Chronic problem...allergy?...previous lung damage?

Hi,
  
I am mid age female...had mycoplasmic pneumonia 15 years ago which seem to trigger ongoing fatigue problems in the following years which no one had answers for.
  
Finally started to realize an ongoing pattern ....sometimes a cold virus, or exposure to dust, hay, spring pollens, or mold results in upper chest and back pain, bit of breathlessness..with following fatigue which may last 3 or 4 days.  
I am now very careful - gave up pet birds etc and try not to expose myself to the multiple triggers which seem to have increased in number.  Any idea why this occurs?  Are my lungs damaged or scarred from having the pneumonia? Could that explain the back pain? Could this be allergy? Could it worsen?

My father died of emphysema, as did my grandfather.  They were both heavy smokers and woodworkers.  I smoked from age 0-22 but since then have tried to live healthier.  Any advice for me and dealing with these bouts of breathing trouble so they won't worsen?
Thanks in advance!

[National Jewish]

What you have experienced is not characteristic of emphysema.  It is also very unlikely that any lung damage or scarring you might have had with the Mycoplasma pneumonia would have resulted in your recurrent lung problem.  You may have to be examined thoroughly by a pulmonologist.  This is the type of specialist to be able to clarify your problem and determine the most helpful treatment.

What you describe suggests recurrent hypersensitivity pneumonitis (HP).  HP is inflammation of the air sacs of the lungs.  This is caused by an allergic reaction to inhaled biologic dusts that are small, 5 microns or less in diameter.  Biologic dusts include animal or plant proteins, microorganisms, and rarely low-weight chemicals.  Usually the chest x-ray is abnormal with HP.  In the early stages of the disease the chest x-ray may be normal, while the high resolution CT scan is not.

Once exposure stops, the symptoms usually clear within a day.  So it is important to find what is causing the symptoms.  When the exposure is work-related the symptoms may improve during days off, only to start up again after returning to work.  You may be without symptoms while you are away on vacation, but the symptoms return when you return to work.

Masks are usually not helpful, but respirators can significantly decrease the exposure.  However staying away from the cause will help the most.  Steroids are used to decrease the inflammation.  Bronchodilators are used to relax tightness of the airways.