailed Answer:
Hello again!
Coming to this point, I would recommend checking your thyroid hormone levels and performing pulmonary function tests.
If even those tests result normal, you should consider panic attacks as a possible cause of your complaints.
In such case, consulting with a specialist of this field ( psychiatrist, psychotherapist ) may be necessary.
Hope you will find this answer helpful!
Wishing good health,
Dr.Iliri
I would recommend as follows:
Detailed Answer:
Hello again!
Coming to this point, I would recommend checking your thyroid hormone levels and performing pulmonary function tests.
If even those tests result normal, you should consider panic attacks as a possible cause of your complaints.
In such case, consulting with a specialist of this field ( psychiatrist, psychotherapist ) may be necessary.
Hope you will find this answer helpful!
Wishing good health,
Dr.Iliri
Note: For further queries related to coronary artery disease and prevention, click here.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Prasad
Answered by
Get personalised answers from verified doctor in minutes across 80+ specialties
