Chronic Bronchitis/Asthma

[Borage]

My husband has been diagnosed with asthma in the UK, and a mild form of chronic bronchitis in Romania. The doctors confirm it's the same thing, only the name differs.

My husband is 62 and generally fit. The UK doctor has put him on 3 three different inhalers - green, blue and brown. The Romanian doctor believes he shouldn't be on them unless strictly needed.

The problem is that though his breathing is well under control, and his lung capacity well over average, he complains of phlegm on the top of his chest. As a result, he clears his throat quite often, and sometimes, expecially in the morning, produces a yellow phlegm. Today he said he noticed some brownish blood in it.

He also complains his nose is blocked most of the time and that he can't smell things; that could be explained by a deviation of septum/polyps removed a few years ago.

Also, mainly in winter, he develops an eczema on his face and head which responds to a steroid-based cream. In summer this problem usually disappears.

He did smoke for 20 odd years but stopped smoking cigarretes in 1983. He took up pipe smoking subsequently but quitted it about 3 years ago.

I am quite worried about his quite violent throat-clearing and also, possibly, not being on the right treatment for his condition.

Any practical advice would be most gratefully received.

Many thanks

[J-J]

That sounds an awful-lot like me when i was about 11 years old before i got my tonsils and adnoids (add-noy-dz) out. You should deffenetly bring your husband to a doctor and see if that is what he needs. Before i got this opperation i had allergies all year long and couldn't smell A THING. from 7 years old-11

[Borage]

Thanks, I was thinking of persuading him to see a ENT specialist in Romania. Unfortunately, he hates seeing doctors so it's a bit of an uphill struggle.

[Borage]

Thank you. I really appreciate your answer. I shall try to persuade him to see an ENT specialist.

He did have a complete scan, X-ray, and blood tests a couple of years ago. All was clear, except some component in the blood test which the doctor said was high in people with allergic reactions.