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I'm not a doctor so I can't say much on what happened but I went through something similar.An elderly man that walked past my house every day to go to church collapsed in front of my house. I have no idea how long he was there. But I heard a woman screaming for help so I went outside to look. He had no pulse. I gave him chest compressions until ambulance arrived but i knew he was already gone. I could hear air going in and out of his lungs from the chest compressions. I'll never forget that sound and how sad I felt doing it to him when I knew he was gone and feeling his ribs crack. This was 5+ years ago and I still remember it like it was yesterday. I still wonder if i had looked out my window sooner if he would have survived and wonder how long he was there before the woman saw him. I also remember how the fire fighters arrived first and stood around me and told me to keep going rather than take over. It was definitely traumatic.I feel so sorry for your neighbors family. So young and so much life ahead to live.Life really sucks sometimes.I will always remember the experience and it was hard to process at the time but it did get better as time went on.

This probably doesnt really add anything, but I just want to reiterate, THANK YOU. You did something that is incredibly hard both physically and emotionally. You kept your cool and did what needed to be done, and what each of us hope that someone would do for us or our loved ones. The causes of suddenly death make a long list, and include things like congenital or acquired arrhythmias, vascular issues including aneurysm rupture or clot in the brain or lungs, and among many many others drug overdose which is sadly probably the leading cause in this age group these days. Im sorry that we cant really give you an answer here. As others have said, please seek help if you need it to process this event. Its a trauma and not something that many people have experienced. Remember that you did everything right, there is likely little that would have changed the outcome, and that you helped give his family a week to say goodbye.

To respiratory physicians: is length of time of holding breath an indication of lung capacity?Im a 24M, light smoker, on no meds, weighing 71kg at 175cm.For a smoker who is hypersensitive to the effects of smoking on his body, I am often testing my lungs, usually while exercising (swimming), to see how long I am able to hold my breath. Am I making a false conclusion when I see that my ability to hold a longer/shorter breath correlates to better/worse lung health?Side note: Ive heard that lung capacity can only deteriorate, and is rather stubborn in improving, or all together impossible.. so what gives?Ps: if there is a better sub to ask this question, please do suggest it!

The other comments here are correct that breath holding time is not an accurate reflection of total lung capacity (TLC).But to unpack your question a little further, TLC is just one of many variables important in lung health. Chronic lung disease from smoking is predominantly obstructive (COPD), which is measured by a decrease in the forced expiratory volume in 1 second (FEV1), often also expressed as a ratio to the forced vital capacity (FVC), or the total amount of air you can blow out at once.If anything, smokers tend to increase their total lung capacity as their disease progresses because they are trapping air, unable to blow it out.

Respiratory sinus arrhythmia or sinus pause ?? EKG (sorta) included20M, 52, 150lbs, hypothyroidism, anxiety disorder, depression, .5mg Xanax, 25mgc levothyroxine, 12.5mg metoprolol 2x dailyHi again !! So I have one of those at home 1-lead ekgs and whenever I do one and take a deep breath I notice my heart rate slows down and it looks like it skips a beat...... can anyone tell me what this is ?? I have a lot of anxiety around my heart and bought the ekg to monitor my heart rate and I know these things arent 100% accurate but this is worrying me. Sorry if this is asking a lot but im not seeing my cardiologist for a couple weeks so could someone tell me what this looks like ? https://imgur.com/gallery/wjuAjvy

100% normal - this is respiratory sinus arrhythmia. Stop checking.

Update to Previous Post Regarding Cough Up Blood After Workout. Results Were SurprisingAge: 31Sex: MHeight: 6'6"Weight: 250 AthleticRace: White/CaucasianDuration: 4 1/2 MonthsLocation: Lungs/Upper Respiratory, Upper G/ICurrent Diagnosis: Stage 4 Aggressive Gastro-Intestinal CancerCurrent Meds: Pain Killers, DiureticsAs needed Meds: Lidocaine Patches, Anti-Nausea, Melatonin sleep aidOriginal: https://www.reddit.com/r/AskDocs/comments/c2ls61/chronic_cough_and_now_coughing_up_blood_after/?utm_medium=android_app&utm_source=shareSo after spending some time at an Urgent Care, getting some scans lined up and trying to be patient, I woke up one morning to pain and compression over my chest. Urgent Care Docs had advised me that any escalation of symptoms should mean I go to the Emergency Room. Once there they almost immediately checked me into the ICU for observation and began running every test you could name. For the next 4/5 days I did just an unreal number of scans, 2 biopsies, and they drew enough blood to fill a small pool. Pain escalated daily while there so finding a solution was a running theme. So after a lot of trails here's what they found:Current: Stage 4 Aggressive Metastatic Gastrointestinal Cancer ( Adenocarcinoma )Previous: Disseminated Intravascular CoagulationAfter doing a Lymph Node & Bone Marrow Biopsy they found my marrow filled to capacity with dead cancer cells. This pointed them in the right direction. My platelets were crashing daily (20,000 at admission) and I've got inflamed lymph nodes throughout my chest cavity which is one source of my (significant and at time escalating) pain. Its infiltrated my lungs and several vertebrae along my spine (causing vertebrae to show signs of Osteopenia) . Weirdly enough there's no noticeable tumor/mass/lump they can trace it back to. It's kind of just spread throughout (described as Adenocarcinoma) , though they were finally able to locate a small ulcer in my stomach that allowed them to finally be able to classify it. I've currently just completed my 3rd (now weekly) round of chemo (we started asap when other options such as clinical trials were deemed a non-option) and we've been able to stabilize a number of things (blood factors such as platelets, hemoglobin and the like) along the way. Many of my blood counts are still in the trash so clinical trails are not currently an option. In early stages of my 3 weeks hospital visit I was in a state called **DIC (**Disseminated Intravascular Coagulation) which caused me to act like something akin to a blood squirt gun if i bled. Essentialy it screws with you clotting factors and any bleeding event is an issue. Any procedure became an issue and many my numbers were artifically raised in order to attempt anything that would cause me to bleed. Fortunately after a week of treatments and what felt like several wheel barrows of infusions we kicked my body out of D.I.C and am more or less clotting normally. Fun story: early one morning after the vampires took their daily does of my blood a CNA came in to do a routine vitals check. This particular morning they took 2 unique sets of blood samples plus a rather large sample for testing against infectious disease. This was also kind of at the height of my "he's not clotting" phase. During the blood pressure check it popped open all the fresh holes in my arm, causing them to bleed and freaked/surprised the CNA. Made me laugh. (end of story). Immunotherapy is what my Oncologist are banking on right now so crossing my fingers. Chemo is causing reasonable progress (numbers are low but stable) so we're staying the course for now. My personal mid->long term goal is to find an alternative to opiates for pain management (who the hell knows why a person tolerates opiates for a buzz cause constipation sucks!!!) so looking at alternatives (THC pills potentially or preferably resolving the issue that's causing me pain) I've been discharged from the hospital after 3 weeks so now I'm working to find a routine that works. Losing weight so a short term goal is stopping that (I'm rather tall and (was) muscular so my bodies nuking whatever calories I put in and I'm not putting in a lot due to general nausea, but smoothies have been my friend. Please let me know if you have any questions or advice.. I'll answer what I can and absorb what reasonable advice I read.

Man, that was not high on my list of possibilities after your original description. Sorry to hear. Give it hell.

Fortunately I do, and they've been a tremendous help. Would have been very difficult without their aid. However , things have mellowed out enough, now that I've been discharged, that most everyone has been able to return to their routines, which is nice. Their support was invaluable but I was eager to get everyone back to their normal lives as well for their own sakes and health.

Thanks for the update, OP, though I wish it were better news.I will leave this up for now as OP has a specific follow up question regarding pain and symptom management. However, if this thread becomes off topic (including an excess of well wishing in relation to actual advice being given), we will lock it.We all want OP to do well. Stay on topic so we don't bury good advice that may come forward.

My significant other's health has sharply deteriorated and after months we have no idea what it is.Hello. My (24F) boyfriend, Paul (29M), and I are fairly active. We go on road trips every year with our main stops being prime hiking spots. Paul is 5'7'' and 230 pounds. Due to his southeast asian/pacific genetics, his entire family is on the heavier side, but Paul is just as active as I am and eats well.Recently, we have gone long distance. Paul returned to live with his parents due to the pandemic while I stayed where I was. I visited him in June 2021. At this point, Paul had few symptoms, but some new minor health issues. We went hiking around Lake Tahoe and Paul was a little more out of breath than usual. He hasn't needed to use his inhaler since he was a kid, and he had to use it on this trip. We attributed this to recent wildfires in the area and poor air quality.However, Paul's health continued to sharply deteriorate. We went to Edinburgh, Scotland, in July. While hiking Arthur's Seat, Paul had to use his inhaler so many times he emptied it out. He could not get it refilled as we were out of the country. Until the end of the trip, Paul's breathing became more and more labored and he developed a persistent cough.I did not visit Paul August-November 2021. We spoke on the phone and Skyped regularly. During this time, Paul would sometimes leave the call or mute for a few minutes. He'd come back and apologize, saying he'd had to cough pretty violently and didn't want me to hear. I was concerned. I overheard one wracking, moaning coughing session and knew it was not just asthma or an irritated throat. By October 2021, the air quality in his area had greatly improved.I persuaded Paul to visit his general practitioner. His GP dismissed all of his concerns and cited Paul's being fat and asthmatic as the source of his issues, and that the issues would disappear with rest and exercise. I had to fight doctors for years to get them to take my chronic pelvic pain seriously, and was finally diagnosed with an ovarian cyst that was 8mm long and about to burst, so I have experience with self advocacy in the medical space. I helped Paul see new doctors.In mid-October 2021, Paul developed abdominal edema. Paul's feet, legs, and lower stomach were swelling up like crazy. He gained 40 pounds. He could barely move at all, even to go to the bathroom. He couldn't sleep lying down without suffocating, which only worsened his exhaustion. He went to the doctor again and was prescribed diuretics. The diuretics helped with the swelling and extra weight and within 2 weeks he was back to his regular weight, but the coughing and weakness persisted.About a month after regularly taking diuretics (November), Paul started feeling intense nausea on a weekly basis. This nausea would prompt coughing fits. Paul couldn't eat or focus while nauseated. Our calls became more and more infrequent as Paul's nausea and headaches grew. He told me sometimes the nausea would get so bad that he would vomit. There were no patterns to the vomiting--it didn't happen at a certain time of day or after meals. Sometimes it was foamy. He got a CT scan to look at his gall bladder and all results were within normal ranges. Blood tests, including labs for liver function, all came back normal. His doctor referred him to a gastroenterologist for more testing, but due to increases in COVID-19 cases, they haven't even processed his file, let alone scheduled appointments, which would be months out. A nurse anticipated he wouldn't be able to go in until February 2022, but at his rate of decline, this has me concerned for his mental wellbeing and life quality.This week, in late December 2021, I visited him and his family for Christmas. I had heard from Paul about his issues and was following closely with his medical updates, but seeing it firsthand was another thing altogether. I have never seen human suffering and sickness like this up close or cared for another human being in such an intimate way.Every single day, he has intense coughing fits and bouts of nausea where he makes vocalizations and gags, usually every few hours. At least once a day, these coughing fits are so bad that he spends 5-30 minutes vomiting in the sink. The vomiting has increased drastically. After this, the nausea alleviates, but Paul feels exhausted and has migraines. He barely eats. He barely sleeps.Today, he had three different nausea/coughing bouts that induced vomiting. One developed rapidly and he threw up in a restaurant bathroom. The last one, which just happened this evening as of writing this post, also caught him by surprise, and he vomited in the kitchen sink. The vomiting was so physically taxing that his nose bled profusely and he lost control of his bowels and peed himself. He was not strong enough to make it down the hall to the bathroom. Eventually, I assisted him into the shower. I am writing this before bed, and he is still coughing, and has a migraine. He hasn't gotten up from where he sat after taking the shower.I would appreciate any medical advice about what might be causing what Paul is going through, as well as tips for how to navigate the medical system to ensure this gets treated in the best way possible. I would like to reiterate that while neither of us are marathon running body builders, Paul (before all of this) was physically active and monitored his eating habits. He was also mentally active and had returned to school to pursue a degree in a new field. We both have families that are reasonably well off and are good support systems.Paul is one tough puppy, and reassures me that it "isn't so bad," but after seeing it firsthand, I know this is not something that can continue the way it is. I am extremely worried, and caring for him is beginning to wear on me mentally. Sometimes I feel sympathy nausea when I hear the noises he makes in the bathroom.Please help in any way possible. I appreciate any and every tip, and can provide additional information if needed. Thank you very much.UPDATE 12/26:We went to the ER at 4 AM right after Christmas. Luckily, it was almost completely empty. I was not allowed to go back with him, so for the entire five hours I was sitting in the waiting room, I was only ever accompanied by one or two other people at a time.Paul's shortness of breath, fatigue, and wracking coughs got him seen quickly. He texted me updates as things progressed. He got every test I wrote down from these comments--BNP test, pulmonary work, chest x rays, GI work. An echocardigram is scheduled for next week.They found out right away that Paul's BNP results were seven times higher than usual. They said this was indicative of heart failure. They also tested Paul for COVID 19. He tested negative, but did test indicating he had some kind of viral illness.Paul's doctor concluded that he was suffering from chronic RSV that was made worse by poor genetics, asthma, and obesity. Paul did confirm he had what felt like a respiratory illness in Scotland in June, then after going to a wedding in October, then this week when he got severely ill and we found out his mother had a cold.There is no cure for RSV, but a vaccine has reached human trials. The only things Paul can do to alleviate his own suffering and avoid a heart attack is to make significant lifestyle changes and live like an immunocompromised person. I believe in his ability to achieve the former, but the latter is more difficult because of his emotionally overattached mother who brings the entire extended family out for lunches, movie nights, shopping, etc. several times a week. I'm concerned she won't take it seriously or will be in denial to avoid feeling responsible and will therefore continue to expose Paul to colds that could kill him.Paul is currently resting. He was given medication for his nausea and a new inhaler. He is doing better but still coughing. We have already started on his new food regimen. I am hoping for the best, but the pandemic has proved that people rarely take precautions for others' goodwill. Thank you for all your support. Paul might never have gone to the ER if I hadn't visited and reached out to this community.

He needs to go to the emergency department. It sounds like he has some sort of heart failure causing the shortness of breath and swelling. The nausea and vomiting could be anything, though Id be concerned about electrolyte abnormalities or increased intracranial pressure. Heart failure can cause it too but not this severe Id imagineDont have a great answer tying them together thoughThis was pretty much exactly my thought process as well. Hard to tie all of these symptoms together until we start a work up, which should definitely include an Echocardiogram. Go to the emergency department to get started, then will probably need to stay in the hospital until a diagnosis and care plan is made, as well as symptomatic improvement.

What about ruling out lung cancer? You dont have to be a smoker or old to get lung cancer and unfortunately Asian/Pacific islanders are at higher risk?

Lung cancer is almost unheard of in your 20s. Also none of the symptoms other than cough fit

Disclaimer: Not a doctor.With Paul's history of being active outdoors(I also wonder if he has any pets?), I also wonder if the hospital should be checking for Lyme Disease? Depending on his other symptoms not sure how high up it would be on the differential?I know that coughing is pretty rare in it, but from the sounds of it whatever he's had has been going on for a prolonged period of time, and it kind of sounds similar to this patients story, but also maybe not entirely?I guess it could be something for the OP to ask the doctor about that they're talking with.

It is something I thought about though I dont know Lyme prevalence in the UK and more importantly Lyme is more associated with heart block than with heart failure. Something worth thinking about though

When you look at intracranial pressure, how does that affect how someone breathes?I know it makes you work harder to breathe but not why.

Theres the Cushing reflex which makes you breathe shallower but Im not 100% sure the nausea/vomiting and breathing troubles are relatedGood lord this is a hospital visit.As a physician these symptoms would spark a large battery of tests in my primary care office, but it sounds late for that. He needs to try a hospital. Make sure he tells them exactly what you wrote here.

I dont mean to be rude with this question but I know as someone with chronic illnesses I am generally reluctant to go to the ED when they flare up because of the whole history of being told theres nothing doctors can do for me, or its just because Im fat, anxious, whatever. If hes been dismissed by doctors before what should he say now to make sure he actually gets the care he needs?

Its always hard to say what another doctor saw or thought when someone got care. Miscommunication between providers and patients are extremely common with chronic illness. With flares of chronic illnesses there is often not much that can be done outside of the norm, and brief emergency care is frequently not enough to solve the flare but hospital care is frequently not indicated, which can make one feel very much dismissed.In this case, OPs BF has several huge red flags that suggest he should go to the emergency room for evaluation.Severe worsening nausea and headachesLoss of bowel/bladder controlProgressive coughing and shortness of breathFluid buildup requiring diuretics (this is VERY unusual and requires a significant evaluation that I dont see written about here)

How can we determine which ER around us is the best/most advanced? Paul's insurance is considered good (Kaiser Permanente) but his doctors barely listen to him, infrequently order tests, and weren't overly concerned/in emergency mode over the fluid buildup.

If he is a Kaiser insured patient he will only be able to seek care at Kaiser facilities. This is a situation of the squeaky wheel getting the grease. He needs to go to the biggest Kaiser in the area and be on his doctors ass every single day until he gets help.

There is a Kaiser ER near us. Hopefully they listen.

Kaiser is generally a good system, but weird things can be harder to diagnose in the system because they are much more conservative in general with testing

Ideally it should be an academic / teaching hospital. They're more used to seeing unusual cases and thinking outside of the box.

This will not be possible with Kaiser insurance, they will simply send him to a Kaiser hospital from the academic hospital ER, and he will get a large bill for it

Im with Kaiser and Ive gone directly to the ER for an emergency by ambulance. I just paid my co pay.

It can happen, but you cannot be admitted to a non-Kaiser hospital unless you are too unstable for transfer or the Kaiser is on diversion for some reason.

I agree. He should go straight to the most advanced ER/hospital local to him. A lot of things are probably going on.Once the more acute and scary things are sorted out I'd look into a sleep study to find out if he has sleep apnea since it can cause a cascade of serious problems.Also I do not mean to sound insensitive (and of course doing this is a very personal decision) but if obesity is a big problem for him he may want to consider weight loss surgery after he recovers from whatever is going on now. I was obese my entire life, once my health started failing I had gastric bypass surgery and I can't tell you how much it has helped me and probably saved my life.

I agree he needs urgent evaluation with his worsening symptoms. The differential is broad for his various symptoms and will likely need cardiac, pulmonary and GI workup.

The most important part is that - while you may have a list and such, an ER visit isnt going to find the exact diagnosis right there and perform all those tests at your request. The goal of this visit is going to be to assess for any acute abnormalities OR to get him admitted to an internal medicine team that can take the time to work these things out.

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As the physicians here have responded, go to ERnow. And please update! Very curious to hear his outcomes. Best of luck to you

Does he use drugs, specifically marijuana?Food allergies? It would be a bit drastic, and may not explain the swelling, but you can develop them at any time.A bit young for cancers, but maybe he is genetically predisposed, getting at least a CT scan with contrast of his abdomen would be good.This is concerning for his heart too, as mentioned.He needs quick workup, as mentioned. Worrisome is not eating and what his electrolytes are like.Not that being obese is the sole cause of his symptoms, but he should lose weight. Almost every physician you will run into will say this as it is important for his health, just as they would tell him to stop smoking if he was smoking.

He doesn't use drugs and has no known food allergies. He was able to eat breakfast today, and so far it hasn't come back up, though he is coughing. I feel overwhelmed by these responses but appreciative. I'm worried about going to the ER because our area is having a huge COVID surge and hospitals are at capacity. Is it safe to wait? Where is best to go?

As tough as it is right now, you might have to take him for emergency care. If he is coughing/vomiting so much that he loses control of bodily functions and is unable to eat and generally take care of himself, he should be seen sooner rather than later.Are the headaches coming before or just after the other symptoms? Bad migraines can present with nausea and vomiting, and sometimes neurological complaints, as well.It's hard to tell more without seeing full labs and imaging, again, pointing to getting some answers quicker by going to an ER.

They were probably wondering if cannabis hypermesis syndrome could be contributing to ten vomiting

Yes, cannabis hyperemesis syndrome, or cyclical vomiting syndrome, as mentioned. Usually people who have been smoking daily for while, 10-15 years, but can happen with less.

[25m 175lb 61] Post-Concussion Respiratory IssueI suffered a mild to severe concussion on Dec 10th after flipping my car. Jan 13th I began to get sick. I mention this because I know it affects the immune system.So, 1/13; It started with a sore throat & a lump by my adams apple. For the first week It progressed to wheezing, headaches, extreme fatigue and as much mucus and snot that the body can produce. By Jan 22nd I felt better, but the mucus and sinus pressure was still there. Today is Jan 28th. The past 4 days Ive had mucus that began as lime green color the first two days, and the past 2 days (including today) has been the color of an egg yolk. I also coughed up blood a little while ago today. I have never had a sickness last me this long. Not even covid. Im concerned. What should I do?

It sounds like you have an upper respiratory tract infection.It could be that your symptoms resolved and you got a second infection.It could be that you've got a bit of congestion or post nasal drip. You can treat this with a mucolytic agent that can help the body break down and clear the mucous.It could be that you've developed a bacterial infection that is taking longer to clear and may require some antibiotics.It is likely that these symptoms have nothing to do with your car accident.Given how long your symptoms have been going for, I'd suggest seeing your GP or PCP for further treatment options.

Undiagnosed respiratory illness.32M177cm77kgEuropean whiteI've had an ongoing illness with no diagnosis for 2 years. Main symptoms are respiratory; sore chest, flu-like symptoms, no energy, coughing up blood and mucous, shortness of breath, exhaustion at the slightest of exertion. Numb nose, inflammation all in nose.I've had a CT scan abdominal and there was nothing too abnormal. One thing stated was large lung volume, but no signs of COPD, fibrosis. I also did genetic test with Ancestry which stated I have a significantly increased risk (although stated it could be a mistake) for lung diseases. I would like to know is there any clinical significance to increased lung volumes with no other symptoms? It's just something I am curious of but can't find answers online, like is it a precursor to getting COPD or something. Can someone explain if it means anything?At this stage due to the CT abdo scan coming back mostly normal, I am beginning to suspect some sort of nasal infection, but I would like someone explain to me what increased lung volume could mean, so I can move forward and narrow down my illness and eliminate all other possibilities whilst also understanding what it means.

There's honestly no real clinical significance to just noting large lung volumes.

For 19 days, My wife has had fever and muscle soreness to where I have to help her stand up and get out of bed. She is convinced she is dying. Please help.We have been to the clinic twice since this started but since she has no respiratory problems they did not test for covid. She had a chest x-rayMe and our 1 year old are fine. Wife did not get the flu shot this year so we think it might be related but for 19 days seems outrageous.She has been prescribed antibiotics and tamiflu which she finished two days ago.She gets fevers around 2pm and closer to bed time around 9pm. They've been around 102 on average and peaking at 102.9 a few days ago.We're scared because this hasn't let up for 19 days. Are there side effects if your body stays at fever temperature for long periods of time?Is 19 days unheard of for the flu?? Is it likely something else?31 F 5'9 188 lbs. Caucasian.Taking Tylenol regularly to fight fever and achesUpdate: Wife is in hospital. Thank you for the help.I can't be with her yet. All of our normal sitters and family are either out of town, unavailable or also sick.They would not let us bring the baby in so I'm just home waiting for info. She is at least in good hands.

She'd almost certainly have a headache though and I see no mention of that.

Headache can sometimes manifest as neck pain if its referred pain, I just wouldnt rule out.

Right, but I've never heard of neck pain without headache. It's referred from the meninges so it'd be very strange to present like that. It's always possible but the likelihood is maybe < 1%? Additionally, symptoms typically start improving within 7-10 days.Any answer on the mono testing? If shes never had mono it can be pretty brutal. Comes with neck pain and fevers for sure.

How severe is the neck pain? Look up Kernigs sign. Its a maneuver you can do to test for meningitis. Meningitis is the inflammation of the lining of the spinal cord and meninges in the brain. It can be caused by both virus or bacteria. Shed be positive if she has extreme pain and cant extend past 90. If thats positive, you need to call the doctor/ED. Also, meningitis can cause a pinpoint rash. If shes darker skinned, you could see it more easily on the palms and soles of the feet. Rashes May also appear with prolonged fever. You can do the tumbler test where you take a clear glass and press it against the rash. If redness goes away when pressed, then its negative. If you can see the rash still through the glass, then its positive. Its sounding more like Mono. If possible, see if the doctor can test. Mono needs to run its course, but it can have some complications. One of them in enlarged spleen, so no sports and if she has sudden upper left abdominal pain go straight to the ER. It also can cause liver issues, so watch out for jaundice which is yellowing if the skin. I hope she starts feeling better soon OP!

I'd be careful about posting medical advice like you are without fact checking.Kernig's is actually a pretty bad test for meningitis. It has a sensitivity of only 5% and a PPV of 27%. That's pretty awful. I also wouldn't recommend for untrained people to test it on themselves or their loved ones.Not all types of meningitis causes a rash. I believe you're referring to meningococcemia. I think this diagnosis is extremely unlikely as she has been having symptoms for 19 days. She would be dead by now. Symptoms of meningococcemia progress very rapidly. Also, the tumbler test is also a pretty bad test and all it does it to be able to differentiate petechiae from other blanchable rashes. It's not specific to meningococcemia and can also just be done with a finger."Prolonged fever" do not cause rash. I am not sure what you are referring to here. Yes, a lot of diseases that can cause fever are also associated with rashes but it's not the fever itself that leads to a rash.I don't think Mono is likely here. While some of the symptoms would match, it would be unlikely to have persistent fevers for 19 days with simple mono.OP, I believe that at this point a visit to the hospital is warranted if your wife is as impaired as you are describing it.

THIS. NAD but same symptoms I had and it was sepsis. I was also sent home from doctor/ER twice before they realized it. Need to have blood taken for dx (in my case anyway).

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I wouldnt worry about COVID right now. As your wife is probably septic and requires urgent care to live and prevent death.Spesis KillsSorry to sound blunt please update us

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Ok. Can you please send me the information so I can send through my information. Kind regards Rachelle. Sorry I have never done this before.

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Exactly. Ive seen a couple cases like this. Id still recommend for OP to have her checked in the ED. Would rather not miss another explanation such as underlying infection and like others have mentioned possibly sepsis. Id suspect an infectious source will need to be ruled out first as it can then be treated with antibiotics and is more lethal. If nothing is identified from labs/imaging maybe further pursue labs to rule out rheumatoid arthritis.

This sounds like it could be mono. It's possible she's septic from various sources but I'd think they would have been ruled out by the clinic you went to.Has she been getting worse or does it seem like she was bad at first and has stayed at that level?What does she doe for work? Has she had any sick contacts?

Can the flu be misdiagnosed as an upper respiratory infection?M14Height: 5'3"Weight: 145 lbsRace: WhiteComplaint: Very flu like symptoms; fever, aching body, being hot cold hot cold, chills, dry cough, the whole nine yards. Doctor did 15 minute flu test (nose swab) that came back negative and prescribed an inhaler and cough syrup for an upper respiratory infection.Existing medical issues: None to my knowledgeCurrent medicine and doses: Prescribed Fluticasone nasal spray; 2 sprays in each nostril and Poly-tussin liquidSmoke? No but secondhand smoke from parentsDrink? NoRecreational Drugs? NoAny help is greatly appreciated. I am happy to answer any questions.tl;dr Flu symtoms, got diagnosed with upper respiratory infection. Doesn't sound right.

Flu technically is an upper respiratory infection (in general, though it can cause lower respiratory infections). The false negative rates of the rapid flu swab are pretty low, so while it is theoretically possible, I would just assume that it's true that you do not have the flu. The flu is just one of many, many related illnesses that all act similarly. Our rapid nasal swabs only test for that one specific virus (influenza), but there are tons of other viruses that we cannot rapidly test for and which could cause similar symptoms. You could have parainfluenza, human metapneumovirus, RSV, etc.The treatment is the same for all of them, inhaler, cough syrup, Tylenol/ibuprofen/naproxen and time.

Ok. Thank you for answering! I do have a question though. How long should I stay out of school? I was planning to not go tomorrow, and have a doctors excuse to go back on the 5th. Is that good or should I stay out longer. A lot of kids have influenza but go anyway and the school won't shut down to prevent infections. On a sort of related note, I had RSV as a baby and have had bad lung function ever since I can remember.

Just stay out of school until you're feeling better. The 5th sounds reasonable to return. Ideally people would not be in school when they're sick, but the reality is if you're in school you're going to get sick in the winter. Lots of babies have RSV, I don't know that it predisposes you to having it more as a teenager.

My dad had an upper respiratory infection and now I am nervous from being around him.Age: 44Sex: MHeight: 6'3Weight: 202lbsRace: WhiteDuration of complaint: NALocation: TennesseeAny existing relevant medical issues: NoCurrent medications: NAMy dad and sister went on a vacation trip to Peru roughly two weeks ago. About a week after returning from the trip he developed runny nose, chest congestion, probably a fever (never took his temp), and a bad cough. He is in his late 60s and already has a weakened immune system from a bone marrow transplant he had a few years ago, so he just chalked it up to the common rhinovirus cold that he seems to get every year. I went to visit him this past weekend (about a week after his symptoms started). He didn't have a fever or anything, but had a pretty bad cough the entire time I was there. All in all, he was healthy and out doing stuff the entire weekend. However, with so much coronavirus in the news, now I find myself contemplating whether or not its POSSIBLE he had it (I havent seen Peru in the news, but ya never know) and if I now possibly have it (I am currently observing no symptoms and was at his house from Friday to Sunday morning). He was not observing very good hygiene protocol with his coughs, and I had to chastise him numerous times for coughing into his hands or not covering up at all. Again, he had zero symptoms at time of visit other than a lingering cough. I guess my question is, should I be dedicating any real estate in my mind right now to worrying about this corona virus? It should be noted that my sister was in close proximity with my dad the entirety of the trip as well as a week after the trip when he started getting symptoms, and she has shown zero signs of anything. With all this panic in the news, I just find myself silently listening or observing my body for the onset of symptoms and its interfering with my daily life.

You do not need to worry about 2019-nCov at all. There have only been 2 imported cases in Brazil and 1 imported case in Ecuador in all of Latin America. Even if there had been cases in Peru, the odds of him coming into contact with it would be very slim, and the Futher odds of you being at any sort of risk would be neglegible.Stop panicking about this, and get your flu shot every year.

81 y/o female- respiratory distressMy grandmother got pneumonia this time last year. Currently she is achy, having trouble speaking, her throat hurts very bad. We went to the Doctor a few days ago, they took an X-ray of her lungs and said there was one area with fluid they wanted to keep an eye on but werent too worrisome. Today I call her and she can barely speak and is wheezing while breathing. Do we need to go to the emergency room?

Yup

Post-Respiratory Illness - Cardio -- persistent elevated heart rateI have been sick with a respiratory illness for several weeks. I tested negative for the flu, the doc didn't think it was COVID-19 and would not test me. I have been on several antibiotics and I take the last dose tomorrow. It was mostly chest tightness and inflammation. I felt better today so I went for a run. I shortened the distance and intensity by half.About an hour after my run, my heart rate spiked to 99 bpm and my hands began trembling . It's varied this evening between 80-120 bpm all night at rest. My baseline is around 66 bpm. I have tested my temperature several times - no fever.Could this be something serious? It has me a bit concerned. Thank you41M5"10180 lbsSmoke (occasionally)Duration - 6 hours

No way for us on here to tell you wholeheartedly whether this is serious or not. If it is bothering you then it is serious. Does this typically happen when you run? Cause I know for a fact when I run my heart rate shoots up as well. Very normal for this during physical activity. I would recommend stopping smoking if you are worried of respiratory illness.

Acute Respiratory Failure from strong scentsAge27SexMaleHeight194cmWeight104kg 14% BodyfatRaceCaucasian, Irish/DanishDuration of complaintLifelongLocation (Geographic and on body)Ontario Canada. Lungs, esophagus?Any existing relevant medical issues (if any)AsthmaticCurrent medications (if any)Salbutamol Turbuhaler, Ventolin, FloventInclude a photo if relevant (skin condition for example)N/AThis question is going to be short, and concise; with examples.When a strong smell is present, my airway cuts out completely. I have theorized that it it may have something to do with what I call "thick air".Examples: Diesel exhaust scent, frying greasy or oily things, the smell of certain algae (like near a pond), occasionally with foul smells (this will seem odd, but it's innocent in my exposure((a day old corpse, animal or otherwise)).It's not particularly tied to smoke, cigarette smoke does not bother me, and I use an E-Cigarette. This has been something I've dealt with my entire life. It is quite painful when my airways suddenly close, and I can only breathe again when I place a cloth over my mouth (if the scent is still present) or move to fresh air. My doctor has told me he thinks it's something called laryngospasm, but this doesn't seem exclusively correct, as from my understanding, this is caused by your vocal chords... and that doesn't quite make sense to me.Edit: I should mention that once I am able to breathe, I typically uncontrollably cough, and sometimes vomit because of my coughs.

Throat tension, hoarseness, and/or voice changes shortly before, during, or shortly after these episodes?My first thought is along the lines of your docs. Look up vocal cord dysfunction or paradoxical vocal cord motion and see how well that matches your experience.(Edit: also, Id not consider this acute respiratory failure unless you became hypoxemic/needed supplemental oxygen or needed to be mechanically ventilated in some way. These things can happen due to vocal cord dysfunction in fairly severe cases of it)

Tension and Hoarseness, definitely. My voice becomes gravely and it tends to hurt to speak.Only one instance a few weeks ago, I couldn't get fresh air and from what I've been told, I blacked out. That was strangely because of some smells from a Kernels popcorn stand.I apologize for the mis-identified title. I understand the difference now. Thank you for your response!

I see laryngospasm occasionally in my clinical practice, and one is usually unable to breath to the point of turning blue. It occurs when a physical substance tickles your vocal cords: saliva, blood, water while drowning, etc.. not generally fumes. Rarely lasts more then a minute.What you're describing sounds closer to bronchospasm for which you're at high risk: asthma, smoker (yes I know it's e-cig... It doesn't make it harmless : https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/m/pubmed/29847989/). My advise is to get better control of your asthma depending on the frequency of these symptoms and, well, you know this is coming: stop smoking. For standard cigarettes smokers, it can take 2 months for your body hyperreactivity to return to normal, not sure what the data says for e-cigs.

How can I avoid respiratory problems with the flu shot?I know the importance of getting my flu shot, so I intend to get it. However, I always get breathing problems accompanied by dizziness and fatigue for a couple days after getting my shot. It presents the day after the shot, not the day of, so I don't think it's an allergic reaction. I guess it's just my immune system freaking out. Anyways, is there a way to avoid the respiratory issues, or should I just get my shot on a Friday so I can let everything play out over the weekend?22F, 5'2, 120lbs, no meds, generally healthyThanks!

This could be an allergic reaction, although it doesn't sound typical. It's worth discussing with your doctor before getting the shot. Some people shouldn't get the flu shot, it's possible you're one of them.If it's not an allergic reaction then I don't have a good alternative explanation. I would suggest Tylenol and rest.

If it's an allergic reaction, do you think taking Benadryl would work?

Maybe, but then you would be even more tired. Better to know for sure than guess.

UPDATE: [26F] recommended for termination of pregnancy in a country where I don't speak the languageOriginal post here: https://www.reddit.com/r/AskDocs/comments/ici7ez/26f_recommended_for_termination_of_pregnancy_in_a/First of all I want to say thank you, thank you, thank you not only to the physicians who responded but also to everyone who upvoted and comment-bumped me for visibility. Obviously the physician responses helped on the medical end, but the simple comment bumps helped so much emotionally. I'm in this country without family (except for my husband and toddler) and sometimes it honestly gets really lonely so having even the tiniest bit of online support meant the world to me. I even want to thank the user who posted anti-semitic comments because your comment specifically helped this hella Jewish woman connect with other Jewish women on this forum who offered hands-on support, validation, and rescoures.I had a meeting with the specialists in the termination committee today and they diagnosed the pregnancy with cystic hygroma in addition to other serious physical (nasal, respiratory, heart) malformations that would make the fetus 100% incompatible with life. They made it pretty dang clear that I could basically miscarry at any moment, which sounds about right to me as a layman given all this info. We asked about genetic testing/probability of this happening again and they said it's very unlikely, the occurrence of this situation is less than one percent overall. So I've decided to forgo any additional testing like CVS or amniocentesis as a chromosomal defect would just be another issue on the list and not a defining factor in my choice.So unless nature takes it course, I'm scheduled for an inpatient termination this coming Monday. I can't really find anything online about inpatient terminations, but they gave me the choice and explained that the outpatient procedure would be started with dilation by osmotic dilators and move quickly while the inpatient procedure would use slow, supervised dilation with less trauma over 48 hours. I'm not 100% sure if they meant physical trauma or emotional trauma, as they mentioned some people find it very uncomfortable and impeding (especially with childcare) to do the outpatient dilation and return to the hospital for the procedure. I'd read about osmotic dilation earlier and it really freaked me out so I was super happy to have this previously unknown option offered.I'm feeling a lot more secure after hearing from everyone in this community, my doctor, and today's specialists. I never in a million years thought I'd be terminating a wanted pregnancy for any reason but I still have thousands and thousands of chances to have another baby just waiting in my ovaries so I'm going to focus on that and also on my toddler who is already my whole world. And I'm thankful in that I've experienced this and can hopefully help women who are in this situation in the future. Thanks everybody!*Edit just to add that all the doctors and social workers on the committee and at the hospital we went to spoke near perfect English which was a great relief for me and we did not have to spend money we don't have on an interpreter.*Later edit to update that the genetic blood test came back early and indicated 1:5 for down syndrome and trisomy 18.

I'm glad you got the answers you needed.Regarding the inpatient termination if you are wanting clarification I think it would be which route are you going:will you receive osmotic and/or chemical dilators and then go on to have an evacuation procedure?will you receive osmotic and/or chemical dilators and then go on to have an induced delivery? Just an fyi with this, people not infrequently require manual removal of the placenta, so they end up having the 'evacuation' portion anyhow (but it would just be the placenta).Both are safe. Some "feel better" about the second option because they feel like they are just inducing labor rather than actually "terminating". Fetuses in general, but especially a compromised one, have high rates of passing before delivery anyhow though.Also, you could choose to have genetic testing of any remains (and not do CVS or amniocentesis). But it is one of those things where it's optional and it may not truly change anything for you. This being said, many people like having a more solid answer.Good luck with everything. You have very good odds of having normal babies in the future.

From what I understand, I'd be going route 1 with chemical dilators and then the evac. The chemical dilators seems to be their reason for inpatient treatment though and honestly I'm fine with 1 or 2 in that case. Something about the osmotic course just innately makes me uncomfortable. Buuuut if I'm being super duper honest, I'm fine with anything inpatient because I just want the time and space to decompress about it all without the stress of toddler, chores, work, etc. But yes we asked about genetic testing of the remains too but the specialists said they'd only show "academic" results and nothing impactful after the fact or for the future. My husband and I are both just really onwards and upwards kind of people so if the doctors don't need it after the fact and say everything's okay, then it's okay for us. I wish I had the rescoures to gild your posts for the rest of forever, you really deserve it! I'm so truly thankful for all of your responses you have no idea.*Edit to add that I did however have the basic chromosomal blood test done that goes hand in hand with the nuchal translucency, so if anything comes back abnormal with that I will of course satisfy any curiosity with an update here!

I did however have the basic chromosomal blood test doneThat test is pretty accurate so that should likely give you the information you need. Good luck with everything.

NAD, but a nurse and in general was worried for you! Glad to see your update! Im sorry you are feeling so isolated, but glad you found resources! Hang in there.

I'm locking your thread since you don't seem to have additional questions. Thank you for the update though, and we wish you all the best.

30F, 55kg, 160cm, Asian, Singapore, upper respiratory tract infectionLong story short, somebody i know was diagnosed with upper respiratory tract infection bu a licensed doctor, 2 night ago. Her symptoms were cough, fever (38 degrees), headache and muscle aches. No runny nose. She refused all the medication provided by the doctor. The doctor gave her 1 day sick leave.Last night, about 24hrs after the initial diagnosis, she claimed that she has been hospitalised for her illness. Is this possible? Isn't "upper respiratory infection" just a fancy term for a common cold?

We will not be able to tell you if your acquaintance was hospitalized, as that seems to be your question.

Alkaline "medicine water" healing reflux, colitis and upper respiratory infections.In my country (Hungary) we have this medicine water called Salvus which is drawn from a thermal bath. It has bold claim such as healing GERD, colitis, upper respiratory infections while also treating diabetes and peptic ulcers.I 31M have GERD and my doctor switched me off of PPI's to Salvus water and a low dose of famotidine. Since then I have pretty much non-stop diarrhea and my heartburn got much worse.My question, based on the ingredients, is this medicine water bullshit?Ingredients (mg/l):- Sodium: 5800- Lithium: 2.0- Chlorid: 2020- Bromide: 13.9- Iodide: 2.08- Fluoride: 3.0- Hydrogen-carbonate: 12810

Surprised a doctor is scamming you. Is it a real doctor? Alkaline water is a scam. Go back on the PPI.

Heart rate increases every time I inhale. Respiratory sinus arrhythmia.Male, 27. 70kg. Relatively healthy, I do running and hit the gym.Is it normal? Does everyone have this?

Very normal. Nothing to worry about.

Respiratory restrictive pattern, unknown cause please help.I am 21 years old male.I have started having bad shortness of breath the past 4 months. I have seen so many doctors and this is the results so far.The originally test to prove there is something going on is the respiratory function test, I cant interpret all the results but the pulmologist said my breathing shows a restrictive pattern with 65% of expected lung capacity and velocity. This test has been repeated every month with similar results. Gas transfer was 95-100% not indicating lung disease.Got a ct scan of chest with dye to rule out lung disease or to see if anything else is on my lungs but it came back clear other than enlarged thymus gland.They thought it might be respritory muscle weakness although the neurologist said unlikely as when I am lying down the respiratory test shows similar results as to standing.Cardiac possibilities cleared by cardiologist.The cardiologist, pulmologist and neurologist are at a loss and have determined to just hope it doesnt get worse. Please help.

Restrictive pattern on PFTs essentially fall into three categories, unfortunately you've had them all investigated. It can be the lungs themselves (i.e. fibrosis, or stiff lungs), chest wall noncompliance (think of terrible scoliosis, severe obesity, etc), or neuromuscular disease. The first two are typically pretty easy to diagnose, neuromuscular disease can be very difficult. There is no gold standard for how to determine if restriction is related to neuromuscular disease, but the sitting/supine spirometry is often done as one piece of data (as it appears you have done).Have you done a MIP/MEP (maximal inspiratory pressure and maximal expiratory pressure)? A low MIP tends to indicate diaphragmatic problems, and a low MEP indicates problems with chest wall strength. Like the sitting/supine spirometry, these must be interpreted with caution, as they are not truly gold standard for anything.If all else fails, there is always the Cardiopulmonary Exercise Test (CPET). It's basically a test that measures your heart and lung function through maximal exercise to determine where exercise intolerance may be coming from. It's not always available in all places and can be very difficult to interpret.All in all, with your story I would put my money on a neuromuscular issue. I think the neurologist ruling it out based on the positional spirometry alone is premature. Bring up the MIP/MEP and CPET to your pulmonologist and see what he/she thinks.Mind if I ask where you are being evaluated? You would likely benefit from going to a tertiary care center, such as affiliated with an academic or university medical center. Depending on where you are located I could suggest some places to find docs who'd be interested in you.

Can visual processing issues stem from 1) respiratory infection or 2) stress and anxiety?I am 30F, relatively active lifestyle, diagnosed with ADHD and treating it using Vyvanse and regular therapy.I am on the tail end of a two-week cold. Still have a bit of congestion and fatigue but no sore throat or cough etc.Something I've noticed over the past couple weeks/in the past is that I feel like I have difficulty processing visual information. E.g. if I'm walking in a forest, the amount of visual information seems overwhelming. I can't really "see" what's in front of my unless I really stop and focus on one thing at a time.My last eye tests showed I had 20/20 vision and I have no issues reading on screens or seeing things far away, it's just that when I'm presented with a lot of visual information, I have issues processing it all.I've also notice this happen in the past when I've had depressive episodes. Does this sound like an actual issue with my eyes, or could it be linked to my mental state?

Simple answer is yes. Fatigue and illness affect sensory processing and cognition, usually transiently. That's a good thing, since it forces you to rest, slow down, let your body recover. The more complicated question is whether there's something different about your experiences as compared to people without neurodivergent states.Your description suggests that you might have visual snow, though maybe you are just overwhelmed with information during higher stress?

Muscle, Respiratory, Heart, and Mobility problems: Is this just obesity or something more?I am 29 y/o , 6ft even, and probably 400lbs easy, probably more, i can't afford a scale so idk.For about a year up until March when my job shut down for 7 weeks, i was very capable of doing the physically demanding work at the Auto Plant i worked at.. I was not fit, but it was doable for me. During shutdown from Covid, I started to notice that moving became harder and harder. My lower back would struggle to stay up and that caused breathing to get harder, which caused the heart rate to skyrocket. It eventually progressed to the point of complete muscle failure after about 50 feet of walking.When I got back to my job, I collapsed in front of my supervisor and his boss. Everybody freaked out and I was forced to go home and get tested for Covid 19. It was negative. Even when coming back after a few days out, however, I still could not walk more than 50 feet without sitting and gasping for air with the muscles in my back completely giving out causing collapse.Now I cannot even mow my lawn completely without resting 3 times. It is a tiny lawn that my roommate mows in about 10 minutes. It takes me 30-40 minutes with resting.I cannot walk 50 feet without gasping for air, I have regular heart palpitations, there are huge numb patches in my legs (oval shaped, upper thigh above the knee on the front of the leg), I cannot sleep more than 40 minutes to an hour at a time, and when walking I feel like I ran a marathon when it is only trivial distances. (heart rate, breathing troubles, back and leg muscle failure)Lastly, this morning at 4:30 am up until about 8:00am, I had these horrible feelings of doom, despair, anxiety, and panic, all wrapped up into one horrific attack for those many hours. Along with this, my heart rate was so high I literally almost called 911 many times.In the opinion of the people in this thread, are my issues likely 100% obesity related, or could there be something neurological going on in my back and legs as well? I dont know when the numb patches in each leg started.I'm scared of death, so I'm making what life changes I can (eating better, cutting caffeine down to reasonable levels of moderation, etc) but this is preventing me from functioning as a human being. I do not have insurance so I dont know what to do. I probably need to see a cardiologist, neurologist, or some sort of skilled orthopedic person. Please help, reddit. I dont want to die. I have dreams of owning my own I.T. business for security consulting.If more information would help, please please please ask and I will be 100% open about everything. I'm trying to change my life and contribute to society. I'm hoping to not have to go on disability or anything like that. My father was upper executive branch of a major telecommunications company so I hope to do something that would make him proud as he watches me from the heavens.

Do you smoke?Obesity can cause a great deal of damage. Think how much more your heart has to pump. Think of your belly compressing your lungs decreasing how much they expand making it difficult to breath. Think of the extra weight your back has to carry. These are just a few things. I know this sounds tough and maybe harsh but Im saying it because Im confident you can make changes. Youre young and if you put in the work, you can definitely make changes. There are many free resources online.From the sounds of it, you might be having some heart failure symptoms. Do you have any swelling in your legs? I say find a PCP. Get worked up and get the studies you need. Maybe start off with an EKG and some labs and go from there. You might need an ultrasound of your heart if your PCP recommends it.Biggest recommendation I can make is lose weight by changing your diet. Preferably something you can live with whether its intermittent fasting or the Mediterranean diet or whatever.You got this

I do not smoke, and actually had an EKG at the Emergency Room today which came back normal. Could a normal EKG mean heart failure is off the table? Your positive words mean the world to me, friend.

Well, heart failure is a clinical diagnosis. An EKG may help but doesnt give you the answer. For example the EKG can tell you there might have been a heart attack or signs of decreased oxygen or clue you in that one side of the heart is enlarged but thats about it.We usually use a combination of symptoms and labs to say someone has heart failure. Again, your PCP will be able to help. Again there are a few diet threads on here were guys your size have dropped a bit of weight.

Here is an image of what they actually did test wise https://i.imgur.com/7fMucgv.png. I have covered all identifying information as well as the weight because I am embarrassed. They checked my blood for Diabetes i guess and said that while my pancreas is compensating and I'm not even pre-diabetic, I do need to stick to the positive life changes I've implemented. If you have time to look at that image, would any of those tests have revealed the existence of Heart Failure?

No. A proBNP would be helpful and if youve had recent leg swelling that would also be helpful. Otherwise seems like everything looks good from this numbers

51F (pulmonary) under what circumstances should I take mom to the ER? She has chronic respiratory failure - hypoxia of unknown origin being worked up - but over past 3 days she's gotten worse51F, 59, very thin, getting thinner fast, white, USA. non-smoker, non-drinker; no prescriptions. On supplemental oxygen for chronic respiratory failure - hypoxia. Undergoing workup to figure out whats wrong but its taking taking forever. (This is for my mom.) (x-post)Very long story short: formerly vibrantly healthy moms been deteriorating since January. Shes lost over 25lbs since then, has been having daily oxygen desaturations down to as low as 80 whenever she started walking for months and is now on supplemental oxygen. Exhaustive pulmonary testing (including RHC and shunt studies) and cardiac testing (echo with bubble study) all inexplicably normal. The doctors are puzzled, as you can imagine. She looks awful. She does have a few "good" hours in the morning, but it slowly diminished til afternoons she crashed. As of now, "good" morning hours aren't lasting as long and she's crashing earlier in the day when she hits a wall, becomes totally sapped of energy, becomes very weak.At first her oxygen only went down when she was up and about and moving, down as low as 80, thats when she got the order for supplemental oxygen. But past 3 days, it's going down much more often, even at rest. (But it IS intermittent, not constant.)Heres why Im here today seeking advice: What would be a scenario that would mean we should take her to the ER? As of the past 3 days shes feeling worse, now has oxygen desats at rest, and it also is dipping down more and more often than ever before, and something very new - her heart rate keeps dipping a few times a day down into the 50s and occasional 40s (not necessarily when her oxygen is low - sometimes yes thats the case, sometimes when shes on oxygen it happens too. In the past few evenings shes been having severe shortness of breath even when her oxygen is at 100. Although shes been ill for months w/no answers yet, these worsening signs and symptoms have only been happening for about 3 days.Blessed to live in a city with a nationally known excellent medical center. The head of one of the lung hospital lung centers shes been seeing wants her to come back in to see him again for further investigation since the last study (shunt) was normal and they still dont know whats wrong (what the hell else can they test for???), but that conversation with him was last Thursday, before things suddenly got even worse on Friday til now - and who knows when that appt will happen. He's in high demand of course.In the meantime were in a holding pattern, so please can someone give advice on if there are certain signs or symptoms that would trigger us to take her to the ER?

The desaturations at rest are concerning, it would be reasonable to take her into the emergency room now. Given your post it seems that she would have very poor reserves, so if things worsen even a little bit she may have profound effects.Another option is to get ahold of her pulmonologist or the person whom is on call for the clinic. He/she would be able to give a more informed opinion based on her unique situation.

Thank you so much. I begged her to let me take her to the ER last night, it was pretty bad - but she refused - she said she'd "feel stupid" since her oxygen/heart rate go back up to normal in between the bad episodes and she "doesn't want to waste their time." With your advice I think she will listen (she appreciates my asking things here).With her permission I reached out to her regular long-time pulmonologist via her patient portal to ask if she should come in to see him soon. I did mention the low heart rate in that message. Hopefully will hear back soon. If her heart rate goes down that low again I'll remind her of an actual physician's advice (thank you thank you!) and she will listen.

Assure your mother that she's not wasting anyone's time! Also, it's not her job to know if something is an emergency, s it's okay to go the ER and find out everything is fine.

I have an upper respiratory infection. Been to the doctor for it. When will it end? It's been 8 days now.25f, 120lb, white, asthmaticI was tested twice for COVID and both came back negative. When it got worse the doctor gave me 4 days of steroids to take, cough medicine, and mucinex.Day 1-3: bad congestion, fatigue, sore throat, voice loss Day 4-7: began coughing. Had to increase use of my rescue inhaler Day 8: began to cough up disgusting green phlegm.Does the green phlegm mean I'm near the end? Or that I should go back in?

Probably just a viral cold that needs to run its course which is usually 10 days - 2 weeks. I would add some Sudafed/flonase for your congestion. Hopefully you start feeling better soon.

38 yr old femaleHistory of bronchitis/pneumoniaI was recently babysitting my nephews who were unknowingly sick with an upper respiratory infection both have been tested for coronavirus several times coming back negative. However, in the meantime I got the upper respiratory infection also. Unfortunately, I have a very long, bad history of bronchitis/pneumonia with a hospital stay of two weeks in 2019 with double pneumonia and only an inch of air flow. So my question is how long does congestion last before I should be concerned? I've had this cold since last weekend. I'm on amoxicillin, my inhaler, Albuterol, nose spray etc. But still congested and wheezing but no fever or chest tightness. The congestion however has not improved should I be concerned?

Assume you've got tested?Most URTIs are viral so I'm not surprised if its not improving quickly with antibiotics, likely they will do nothing.

I haven't been tested because my nephews came back negative and they were the only people I've seen. Also, if I'm not improving on antibiotics what do you suggest? Er visit PCP visit? Just wait it out? My chest congestion and wheeze is bad but I'm not running a fever, no chest tightness, I'm not getting worse but at the same time I'm not improving.

You need to isolate and test regardless.No, congestion is normal with a viral URTI and doesn't usually need a doctors visit, you can self manage at home. If it is not improving over time or worsening yes definitely.

what is wrong with me? respiratory problems and oedema doctors baffled need ideashi I know this is a long shot and I'm not looking for a replacement for a diagnosis by a "real life" doctor - I have been having a long series of tests and scans etc etc and been in and out of hospital for months. It's just a matter of curiosity really.I became ill with what I thought was asthma in roughly june last year. It started with terrible chest pain that I woke up with and called an ambulance when I was no better after 4 hours. The pain was roughly central and felt like I'd been kicked by a horse and I was very short of breath. In hospital my O2 was measured at 71% which they blamed on my smoking habit. I had an x ray and ecg and everything seemed fine.I went home and continued to have terrible breathing problems which I thought was asthma for about a month before I was referred to minor injuries by my GP. They did an x ray and freaked out and got all the students to listen to them tapping my chest because one side was almost completely full of fluid. I got rushed to hospital in an ambulance and admitted. I had a chest drain put in and then had to go to a specialist hospital to have a heart drain put in as I had fluid on both lungs and around my heart. After a couple of weeks I was allowed to go home.Unfortunately the problem has persisted and I've been in hospital 3 times now, with my chest no better. I also had a.broken rib which I think was the result of coughing after I caught a cold at christmas. That's healed up now but I still have swollen legs and a swollen tummy and trouble breathing that has me gasping after a few steps. I'm on a diuretic for the swelling and it's been increased twice.I've had all sorts of scans, x rays, blood tests, ecgs, and most recently had a broncoscopy with a fine needle aspiration biopsy of swollen lymph nodes in my lungs. None of the tests have shown anything and the consultant says he is baffled and they are going to have a meeting about me. I have to go back in to hospital soon for a few days to have my chest drained and a thoracoscopy (?) - camera between my ribs and a biopsy.I've given up smoking but it hasn't helped. My O2 isn't as bad as it was in june/july though - tends to be high 80s or low 90s. I also hit menopause at the exact same time that my health took a nosedive and haven't had a period since june '22. I was also diagnosed with diabetes type 2 and high cholesterol when I was hospitalised in august and have been taking medication for that.So far tests have been negative for cancer but he says it can't be entirely ruled out.Does anyone have any insight at all or any ideas as to what might be wrong with me?age 51sex femalerace whiteweight 230lbslocation ukdiagnoses: schizoaffective, type 2 diabetes, asthma, high cholesterol, bilateral pleural effusion and cardiac effusionmeds: furosemide (? diuretic tablets), statin, a tablet for diabetes that is supposed to increase insulin after meals, folic acid, salbutamol inhaler. Supposed to be taking metformin but it makes me have an upset tummy and I found that difficult as I am living in a hotel at the moment and don't want to have an accident so I haven't been taking it. Up until august last year I was on paliperidone injections 75mg (invega) for schizoaffective disorder but they stopped those in case it was making me ill.

I would have a CT scan of the chest and abdomen to get a more detailed image of the fluid collections and any other abnormalities. I would get a culture of the fluid obtained during the thoracoscopy procedure to determine if there is an underlying infection, and then a biopsy of the pleural and pericardial tissues to determine the cause of the effusions.Shortness of breath, swelling, and fluid accumulation can be symptoms of congestive heart failure. Your history of high cholesterol and type 2 diabetes increase your risk for this condition.

Can I fly on a plane with weakness of respiratory muscles?(neuromuscular disease)Male, 24 years old. Live in Canada. 100kg, 200 Cm tall.I have an unknown neuromuscular disease that weakens my diaphragm, throat and skeletal muscles, and affects my cognition. I also have Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome.I want to know if my daytime oxygen is normal, and my Co2 levels are normal, is it safe to fly in a pressurized cabin on a plane? It's quite hard to breathe at times but I had a sleep study a couple weeks ago and it was fine.

Can't answer that over the internet with the limited information. Would recommend talking to your doctor about a test called a High Altitude Simulation Test (HAST), where they used oxygen blenders to simulate a lower pressure with a lower partial pressure of oxygen. A lot of airline companies require it for people with lung disease to fly.

Is a low respiratory rate a problem? (Bradypnea)Is a resting respiratory rate of 5-6 breaths per minute indicative of a problem? Online it seems there are some sites (non medical...) which think a low breath rate is healthy. But on medical sites I find references to the medical problem of bradypnea.40M, caucasian, 178cm, 90kg, drink alcohol. Resting heart rate of approx 55-60BPM. Blood pressure normal to slightly elevated.Existing conditions: anemia - taking iron supplement. Possible IBS. Have done little exercise over the past 12-18 months due to fatigue caused by anemia.

low RR with self measurement without other symptoms is not a problem.

COVID-19 FAQ #2Updated 6th AprilThe below comes from multiple sources as well as the direct experiences of myself and my colleagues.If you would like more information I highly recommend this free e-book written by two German physicians, it is available in multiple languages and is very up to date: https://covidreference.comIs it really as bad as they say?Yes. This is the most serious public health crisis of the last hundred years. By the time this is over many thousands will have died before their time. Do not underestimate the effect this will have on global societyThese are my symptoms, do I have COVID-19?Right now (assuming you live in an endemic country) any infective symptoms are COVID-19 until proven otherwise. Such symptoms may include any or all of:FeverCough (productive or dry)FatigueMuscle aches (particularly chest pain)Sore throatSwollen glandsLoss of sense of taste or smellDiarrhoeaThis is not an exhaustive list. Take home message: if youre not sure assume you have it and quarantine appropriately.When should I seek medical attention?Any breathing difficulties should be discussed with a doctor. This may be breathlessness at rest or on exertion, such as climbing the stairs. If youre struggling to do the things you normally do then seek assessment.You should have a low threshold for seeking assessment if you are at high risk of exposure, for example if youre a healthcare worker.I have no symptoms, should I stay at home?Yes.At this moment you must stay at home. You must only go to work if your job is essential for the running of the country or your local health service (although I accept not every country has introduced income support for those who have to stay at home.Dont see anyone socially unless you live together.If you do go out for work or supplies then stay at least 2m away from other people. Do not touch each other. Wash your hands religiously.What treatments are there?So far nothing.Either you get it and your recover, or you develop ARDS, in which case you will need to be admitted to ICU and ventilated.Chloroquine/hydroxychloroqine inhibits the ACE2 receptor in your cells, this is the path the virus takes you infect you. There is, to my knowledge, no published data at this time suggesting that it makes any difference.There are multiple trials into antiviral medications but again nothing has been published to my knowledge (please correct me if Im wrong).Am I high risk?The majority of people who get C-19 will have a mild disease. A minority will develop severe disease that requires ventilation and may lead to death.The biggest risk factor for developing severe C-19 is age. Below the age of 50 the disease is rarely severe. In children it is almost always mild. The groups most at risk are the over 70s and over 80s.As mentioned earlier there is some suggestion that higher viral exposure (such as experienced by healthcare workers) may lead to a more severe disease course.In terms of other medical problems some people should take extra precautions. Those receiving cancer treatment or taking immunosuppressants are at greater risk. Asthma seems to convey greater risk but mainly among those with more severe disease (such as those on biologic treatments, daily prednisone or those who have previously been admitted to intensive care).Men seem to be at higher risk of severe disease. We dont know why.Other conditions may have implications. If you are curious about your personal risk due to a comorbidity there is lots of useful information on patients charity websites, for example asthma UK.I have elderly relatives, what should I do?Everything you can do to facilitate them staying at home away from others. If you live with them avoid them as much as possible.Talk to them now about what they would want if they got COVID and got sick with it. Would they want an ventilator? Would they want ICU? Over here hospital inpatients arent being allowed visitors. Admission may mean dying alone, on an intensive care unit with no one allowed to see you. Its a hard discussion but better that everyone knows what everyone wants now.What is it?COVID-19 means coronavirus disease 19 (as it was first reported to the WHO on NYE in 2019). It is caused by the SARS-CoV-2 virus (severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2).Why is it spreading so fast?COVID-19 is very contagious. Current data suggests an R0 (that is the number of people an infected person will go onto infect) of 2.5-3. By comparison your average seasonal flu with have an R0 of about 1.3. To put this into perspective, if you start with 10 people infected with seasonal flu, over ten infection cycles youll end up with about 138 infected people. With COVID-19 over the same ten cycles youll end up with tens of thousands to hundreds of thousands of infected people. Bear in mind this is not what is going to happen, only what could happen if the a disease was left to spread without effort to slow it. Public health measures to contain it can massively reduce the actual transmission rate.Can I find out if Ive had it already?Right now no. There is a test in development.What can I do to minimise my risk?Wash your hands. Regularly. Avoid large gatherings. Follow local rules and guidance. If you have symptoms then stay away from other people.To my knowledge there is no evidence that wearing a surgical mask in public will be of any benefit.Should I stop taking my medication?There have been media reports that people taking certain types of mediation, specifically ACE inhibitors/A2RBs (eg ramipril/losartan) or NSAIDs (eg ibuprofen) are at higher risk of catching or complications of COVID. To my knowledge there is no good data to support this. You should continue to take your medication as normal unless instructed otherwise by your doctor.Is tickle in throat same as a dry cough? Two days ago I woke up with chills, diarrhea and pounding headache. Headache is gone but now have tickle in throat that makes me want to cough. Could that be corona virus??

If you aren't coughing, you don't have a cough, do you? You could still have the coronavirus, infections can have very variable symptoms.

Are you no longer contagious when your symptoms disappear?Ive tried reading through the comments but couldnt find any direct answer. A friend of mine was in contact with someone who tested positive and Im worried. He said his symptoms were gone after two weeks of being sick but he got tested the week they hung out and got the results two days after the handout.

Not thought to be, but not confirmed.We are recommending you wait until at least 72 hours after your symptoms have resolved to end self-isolation (and symptoms resolving while you're still having tylenol around the clock doesn't count)

NYC, immuno-compromised. Delay medical appt's? Better or worse?

Depends if time critical or routine

Ive been sick with some Covid19-like symptoms for 25 days now and Im 90% better now. I cant get tested where I am but my GP and I have been assuming thats what it is so Ive been isolated and all that good stuff.My question is, if my respiratory infection was by some chance NOT Covid19, am I now at increased risk of complication if I do contract it now that Ive just experienced pneumonia or something like it?

No

Would a motorcycle helmet protect against virus? I know I'll look silly, but I don't want to buy face masks so that they are saved for the healthcare professionals.

No

If you have a cough, but no fever or fatigue, are you okay? Can allergies cause a sore/itchy throat AND a cough?

Any cough right now is covid until proven otherwise.

What should you do if you develop the symptoms? They're so generic, and the hospitals are being overwhelmed, plus it IS allergy season. Advice online seems to suggest you should only seek treatment if you have a pre-existing condition, or one of the more serious signs like shortness of breath. However, my whole city went under a 2-week quarantine starting a week ago after a woman had a coughing fit in a store in a neighboring county, and she did test positive! I don't know any other details of the case though. Right now I'm worried if someone even so much as clears their throat near me. I haven't gone out since the quarantine stated, but my mother (who I live with) has been going to work (she's only one of like 4 or 6 people who are, and she has to go to work because she can't take all her paperwork home with her, its just too much), and she claims the idiot locals are completely disregarding the quarantine even though we HAVE had at least four confirmed cases in this city alone! This has made me really paranoid. The local community isn't exactly known for being healthy, and the whole city seems to be overrun with Trump supporters too which doesn't bode well with him denying its a problem.

If you develop symptoms you stay at home. If you develop breathing difficulties you seek medical assessment - follow local protocols.

Are swollen lymph nodes involved with the virus at all? I woke up today with VERY swollen and sore lymph nodes on my neck underneath my jaw, both sides.

Not typically, but possible

Where are they at with antibody tests? Internet says they exist but are hard to get.

Lots of companies are touting these but to my knowledge none have been proven to be reliable yet.

I have been experiencing fatigue lately: my RHR is higher (~55 instead of ~45-50); I get really tired when I try to run, even though I am a runner that does 50 mpw; I feel dizzy for a few seconds when I stand; etc. I have felt fatigued for the past 5-10 days and none of the other symptoms of COVID-19 have appeared. I think the fatigue is potentially from not being as hydrated as usual, the weather getting warmer, or my different eating habits with this whole quarantine situation.However, I am worried that it could be COVID-19. I am wondering what the actual chances of this being COVID-19 are; how many people actually only get fatigue without any of the other symptoms? I get the FAQ states any of the symptoms should be conservatively assumed to be COVID-19 but I am looking for a more statistical response. Thank you!

Sorry I am unable to give a statistical response based on your vague set of symptoms.

Do the fevers fluctuate? I've been tested and will get my results with 24 hours. I've been exposed to a covid + person and have had fatigue, mild cough, body soreness (as if I worked out). My normal temperature is around 97.4 it raised to 99.8, 100.5, and the back to 98.5 .

Yes. Sounds like possible covid.

My wife tested positive for COVID-19 several weeks ago and has now had a fever for over a month, while I am asymptomatic. We have been quarantined for the entire month and have not left our house. Her doctor recently gave her antibiotics as she believes my wife has a secondary infection that is causing the fever to linger. Is it safe for me to see family (while maintaining 6 ft/mask/etc of course)?Edit: My family has also been self-quarantined, they are relocating to their vacation home which is close to me.

We are still treating people as infectious if they have a fever so you should continue to quarantine. You cant prove that your wife isnt infectious or that you arent asymptomatically carrying it. Check your local guidance on whether you should be socialising with others regardless of your Coronavirus status.

There has been some mention of pinkeye being a possible symptom of the virus. Is there any potential truth to this or is that likely a symptom of something unrelated?

Not to my knowledge

31F, ~125 lbs in NYC (a hard-hit neighborhood in Brooklyn). Pre-existing conditions: classical EDS (with ID'd genetic mutation) and mild dysautonomia. In 2018 I had a very bad case of mono and by early 2020 was just getting over the fatigue from it.I've been sick with suspected covid-19 for almost a month now and just can't seem to get 100% over it. Week 2 was the worst, couldn't eat and lost almost 10 pounds (was originally at 130 lbs and now starting to gain a little of it back) and had chest pain. I had ordered a pulse oximeter, which arrived halfway through Week 3. Readings are mostly normal, it once dipped to 94 briefly. Have had persistent low-grade 100-degree fever (99.5-100.3) that lessens a little at night and worsens in the afternoon, comes with chills and sweats. Pretty fatigued and get winded doing normal things in my apartment like cooking (I live alone.) I have swollen lymph nodes (two that have bugged me since the mono that swell with any infection since then, one on the back of my head and one in my thigh [?!], other lymph nodes affected through this were the ones in my armpits and groin).After 4 weeks of fever, my PCP asked me to come in for a physical and bloodwork. Lungs sounded fine, temp measured 99.4 in the office (morning), throat was red, lymph nodes in armpits were felt by her but didn't seem unusually large. Metabolic panel and CBC came back normal -- not even elevated white blood cell count. Dr was a little concerned about the buggy lymph node in my thigh and said it should be imaged when the pandemic is over....but that will probably be months from now. I was diagnosed with "fever of unknown origin." Tylenol and Aleve relieve some discomfort, but don't bring the low-grade fever down. It just likes to stay put at about 100. (I normally run in the 97s-98s.)I am starting to worry about lymphoma because of that lymph node. It was imaged (ultrasound) when it first appeared in 2018 and was deemed large but noncancerous. Since then I've caught some more bugs than usual but attributed that to recovering from mono and a particularly bad cold/flu season in the city.My PCP is getting harder and harder to reach since she is now working in the ER to help those that are in dire need of help, and I don't want to bother her too much since I'm not dying...I'm just mildly ill and not getting better.Are there cases of mild covid19 that just seem to linger on and on and on like this? I had some friends who had mild cases around the same time as me and recovered in 2 weeks and are completely better now. I'm nearing 5 weeks and still sick. Is this just how covid19 is in some people, or do I need to be worried about cancer? I'm sorry, just really scared and won't be able to get regular/thorough medical help for the time being.

Most likely prolonged recovery. Lymphoma very very unlikely, but review with your primary doctor when theyre back open.

Does anyone know if taking antibiotics for a bacterial infection while potentially being infected with coronavirus is dangerous?Ive had a fever the last couple days with sever headaches, however I dont fit the criteria for testing where I live. This morning I noticed what seems to be a times flare up on my left foot. A couple hours later and my toe has swollen and there is a redness spreading slowly up my foot. I spoke to a doctor over the phone and mentioned the fever, and gave my other symptoms. The doctor prescribed me with some antibiotics for my foot and said theyll fax to the pharmacy for me.Im just worried that the antibiotics would be detrimental to my immune system if I do have covid-19.

No benefit but doesnt seem to worsen things either. Current agreement is to give antibiotics if any suggestion of a bacterial infection instead of/in addition to COVID.

I and my mother just came back from England 10 days ago (flew to Romania). We're in self-isolation, haven't gone out even for shopping. When we were at the border the doctor told us to call our GP or 112 (emergency number) if we get symptoms. I have just heard Mom properly cough, very loudly and persistently, and it lasted a while. The airport and plane were very crowded so I wouldn't be surprised if we have it. Mom doesn't want to call our GP because she is afraid of a hospital quarantine. 112 seems a bit drastic for some coughing. There's a national covid19 information hotline. Should I call them? Should I just talk to her and we agree to continue self-isolating for a month beyond the government enforced period? If I am honest, I'm kind of scared of a hospital quarantine too because I feel like it might make her (and maybe me) worse. I'd much rather just self-isolate at home, but I feel like if we don't know she/I are positive she'll really want to go out grocery shopping and stuff. She's also probably going to want to meet with my Dad (who is 64, has diabetes, hypertension, liver problems, is overweight and has had a benging tumor in his intestine for which he's been operated). She's 49 and I'm 17. Should I not call anybody and just talk to her? Call the hotline? Call 112?

I dont know what measures Romainia is taking but I would encourage you to follow all local guidance. If the cough lasts more than an hour then call.

I heard her, she had breaks but it was very very loud and it was about an hour, she was trying to silence it and go to sleep. Im not sure how seriously they mean call 112 though. Ill call the information hotline in the morning and see what they say.

There is a strong chance she has covid. Follow all local guidelines

I'm trying to find an answer to this because the CDC released conflicting information.How much benefit is there to cloth/homemade masks? My understanding is they don't help much, they don't block coronavirus, and if anything they increase risk because people are constantly touching/removing/adjusting them.Surely there isn't much benefit in wearing a homemade mask at work if I have to remove it for lunch and then put it back on. I'm just touching my face more.

The benefit of the public wearing masks is really going to be in prevention of transmission from folks that are asymptomatic but spreading the virus. You could be spreading it right now. Please wear a mask so that you don't get others sick. We don't know exactly how much benefit this will have, but it's a simple enough thing to ask people to do.You shouldn't be touching your face at all when removing a cloth mask.

An article mentioned that hypertension is a significant risk factor.Does this refer to untreated hypertension or treated, or both?If someone had hypertension that has been successfully treated for years or decades, is it still a risk factor?

Hypertension seems to be a risk factor. Whether that is because of the hypertension itself or because of the associated micro and macrovascular damage cause by untreated hypertension we do not know.

Allergy season is coming up, which means sneezes and sniffles. Currently I take a steroidal nose spray to cope, I also have access to non-steroidals if needed. Will a steroid nose spray have any negative affects vis-a-vis covid19? I do not have it, but dont want to make things more difficult than it needs to be.

Nasal steroids safe to continue

I keep hearing "I had the virus back in November!"In November of 2019, there wasn't a surge of deaths and hospitals becoming inundated with ill people.The virus didn't just decide to start becoming highly contagious in March 2020.I find it hard to believe these people actually did have it already months ago.

Unless these people were living in Wuhan then it is phenomenally unlikely they had covid in November.

Someone told me it was a matter of controversy that COVID-19 is transmitted via breath.Is that controversial like it is controversial to say that smoking causing lung cancer? :-).

Theyre talking nonsense

What is a good source of news about the progress of the pandemic?I tried MedCram on youtube, but it goes off on tangents.People keep recommending web sites teenagers built.I would like a news source that would tell me the numbers, the trends, what has been learned, and what the recommendations are.

In terms of hard stats on numbers of cases/deaths etc http://worldometers.infoIn terms of everything else the ebook listed at the top of the FAQ

Can someone who was sick in Feb with what they thought was the flu, now test positive for Covid-19?Or in other words, is the virus similar to Hep-C where you can still test positive weeks after recovery because of antibodies?

There is no reliable antibody test yet available.Once one exists it should be able to confirm exposure within the last year, perhaps longer. The immune response still not fully understood.

Age 23. Female. North Colorado. 55. Maybe 105 pounds. I have Ehlers Danlos Syndrome with Vascular Complications, Gastroparesis, and an AVM in my dueduom that bleeds periodically ( started bleeding again yesterday) (currently anemic because of this). My father recently told my family that he tested for antibodies of covid. I lived with him from Feb 29- April 3. He was sick from March 23- April 1. I developed a low grade fever last night as well as a headache, and have been very lethargic. Would I be able to be tested without proof that he has antibodies? He and I arent on good terms and I am very concerned. I am also concerned as I lost health insurance April 1st and havent secured a new plan yet.

Current antibody tests (particularly the home testing kits) are not accurate and of no diagnostic use.

Is it safe to go outside for walks? I'm obese and therefore more likely at risk due to my condition, so I'm trying to lose weight. I would get a mask obviously.

Yes walks alone in open spaces should be fine. That said follow local guidelines - some countries forbid anything but trips out to collect food.

Many sources earlier this year kept stressing that the flu was worse than covid19. The flu has been around for a long time. covid19 was new and no one knew much about it yet people kept saying the flu was worse. Now we're where we are now. Why didn't people take it more seriously?

Those sources were probably not scientists or doctors. This was never not worse than the flu. This is what bad journalism does to our society

Hi guys, this might be a bit of a stupid question, but four weeks ago my ear temperature hit 38 degrees, naturally it scared me so I self isolated, I tried to go on my PC again after 10 days and the same thing happened again. Skip forward another 20 days to today, and it's happened again (37.8 this time)... Can headsets make your temperature rise by like a whole degree? My temp was 37.1 when I went on my PC. I've felt fine for almost three weeks until today. Also can anxiety cause this? cos I am very anxious/stressed basically constantly atm and do suffer from diagnosed severe anxiety.

I would certainly suggest taking off your headset for an hour then rechecking.

Whats the deal with NSAIDs? Are we able to take them? I dont have covid, just being cautious. Specifically looking to use topical voltaren gel for chronic neck pain. Any advice is appreciated!

Recent review found no evidence that NSAIDs worsen covid. Youre definitely okay to use NSAID gel such as voltarol.

Why cant blood and organ UV radiation be a treatment for Coronavirus?Okay, I know how stupid that sounds, but I didnt want to jump on the bandwagon so I did a couple of minutes of research and I just want to hear from people who know better why this thinking is wrong.I know external UV radiation would not do anything, however:Uv radiation and high humidity has been found to be very effective at killing the coronavirus :https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.aljazeera.com/amp/news/2020/04/sunlight-humidity-kill-coronavirus-fastest-scientists-200424065853466.htmlUltraviolet irradiation of the blood used to be used to treat diseases like pneumonia before antibiotics in the 1950s :https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6122858/Ultraviolet radiation has been used or suggested before as a way to sterilize organs during organ transplants:https://www.jhltonline.org/article/S1053-2498(18)30378-4/abstracthttps://www.efe.com/efe/english/technology/brazil-develops-technology-for-sterilizing-organ-transplants/50000267-3933369So what is stopping doctors from, in the worst case scenarios, treating critically ill coronavirus patients by irradiating their blood and/or a lung?

Beware quackery.

F23 Respiratory Sinus ArrhythmiaHi, I was recently diagnosed with Respiratory Sinus Arrhythmia and prescribed an inhaler. I was only told to use "as needed" but I have been having trouble figuring out when "as needed" applies. Do I only use it when I feel like I'm having an onset attack? Or at night when I lay down to sleep and my symptoms seem more noticeable? Are both situations applicable? Also any advice on lifestyle changes to ease my symptoms? Thank you in advance.

A "respiratory sinus arrhythmia" is an absolutely normal phenomenon and doesn't need to be treated, as it's normal. What was the inhaler prescribed for?

I was also confused when the physician said she was prescribing an inhaler, the main things I complained about was a feeling of pressure in my chest and my heart feeling as if it was beating faster, but too softly, then skipping a beat and beating harder as if to compensate for the lost beat. I also mentioned how a little over 2 weeks ago I had a severe attack that was causing my muscles to twitch and spasm and i was sweating. The papers from my discharge say asthma but asthma was never mentioned during the visit.

Agree with above post. Your doc may have prescribed as a diagnostic/therapeutic trial for some symptoms, but ran out of time to explain it all to you. I'd get in touch with the person who prescribed it to you and ask them, as inhalers aren't typically used in this situation.

30 F Not feeling fully recovered 1 month after a Myasthenic Crisis and Acute Respiratory failure30 Female, medical conditions: Myasthenia Gravis, Chronic MigraineMeds: Mestonin 60mg every 4 hours, Cellcept 2x day ( 1st month on medicine)It's been a little over a month since I had a Myasthenic Crisis and was hospitalized in the ICU. I had three days of high-dose steroids and plasmapheresis for 5 days. I was feeling better respiratory-wise but still felt very tired and not back to 100% of where I was before the crisis. I was put on Cellcept by my neuro immediately after release and so far it has made me have less droopy eyes and mouth but I haven't noticed much difference.( Note: I have been diagnosed since late 2019 and on Mestonin, they did not put me on other meds since I responded well at the time. It has since been suggested that the mestonin alone was no longer able to handle the disease and that is why I went into a myasthenic crisis)The past week I have felt the shortness of breath from the Myasthenia come back, and at times I have gone on my CPAP to help reduce the strain and it has made me feel better. I'm starting to feel fatigued again, but not at myasthenic crisis level, so I'm pretty sure the benefits of plasmapheresis wore off. My main concerns are:Is it normal to take a while to recover from a Myasthenic Crisis?Is the reemergence of shortness of breath a troubling symptom?Should I ask my neuro for another treatment or medication? ( I was warned it could take 2-6 months for CellCept to fully work)I do see my neuro early next week, but I'm not sure if these symptoms are troubling enough I should seek medical care sooner or if there are other suggestions I should bring up to my doctor when I see her.

Yes you really need to contact your neuro doc. You are at risk for another crisis because you had one already. You may need ongoing weekly plasma exchange until you are on stable immunosuppressants. Your docs are the best ones to advise you, you aren't bothering them.

Found out I have convex chest at 40 after years of respiratory issues, now what?I am a 40 year old white male. Recently I had some issues with what I believe to be acid reflux (possibly aided by too much coffee) and it made me vomit several times. After telling my doctor this he decided to do a chest x ray and so far has only told me I have a convex chest.As an aside, I have been trying to find answers to joint issues I've had since puberty. My knees feel like they pop off and back in, even when that hasn't happened they swell up and hurt severely if I'm on them too long.Tgis applies to other joints to a lesser degree, I also have scoliosis and severe back pain.What should I ask my doctor to do? What to test for? Sometimes I feel like I have to ask for things with him and I'm worried about my future health.Anyway, thank you for reading and kind regards.

Chronic dyspnea and chest wall deformities make me think it might be worthwhile to be assessed by a pulmonologist. These lung doctors have a series of tests that can evaluate how much the chest wall deformity may be affecting your overall breathing, and if substantial have different ways of treating it.

Need ideas from as many medical minds as possible please! Chronic respiratory failure - hypoxia. Worsening. Low BMI. Ruled out pulmonary and cardiac causes, whats in your differential?51F, 59, thin, white, USA. never-smoker, non-drinker; no prescriptions; unintended weight loss of now 28lbs since January, oxygen desats started in January w/ exertion, suddenly worsening in the past few days and now on continuous oxygen. Exhausted and weak. X-post for visibility. (This is for my mom)ETA see bottom of this, someone mentioned cervical spine issues, my mom has those, found in MRI in 2020!Ive posted about this a couple of times but need as many ideas as possible, and casting as wide a net as possible as weve hit a dead end and its looking bad.All pulmonary and cardiac testing done. Normal. (Only abnormal test so far has been an elevated 5-HIAA ordered bc hours-long intense hot facial flushing episodes began at the same time as the oxygen desats). Follow up with GI in 2 weeks.Over the past several days oxygen desats started coming on faster and going lower so after respiratory therapist consult now on continuous oxygen. Follow up with the pulmonary doc tomorrow but after 6 months of pulm/cardiac testing - and now sudden worsening of symptoms over the past few days - it seems like its time to look for other causes.What other specialist besides pulmonology or cardiology would you recommend? What would be in/on your differential list at this point?ETA: someone mentioned cervical spine issues causing this - here's her MRI of cervical spine and brain brief notes from neurologist about this from 2020:Her MRI of the C spine shows degenerative changes but most notable for disc protrusion at C6-C7 narrows the spinal canal to 5 mm. She is nearly asymptomatic at this point, but still encouraged her to discuss with neurosurgery for opinion given the findings.MRI of the brain shows multiple punctate foci, estimated at 30.

I've been thinking about your mom since you posted last week about her worsening symptoms.The typical differential diagnosis for hypoxia is pretty simple to workup -- decreased partial pressure of oxygen (altitude), hypoventilation, decreased diffusion, VQ mismatch, and shunt). I would expect any reasonable pulmonologist could pretty easily work through that differential diagnosis, and I suspect if your mom got a shunt study that has gotten a thorough workup.There are some additional, rare causes of hypoxia/dyspnea that do exist. They are things that we predominantly see in the ICU, as they are typically acute causes. I categorize them as histocytotoxic and competitive. It's a bit complicated:Histocytotoxic causes do not exactly cause hypoxia. An example is cyanide. It uncouples the electron transport chain (ETC), which is the process of how cells utilize oxygen to make energy molecules). When the ETC is uncoupled/blocked you can not process oxygen, so physiologically it's like your body experiences extreme hypoxia. It's an immediately fatal process, so I can pretty much assure you your mom isn't dealing with cyanide toxicity. Perhaps you could bring up the idea of histocytoxic hypoxia to your mom's pulmonologist, though. She may have a chronic exposure to a substance that is causing hemoglobin dysfunction.Competetive hypoxia/hypoxemia is related to something that either outcompetes oxygen for hemoglobin binding or changes the hemoglobin conformation so that it no longer binds oxygen as well. There is something called methemoglobinemia (pronounced "met-hemoglobinemia", not meth-hemoglobinemia). It's also something we see on an acute setting in the hospital. There is a congenital/hereditary form, but it usually presents pretty immediately after birth. I wouldn't expect it to arise later in life like with your mother. There are plenty of acquired forms, but these usually happen acutely. It could also be worthwhile to bring up the idea of methemoglobin or other competitive forms of hypoxia/hypoxemia to your mom's pulmonologist.These are super rare and unlikely things, but it sure sounds like your mom doesn't have a common or simple problem. Hope this helps!

Can coronavirus present as a cough and shortness of breath without other severe symptoms?I know you guys get a stupid amount of these posts, but I'm trying to figure out if I should go to a doctor to get tested, and I figured you guys might be able to tell me if my mild symptoms have any chance of being caused by the coronavirus.Me: female, age 20 (21 in a few days), 5'10", 160 lbs., no comorbidities, mentally and physically healthy and fit, no drugs/alcohol, no medications. Possibly came into contact with someone sick.A few of my distant coworkers have tested positive for coronavirus. Two days ago, someone I share a desk with (who works the opposite night shift as me) went home sick with severe symptoms - it really sounds like he has the disease.Now, four days ago, before hearing about these cases, I had a headache, some body aches, a very mild sore throat. I'd explain it as, like, the most mild cold you can have. I popped an ibuprofen and went to work.For the next two days, I continued to have the same very mild symptoms. No fever, no runny nose. I thought it was allergies. But I started developing a cough. At first, it felt like when you exercise too much and can't breathe properly, but with a little chest pain to boot. But these symptoms have gotten progressively worse, to the point where I can't take a deep breath without coughing. My chest burns like someone rubbed some mild capsaicin cream on the inside of my lungs. My heart rate is higher than normal, and I have some mild body aches/fatigue. When I move around, I get short of breath way too fast. Additionally, today I think I may have developed the mildest of fevers (though I have no thermometer on hand).The feeling in my chest really reminds me of that one time I accidentally mixed bleach and ammonia and breathed in some of the fumes, but a little worse. It's not comfortable, but it's not bad. I am NOT coughing nonstop. I can speak, breathe, and sleep normally. But I undeniably HAVE a cough, and I'm tired. However, the other symptoms are so mild that if it wasn't for the cough, I'd think it was allergies/psychosomatic symptoms.I did call out of work and am keeping myself at home. I feel HORRIBLE about it because my symptoms are so blasted mild, but it's not worth the chance. I will go to the doctor and get tested if it doesn't go away, but I just figured I'd ask here beforehand - just in case my symptoms in no way match the coronavirus. I've read about people's symptoms, and most people talk about severe upper respiratory symptoms, which I do not have. Everything in me is screaming "you're being dramatic," so I thought I might be able to get an opinion here on whether I am, indeed, just being dramatic.Thank you so much for reading through. I appreciate your time.Edit: I called and asked for a test. They don't want me to be tested because my symptoms are pretty mild, so I will just be staying home for a bit (5 days) to see if my symptoms get worse at all. That's how much ATO I have. If they go away, back to work. If not, I'll talk to HR and risk my job rather than other people's lives :( Thanks for the help.Edit 2: reports of positive tests in my area have been rolling in today, including in my boyfriend's workplace. Yikes.E3: I guess my birthday present is probably going to be unemployment because I'll be doing a full quarantine.E4: happy news! I talked to my employer and I won't be fired if I quarantine! Woot woot! 14 days of bored coughing, here I come.E5 03/20/2020: yeah it's getting worse. Chest is on fire. Hopefully this really isn't the coronavirus, because that would suck. Stay safe guys. This shit fucking hurts :)E6 03/22/2020: bedridden now and they won't test me. Breathing is hard. I hate this.E7: 03/26/2020: finally getting better. I am still extremely short of breath and can't do much or walk far. My lungs still ache, and going out in the cold is the worst. I can't taste or smell very well. However, I am extremely grateful that the worst of the sickness is through. That was probably the sickest I've ever been in my life, and it sure wasn't fun. I'm so glad my employer granted me paid leave; I spent four days in bed and will be self-quarantined for a while yet. Yeah, this was probably the coronavirus. Thanks for your help guysE8: 04/04/2020: I am much recovered. However, I am still very out of breath. I ended up calling the covid hotline again (long story involving my now sick roommate) and NOW they want me to get tested - AFTER I HAVE RECOVERED - because I am still very short of breath. The test was this morning (very uncomfortable). Let's watch this test come back negative now XD

Yes

Thanks. Appreciate it. I will get tested.

You may not be able to get tested, given the limited supplies in most of the US right now. Please assume you have it and STAY HOME and away from family members who are at risk.

Same here i have cough and burning throat and can be hard to breath. I do also have random fevers and the first time it went away but now its returned. And my job flat out refuses to pay unless we are confurmed to have it.

Don't take ibuprofen!

Not so sure about that. Heard a doc on on of the networks today saying there's no evidence to back this up. Hard to know with a lot of unconfirmed advice going around. Best wishes to those feeling unwell.

Yeah I'm not sure either, but it's better to be safe at this point. I'd go for Tylenol.

Overnight the cases doubled in New York where I GREW UP and my father still lives. ( Mind you he is late 60s something he's as stubborn a mule and won't go inside ugh) It may not have hit us yet but It will. I don't give two shots if he's from Kiribati or Myanmar or even Jupiter. I'm concerned with folks taking it seriously.As for you if you reread my message I clearly state that this guy didn't offend me, to which I'm not making a snarky remark I'm stating " oh man that fucking sucks what's happening in Italy that shots for real over there, it's gotta be difficult. In which I then go on to wish him well. At NO point in my reply did I ever curse him or put Ill will upon him just the opposite.I APOLOGISE if it came across another way that was not my intent.As for you maybe in the future you might stop and consider the gravity of what's going on. I may personally live in the Midwest for now but I'm shipping out in a week and I have family all over the East coast. Lastly good luck hopefully we can do this again some time, this nothing quite like a decent discourse

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23M I was prescribed Prednisone after getting symptoms of upper respiratory infectionI went to an urgent care yesterday after having a sore throat the night before, I took the prednisone yesterday as well. Now my sore throat has turned into horrible nasal and chest congestion and an even more sore throat. My sister is just finishing up a bout with bronchitis(thats what she was diagnosed with). Is this the right medication for me? My body is telling me its not based on my infection getting worse it seems.

These things are likely unrelated. Despite the prednisone you would likely have gotten worse anyway. It just seems like cause and effect because of the timeline. You also likely have the same viral infection as your sibling. You really dont need the prednisone unless youre wheezing. You dont really need any medications specifically but can take things for the symptoms such as Tylenol/Motrin for aches, pains, or fever, OTC cough suppressants, etc. drink plenty of fluids. I assume the urgent care swabbed for flu/covid? If not that would be something that could direct treatment plan more.

Do I have some sort of respiratory infection22M, 5 ft 20, 235lbs. 2 weekends ago went to a family party and we were all drinking and started sharing a bottle that was passed around between like 5 people. The next morning I had a sore throat and just thought it was nothing. It continued for a few more days and after the sore throat went away I got really congested and got a really bad cough that I still have to this day almost 10 days later. My mom also had the same symptoms plus her sinuses were bothering her so she got a covid test that came back negative. I just assumed I wouldnt have covid if my mom didnt if we were both sick. The doctor at the clinic she went to said she had a sinus infection. I havent seen a doc yet but my sinuses havent been bothering me at all just my chest snd a cough. The cough is the worst in the morning then kind of slows down a little then picks up again around the time I want to go to bed. I get in nasty coughing fits to the point where I can barely even breathe and I cough up a ton of green phlegm. Ive had an upper respiratory infection before but it was never this bad. Ive barely been getting any sleep because of this cough. Ive taken mucinex dm, robutussin, and dozens of cough drops but nothing is working.

Sounds like either COVID or an enormously long list of alternative upper respiratory viral infections. Just because your mom tested negative doesn't mean you don't have COVID as well.

Why did urgent care send me home to fight an upper respiratory infection that has put my husbands coworker in the hospital?Age: 28, race: Caucasian, sex:FIve been dealing with an upper respiratory infection these last few days. went to urgent care Wednesday, no fever, sore throat. Negative for Covid, strep, flu. Doc told me to take time off work, could not due to previous attendance issues so Ive been doing half days. Sore throat went away and it feels like my chest is chock full of mucus. I already have mold in my house, so yay. Ive done a nasal spray and taken a decongestant but Im so nervous. I dont want to wait for this to get as bad as Hs coworker did. Urgent care doc struck me as one of those its not a big deal people and denies my illness could get worse

I mean... we didn't put everyone with covid into the ICU or even admit them all.Illnesses hit different people differently, we base treatment recommendations on your illness severity, not based on what happened to an acquaintance.If you decided to go to work afterwards, it sounds like the urgent care doc 100% made the right call.

Contracted respiratory symptoms from my childMy son (10 months old, male) was fussy, with runny nose and coughing between Friday and Sunday last week. Now he's not longer fussy, the runny nose decreased to less than a half and he caughs once or twice a day. He's very active and with good mood.As of Tuesday I started having an itchy throat that led to a sore throat and a runny nose the next day. On Thursday I had elevated temperature (37.8 C) and cough. Friday the cough went on, but temperature was normal. Today the cough feels coming from deeper in my chest, but no fever. I've taken two sars-cov2 antigen test (Thursday and today), both negative.Tomorrow I have an appointment with the family doctor. My partner (41yo female) and her daughter (13 yo female) are starting to develop similar symptoms as I did.Since apparently my son caught an infection and then passed onto us, plus the covid antigen tests came negative for all three (partner, daughter,me) I'm not sure if covid could be ruled out.Could you please share your thoughts? I'm not really sure what to ask specifically, just want to get some opinions and maybe suggestions.Cheers!

Sounds like the easier solution would've been to get your son tested first, instead of everyone else.Remember that there are plenty of viruses besides COVID that cause similar symptoms. More likely that you have one of those given the negative tests.