Breathlessness

[Nan jack]

Hi cannot anybody advise me on breathlessness caused by diabetes. I go.upstairs and can't breathe properly when I get to the top. I also get like this if I carry heavy bags. Does anybody else get like this?

 

[Inka]

Diabetes shouldn’t cause breathlessness @Nan jack What diabetes meds are you on? I think you should speak to your GP to get some basic checks done.

 

[silentsquirrel]

Yes, I have extreme breathlessness, caused by my aortic valve closing up. Almost certainly nothing to do with diabetes. Please get this checked out asap with your GP. I used to find climbing stairs and walking any distance made me breathless, thought it was just being unfit. It was only when I couldn't even move around my kitchen for a few minutes without huffing and puffing that I saw a GP. Wish I'd done it much sooner.

 

[everydayupsanddowns]

Welcome to the forum @Nan jack

Sorry to hear about your breathlessness

How long have you been living with diabetes? Are you generally fairly active, and has this come on recently all of a sudden, or has it been building up over a long time?

Breathlessness isn’t a common side effect of diabetes, so it certainly sound like you should get this checked out. Around the time of diagnosis, when their BG levels are running extremely high people with T1 can experience nausea, abdominal pain, a ‘pear drop’ smell on the breath, and breathlessness because of high levels of ketones in the blood which are very dangerous and can lead to DKA, but it doesn’t sound like that fits with your situation?

 

[Martin.A]

Hi cannot anybody advise me on breathlessness caused by diabetes. I go.upstairs and can't breathe properly when I get to the top. I also get like this if I carry heavy bags. Does anybody else get like this?

There are a number of possible causes but the NHS website says that you should "not try to self-diagnose the cause of shortness of breath – always see a GP"

 

[Leadinglights]

There are a number of possible causes but the NHS website says that you should "not try to self-diagnose the cause of shortness of breath – always see a GP"

Absolutely should get advice, my other half's sister was very breathless and dizzy when we visited and I insisted she called someone, 111 an ambulance was sent and it turned out she had blood clots on her lungs which was sorted with anticoagulants, oxygen and in hospital for a week.

 

[Martin.A]

my other half's sister was very breathless and dizzy when we visited and I insisted she called someone, 111 an ambulance was sent and it turned out she had blood clots on her lungs which was sorted with anticoagulants, oxygen and in hospital for a week.

Between marriages I had a flat on the 4th floor of a block. Back then (late 80s) I was a keen squash player and could run up the stairs to my flat without even breathing heavily. One day I struggled to walk up them and was breathless when I got to the top. The next morning - yes, the next morning - I saw my GP (you could walk in and wait your turn back then), who sent me straight to A&E with a suspected collapsed lung. X-Ray showed he was correct. 4 days in hospital and 3 weeks signed off work, the only time I've ever been hospitalised.

A collapsed lung (pneumothorax) is usually the result of trauma but it can happen spontaneously, as in my case. Classic victims - people who are slim & fit, and I was both.

 

[trophywench]

Gordon Bennett Martin! - I only knew about the usual reasons.

I was gonna say, anyway - could either be a chest infection or creeping emphysema BUT whichever - only a visit to a doctor can say. Certainly should absolutely NOT be ignored!!!

 

[silver minion]

Hi @Nan jack Hope everything is OK and you managed to get a doctor's appointment.
Just concerned about your extreme breathlessness.