I keep coughing and have been to the Doctor

[Joeyg023]

Ok well about a month ago I thought I was getting a cold, but noticed I never got any other symptoms other than Coughing only. Well 1-2 weeks later I went to the Walk in Clinic that I normally go to when im sick. Well they said it looked like I had allergies because there were dark spots under my eyes. Well they checked everything like they normally do and wanted to do a chest x-ray and a PFT (breathing test) well I couldn’t do the PFT right for whatever reason. Well the X-ray came back ok except on one of my lungs near the bottom the corner was rounded. They said it should be blunt shaped. They said that I had some fluid down there and that one of my air passages is collapsing cause of the Fluid. Well Anyway they said it could be early signs of pneumonia or allergies. So they gave me medications for both since they still didn’t have a clue what it was. I got a total of 3 different kinds of samples and had to get a prescription. What they gave me was:
Biaxin XL(Clarithromycin)500 MG,
Singulair 10 MG(Montelukast Sodium),
Advair Diskusm (Fluticasone propionate 100 MCG/salmeterol 50 MCG inhalation powder)
The prescription or antibiotic they had me get is Benzonatate 200 MG capsule Inw (this was for coughing from what they said)

Ok well Yesterday was 1 week since I went to the doctor and started taking all this. I have not noticed to be any better at all. I can go back and get another x-ray, but I do not have insurance and spent $330 for everything and I feel I paid $330 for absolutely nothing so im scared to go again in fear to waste my money again. Any thoughts on this?

[National Jewish]

Your symptoms suggest a routine viral respiratory illness.  Walk-in clinics are geared to deal with these types of illnesses.

While fluid in the chest is always abnormal, it isn’t always serious.  The fluid is actually in the pleural space that surrounds the lungs.  Walk-in clinics are generally not the best place to have such problems evaluated.

One of the first things you should do is to determine if your x-ray is truly abnormal and, if so, is the abnormality new or long-standing.  The way to answer this question is to compare your recent x-ray with any previous x-rays you might have had in the past.  You should first request a copy of the official interpretation of your x-ray.  If the radiologist agreed with the walk-in clinic interpretation, then you should arrange to get the chest x-ray or a good copy of it and take it to a primary care physician.  You should have an examination and then another x-ray to see if there has been any change since the x-ray almost 2 weeks ago.  If the repeat x-ray shows that there is still fluid in your chest or that it has gotten worse, you should see a lung specialist.

This will be a financial burden, but you cannot afford to ignore this abnormal fluid, as it may only get worse.  One way or another, you and your doctors need to know the cause of the fluid and set about to treat it.

Good luck