Asthma and Bronchitis

[Mike_Jameson202]

Hello everyone, I am new to this site but everyone on the boards seems pretty helpful so I figured I'd ask a question:

I've had asthma since i was about 3 (I'm currently 25), and I've struggled with it most of my life. I have never felt that I really have had a good control over it, and I think I devloped it partly due to growing up in a very moldy/old house, and with parents that smoked around me. Currently the last few years I've been having an issue where I normally get sick, then get bronchitis afterwards. After I get over most of it, I still have it lingering through out almost the rest of the year it seems. I have seen my doctor about it but she doesn't believe it is chronic bronchitis, though I'm not really sure what to think.

The problem is that when I wake up in the morning, I can't really get a good breath of full air, and I have to reach for my inhaler everytime. I end up coughing a lot of and spit out yellow pleghm. This goes on through the day until about half way through it, where my lungs seem to get adjusted to it. This also happens when I am trying to exercise at the fitness center. So I guess my question is, do other asthmatics have this same problem, and is this common, or does this sound like it actually is a more serious case of bronchitis? I've never known anyone around me in MA that has asthma so I'm kind of at a loss for talking to others.

Also just a side note, the medication I take right now is: Albuterol, Advair and singulair for it.

Thanks!

[caregiver222]

As geminigirl1963 mentioned yellow sputem is a sign of a bacterial infection within the lung. If such an infection goes on unresolved for an indefinite period of time it may become encapsulated, resistant to antibiotics, and only treatable by surgical removal.

You need to see a pulmonologist.

[Mike_Jameson202]

Thanks for the info, I really appreciate it! I have never seen a pulmonlogist and no, both primary care physician's I've ever had in my life have never suggested I see one (which I think is kind of strange), but I will definitely look into that.

I live in Sunderland MA which is in the western part, closer to Springfield then to Boston. ^_^

[geminigirl1963]

Coughing up colored sputum is a sign of infection.  I, also, have asthma and tend to get bronchitis very easily after I've been sick, even with a cold or flu.  

Are you currently seeing a pulmonologist or strictly your primary care physician?  If you are not seeing a pulmonary doc, I strongly advise you to get in to see one.  They can definitely do more testing to see exactly what is going on and if, in fact, this is a case of chronic bronchitis, which is sometimes seen in COPD.

At the very least, it sounds like your medication regime needs to be "tweaked" since you are still having so many breathing symptoms.

BTW - where in MA do you live?  I was born in Walpole (well, Norwood actually) and lived there until I was 9 years old.  Also had relatives in Walpole, Saugus and Norwood.