Asthma or not?

[K---7]

Hello, is it possible to have asthma if you are at 100% oxygen? I've been felling short if breath that gets worse at night or walking. I also feel a tight chest not sure if it is my chest or my abdomen that feels tight since I've been diagnosed with acid reflux. My doc said I can't have asthma bc I am at 100% oxygen. However, I'm a little doubtful with her reasoning. I also have nasal congestion tho Nothing comes out and a bit of mucus buildup in my throat but it doesn't seem infection related since I always have it and it is not a lot/not a specific color. I have been told I have anxiety but I'm not sure if this is anxiety related bc I feel like it happens even when I'm not anxious.

[Sallyurnotal]

K---7

When you say your getting 100percent pure oxygen, Please explain. You also reported you may have anxiety, have you ever kept a diary of your asthma attacks or when you have difficulty breathing? Sometimes, until we look back at our day we don't realize we are having the same thing happen example: people I talk with onthe phone, watching a certain tv program ,maybe it getting dark , even someone sugesting a daily log .

I don't know about you but I'll try anything "most anything" if it helps . It is 4:19 am and I had to get up and do a treatment. Sometimes we just have trouble breathing .

Take care and give it a try .

[K---7 in reply to Sallyurnotal]

My doc checked my oxygen levels through the thing you put on your finger and said I was at 100% oxygen

[BreatheHappier]

When ever I go into the emergency room or into a doctors apt they say my oxygen is at 100% but I was still diagnosed with asthma, but I also have anxiety soo.. idk

[K---7 in reply to BreatheHappier]

Do you cough with your asthma?

[BreatheHappier in reply to K---7]

No I don't have a cough with mine

[K---7]

Hmm okay thanks neither do I. I'm still not sure whether it is anxiety or asthma

[BreatheHappier in reply to K---7]

I'm still not sure either so I'm treating both! It could be a combo! Like anxiety triggered asthma attacks or asthma attack triggered anxiety! I'm making apt to talk to therapists to see what they say!

[VincentW]

You may have been aggravated by something and will probably need Prednisone meds for 7 to 10 days. As it seems from your descriptions in the posts, you do have some sort of asthma and will need to see a specialist to get it under control. A family doctor will not be able to assist with your symptoms. This is what I had to do as I'm 59 years of age and have had asthma all of my life. Family doctor refered me to a pulmonary doctor and I'm much better now with my asthma. Try it.

[Caroljean1]

Please get a referral to a pulmonologist. Acid reflux and GERD can cause Vocal Cord Dysfunction which mimics asthma. Research it online. Keep a journal and list foods, meds, and when you get symptoms. Also look very closely at the sIde effects for all medications that you're taking. I was misdiagnosed (intentionally I believe) with asthma and have been on toxic meds with horrible side effects for 6 long years. I have suffered terribly. I don't want what happened to me to happen to anyone else. Go see an ENT if you know a reputable one. They can check for issues with your vocal cords. Hope this helps. Good luck!

[Pjizhere]

What is vocal cord dysfunction? I have cough variant asthma and acid reflux. I have a lot of mucus- but it’s always clear - but abundant.

[Mahod Asthma Captain]

Is your voice hoarse or barely audible?? Larynx can be affected by acid reflux and will trigger asthma. Recent bouts, doc put me on trial of proton inhibitor. Though I have no symptoms of acid reflux, he felt the steroid in nebulizer may be causing this reaction.

I have that clear mucous more when I get up in am.

Still on trial time. But I don't get wheezing with asthma attack. I will have hoarse and increasing difficulties talking. Other signs too, but this responds to rescue inhaler and breathing techniques.

[staceylloyd]

that doc is full of it ive been short of breath with my oxegen at 99. n i have servere asthma. when you are short of breath you breath faster. which makes you get more oxegen it

[Hidden]

You most certainly can have asthma and have a normal O2 sat, even if you're flaring. Unfortunately, many doctors and medical people equate breathlessness and asthma with a lack of oxygen. This simply is not true. Asthma is a disease of the airways, not the alveoli where O2 and CO2 exchange takes place. Unless the airways are completely blocked, which is rare, oxygen will find a way to squeeze through those obstructed airways to keep the sat up. In fact most asthmatics who come to the ER in distress for treatment will have O2 sats above 90%. If an asthmatic starts to desat, this usually means that the exacerbation is severe and that they are starting to tire out, or might have a secondary infection like pneumonia going on. This would be a true emergency.

Regarding anxiety, unless you've been diagnosed with some kind of general anxiety disorder, EVERY asthmatic will experience some degree of anxiety during a flare. It's impossible to gasp for breath and not be at least a little anxious. What doctors do see a lot , of are people with no history of lung disease who have anxiety disorder and who are actually over-breathing ( hyperventilating.).

Hope this helps.

[Beasley63]

Yes you can have Asthma and your oxygen still be at 99%. I have been diagnosed with Asthma and my oxygen is mostly always 99%. Has your dr. done the methacholine challenge test. That is how my Asthma was diagnosed for sure.

[Mary-intussuception]

Hi

What's the methacholine challenge test please?

Edit:

ps

I've just Googled it, thanks. Interesting ! No one ever mentioned it!

[Beasley63 in reply to Mary-intussuception]

my pulmonologist did the methacholine challenge test to verify that I did have asthma. was not a fun test at all.

[Mary-intussuception in reply to Beasley63]

Thanks. Sounds a nasty test. I've never been referred to a pulmonologist.

[Beasley63 in reply to Mary-intussuception]

My allergist referred me to a pulmonologist just to verify my asthma. I just kept being sick after she put me on breo for a year. I was always hoarse and she thought that I had vocal cord dysfunction, but ENT said I did not. That is when she wanted me to see pulmonologist for the methacholine challenge test. It definitely was positive. My lung function dropped to 30 per cent.

[Mellypad in reply to Beasley63]

I suffer with hoarseness too. Any advise on that?? Had reflux test done all clear.

[Beasley63 in reply to Mellypad]

I think It goes along with having asthma and also the inhalers cause that too. Symbicort and Advair really caused me to be hoarse and irritated my throat. I am on Dulera now. not quiet as bad but I still have days of hoarseness and especially if I come in contact with my triggers.

[PamLikesXolair2 in reply to Beasley63]

A friend had hoarseness & was taken off Breo & changed to a different med b/c it caused the hoarseness.

[Claire-Rose]

Asthma is a condition that affects your ability to breathe out so it is possible to have 100 percent oxygen even during an attack as the first thing that is affected is you can either hyperventilate meaning you are breathing away too much carbon dioxide or you can end up having too much carbon dioxide both can happen with high oxygen levels when asthmatics oxygen levels drop its usually a sign their airways are closing to the point oxygen is finding it hard to get in to the body and it is a medical emergency and they are usually getting tried or there is another underlying condition such as an infection or inflammation of the lungs

[Putnam Asthma Captain]

Sounds like a lot of allergic inflammation. October and November are tough months. I have asthma at 98 percent ox all the time.

[altade]

Yes I have severe attacks & my oxygen is always at 99 or 97