I can't shake the fear of Pulmonary Fibrosis ( Catastrophizing )

[Yokatrio]

I've been dealing with Gerd for a few years now but it has worsened over the past couple years and I am getting shortness of breath / (dyspnea) everyday and more significantly at night causing me to wake up and need my rescue inhaler. The shortness of breath lying down prompted me to see a heart doctor for an echo which turned out normal. I also saw a pulmonologist who could not confirm asthma but we are currently treating my symptoms with asthma medication. My pft was normal/ echo was normal/ chest x ray normal but I'm still worried.. I do have a confirmed diagnosis of gerd from a barium swallow.


Does anyone have any advice to help treat/prevent shortness of breath? Do you deal with this symptom as well? What has worked for you?

I can't shake the fear that this could be something like Pulmonary Fibrosis. It's a relatively rare disease 13-20/100,000 but I've been so worried it could be this despite the low probability. I'm also 30 years old so not really in the average demographic for pf. How do you deal with catastrophizing? I know some of my shortness of breath is due to anxiety but definitely not all of it.

[Yokatrio]

Any thoughts?

[Yokatrio]

:unsure:

[.Poppy.]

I think there probably just aren’t many people who have had this issue.

If not asthma, does your pulmonologist have any other ideas? You say this happens largely at night, have you had a sleep study done?

[Fishmanpa]

How are you treating your gerd and what's your diet like?

FMP

[Yokatrio]

I think there probably just aren’t many people who have had this issue.

If not asthma, does your pulmonologist have any other ideas? You say this happens largely at night, have you had a sleep study done?

Thanks for your reply. I have had a sleep study done and it showed mild sleep apnea but we are treating it anyways and I've been using cpap for the last 2 months but it hasn't resolved the issue. Also he hasn't suggested it could be another disease, he seems mostly unconcerned despite these symptoms being concerning to me.

[Yokatrio]

I've been completely staying away from trigger foods like tomatoes, spicy foods, onions, coffee. I eat pretty healthy overall but probably eat too much meat in general despite being at a healthy/normal bmi. I have also been avoiding eating atleast 5+ hours before bed as well which has seemed to make some improvement in breathing the next morning but this isn't always consistent.

Also I take 20-40 mg Esomeprazole some days and tums as needed. I haven't been taking esomeprazole consistently because I'm scared of the possible kidney side affects.

[Yokatrio]

double post, oops