chest tightness and panic

• By hamptonv
• Posted January 7, 2007 at 4:26 pm
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Hi

I've had this disease since 1987 and never been hospitalized. I have days were I am exhausted and tired, I have the tightness in my chest with the shortness of breath but that's because I have sarc in my lungs and I have the skin sarc. My joints hurt alot and I stay depress but I am on medication for depression which helps and really I've learned to live with this. Their are some people that are worse than others but you've got to be strong to deal with this because the doctors don't know much about this disease. So take time for yourself and do some daily prayer and get all the support you can and it will help you to feel a little better. I also notice when I found out that I had sarc there were plenty of my friends with it also. I've seen some die from it, have lung transplants, go into remission and some just live with it like I do and have no major problems. So it is a trying time and hard to deal with but like I said if you get all the support you can you can learn to live with it on a daily basis.

Take Care
God Bless

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• By gaineyg
• Posted January 7, 2007 at 9:45 pm
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I don't know very much about holistic cures.... especially for sarcoidosis. I wish I did. But one thing I do know - your pain is not in your head! Don't stress yourself out worrying over what may or may not happen. That is self-defeating. It has no place in your life. Prepare yourself to be ready to fight whatever road this disease takes you down. I'm not experienced with the acute form of the disease (attacks the lungs initially - can go into remission with or without treatment or at worse, become chronic). I have a friend who had the acute form and has now been in remission for over 15 years. She still has the scarring on her lungs and her voice has a raspy sound from the toll the disease took before it left, but she no longer suffers from any other symptoms. If like me, your disease takes the chronic route, you may go into a short remission (I did) but the disease just moves from one body part to the next. You will have to fight each and every day of your life for the rest of your life. That is the reason why your doctor is not too concerned right now. Your disease can take any course and you will just have to wait it out to see how it will eventually manifest itself. Take if from me - a veteren of 24 years with this fight - keep your friends close, your outlook positive, and try to keep your use of steroids to a minimum. I've never taken them longer than 1 month when needed and I'm horrified when I read those posts stating usages of more than 6 months.... Using these drugs for long periods does harm, encourages resistence and negates the initial benefits gained. My Virginia doctors used this philosophy - Treat the inflammation early before it can get a foothold then reduce the dosage and force my body to "deal with it" using anit-inflammatories only Most symptoms usually came back after the dosage was reduced or stopped, but my mind and body benefited from the rest period and I was able to continue the fight. For years I questioned my doctor's treatment strategy since I suffered anew each time the disease attacked another organ, but after reading the posts here from individuals who have not had the disease as long as I, but are worse off than I, I'm beginning to believe that maybe it could be due to the debilitating effects of the medications from long periods of use??.

Let me end by saying that what has worked for me may or may not work for you when your treatment begins since the length of treatment is dependent upon the severity of the inflammation and the organ being affected. Each of us fights our own battle and the battleground is different for each of us.

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• By Sscuff
• Posted April 30, 2007 at 8:20 pm
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Thanks Gain for your comments, because I am finding brick walls with this and your opinion has helped me a great deal. Like you I didn't go down the drug route you see I had been on courses of steriods previously because of Asthma and I hated the side affects, so I took my pulmonary sarcoid without medication, I now do have ongoing symptoms but no definite diagnosis, my heart has been tested because of arythmias, my brain has been scanned because of numbness. I do feel that my Sarc when it reared its ugly head at its worst was frightening and exhausting and I know initial symptoms can be even more life threatening so some drug therapy is advisable case depending, but like you say it is a battle and if you can get days when some symptoms flare up and your body can overcome them it is a great thing. Unfortunately sometimes the body does need some outside help. I just wish we could see some tangible results from all the research and a progression towards an answer.

All the best
S

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• By Woamnuvgod
• Posted May 19, 2007 at 2:18 pm
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Hi Erin,
I was diagnosed with sarc. about a year ago. I have experienced chest tightness and (panics that resembles asthma attacks). I've also noticed, when I intake too much sodium I experience chest tightness and more difficulty breathing. I have greatly reduced my use of salt and I've noticed the difference with improved breathing.

I hope this will help in some way. God Bless...

Woamnuvgod

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• By julzcoop
• Posted May 20, 2007 at 8:45 am
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Hi Erin,
If you are having panic attacks there are ways that you can get it under control without the use of more meds. I had panic disorder about 7 years ago and I was agoraphobic. I wouldn't leave the house without my husband at my side. I suffered terribly for a couple years like this until I found a program called "Attacking Anxiety and Depression" by the Midwest Center for Stress and Anxiety. It's a self help program that you work through at your own pace. It is expensive, but if your serious about getting better and you diligently work on the program every day it's well worth the money. I used it to regain my life and now I have very little problems with anxiety. I have klonopin to take for anxiety as needed... I can't remember the last time I took it.

If the problem is with your lungs, the only thing I can tell you is that I've heard exercise, pulmonary rehab, and meds are the things that seem the be the best help. Hope this info. helps you or someone else.
Take Care,
Julz

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• By Astone31280
• Posted August 28, 2009 at 9:15 pm
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I also have this weird issue with sodium you are talking about but not diagnosed with anything. Is this common with the sarc you were talking about or a separate issue? Do you any other symptoms when eating more sodium, other than chest tightness,etc?

I've been trying for more than a year to get answers.

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