Short Of Breath, Metabolic Alkalosis

[andybonse]

Hey all,

Since I have had bad shortness of breath since florinef .1mg and went down to 0.05mg-0.0.75mg per day...its improved but there still.

I have been reading and my bicarbonate levels were 32, which is too high and causes alkalosis which is what is causing my breathing problems!

think i may have an answer for it at last we will see!!

[Raisin]

Wow! How does one test bicarbonate levels? Inquiring minds want to know! I had to leave a store today because I was breathing as if I have a severe case of COPD. But I don't.

[Krissy21]

Was this bicarbonate level from venous blood or arterial blood? The best way to tell if someone is in acidosis (too much acid in the blood) or alkalosis (too much base in the blood) is by having your arterial blood gases checked. This is usually done by drawing blood from your radial artery in your wrist. You can only know if it is metabolic acidosis if you have all the blood gases checked (pH, bicarbonate, CO2, and O2). CO2 is an acid where bicarbonate is a base. Metabolic alkalosis does not cause shortness of breath. Patients with metabolic alkalosis can eventually breath very slow to try and hold on to CO2 which will raise the acidity of their blood. If they get to this point, they are very sick, usually unconscious. They're bicarb level would be much higher than 32 (normal range is 22-28 so yours is only slightly elevated). Since florinef can cause low potassium and low potassium can cause metabolic alkalosis, it is possible you do have it. But it shouldn't be causing your shortness of breath.