Breathing Problems

[rspowers]

When i am around smoke I cough for a few days and if I continue to go out to bars i cough for a month or so and have breathing difficulty and the need to take deep breaths.  I stopped going to bars and this went away after a month.  I started going to bars again and all the symtoms came back and now I cant catch my breath when I am sitting doing nothing.  I stopped going to bars and the symptoms mostly went away.  my neighbors started smoking and the smoke came into my house and I started having a cough that only happened when I talk on my exhale.  I moved and the cough went away.  Now I just got 2 cats and they are giving me severe post nasal drip.  Now whenever i smell anything like smoke my lungs get irritated and i have some trouble breathing for a day.  I am not sure if this is due to the congestion?  i also clear my throat alot.  I also started coughing when I talk again and I noticed that my landlord is working on my house and smoking alot.  Could the coughing when I talk be an allergy or from the smoke?

I have been to many doctors.  They all said the shortness of breath is my anxiety.  My lungs also sound clear.  no trouble exercising or running. chest xray = clear.

i went to an allergist and they did a spirometer test = clear.  they did a machine spiro test = clear.  breathing was 100%.  they gave me albuterol and did the machine test and my breathing = 105%.  the albuterol also clears my lungs of congestion so mabye they arent even inflammed it got 5% better due congestion clearing from albuterol.  any suggestions?  do i have asthma? RAD? Just allergies?

[National Jewish]

It appears that what is happening is that you are very sensitive to irritants.  Smoke is a very strong irritant, as are many others, such as perfumes, dust etc.  Your airways are "twitchy" and react to these irritants making you cough along with being short of breath.  This is probably followed by bronchospasm, which makes you feel like it’s hard to breathe.  I would continue to work with your doctors to see if you are helped by medicines for your nose and lungs, usually inhaled steroids.  In addition avoid exposure to smoke and other strong irritants.

[bmw1]

The allergist's tests (along with your other consultations with Drs.) should have determined whether or not you had asthma.

From your description, it sounds very much like allergies. In the presence of certain allergens (smoke, etc), you have breathing difficulties. In the absence of such allergens, everything is fine. This is a classic allergic reaction pattern.

[rspowers]

the post nasal drip and chest congestion are 100% allergies.  but im really concerned about the problems that i get when i am around smoke.  the allergist said i dont have asthma but that my breathing improved 5% after the albuterol.  he said i could take an inhaled steroid if wanted but it wasnt necessary.  i am really concerned about the cough that i get when i am talking alot. im not sure if that is an allergy or smoke related.  it happened last fall and is happening again this fall.  

i feel like a smoke reaction has to be asthma or some form of it.  its not normal to react like that.

well i hope its all allergies but i will probably go to another allergist just to be sure.

by the way, i am 26 yr old male. non smoker.  very active.  very hypocontriac