breathing and coughing problem

am suffering from breathing problem and coughing, i have to take deep breath in every a minute and sometime dry coughing as well. its happening for 3 month and i have seen the doctore more than four times. i did chest x-ray and otherthing . doctore say my hert sound i s good and breathing as well. they said it could be some infection and  they gave me some infection anibiotic and nosal spray but it didn't effect to me and last week i met another doctor( i changed doctor) and she gave ma one chest infection medicine and seretide(asthma medicine) but still i am not felling well and still i have same problem. what you think its happening ? do you think its asthma or allergy or something else ?  please help me to take out from this problem. thank you.

[David Tinkelman, M.D.]

Your description suggests that, despite the “chest infection medicine”, you might still have infection.  If not infection, you are right, this could be asthma or any of a number of diseases that can be confused with asthma.  If this is asthma, the seretide is a good asthma medicine but not good enough if used alone, without other asthma meds.  I can’t tell when, during the past three months, the X-ray was taken but if it wasn’t within the past week or so, you should have a repeat “Chest X-ray.  You should also have examination of your sputum for the most common, routine bacteria that cause pneumonia and for tuberculosis.

Three months is a long time for a chest illness, as you have described it, to last, especially since this has happened during a period when you have been treated with a number of respiratory medications.  I suggest that you ask your doctor to refer you to a chest specialist (pulmonologist) capable of getting to the bottom of what is going on and provide the necessary treatment.  I understand how what you have been through could be very frustrating and caused you to be discouraged and not want to see another doctor, but trust me.  It is important that you do see a specialist so that this illness can be treated, before it gets worse.

Good luck