Asthma or not Asthma

[hobby12]

Hi All

Hope that you are all doing good. I was here last month about my Asthma journey .I had Asthma since childhood and had a recent flare up in last December which refused to go away, I was really struggling with my breathing with tightness in the chest but no wheezing or cough. It has been always like that with my asthma. I had CT san , X Ray , ECG, Ecocardiogram etc which all came back okay. This was my strory last month

I thought I would update what’s happening with me since last post.

Generally my breathless has improved even though I need occasional Reliever medication ( 3 or 4 times a week). It took me about 3 months to get here. However I have to stress that my breathing is still not the same it used to be.

I saw my specialist today after all the lung function tests and Manitol challenge test. He said I passed with flying colours and declared I don’t have Asthma. I talked him about my childhood asthma and occasional flare ups over these years. I also mentioned him that I needed reliever after the manitol challenge ever though I did well (-5.8%). He still thinks I don’t have Asthma.

He now thinks I may have VCD but wouldn’t refer me to ENT yet. He also asked me to stop all Asthma medications. He will now sent me to a tread mill stress test. I reckon it will take another 4 weeks before I get any results. So more waiting.

I am generally an anxious person. Stress and anxiety may have contributed to my suffering which I am trying work on. It was reassuring that all the tests done so far showed my lungs / heart are in good shape .

Thank you all for your patience

Thanks

[Darceydoo]

👍🏼 good news hope you get sorted soon though!

[Saassii]

Are you allergic to any known aero-allergens?

[hobby12 in reply to Saassii]

Thanks Saassii.. yes I was tested allergic to mainly dust mites and some type of grass pollen. This was done about 30 years ago and when I told my specialist he totally ignored. May be because he found nothing in my recent blood tests.

[Saassii in reply to hobby12]

What does he suggest are the triggers for your breathing distress? Does he think it's unrelated to your lungs? If he doesn't think it's asthma, what does he think it is? Dust mites and their byproducts can definitely trigger allergic reactions that cause breathing distress. Perhaps it's a good idea to go to an allergy and immunologist to have new RAST tests done.

If you don't have success or a good fit with that Dr, move on to another. Many of us hear callous and unknowledgeable words from Drs without the right experience. No doubt their pride makes them say some things that area just completely unhelpful and instead are hurtful. My only consolation is that they too are human.

Drs don't think of their patients outside of the time allocated. Why would they? They're not being paid then, it's their time for life. We are no different. The medical system isn't set up to reward them when they get patient success and not pay them if they don't know what's wrong. So instead they hit as many as they can but you'll find just like us, they'll do best in the things that they enjoy. So find a specialist whose truly interested in the area of medicine that you're narrowing in on. Keep trying until you get success xx

[hobby12 in reply to Saassii]

He thinks it could be VCD but wouldn’t refer to an ENT. He want me to do treadmill stress test before that . So more waiting. I feel better now than the time in last December when my struggle started. I believe my Asthma is under control and may have other issues which causing the breathlessness. Most of my trouble now is around throats and with frequent throat clearing. Thanks

[Saassii in reply to hobby12]

Look for mold. You're describing very similar issues to what I experienced.