More health issues?

Okay, so remember how, after the first Princess, I went back to my doc and she prescribed an inhaler for my exercise-induced asthma? Yeah, well I’ve been using it, but it seems like I’m still not breathing how I feel like I should be breathing.

I use it before every run, even short runs on the treadmill. One puff for short runs, two puffs for more than 2 miles. 

Back in October, when I did the 10k in Celebration, I was wheezing by Mile 4 and I couldn’t keep running!  I was kicking myself for not tucking it in one of my Sparkle pockets. But I didn't think I would need it!

Anyway, after that, I began really paying attention to how I breathe. 

I get winded walking the ¼ mile from my car to my office. Granted I walk fast, but still…

I also still get winded going up a single flight of stairs. I’m trying to do the stairs instead of the elevator because 1) it’s good for me and 2) our elevator is about a million years old and I don’t want to die.

However, I don’t know if I’m getting better or not.  You know how when you take a huge deep breath, you get that FULL feeling all the way down to (seemingly) your toes?  I don’t get that. It feels like there is something sitting on my chest, or my pants are too tight, or my bra is on the wrong hook, and I can’t quite get there (ever yawn, but not get all the way there? It’s like that). 

I find that, especially in bed, I yawn a lot. No, not because I’m tired, but because I’m not breathing deeply, and yawning is how your brain gets oxygen quickly. Sometimes it gets so bad that my heart starts racing and I can't calm myself down enough to go to sleep!

Hubby has told me a few times that when he comes to bed, he sometimes has to put his hand on me to see if I’m breathing or not – I breathe so shallowly that even in my deepest sleep, he can’t see my chest rise and fall!  That’s kind of weird.

So, I decided that it was time to bring it up to the doctor again. 

I went and saw her to get a refill on my Massage Therapy prescription and brought this up as well.  After talking for a bit, she decided to refer me to a pulmonologist for PFTs (Pulmonary Function Tests), as well as more bloodwork and a chest x-ray.

So, here’s the fun I get to look forward to:

April 18^th – Bloodwork / Chest x-ray

April 23^rd – PFTs

April 30^th  - Pulmonologist Appointment

We’ll see what happens. I’m scared that I may hear COPD or Emphysema….