Yahoo Answers is shutting down on May 4th, 2021 (Eastern Time) and beginning April 20th, 2021 (Eastern Time) the Yahoo Answers website will be in read-only mode. There will be no changes to other Yahoo properties or services, or your Yahoo account. You can find more information about the Yahoo Answers shutdown and how to download your data on this help page.

Should I see a lung doctor or a heart doctor? Help me decide.?

I'm going to visit a doctor next week because of some lengthy symptoms, but I don't know which kind of doctor to see..Please look at my symptoms and give your advice... Lung doctor or heart doctor.

I am 49 years old iwth diabetes. I am about 50 pounds overweight and I own a business that I am at for about 10 hours a day. i am also a project manager on 2 outside education projects, so i am in a constant mental movement, but my exercise is mostly related to walking between offices in my building.

Here are my symptoms:

1. dry cough that has lasted for about 4 months

2. for the past 2 months I run out of energy quickly and by the end of the week, I'm "spent"

3. A tearing pain in the upper chest. It feels like someone has both hands inside my chest and pulling my chest apart in both directions. The pain sometimes radiates into my back, but mostly on either side of the breast bone.

4. frequent sharp pains in the middle of my chest, with radiating pain that runs about halfway to my underarm. The pain doesn't reach my armpit or my shoulder, just in that direction.

5. getting the hiccups alot lately

6. sometimes having difficulty getting my food to go down my esophogus properly. It feels like the food gets "stuck" and the the muscles can't move the food down into my stomach. Water or drink will not push it down. The only way to move it down my "food tube" is to either walk around or throw up. It's not painful, it just won't go down.

7. i've been under some stress lately and I think it's causing unrestful sleep

8 My blood pressure averages around 170/85, which is actually very high for me. My usual bp is 110/70

9. I have bouts of losing balance, nothing major, just maybe a double step or a brief bumping into a wall, desk, etc.

10. In between the sharp chest pains, I have a heavy feeling right in the middle of my breast bone. It's a constant, dull pain, as if I've pushed on it for a long time and now feels a bit bruised, but it's inside my chest.

11. any kind of smoke near me starts me in a coughing fit.

12: history - paternal grandmother and paternal aunt both died in their 40s from lung, breast, spine, brain cancer

13. Both my parent smoked, so I've been a 2nd hand smoker since I was born.

14. My husband smokes

15. I smoke about 5 cigarettes a week (socially), but I haven't smoked in more than a month, it makes my chest feel tight and more painful

So here's my question...do you think it's my heart or my lungs? Which doctor should I see first and what are the tests that I should expect to have?

Thanks for the guidance.

Update:

To Woofdogg. Okay, Miss "I'm a nurse and I'm surprised that you would be asking this question at your age"...I'm GOING to the doctor and I'm NOT asking for the people on Y!A to tell dignose me. But I DON"T want to spend 100's or 1000's of dollars to "get" to the right type of doctor.

A GP: $75 just to sit in his waiting room

$250 to run a bunch of tests

$75 another office visit to tell me that I should go see a heart doctor

Cardiologist: $125 to sit in his waiting room

$250 - $500 for tests

$125 to come back for him to tell me that I need to see a lung doctor

Lung Dr. 3 weeks later...

$125 to sit in his waiting room

$250 - $500 for tests

$125 for his advice and then off to another doctor

My insurance: $500 deductible, then co pay. That's a lot of money out of my pocket to "find" a doctor.

Mayb

5 Answers

Relevance
  • 9 years ago

    In my opinion, you should see a cardiologist immediately. Have nitroglycerin sublingual tablet available, to provide relief just in case. Use one nitroglycerin right now, and if you feel some relief from the chest pain, it would be a reliable indication that the problem relates to heart. Sleep should be managed in the most effective way, as insufficient or irregular sleep may lead to complications. Take care, and remain confident, since you are a good manager (which is evident from the report you provided about your symptoms).

  • 9 years ago

    X-ray or Thoracic scan may be taken in consultation with a Pulmonologist (Chest physician). Chronic coughs last longer than 3 weeks. Passive smoking may cause lung cancer.

  • 9 years ago

    The only sensible answer to your question is see a GP. He/she will decide who to refer you to.

    No-one on these boards is a doctor, and no-one here has a clue what's wrong with you, and I'm surprised that your age you wouldn't realise this. Good luck.

    Source(s): nursing
  • Anonymous
    5 years ago

    Totally agree ..... these days in essence a lot of them are simply penpushingpillprescribers .......... the idea should be to heal the person as a whole and treat the source of the ailment and not the symptoms i reckon. cheers ♥

  • How do you think about the answers? You can sign in to vote the answer.
  • Anonymous
    9 years ago

    i've had all of the same symptomd and can't come up with a diagnosis but i can't afford a dr i found this hope it helps http://medicalcenter.osu.edu/patientcare/healthcar...

    http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/heart-failure/DS0...

    http://www.webmd.com/heart-disease/guide-heart-fai...

    Source(s): i've been looking for answers to the same symptoms here is what i found
Still have questions? Get your answers by asking now.