The last few days I have had some difficulty breathing, yesterday I was just walking in the neighborhood, after I got about 1 block from the house I got a very bad pain between my breast and couldn't breath, I made it home and rested and got over it, this morning I started walking on my treadmill, after 4 min. the same problem, I set down and it went away, then I started to change sheets on the bed and couldn't finish it got so bad, I then called the dr. Went in to see him, he did an EKG, chest x-ray and blood work, all came out normal, but he is sending me to a cardiologist, he feels something is wrong, so do I. My question is does MS mask other problems like this, I have heard that it can, but I really don't know and I'm sure the cardiologist won't know anything, any suggestions please.

ah pooch. I have no answers. I think MS makes me doubt all health issues. Is it MS or is it something else? That is always the question for me.

I agree with Aarcyn. I've known people who have made multiple trips to the doctor or ER, only to have it be "just" MS--nerve pain, the "Hug", or whatever.

I've also known of people who experienced symptoms such as yours and blew it off as "just MS" and had it turn out to be heart attack, pleurisy, pneumonia, and one person was have a mild stroke.

So. Are we EVER really sure? I'd advise anyone to err on the side of caution and hope you have a doc that agrees.

My cardiologist appt. is Tuesday, couldn't get in before. I just hate having this breathing problem on any movement. Hopefully, I will find out something, also, I'm not so young anymore, just turned 65, so I know I'm at that age where things can go bad, I've just always been so healthy, oh well, such is life. I'll just keep smiling

Hi Poochie, to me you are still young, I'm 70+ and am now overweight. No heart prob yet and, since I quit smoking, my lungs are good and like you...healthy as a horse except for MS..

I tend to blame MS for all my ills, but MS can cause breathling problems, infections (UTIs etc) and some of the meds we take can cause heart problems. Just to blame MS is not enough, we must tend to all these illnesses separately.

MS is not a fatal disease but, some of it's side effects are. So see your regular Doc for these illnesses and don't just chalk them up as MS. You are doing the right thing and your Doc, sending you to a Cardio, is too.

i'm glad your MD is sending you to a cardio.
i think it can be more commonplace to assume lots of sx's are MS when in actuality it's non related.

i hope this turns out to be nothing serious. please keep us updated.

I had this exact problem in September, and ended up in the hospital...loads of tests showed that my heart and circulatory system is very healthy. The docs think it's MS.

I'm a big believer of confirming it's not something else before saying it's just another MS thing. I hope all goes well with your appointment.

I tend to ignore any health problems because I think it's just MS. All my pains in my legs, just MS. My forgetfullness, just MS. Just list any other problem and I will say Just MS.