Do you think i have sarcoidosis? Here are my symtoms Last year, maybe the fall, started feeling like the left side of my chest had some pressure. Seems as though it kept growing, its like a brick is sitting in my chest. When i breathe, it feels like most of it is from the right side, and the left side only gets about half the air its suppose to get. As a result of this, i went into the hospital in january of this year, because i felt i could not breathe at all really, and started gettings these flutters in my chest i thought i was having a heart attack. Turns out my heart is fine, and the breathing problem was reduced when they gave me a liquid steroid through I.V., while there for 4 days. They put me on prednisone, and after finishing the bottle, that helped but didnt take the problem away. Again , and still to this day 8 months later, when i breathe, feels like most are from the right side, although im used to it and it doesnt bother me, its sstill not right. The cat scan came back that my lungs were clear, even though they said a slide malfunctioned. Few months back, i went to a family doctor, who really didnt do anything. He gave me a steroid inhailer, and that didnt work, then i went to a pulminary disease doctor, who couldnt figure it out, and she gave me more predinose, she suggested i see a rootologist i think it is, and i havent gone yet. Another problem i have been having is that i took something i was allergic to back in march, and i broke out in hives, when the hives went away, and the itching stopped, i developed these dark circle patches on my skin. Today, they are still there, one on my forehead, my ears have dark patches on them, 4 on the back of my neck, one on my back, and about 15 in total on both arms. I have been on a steroid cream for about 2 months but nthing has changed. So since march i have had these circle patches everywhere and nothing has changed. Another problem is now, it has been hard for me to breathe because my esophogus has allot of tissue build up, and the hole where the food goes down is not its normal size, its getting smaller because of whatever. My tongue is very large, and the tip of my tongue sitx on the top inside of my mouth. Is that normal? I dont know if its called the tonsil, but that thing that hangs down in the middle ih teh back is very long, and it sits on my tongue. Seems like im swollen back there, and also i have alot of saliva build up. I am going to an ent monday morning. Also, the left side of my jaw feels back by my ear, where the top and bottom meets, seems to be swollen it doesnt feel normal . Also, before all of this happened, i was having alot of cold sweats. Like daily i would wake up and my pillow is soaked. My vision is pretty ok, its not clear, i can see close, but far things on the tv like the words are hard to see. I have to squinch, but i make it. I had glasses which worked fine but i lost them gotta get more. Other than that, i feel fine, like im neve sick, im never tired, actually seems like this: when i eat mcdonalds, the next day im tired, and i eat out alot, but when i eat good frutis and vegatables, i feel so great the next day i feel like a million bucks, at least outside these other problems. Now, from what i have been reading, the symptons are everything i said. Your jaw hurts, you develop rashes, your chest is short of breathe, and others. Do you think i have sarcoidosis? Oh yea, i also had my wisdom tooth pulled, and 4 root canals over the last 2 months. I have been on prednisone for that also, but im out now. ITs been hard for me to breathe because my saliva seems to keep me choaking at night, and the anxiety from all this drives me crazy. Rodney

Animal specialist or Medical Knowledge urgently needed? PLEASE HELP...URGENT!! Animal specialists and/or medically knowledgeable people needed! I am seeking the help of any health care/medically knowledgeable people for advice. I have a seventeen year old mixed breed cat. She has always been quite healthy. About 3 or 4 years ago, she developed a 'hyper active thyroid.' She has been on Tapazole ever since then, and has responded very well to it. She is currently on a dosage of 5 mg, 1/2 a tablet in the morning, and one whole tablet in the evenings. About two months ago I took her for her regular checkup and my vet heard a "gallop" in her heart. We started her on 2.5 mg of Amlodipine, 1/4 of a tablet every three days. Things seemed to be going well, I brought her in a couple of weeks later, and the vet said her heart sounded great, and to keep the treatment going. Two days later, my cat was having very labored breathing and I brought her into an emergency vet clinic. They told me that her lungs were filled with fluid, and that they had to "tap her chest." They were able to successfully remove the fluid, and I took her the next day to see a heart specialist. They did an echocardiogram on her, and even though her heart seemed to look all right, we started to treat her for heart disease. We took her off the Amlodipine and put her on Lasix (12.5 mg, half a tablet twice a day) AND Enalapril (2.5 mg, half a tablet twice a day). She remained on those medications for a few weeks. Meanwhile, every single Friday she was rechecked, and the fluid was always back. We had to continually remove the fluid (through chest taps). Finally, the cardiologist ran some kind of blood work, to look at where her 'heart values' were at. He said that if it was in fact heart disease, that the numbers would be "through the roof." When we got the results back, all of her heart values were fine. We were both surprised. So, then he said it could possibly be "vasculitis?" Something where the vessels in her body were leaking. So, we put her on Prednisone (5 mg, half a tablet twice a day). She was on that for a couple of weeks...still, every Friday like clockwork, the fluid was back. Always around the same amount...no more, no less. In a last ditch effort, thinking maybe it could be some kind of fungus, we have put her on Doxycycline (liquid form, 100 mg/ml...I give her 0.2 mls twice a day). We also know that it is not cancer, because we've run the fluid (from her lungs) on two separate occasions, to check for cancer. And, it keeps coming back clean. The fluid that they keep removing is perfectly clear...not cloudy or straw-like at all. This is what we know right now: It is not heart disease, leaky vessels, fungus, or cancer. She is currently on a half a tablet of Prednisone (twice a day), 0.2 mls of Doxycycline (twice a day), and Tapazole (half a tablet in the morning, whole tablet at night). Other than the fluid in her lungs, she is PERFECTLY fine. She doesn't show any signs of discomfort or pain at all. She is eating and drinking normally, she is playful and affectionate...you would never even know that there is anything wrong. We have tried EVERYTHING that we can think of. The only option left is surgery, where they will open her chest and dig around inside. I am desperately trying to avoid this at all costs, for it is extremely aggressive, and potentially fatal. I am turning to all of you. I am reaching out to the huddled Internet masses, and begging for you to help me. ANY suggestions, thoughts, opinions, and ideas that you may have are not only welcomed, but completely needed. I pray that if we all put our brains together, that maybe we can save my sweet little Mandrake's life. I am also willing to offer a reward to anyone whose information results in the correct diagnosis. Please help me, she means the world to me