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Respiratory Disorders (Expert Forum)
I Thought Asthma Was Wheezing
Answered by
This forum is for questions and support regarding lung and respiratory issues such as: Allergies, Asthma, Bronchitis, Colds - Flu, Chronic Cough, COPD, Cystic Fibrosis, Emphysema, Fibrosis, Lung Abscess, Nasal Polyps, Pleurisy, Pneumonia, Sarcoidosis, Sinusitis, Tuberculosis.
I Thought Asthma Was Wheezing
by boola, Jun 21, 2002 12:00AM
Hi,
I get coughing fits that come out of nowhere. Its like a bad chest cold that comes on in a matter of seconds, but only lasts for a few hours and then is totally gone.
Even if I didn't have a cold already, my chest will suddenly fill up with mucus and I can't breath in. Usually my eyes start watering too so I have tears running down my face and am coughing almost non-stop, but I can't breath in deep enough to cough up any of the mucus. Sometimes it feels like I'm going to suffocate.
But then it will go away just as suddenly as it came on. Its like a bad chest cold that comes and goes in an hour or 2. But these "fits" leave me exhausted, and scared that its going to start up again. Sometimes I am almost afraid to go out of the house because these coughing fits are embarrassing and people stare at me, or else grab their kids and practically run the other direction, like I'm going to infect them or something.
My dr. said it sounds like Asthma, but since I haven't ever had one of these fits in his office he doesn't know for sure. He wants to test me for Asthma.
I don't know if I should do it. My brother had asthma when we were little and it was nothing like this. He just would wheeze and maybe cough a little bit but it was nothing like this. And I don't wheeze, I just cough.
The other thing is, I get a lot of regular chest colds that last forever as it is, but these coughing attacks happen even when I don't have a cold and are really scarey.
Is it worth getting tested for asthma? And what if I do have it, what then? I am 49 years old.
I get coughing fits that come out of nowhere. Its like a bad chest cold that comes on in a matter of seconds, but only lasts for a few hours and then is totally gone.
Even if I didn't have a cold already, my chest will suddenly fill up with mucus and I can't breath in. Usually my eyes start watering too so I have tears running down my face and am coughing almost non-stop, but I can't breath in deep enough to cough up any of the mucus. Sometimes it feels like I'm going to suffocate.
But then it will go away just as suddenly as it came on. Its like a bad chest cold that comes and goes in an hour or 2. But these "fits" leave me exhausted, and scared that its going to start up again. Sometimes I am almost afraid to go out of the house because these coughing fits are embarrassing and people stare at me, or else grab their kids and practically run the other direction, like I'm going to infect them or something.
My dr. said it sounds like Asthma, but since I haven't ever had one of these fits in his office he doesn't know for sure. He wants to test me for Asthma.
I don't know if I should do it. My brother had asthma when we were little and it was nothing like this. He just would wheeze and maybe cough a little bit but it was nothing like this. And I don't wheeze, I just cough.
The other thing is, I get a lot of regular chest colds that last forever as it is, but these coughing attacks happen even when I don't have a cold and are really scarey.
Is it worth getting tested for asthma? And what if I do have it, what then? I am 49 years old.
Doctor's Answer
by National Jewish, Jun 26, 2002 12:00AM
, Jun 26, 2002 12:00AM
It is important to find out the cause of the symptoms that you are describing. Asthma is only one cause of this, but a good bet. The "test" for asthma is a simple one. You will blow into a machine both before and after taking an inhaled medication. It is a quite safe and definitive test. If you have asthma, there are several safe medications to control the problem. If you do not have asthma, the search should continue to determine whether the cough is due to an upper or lower airway problem. The tests for these are also safe and fairly definitive.
Find out now, before it gets worse, whatever "it" is!
Whether it's asthma or something else, you will have many treatment choices. Call the LUNG LINE nurses at 1-800-222-LUNG(5864) to get more advice.
Good luck to you.
Sincerely, Concerned lady
http://cantbreathesuspectvcd.com