Dr. Hive: What is up with my breathing?

[Daria]

About 2.5 weeks ago, I had a wicked cold virus.  I don't think it was the flu because I never had a fever, but for about 3 days I was totally knocked out (head ache, exhaustion, nonstop coughing) and then I had a really deep junk cough, fatigue and no appetitute for another week and a half.  

For the past week, my appetite is back, I'm sleeping better, but every day I have a pattern where I wake up feeling fine, and by about 2 p.m.. I'm out of breath every time I try and speak a whole sentence. I literally keep having to stop talking to breathe.   I don't sound like regular laryngitis, but the prosody of my voice is way off, with lots of pauses and gasps.  At first I thought asthma (which I've never been diagnosed with) but it feels like maybe the problem is in my larynx, not my lungs, but who knows.  

 

I should note that I'm a teacher, and so by the time 2 pm., I've been talking nonstop for 6 hours, which probably isn't helping.

 

Anyway, when I google shortness of breath, I get some things I'm pretty sure I don't have (e.g. Tetralogy of Fallot) and some things that seem to have lots of other symptoms that I don't have (e.g. lupus), but nothing that jumps out at me as "oh, it could be this".  Oh, and I get obesity, which I definitely have, but which I also had a month ago when I could talk fine.  

 

Any experience, or home remedies?

[displace]

Sounds like a type of pneumonia or residual cold symptoms. Prescription meds can help. I’d see a doctor.

[Katy]

It could be bronchitis or walking pneumonia (eta: and still feel like it's in your throat due to post nasal drip,  but actually be in your lungs)

Edited March 9, 2018 by Katy

[Daria]

Sounds like a type of pneumonia or residual cold symptoms. Prescription meds can help. I’d see a doctor.

 

Would pneumonia come and go?  That's the part that's confusing me.

[Katy]

I've had all three kinds of pneumonia.  It is very common for symptoms to get better and worse and better again.

[displace]

Illnesses can improve and worsen. It can depend on factors like body reserves, nutrition, immune system, rest, environment, activities, etc. In general, if you’re not continuing to improve, it may be a superimposed illness or residual concern.

[Daria]

I know pneumonia can wax and wane, or come on as a secondary infection after you’ve started to recover. I am just feeling like the fact that it seems to related to how much I talk might point to something with my larynx rather than my lungs?

[HSmomof2]

I would guess it’s related to your recent illness but would see a doctor

[JenneinCA]

It sounds like pneumonia to me. When my older son had it several years ago, his biggest symptom was fatigue. He was too tired to eat birthday cake or walk across a room without taking a break. He didn’t have a cough or a fever. I was totally unaware of how sick he was until we were in urgent care and his blood oxygen was low. And then the X-ray and a pneumonia diagnosis.

 

One of those feeling like a bad mom moments...

[JudoMom]

I was thinking pneumonia as well. I'd get to a doctor.

[Calli]

On 3/8/2018 at 6:13 PM, Daria said:

About 2.5 weeks ago, I had a wicked cold virus.  I don't think it was the flu because I never had a fever, but for about 3 days I was totally knocked out (head ache, exhaustion, nonstop coughing) and then I had a really deep junk cough, fatigue and no appetitute for another week and a half.  

 

For the past week, my appetite is back, I'm sleeping better, but every day I have a pattern where I wake up feeling fine, and by about 2 p.m.. I'm out of breath every time I try and speak a whole sentence. I literally keep having to stop talking to breathe.   I don't sound like regular laryngitis, but the prosody of my voice is way off, with lots of pauses and gasps.  At first I thought asthma (which I've never been diagnosed with) but it feels like maybe the problem is in my larynx, not my lungs, but who knows.  

 

I should note that I'm a teacher, and so by the time 2 pm., I've been talking nonstop for 6 hours, which probably isn't helping.

 

Anyway, when I google shortness of breath, I get some things I'm pretty sure I don't have (e.g. Tetralogy of Fallot) and some things that seem to have lots of other symptoms that I don't have (e.g. lupus), but nothing that jumps out at me as "oh, it could be this".  Oh, and I get obesity, which I definitely have, but which I also had a month ago when I could talk fine.  

 

Any experience, or home remedies?

 

I have had something very similar to what you describe, this the past two months.  I assumed it was a horrendous cold and/or possibly bronchitis. Same symptoms as you listed. Heading to the doctor is of course your best bet.  That being said, I did my fair share of google research too and finally came up with post nasal drip as a residual effect of the cold.  I did experience episodes of shortness of breath, then it got better.  Finally, (remembering what a doctor had told me years ago), I started on a Claritin routine and Astelin along with a nasal steroid.  I can breathe now and the coughing has dramatically improved.  Also, acid reflux can coincide with the post nasal drip and cause some pretty annoying interference's with daily life.  This can also cause your voice to be off.

I would have gone to the doctor this time around, however, a few years ago I had the exact same thing.  I did go to the doctor then and they checked my oxygen levels and had me do a scan of my lungs.  It came back that the doctor said I was definitely not getting enough oxygen (shortness of breath) and that it was a virus.  He gave me a short term inhaler and I went on my way.  Sure enough, it passed.

 

If you're really worried though, I would definitely go to the doctor.  A short term inhaler might help you get through the day... if you aren't getting enough oxygen you will feel tired.  And... you definitely want to rule out pneumonia if you think there is a chance of that.

I hope you find some answers!  It probably is directly related to the severe cold that you had (and are probably still trying to completely get over).

Edited May 12, 2021 by Calli

[Daria]

I’m not fatigued either. My exercise tolerance (always crappy because I am fat and out of shape) is back to normal, as long as I don’t try to talk while I’m exercising.

 

Does that still sound like pneumonia?

[Ellie]

You need to see a doctor. Seriously. :grouphug:

[LarlaB]

No, it doesn't sound like pneumonia to me. Rather a nasty, lingering virus that is a slow recovery. I've had shortness of breath when recovering from a particularly nasty virus.  Plus I have asthma and have to watch carefully.  But just walking up the stairs would leave me winded for about a week or so. 

 

If you were sick and less mobile for a while, it makes perfect sense.

 

Probably smart to be checked out. Just to ease your concerns. 

My mom has had a terribly cough and laryngitis for 2.5 weeks.  Finally went to Dr.  Everything was fine, lungs/pneumonia wise- just a lot of post nasal drip that was continuously irritating the larynx and producing cough.  Especially talking.  So she's had to go silent for a while- LOL

[The Governess]

I'd go in. It's could very well be pneumonia. I have experienced that before when I was anemic, but it was happening once or twice a month rather than daily, and I hadn't recently been sick.

[Jaybee]

Not arguing with those who say you need to see a doctor, because the lack of breath is concerning. I had a bad respiratory virus a few weeks ago that lasted about 11 days. I never ran fever, but felt pretty flu-ish otherwise. My nurse daughter told me there is a bad virus going around that takes about 10 days to clear up, so I ended up waiting it out. I kept wondering if I should go in, but after she told me that, I waited and finally got over it. I was very tired, had days I thought I was getting better, then would get worse again, had a lot of congestion and a bad cough, had aches, etc.; however, though I used my inhaler regularly, my breathing wasn't quite as you describe.

[Daria]

You need to see a doctor. Seriously. :grouphug:

 

Yeah, you guys are convincing me.  I wonder if the reflux comment is on.  I know that when my son was little and his asthma would act up, his reflux would flare because the coughing put pressure on his stomach.  So, I'm kind of wondering if I've got reflux irritating my upper airway. 

 

I'm working 7:30 a.m. to 10:30 p.m., with a little break, and I'll be talking the whole time.  But maybe Saturday I can take off from my second job and go in to urgent care.

 

Here's a stupid question.  I don't have symptoms in the a.m., and if I don't go to work, and thus don't talk, I might not have symptoms in the mid afternoon.  Should I wait until they come to go in, or do you think they'll believe me?  

[Katy]

I’m not fatigued either. My exercise tolerance (always crappy because I am fat and out of shape) is back to normal, as long as I don’t try to talk while I’m exercising.

 

Does that still sound like pneumonia?

 

Yes, it sounds like walking pneumonia, which you can have QUITE severely without any symptoms other than what you describe. 

 

Yeah, you guys are convincing me.  I wonder if the reflux comment is on.  I know that when my son was little and his asthma would act up, his reflux would flare because the coughing put pressure on his stomach.  So, I'm kind of wondering if I've got reflux irritating my upper airway. 

 

I'm working 7:30 a.m. to 10:30 p.m., with a little break, and I'll be talking the whole time.  But maybe Saturday I can take off from my second job and go in to urgent care.

 

Here's a stupid question.  I don't have symptoms in the a.m., and if I don't go to work, and thus don't talk, I might not have symptoms in the mid afternoon.  Should I wait until they come to go in, or do you think they'll believe me?  

 

Yes, they will make you forcefully breathe out in a way that will cause wheezing if you have pneumonia. Just go.

[PeterPan]

I’m not fatigued either. My exercise tolerance (always crappy because I am fat and out of shape) is back to normal, as long as I don’t try to talk while I’m exercising.

 

Does that still sound like pneumonia?

 

That's what happens to me when I have pneumonia and am recovering. I would go in. They can diagnose it with an xray, so it's not like they will give you antibiotics if you don't need them.

[Tanaqui]

I’m not fatigued either. My exercise tolerance (always crappy because I am fat and out of shape) is back to normal, as long as I don’t try to talk while I’m exercising.

Does that still sound like pneumonia?

 

Does it matter if it sounds like pneumonia or not? You still need to see a doctor, because it's still serious.

 

I'm working 7:30 a.m. to 10:30 p.m., with a little break, and I'll be talking the whole time.  But maybe Saturday I can take off from my second job and go in to urgent care.

 

I think you need to take the day off and not try to work while sick. Your body needs medicine, and it needs rest. If you skip one day of work to go to the doctor, then you might be able to go back to work pretty soon. But if you keep working and run yourself down then you'll probably need to take even more time off to recover. What could've been just one day off will become a week or two without work.

[JFSinIL]

 

I was thinking pneumonia as well. I'd get to a doctor.

 

 

My first thought as well - and I have had pneumonia three times. Once my kid sister had "walking" type - her only symptom was a bad cough that would not stop - and her co-workers insisted she see a doctor. Was she surprised to learn she had it!