What causes shortness of breath and elevated heart rate with weakness in legs?
Patient: Hi, I have been having some health issues related to shortness of breath. Originally the doctor treated me for pneumonia but upon results of a chest x-ray they found no pneumonia and no fluid on the lungs. I was sent to a cardiologist because an EKG came back abnormal and my heart rate was elevated to 123. The cardiologist ordered an echo, he says it came back normal. He doesn t beleive there is an issue with my heart. My family doctor has called and requested a follow up appointment due to an elevated alkaline phosphate level. My other symptoms include shortness of breath upon any kind of excretion, something as simple as walking into the next room leaves me out of breath to the point that I feel like I am suffocating. When this occurs my legs get weak and my arms become like jelly and I feel light headed. I am having trouble sleeping since this has started, most nights I m not tired but when I am I cannot lie flat because I can t breathe. I spend most of the day dozing off due to lack of sleep but am not actually resting. Doctor: hi,    you have  not mentioned your age and sex. possibility of pulmonary embolism has to be ruled out, u can get doppler study of your leg veins and arteries also pl get done ct scan of thorax,along with some blood tests for kidney thyroid lipids etc.