Is sleep test required for breathing difficulty while walking?
Patient: I have had breathing problems come up in the past month & 1/2 when doing much walking & small things. I have shortness of breath where I have to breath through my mouth to get enough air. I went to a heart Dr. & he said all sounds good then he had me go to a lung Dr. that now wants to have me do a sleep test. I only had about 5 of the sleep questions in minimal & that s only because I have a bad hip that wakes me up at night. I told her this but she still wants the sleep study. I want a second opinion, am I wrong ? Doctor: Hi,  In my opinion, you should not get done sleep study first. Better to first rule out lung related pathologies for your symptoms.   So consult pulmonologist and get done clinical examination of the respiratory system and PFT (Pulmonary Function Test).  PFT will not only diagnose bronchitis but it will also tell you about the severity of the disease and treatment is based on severity only.   You may need inhaled bronchodilators (formoterol or salmeterol) and inhaled corticosteroid (ICS) (budesonide or fluticasone).  Hope I have answered your query. Let me know if I can assist you further.  Regards, Dr. Kaushal Bhavsar,  Pulmonologist