Open Question: Shortness of breath when not swimming?
I am 17 years old and in good shape. (I weigh 165lb and max bench 230lb). Lately, at night I have been having short breath.It is the same feeling I get after a long swim. If I breathe in too deeply, I start coughing. It’s weird because it never happens throughout the day, only at night. Also I noticed it happening usually on the days I work, at McDonalds. I rarely eat there, I get Subway almost everyday on my break, but when I HAVE to eat there, I only eat salads. Do I have asthma? I don’t think I do because I can run a mile in under 6 minutes and with NO problems. This doesn’t make sense at all, should I just go visit my doctor? Thanks in advance for any advice.
FYI for family history : My 1st cousin has athletic asthma (I think that’s what it’s called), my sister has, or had, a heart murmur, along with my aunt. My parents are just fine, buy my deceased grandma had diabetes. Just a little info, and thanks again for any answers.

Sun, 31 May 2009 09:02:10 GMT
Open Question: if u have a heart attack does that mean u have heart disease?
does it ??

Sun, 31 May 2009 20:11:18 GMT

Open Question: How can I lower my heart rate?
I have anxiety disorder as well as a heart murmur. My heart beats so fast that when I’m sitting still doing absolutely nothing, my hair trembles. It literally trembles. Anyway, I took 4 Midol caplets like 2 days ago because I was on my period and now I feel like my heart is racing and I have a splitting migraine. I did not take all 4 pills at the same time. I waited 6 hours between taking 2 pills.
Anyway, I am not sure if Midol caused this but I’m really worried.
How can I lower my heart rate, and what’s wrong with me?
I know that Midol has caffeine in it. Maybe I shouldn’t have taken 4 that day. Will I be okay?

Sun, 31 May 2009 04:56:06 GMT
Open Question: My heart skips beat sometimes when I run, is this just out of shape disease?
I first walk to warm up on the treadmill during my workouts, when i begin to run or up my intensity I can feel my heart start to skip beats for a little or what feels like the beats run together. Should I be worried about this or is this just a consequence of being out of shape?

Sun, 31 May 2009 00:50:06 GMT

Open Question: What BP would cause me to fail a pre-op physical?
I’m having a pre-op physical on June 9th for a cornea transplant. They will totally knock me out for 1 minute and numb the eye. Then they bring me back, and its local anthesesia with sedative. The surgery takes 60 min & you spend 1 hr in recovery room and then can leave w/ride.
I took my own BP on 5/21 using my co-workers wrist machine and it was 144/92. I called the nurse line and they said don’t delay surgery but come in get the BP down before the pre-op. I went in on 5/21 and the doctor read my BP at 158/98 and put me on Lisinopril. I’ve taken my BP at the Wal-Mart automatic pharmacy machine and its usually 125-135/80. I go back to the doctor and its 148/88 and they increase the Lisinopril.
Anyway, I’m stressed due to the upcoming surgery and the blood pressure, and I really want to get it over with.
What BP would cause me to fail the pre-op and have to delay the surgery?
They did some blood work and a UA with the blood pressure check. The Creatinine was 1.0, Thyroid 1.92, Potassuim 4.3, and blood sugar 110. They said blood sugar was “just a tad high” but this will not flunk me. My heart and lungs sound fine. I don’t know if they will do more blood tests or an EKG on June 9th or not. The pre-op form says EKG required on people age 60 or over or people w/ cardiac or pulmonary disease. I’m 45. I have no heart or pulmonary problems except the BP
note: the physicians assistant thought 158/98 would fail me, but in the 140’s and low 90’s probably wouldn’t for the surgery but they do want it lower than this.

Sat, 30 May 2009 19:32:59 GMT

Open Question: Fire safety cigarettes are poison?
I’ve been smoking 30 years. I live in Arizona where we just started getting Fire Safety Cigarettes.
For three weeks I was constantly getting ill, and having never heard of fire safe cigs, had no idea why. I immediately noticed my cigs (Marlboro reds) kept going out, not in a few minutes, more like every 30 seconds, Very annoying.
My dad a 50 year smoker called me one day to say his cigarettes, (Marlboro Light 100’s), kept going out, and tasted awful. So I e-mailed Phillip Morris asking “What’s going on”?. I googled, ‘Marlboros keep burning themselves out’. I was appalled at what I saw. Web sites, blogs, and forums abounded with smokers complaining about getting sick from smoking these FSC cigarettes.
I couldn’t believe our government would force a product on its citizens that were making smokers across the country sick. Didn’t anyone bother too do some research on the health impact of these new ’safer’ (not) cigarettes?
I immediately went to my vendor, and after searching there inventory found and bought five cartons of regular not FSC cigarettes, (labeled above the bar code). Within two days of smoking regular Marlboro’s my illnesses subsided, and after a week I felt like my old self again.
Now I will have to start buying them online from companies in North Carolina, a state that still offers regular cigarettes that don’t make me sick. After that I will buy them from Russia if I have too, or search out a black market, as I’m sure they will be popping up real soon.
Fire prevention agencies claim it will save 700 to 1,000 lives per year. New York Department of State did a study in New York State, a state which has mandated FSC for four years now, and found that deaths did drop from 31 deaths to 22 deaths in 2004.
Harvard School of medicine said that five compounds in the FSC cigarettes had increased in toxicity, but there was no evidence that these increases affect the already toxic nature of cigarette smoke.
OH REALLY, then why am I finding smokers all over the internet complaining they’re getting sick? , I know they made me sick.
Those entities that are pushing this garbage on us didn’t even have the courtesy to tell us smokers what they were doing.
These ’speed bump rings’ that are incorporated into the paper, has increased amounts of a glue produced by DuPont used to adhere carpet, and is very toxic, (Adhesive ethylene vinyl acetate).
First our government unjustly targets smokers with a huge tax burden of 500% the past ten to fifteen years, now there going to poison us.
Did I mention the taste? These RSC taste terrible, another factor I?m reading from smokers across the country online. The amber or (cherry) at the end of the cigarette doesn’t burn the same and allows too much air to mix with the smoke, and you can’t get enough taste. So you end up drawing on them repeatedly trying to get a good full drag. You end up with uneven burning and ambers falling all over the place. Seems to me this is going to cause ‘More Fire Hazard’. Also the constant relighting causes the paper to ignite into a real flame, and has even blown up in my face, and I only smoked a few packs of them.
New York States 2004 study claims nine lives were saved. Nation wide that would be 450 lives per year, less than the number of people a ‘month’ who die from tripping and falling down. But it’s okay to make thousands of smokers? nationwide sick. How many smokers a year will die now from the higher toxicity in the paper, only time will tell?
If we allow these non smoking advocates to ‘dictate’ what we consume, were will it end?
There’s still as many non smokers dying each year of lung cancer and heart disease as smokers, considering the high levels of pollution in our cities nationwide. Maybe next they’ll blame smokers for that too.
James Whitehorne Phoenix Az. May 29, 2009
jmjmyj7@hotmail.com

Sat, 30 May 2009 05:34:36 GMT

Open Question: What think so far of my prologue to a fantasy novel?
Miata tried not to breath in the repugnant air surrounding the crowd she was a part of: Outlying farmers fresh from the field, shopkeepers still trying to peddle their wares among the crowd, there wasn?t a single person willing to miss this spectacle, it seemed. So much noise from the crowd hadn?t been seen since the king had taken the throne from his father. Or that?s what her father thought.
She couldn?t help but stare at the procession of guards on foot, keeping the crowd away from the nobles trotting their beautiful horses through the market. She was amazed by the fine clothes and jewels the nobles paraded in, to mark his Majesty?s birthday. Her father had insisted she leave her trousers and tunic behind and wear a dress. A horrible, impractical dress.
Tightening her grip in her father?s hair with one hand, she waved the other happily, to all the pretty women and powerful men. Some waved back merrily, while others sat hunched, shielding themselves with hoods for the men and fans for the women. Perhaps they didn?t get out into the sun much.
Though Miata?s eyes stung from the sunlight reflecting off jewels, armor and the marble buildings closely packed together, she wouldn?t close them. She didn?t want to miss this, which even had her Da leaving the forge.
Her father always spoke of the King?s final birthday procession. He said that, as a magus he could choose his time to pass, and he?d decided on his sixtieth year of life. Mia didn?t understand fully what he meant, but she looked forward to the festivities nonetheless.
Her knees were securely against the sides of her father?s chin. It gave her a view better than the rest, the giant beneath her holding her up above everyone else. She could see clearly the servants on the roofs, tossing down handfuls of Arjent petals. She could even make out the shadowed figure slumped within an alcove, holding a longer, thinner shadow.
?Da, what?s he doing?? A thin finger pointed out the shadow to the people around who heard her bewilderment.
Her father stiffened below her, his shoulders shaking as his gaze followed her finger. While she carried on staring and waving at everybody, the shadow forgotten, he murmured something to the guard stationed closest to him. The guard took one look at the skyline before shaking his head, hands tightening around the shaft of his spear. He glared at the father and child, stepping forward as he raised the butt of his spear from the ground, quickly.
She felt her father hunch over as he was struck, but then she was airborne, flying over her Da?s shoulders and into the path of an oncoming noble and their horse. She wouldn?t be noticed, nobles never noticed anything. She wanted to scream, but the terror that gripped her heart and froze her limbs stopped any sound from coming.
?
The boy was situated on the edge of the column of nobles, riding through on his gelding, Marn, and offering a few curt nods in the direction of the crowds. He?d only agreed to leave his studies for this parade because he enjoyed riding his horse. Still the size of a mature pony, Marn was not upset by the hundreds of people out to see the nobles. He was definitely going to get extra sweet feed after this.
Thinking about his mount, given attention only because of his status as a noble?s pony, made the boy feel like an animal on display. His face didn?t betray his thoughts, keeping to the nonchalant smile his father had taught him.
What he wouldn?t give for a hint of breeze, or a downpour of rain, rather than the stupid pink petals and blistering midday sun. Surely everybody knew the flowers were a waste, destined to be trampled into the dirt street once the procession moved forward?
He noticed, from the corner of his eye, a guard seeming agitated, standing before a man with his daughter on his shoulders. The guard struck the man in the belly three times; knocking the wind out of him and sending him rocking to his knees from the pain. The girl didn?t seem to have enough intelligence to hold onto her father properly, as she was sent over his head when he fell, directly into the path of his horse.
Sprawled out on the dirt, he figured her to be two or three years younger than him, wearing a simple servant?s dress in light blue. A gentle pull on the reins stopped Marn with the minimum of fuss. Thankfully the gelding was used to his sudden stops, and didn?t fight him. He was small enough, trained enough, that horse and rider could stop where the common noble?s stallion couldn?t.
Sliding his leg over the saddle, he dropped down onto the street. Everyone was muttering, and even some of the nobles paused to watch what would happen. Idiots with nothing better to do.
When the girl looked up, her eyes flinched; her body stiffened as she frantically mumbled an apology. He knew some nobles beat commoners because they were richer, superior. He hated people; hated being dragged from his library, but mother wanted him to get some sun, some friends. Silly Duchess tha
Not finished of course

Fri, 29 May 2009 19:37:13 GMT

Open Question: heart question, nullness [i am so sorry, my question messed up badly b4 TWICE, please read!]?
ok, i’ve had palpitations, pains.. got a ‘nothing-to-worry-about’ murmur (hah, yeah like i wont worry after hearin it when i did)
so i’ve come to terms with some random odd sensations of the heart..
but, i don’t get what this is.
it’s not a pain, it’s like this really weird null feeling.. and it’s really stressing.. i think it’s ben here the past few days.. strongly today though. i can’t explain it at all, but i wanna know wth this one is….. lol.
i can’t tell if i feel fine or not cos there’s no pain but every now nd then i’m just aware of this like nullness.. i dunno.. what u think?
also, my latest blood pressure was like 150 i think.
i’m not sure what the second number..
like it’s 150/??
Thu, 28 May 2009 21:23:13 GMT

Open Question: ASPCA funding and ethics question?
How can America spend money on medical clinics and expensive surgical operations on animals, while people from hospitals in Eastern Europe are dying in the waiting room because of lack of funding, and limited capacity for beds and food???
Doctors, children, teachers, if they don’t have money to go to a private clinic they DIE!!! that’s the truth.
Not to mention the people in Africa, where they do not have any clean water to drink, how can we talk about medical systems?
I believe that dogs, cats and hamsters will need medical caring when we will not have any more deaths among people due to disease causes.
Ok, i get it, private funding. but that money could be donated to find a cure for cancer, aids, hepatitis, heart diseases. At least save the damn children in this sick world, before we save the cats!!!!

Thu, 28 May 2009 17:25:00 GMT

Open Question: “The Raven,” by Edgar Allan Poe. ten points to best answer!!?
What does the phrase “stock and store” in stanza 11 mean?
[First published in 1845]
Once upon a midnight dreary, while I pondered weak and weary,
Over many a quaint and curious volume of forgotten lore,
While I nodded, nearly napping, suddenly there came a tapping,
As of some one gently rapping, rapping at my chamber door.
`’Tis some visitor,’ I muttered, `tapping at my chamber door -
Only this, and nothing more.’
Ah, distinctly I remember it was in the bleak December,
And each separate dying ember wrought its ghost upon the floor.
Eagerly I wished the morrow; - vainly I had sought to borrow
From my books surcease of sorrow - sorrow for the lost Lenore -
For the rare and radiant maiden whom the angels named Lenore -
Nameless here for evermore.
And the silken sad uncertain rustling of each purple curtain
Thrilled me - filled me with fantastic terrors never felt before;
So that now, to still the beating of my heart, I stood repeating
`’Tis some visitor entreating entrance at my chamber door -
Some late visitor entreating entrance at my chamber door; -
This it is, and nothing more,’
Presently my soul grew stronger; hesitating then no longer,
`Sir,’ said I, `or Madam, truly your forgiveness I implore;
But the fact is I was napping, and so gently you came rapping,
And so faintly you came tapping, tapping at my chamber door,
That I scarce was sure I heard you’ - here I opened wide the door; -
Darkness there, and nothing more.
Deep into that darkness peering, long I stood there wondering, fearing,
Doubting, dreaming dreams no mortal ever dared to dream before
But the silence was unbroken, and the darkness gave no token,
And the only word there spoken was the whispered word, `Lenore!’
This I whispered, and an echo murmured back the word, `Lenore!’
Merely this and nothing more.
Back into the chamber turning, all my soul within me burning,
Soon again I heard a tapping somewhat louder than before.
`Surely,’ said I, `surely that is something at my window lattice;
Let me see then, what thereat is, and this mystery explore -
Let my heart be still a moment and this mystery explore; -
‘Tis the wind and nothing more!’
Open here I flung the shutter, when, with many a flirt and flutter,
In there stepped a stately raven of the saintly days of yore.
Not the least obeisance made he; not a minute stopped or stayed he;
But, with mien of lord or lady, perched above my chamber door -
Perched upon a bust of Pallas just above my chamber door -
Perched, and sat, and nothing more.
Then this ebony bird beguiling my sad fancy into smiling,
By the grave and stern decorum of the countenance it wore,
`Though thy crest be shorn and shaven, thou,’ I said, `art sure no craven.
Ghastly grim and ancient raven wandering from the nightly shore -
Tell me what thy lordly name is on the Night’s Plutonian shore!’
Quoth the raven, `Nevermore.’
Much I marvelled this ungainly fowl to hear discourse so plainly,
Though its answer little meaning - little relevancy bore;
For we cannot help agreeing that no living human being
Ever yet was blessed with seeing bird above his chamber door -
Bird or beast above the sculptured bust above his chamber door,
With such name as `Nevermore.’
But the raven, sitting lonely on the placid bust, spoke only,
That one word, as if his soul in that one word he did outpour.
Nothing further then he uttered - not a feather then he fluttered -
Till I scarcely more than muttered `Other friends have flown before -
On the morrow he will leave me, as my hopes have flown before.’
Then the bird said, `Nevermore.’
Startled at the stillness broken by reply so aptly spoken,
`Doubtless,’ said I, `what it utters is its only stock and store,
Caught from some unhappy master whom unmerciful disaster
Followed fast and followed faster till his songs one burden bore -
Till the dirges of his hope that melancholy burden bore
Of “Never-nevermore.”‘
But the raven still beguiling all my sad soul into smiling,
Straight I wheeled a cushioned seat in front of bird and bust and door;
Then, upon the velvet sinking, I betook myself to linking
Fancy unto fancy, thinking what this ominous bird of yore -
What this grim, ungainly, ghastly, gaunt, and ominous bird of yore
Meant in croaking `Nevermore.’
This I sat engaged in guessing, but no syllable expressing
To the fowl whose fiery eyes now burned into my bosom’s core;
This and more I sat divining, with my head at ease reclining
On the cushion’s velvet lining that the lamp-light gloated o’er,
But whose velvet violet lining with the lamp-light gloating o’er,
She shall press, ah, nevermore!
Then, methought, the air grew denser, perfumed from an unseen censer
Swung by Seraphim whose foot-falls tinkled on the tufted floor.
`Wretch,’ I cried, `thy God hath lent thee - by these angels he has sent thee
Respite - respite and nepenthe from thy memories of Lenore!
Quaff, oh quaff this kind nepenthe, and forget t
well thanks guys for all the replies. but has anyone ever actually heard the phrase used in another context? like my English teacher said that it was a phrase really common in the south…

Thu, 28 May 2009 01:02:01 GMT
Open Question: how do i explain this to my teachers?
so i suffer from a heart condition that is deadly and i have to go to the doctors often which i cant do anything about and recently my doctor has been asking to see me every 2 wks and i went today and the doc sent me for blood tests and a cardio test for friday so i wasnt in school today and im not going to b there friday and he said that i may have an infection in my blood and because of my heart i am at risk even more for these infections and i also get head aces and i cant concentrate all cuz of my disease and my marks are dropping and im in High school Btw so i was wondering if anyone has any idea how i could mention to my teacher that im not going to b there friday and why and explain to him why i miss so much school and why my marks are dropping and my condition is getting worse, worst of all my exams start in like 3 wks and i dont have much time to pull my marks up!! so how do i tell him all this? (in a mature way)

Thu, 28 May 2009 01:44:28 GMT

Open Question: What could this sharp pain be?
For as long as I can remember (I am 23 now), I get this sharp pain in my heart/lung area. It happens maybe a couple of times a year and it comes out of nowhere. I’ll be living my daily life and breathing normally when all of a sudden I get a sharp pain deep inside about where my heart or lung would be located (Im guessing). From that point I have to breathe really shallow because if I take a normal or deep breathe I feel that sting again. Of course breathing shallow makes me feel out of air after a bit so I try to take a slightly deeper breath to catch my breath and each time it results in that pain. It usually lasts about 1 or 2 minutes, but today when it happened it lasted about 6 to 8 minutes.
My boyfriend told me to put my hands over my head and breathe, which the first breath in that stance immediately resulted in that sharp pain. It doesn’t happen often enough for me to think of asking a doctor, but it has never lasted as long as it did today.
I was born with a heart murmur which healed itself within a few years of birth, maybe less. I am not a smoker and I have never had any other heart or lung trouble. I am not nor have I ever been overweight. I am currently 28 weeks pregnant.
Research I just found relating to my symptoms:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Precordial_catch_syndrome
http://www.wrongdiagnosis.com/p/precordial_catch_syndrome/intro.htm
It’s called precordial catch syndrome. Except there’s no way I can breathe deep enough to feel the “popping” relief others describe.

Wed, 27 May 2009 20:27:01 GMT

Open Question: Which arteries does coronary heart disease affect?
Sorry but I have a project to do and Ive been researching but I cant seem to find what i need so i can understand. We studied the way the heart works in bio and arteries are supposed to go away from the heart (or to the lungs). then in diagrams i have been seeing the arteries that are affected by coronary heart disease are supposed to help the heart pump. i don’t know its just sort of confusing and i need some clarification, any site or link even would help as long as it explains sufficiently. What my real question is what do the arteries in the heart do and how does coronary heart disease affect them.
i think i might have finally figures it out, i just want to make sure i understand before i screw up in front of my bio teacher. okay so the coronary arteries break off from the aorta and then encircle the heart to supply it with oxygen rich blood. so technically they are going away from the heart, but only to come back again to supply the heart with oxygen.

Wed, 27 May 2009 03:54:19 GMT
Open Question: Can an extremely loud subwoofer cause Neurocardiogenic Syncope?
Ok, this is a very serious question. When I was 21 I was diagnosed with Neurocardiogenic Syncope… All sorts of symptoms were present, passing after a postural change was the biggest symptom, fatigue and Vertigo being other main symptoms. My problems started when I was 19 however. 2 weeks before I started having a problem I had just gotten a brand new MTX thunder series stereo system. It was loud enough to vibrate my neighbors windows 2 blocks away, let alone a murmur in my heart.
After wrecking a vehicle, selling the stereo system and going with plain factory speakers in my next vehicle, my symptoms started to reside. At the time I just figured it was a miracle, I had most of my life back. 3 Years passed, still no stereo system. 1 Week ago I received a 2000 watt 15 and my problems are back. Maybe this is the biggest coeincidence ever, but is it possible this is primarily the antagonist that caused or has enhanced a heart condition?
Any professional medical advice is preferred, but some peoples opinions would help me as well. I know it seems likely that it is the problem, I just need to hear it from a pro…

Tue, 26 May 2009 22:47:46 GMT