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Avatar universal

Does this sound like asthma?

I am concerned about my husband.  He is a 49 year old electrician, he has never smoked and doesn’t drink.  About 5 years ago he started coughing.  He went to the doctor who arranged an x-ray and diagnosed asthma.  He was given a blue and brown puffer to use.  His cough didn’t improve and so eventually he stopped taking these.  He continued having the cough and in 2014 we paid for a CT scan, just to check things were ok.  We were worried about asbestos as we know he has worked in buildings containing it.  The CT scan showed up some scars, granulomas and a raised left hemi diaphragm.  He mentioned this to his GP, but he didn’t do anything about it.  During his routine tests they found out he had a low heart rate, he was referred to a cardiologist who said his heart was fine.  In November/December 2015 his cough got a lot worse and at times his peak flow was 250.  He was prescribed a course of steroids and it got a lot better only to come back again so another course was prescribed.  His GP then referred him to a respiratory consultant who did a CT scan and a lung function test.  His consultant wrote the following

''He had a high resolution CT scan of his chest which was essentially normal.  He also had a lung function test done which showed FEV1 93% of predicted.  Vital capacity was 104% of predicted whereas the ratio between FEV1 and FVC was 69.  After 200mcg of Salbutamol inhaler his FEV1 improved by 270 ml indicating some reversibility so overall my clinical impression if that his cough could be secondary to hypersensitive airways plus/minus mild asthma.''

He was prescribed Symbicort Turbuhaler 200/6 one puff twice a day.  This was back in September.  His cough wasn’t improving so a couple of weeks ago he went to see his GP who told him to increase his dose to two puffs twice a day.  Two weeks later he still hasn’t improved.
He is constantly tired and get pains in the centre of his chest.  He doesn’t see his consultant again until March next year and I am concerned that there is something more going on in his chest.

If the Symicort was working, shouldn’t he be feeling better by now?  Does this sound like asthma or COPD?  Can you offer any advice please.
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Avatar universal
Oh yes and another thing dont make him worried or full of anxiety i mean he should be umm what to say? Yeaa out of tension no mental pressure at all thinking positive, i am here struggling with asthma since 7 years. Tell him that he is not the only one in trouble in case to satisfy him  ok mam? Also i pray and wish for his good living.
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Avatar universal
I am not good at english but i will try .First of all we Should know that there are lot of lungs problems and chest problem and asthma have also different shapes i mean allergic or heridity i am as well asthma patient. Maybe it could be something allergic that triggers him to suffer can be cold,dusts,food or even micro-organisms. If there is blood in the mucos while coughing it may sign as t.b checking for a while would not harm so. Umm well i would recommend you to not wholly depend on allopathy i mean those medicnes n puff etc. try some home remedies if u believe me then try out ginger pieces and organic honey twice a day.keping the body warm avoiding cold foods drinks totally. Even boiled water cooled. Hotpack in chest to warm up at night time. Vegetables like pumpkin and pork,buff avoided. Keeping his body totaly warm do some light exercises put masks while out of house. Take water vapour for 15 minutes If not maintained health for trying out these things in one month then i would suggest few things more.
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