Been to consultant today and he's said every test I've had so far shows I don't have asthma... I said so it's not ruled out it's asthma but it's likely to not be that? .... he said no at this point in pretty much ruling put asthma
It's not copd
It could be broncheastisis
And I might have a thyroid (cortisol problem)... which interestingly we've discovered goes away when they give me steroid inhalers
I was first diagnosed with asthma. A year later, I had a GI cat-scan, which happened to show the bottom portion of my lungs. After a lung scan, I was diagnosed with Bronchiectasis. The asthma diagnosis remained, until I had a methacoline challenge test. This test determined that I didn't have asthma.
I'd assume that you will need a cat-scan to determine a Bronchiectasis diagnosis. Good luck in finding your health answers.
Yes I had a mannitol challenge (apparently they don't do methacoline in this neck of the woods)..Didnt react
And loads of blood tests for esophonils and other asthma markers... all ok
So I mentioned about me passing out and how it goes away with inhalers and he said well the inhaler would replace steroid and the bodies natural steroid cortisol you may be deficient... that's for an endocrinologist to determine you will need a referal for that
Your doctor may be right as your symptoms do not sound like bronchiectasis. You do not mention getting frequent chest infections. Of course I am not a doctor and cannot diagnose. I would suggest that the way to go is to get your doctor to refer you to an endocrinologist and a bronch expert. NOT a general respiratory consultant as they know very little about it. Then get the bronch ruled in or out by ct scan and an expert opinion. Hopefully, one way or another you will then be closer to knowing what you are dealing with.
I do get repeated chest infections so he says I *may have* something else like broncheastisis but I don't have any of the key markers for asthma and I don't show any restriction on lung function so it's not asthma and very unlikely to be copd
But it is likely I have a cortisol problem
I suggest that you follow my advice and insist on seeing a bronch specialist and an endocrinologist to sort it out.
I'm under a respiratory consultant and soon to be an endocrinologist... the respiratory consultant is ordering test after test and I think ruling out what it's not for now
I was treated for asthma for years and kept saying the inhalers didnt work and made me cough. It wasnt until my new doctor put me in for a ct scan that this showed up bronchiectasis, easier to deal with when you know what the disease is and this site is full of information which really helps.
Do you not use inhalers to treat bronchiectasis?
I have tried loads of them and none seem to work. I now only use one if I have a cold or recovering x
Thanks for your reply. I was diagnosed with asthma as a baby but in recent months I’ve been wondering if either I was misdiagnosed or maybe something else is going on too. I started this year with Clenil, then I had Fostair for 6 months, now I have Seretide, Spiriva Respimat and Ventolin. None of them really seem to do anything for me, always make me cough and just basically don’t seem to work. Having said that, I had Serevent for several years and that did seem to work really well but it was taken away and since then I’ve had ever changing inhalers as nothing works, and my health has deteriorated quite a bit. It’s just a bit confusing and I don’t really know what’s going on with me, but when I saw your post about inhalers don’t work for you it really made me sit up and pay attention.
Just a thought- have u tried the individual components of sergeant? I find my inhalers only work if I take them in a set order. Worth experiment if :/ go are ok with that.
Think I will ask about serevent and see if that gives me any relief, but agree with littlepom, it is getting rid of the mucus that gives me the most relief. Have you had a ct scan, this shows up if you have bronchiectasis, if not ask your gp to send you for one.
All the replies here (many thanks for them all) have given me a lot to think about. I haven't had a CT scan. On two separate occasions I've been told it could be COPD but as I've since read on this forum, that's not a diagnosis. And, interestingly (not the right word) in the past 18 months or so, I seem to have had one chest infection after another. In fact when I went for a recent checkup the nurse actually grumbled at me for being ill again and how can I expect to be checked over if I've got yet another cold. (Not that it was a cold anyway) I'm not doing it deliberately you know!
The hospital respiratory nurses are better as they understand lung disease, ask your gp to refer you to a consultant at the hospital they can then advise you, it seems like you need this if you are having infections, good luck xx
Inhalers are not the front line medication for bronchiectasis as the main problem is avoiding and treating infection in the mucus which collects in the pockets in lungs and airways. However, some bronchs and bronchs with asthma find them beneficial. I have spiriva and fostair. I use them but am never too sure if they are actually doing anything as any breatlessness I get is usually caused by excess mucus hanging around.
Interesting. How did you find out that your thyroid has issues? My asthma is also iffy. I had my throat examed last week for a leaky epiglottis, symptoms similar to GERD and aspiration asthma. Both not the case. The doctor told me I should have my thyroids checked out. One was slightly bigger than the other but not hard according to him. I am running out possible causes. I have had everything examed. Today my heart for cardiac asthma
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