I guess this story really starts last year when this health mess happened. After an ER trip that was followed by a few visits to a pulmonologist and a few prescriptions for inhalers, it all cleared up a month or two later with no real diagnosis or answer except for an asthmatic condition without it being actual asthma.
Fast forward to almost a month ago and the breathing issue started again. Thinking it was a seasonal thing since this is the second September in a row it's happened (and never before this), I tried to take it easy and focus on the important stuff. But one day, it got bad and I really couldn't breathe well so my OB sent me to my pulmonologist for a visit. And again, no real answers but a new prescription for the same steroid inhaler I was given last year.
I've been using it since then but the symptoms aren't really getting better. I have good days where my breathing only affects me when I've done too much or climbed the stairs way too many times that day and then giving myself a break helps a lot. Then I have days where I can do nothing but the bare minimum and walking upstairs once will do me in.
Our little last minute trip this weekend may have been pushing things a bit. While we had THE BEST TIME and it was such a good refresher for our little family to get away from life on a spur, I was already exhausted and I pushed myself on Sunday. I walked everywhere, I stopped to snuggle my nephew and carry him around the festival, I ate nothing healthy and didn't drink nearly enough water and it was just go, go, go.
My breathing wasn't horrible on Sunday until the festival ended and we headed back to my parent's house. I noticed that it was getting bad and resting wasn't helping. At one point, I started getting tingly and I thought I was going to pass out. Anxiety kicked in and I got worried so I headed to the ER. They kept me a few hours taking blood and chest X-Rays. I was given a nebulizer treatment, fluids, electrolytes, a steroid to open my airwaves, potassium to bring up my levels and a rescue inhaler to bring home.
And again, no solid answers or reasonings. My oxygen levels were good, Nicholas has a healthy heartbeat and was kicking away and my bloodwork was ok except for low potassium. The ER doctor said it sounded like asthma and he would treat it that way but being pregnant, there wasn't a lot that could be done. He said I probably also hyperventilated a bit which caused all of the tingling and such.
I am feeling a little better now. I had to use my rescue inhaler the first day I had it a few times along with my regular inhaler. The best way to explain is it that I have to actually make myself breath. It isn't something that I do because as humans we just breath but it's something I have to pay attention too. I have to take it slow and avoid the stairs as much as I can and carry my inhaler around and take as many deep breaths as I can and try my hardest to stay calm in the moments where I feel like I just can't get any good breaths out.
I have a checkup with my OB on Thursday and I'll fill her in and we'll see from there. It's so strange constantly being short of breath and no one having solid answers!
Fast forward to almost a month ago and the breathing issue started again. Thinking it was a seasonal thing since this is the second September in a row it's happened (and never before this), I tried to take it easy and focus on the important stuff. But one day, it got bad and I really couldn't breathe well so my OB sent me to my pulmonologist for a visit. And again, no real answers but a new prescription for the same steroid inhaler I was given last year.
I've been using it since then but the symptoms aren't really getting better. I have good days where my breathing only affects me when I've done too much or climbed the stairs way too many times that day and then giving myself a break helps a lot. Then I have days where I can do nothing but the bare minimum and walking upstairs once will do me in.
Our little last minute trip this weekend may have been pushing things a bit. While we had THE BEST TIME and it was such a good refresher for our little family to get away from life on a spur, I was already exhausted and I pushed myself on Sunday. I walked everywhere, I stopped to snuggle my nephew and carry him around the festival, I ate nothing healthy and didn't drink nearly enough water and it was just go, go, go.
My breathing wasn't horrible on Sunday until the festival ended and we headed back to my parent's house. I noticed that it was getting bad and resting wasn't helping. At one point, I started getting tingly and I thought I was going to pass out. Anxiety kicked in and I got worried so I headed to the ER. They kept me a few hours taking blood and chest X-Rays. I was given a nebulizer treatment, fluids, electrolytes, a steroid to open my airwaves, potassium to bring up my levels and a rescue inhaler to bring home.
And again, no solid answers or reasonings. My oxygen levels were good, Nicholas has a healthy heartbeat and was kicking away and my bloodwork was ok except for low potassium. The ER doctor said it sounded like asthma and he would treat it that way but being pregnant, there wasn't a lot that could be done. He said I probably also hyperventilated a bit which caused all of the tingling and such.
I am feeling a little better now. I had to use my rescue inhaler the first day I had it a few times along with my regular inhaler. The best way to explain is it that I have to actually make myself breath. It isn't something that I do because as humans we just breath but it's something I have to pay attention too. I have to take it slow and avoid the stairs as much as I can and carry my inhaler around and take as many deep breaths as I can and try my hardest to stay calm in the moments where I feel like I just can't get any good breaths out.
I have a checkup with my OB on Thursday and I'll fill her in and we'll see from there. It's so strange constantly being short of breath and no one having solid answers!
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