Out of Breath

[Cindy Reed]

Hi, I am brand new to this MDS cancer. I have read that being out of breath is one of the symptoms. I think that is because our hemoglobin is low. Unfortunately my oncologist keeps ignoring my shortness of breath and completely dismisses that it could be from the MDS. That is one of the symptoms that I have noticed is emphasized. So I was wondering …..Does anyone else experience this AND If you do have shortness of breath related to MDS , is there any treatment?

Thank you All.

[Allan Romriell]

Cindy,
I have MDS-RS so red blood cells and hemoglobin are the mostly effected. Shortness of breath when exerting myself is probably my biggest issue. I also am tired most of the time and don’t have much stamina any more. I am 66 and was diagnose almost 2 yrs ago, on watch and wait since diagnosis. Although my numbers have been steady since diagnosis and in fact my hemoglobin and RBC were better in Feb. than at any time previous, I still have the shortness of breath issue and it seems to be worse than 2 yrs ago. I don’t have any solution, when it happens I stop for a minute and catch my breath then continue with what I was doing. I wish you the best in your fight with this disease, it is so different for everyone.

[Joseph Agustin]

Yes, red blood cells transport oxygen. When your red blood count is low there isn’t enough blood to transport required oxygen. When my dad was diagnosed with mds, it was very fast in its progression. But walking up stairs he would get winded. One time walking my niece around the block he turned yellow and had to sit down, his body needed more oxygen then he has red blood cells to transport it. It’s not a matter of your body or lungs not taking the oxygen in, it’s a matter of the blood not being there to get it where it needs to go. We could gauge his rbc level by the speed at which he would get exhausted.

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