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Likelihood of pulmonary edema

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April 29th, 2009
Im 51 @ age 48 I had a heart attack until then I was active overweight but active after the heart attack I have become home bound I cant alk over 20 feet because my heart speeds up to about 140-160bpm.I am very short of breath and ach all over I stay so tired all the time the past few months I have been coughing up a thick spitum with some dark blood spots in it.Not every time I cough but daily.It is tiny spots of blood could this be cancer?And why after the heart attack am I so useless it has been 3 years and only getting worse.I have been to many dr.s and had many test but no answers yet.The dr.s in my area are not real good.I went for a knee problem and was sent to a sleep clinic and several other dr's and never got knee fixed so I stoped going to Dr's can you answer some of these questions?


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Users who thank DoctorQuestion for this post: lebana 
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replied May 1st, 2009
Lung Cancer Answer A6469


According to the data you provided, it seems possible that you might be experiencing pulmonary edema due to heart failure. Since the heart does not have sufficient strength to pump, a certain quantity of the blood stays in the lungs. Part of the blood (plasma) might even pass through the alveolar walls and fill the lungs with fluid thus decreasing the active surface for respiration and making the breathing more difficult. The fluid puts pressure on the respiratory mucosa thus hurting it and even causing minor bleeding in more severe cases. Many patients experience difficulty breathing even when sleeping. So they are advised to sleep with more pillows thus enabling the gravity to help in draining the lungs.


However, lung cancer can not be ruled out solely on the data you provided and further examinations (physical examination, X-ray or CT-scan) have to be made in order to rule out lung cancer.


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