I know what you mean about the shortness of breath. When I walk the dog, three low incline hills in all directions from my front door. I also have to rest and catch my breath when I reach the top of any of three hills, and I have to rest my leg, or I get muscle spasms. It now takes me about 30 minutes to walk three blocks up to the main shopping district. A walk that used to take me 8 minutes with timeouts for the dog checking doggy mail. I walk about two miles every morning with the dog, take a swim at the club 3 of those mornings, and stop for coffee at a local joint by the LIRR station to shoot the s**t with other old men from the neighborhood indulging in similar activities. Not a bad way to keep the ear to the ground.
Now I am not your doctor but I suggest you discuss these possibilities with your doctor because of the symptoms you are expressing. Hiatal hernias are common for those of us past age 60. The symptom is chronic acid reflux. Combined with meds getting stuck in the hernia pocket, it could explain what you are feeling. Most hiatal hernias need no treatment. The answer is taking your meds with more water to wash them through the system. Try it an see if it works. If not it can also be treated with a med, and rarely, minor surgery with no pain, accessed through the mouth and throat while you are sleeping on valium. Valium is produced by the human liver and is very safe.
Fluid retention could be causing that pressure in your chest. Doctors do not know if that water retention comes before, during or after congestive heart disease. But if untreated it can cause kidney issues, and kidney issues can cause fluid retention. It can cause further heart disease, and sometime is evidenced by swollen feet and ankles, water on the ankles, sometimes not. A simple diuretic can be the answer, also lower blood pressure, and ease stress on the heart. You'll find you will now have something in common with toddlers, frequent urination and the need to nap more often. Napping is good for you. Take those walks, and use a walking stick, not a cane, a walking stick, good for beating kids and women offended because you complimented their looks. As in the Quiet Man, when the older lady says "Here's good stick to beat the pretty lady." Maureen O'Hara was fortunate that John Wayne didn't believe in raising his hands to women. When you take those walks, remember you are not in race. It doesn't matter how fast or slow you are moving, just keep moving until you need to rest. All's fine, enjoy the beauty that surrounds you, things you've always taken for granted. Just don't walk in high hot humidity, heavy rains, icy conditions or snow. Too slippery, and the precipitation and humidity labors breathing.
My friend Bruce, a few months older than me, walks around asking, "How did I get so old? How did I get so fat. My life sucks because I have congestive heart disease and can't catch my breath. It sucks because I can no longer eat whatever I want. Young girls are no longer attracted to me. Life sucks." I remind him young girls were never attracted to him, and he could easily live to 100 or longer with congestive heart disease, stop eating one meal daily, all day, he won't be so fat. He growls. Then he says, "I'm going home to listen to the Grateful Dead, the Rolling Stones, and Led Zeppelin. Thank god for geriatric rock and porn on cable demand."
