Need Help with respitory problem

[Scooter27]

I had a severe lung infection in 95 that I neglected to treat for a long period of time.  I ended up having  severe breathing problems and eventually went to a lung specialist.  After reviwing my x rays he felt that there may be some scarring in my lungs causing inflammation.  He diagnosed me as having reactive airways disease. After awhile my condition improved after taking medication.  I have had to deal with the problem to some degree ever since but it was not as severe.  It has recently come back over the last couple of months.  It feels like someone is always standing on my chest and I have problems getting a deep breath. When I can get something up, the mucus is very thick and formed into tubes.  Smells defintely can make it worse.  I also have that smelly sneeze problem that I have seen some people complain about on this forum.  My doctor has recently prescribed Advair and it has helped some but I am still much worse then I have been in the past.  I can sometimes get light headed as well from a lack of oxygen.  Some days I cant tell I have a problem at all and others I can bairly breath.  Doe anyone have any suggestions on what this is or what else I can be doing to improve my condition? Any help is appreciated.

[National Jewish]

Severe lung infections can cause inflammation of the airways of the lungs.  Usually when this occurs, you will cough when you are active or laugh.  This inflammation can cause you to feel like someone is always standing on your chest and problems getting a deep breath.  After the infection is gone, it is possible for the inflammation to linger.  This inflammation can last for several weeks.  Sometimes this inflammation may linger for 3 to 6 months.  Eventually the inflammation will go away, and then the chest pressure and trouble getting a deep breath will stop.  This is called reactive airways disease (RAD) and behaves a lot like asthma.  When this inflammation is treated with an inhaled steroid, which is used to treat asthma, it often clears more quickly.  The Flovent® (fluticasone) portion of the Advair™ Diskus® (fluticasone/salmeterol) is an inhaled steroid.

When this continues, it is generally considered to be asthma.  To know for sure if your symptoms are due to asthma or RAD testing will need to be done.  Generally testing starts with a simple breathing test called spirometry.  This test provides detailed information about how your lungs are working.  It will show if there is obstruction in your airways.  To really test for asthma it is best to repeat this test after using a rescue inhaler, an inhaled bronchodilator.  This measures how much the bronchodilator helps your lungs by reversing the problem.  When there is a 20% increase, the test is positive for asthma.  There are a variety of things that can make asthma worse.  These things are called triggers.  Smelling odors and infections are common triggers of asthma.

Sinusitis is an inflammation of the mucous membranes that line the sinus cavities.  Inflammation of the sinuses could be due to an allergy, an infection, or ongoing exposure to an irritant, such as pollution or smoke.  Symptoms can include a headache or pressure in the area of the sinuses, a stuffy nose, achy teeth, a smelly sneeze, postnasal drip, cough, sore throat, laryngitis, lightheadedness, constant low fever, and thick, yellow to green nasal drainage.  A CT scan of the sinuses is the best way to identify sinusitis.

Since you are much worse than you have been in the past it is important that a doctor see you and more testing be done to know for sure if there is another lung problem causing your symptoms.  A CT scan of your chest would show more detail of the scarring that showed up on your chest x-ray.  Only after the cause of your symptoms is known can the most helpful treatment be determined.  A pulmonologist would be the type of specialist to arrange for this testing and to help you get the best treatment.

[thankgod]

OMG! you sound like what i have!i have this breadhing deeply,sudden cought that last for 15 mins shortness of bread,cant work out anymore, going up the stairs probleme!i have this for 5 months now,they tough is was my sinusis,i hade a deviated septum,nasal polys,chronic sinusite,i got operated october 31 for it,now i can bread very good from my nose but it did not stop the pain, of not being able to bread deeply and everything else,i went to the emergecy 2 times,they found nothing ,but then the said my white blood cells were high and my red ones low,anyways then send me to a specialist,now this doctor said i probably have a blood clot in my lungs,you see i've benn taking the birth control pill since 16 and now i'm 26,they put me on that because of my painful period and because i got a cyst remove when i was 17,but you see this thing that started 5 months ago i think i know its from were,this summer wile i was playing hockey i had this sharpe pain in my soulder, like i could not even more it,but i did not go to the hospital i went to see my physio and he toke away the pain but it went in my lungs,so now i think that my blood clot move around,and i have very bad pain in my legs to,all symtoms that i never had started all 5 months ago,i dont smoke,ii use to work out 4 times a week play hockey and now i cant even go up the stairs,huston we have a probleme!well that's my story!

[Effendy]

my problem same as yours, when i take flight for business purpose suddenly i felt my ear very sick, it's like i have a stick insinde my ear.
so i visit my doctor, thanks god, she look into my nose using a stick with small camera and found that i got allergic. i got some thing like a polyp but not a polyp.
until now, every morning after sleeping i m still have a headache that cause lack of oxygen. to prevent it she give me illiadin spray (if i ve problem).
but it's getting better and better than last year.
i suggest you to check again with your doctor and ask him or her to do it more careful.
hope both of you getting better.

[tnman200]

I have read this thread with interest. I've had an ongoing respiratory problem for nearly four months now. I have a lot of pressure on the middle and lower part of my chest, with severe burning in my lungs.  I have had a cat scan, been diagnosed with asthma.  I smoked at a very young age up until four months ago, when I quit. I don't seem to be able to take a deep breath. It does feel like someone is sitting on my chest, and that I cannot get a deep breath but I do cough up a lot of thick mucous. I've been dizzy, felt like passing out on occasion, becoming weaker as time passes. I have been to see 3 different doctors but my regular doctor has not referred me on to a pulmonologist yet. I'm told that my symptoms should go away in a few weeks, but I've very tired, finding myself unable to work without getting short of breath. The lung pain is progressively getting worse, and the burning sensation and inability to get a deep breath at times drives my crazy.  I have been on advair for about a week now and also a quick acting inhalor was given to me today.  I'm just seeking answers on what my problem is. I guess I am very tired because when I sleep I dream of not being able to catch my breath and dream of choking. My problem is, the burning I feel in my lungs does not seem to be a part of an asthmatic condition.  It is persistent and constant.  I'm 20 years old.

thanks, tnman200

[babygchic]

I am feeling the same way It started about 2 months ago when I just felt like out of the blue I stopped breathing and like I was having a heart attack I went to the ER that night and they said I was fine.  I sone went to see my own doctor and he said i was just overy worked and I should go home and get some rest he also said that maybe it was anxiety which I think is bull **** b/c I have always been a happy person.  But ever since that night I have been feeling the same way.  I swiched my doctor and this new doctor as gone thru many tests with my and has since perscribed me on everything.  I am only 20 years old and have been healthy all my life until now.  I cant sleep at night that when I feel the worst I feel like I cant take a deep breath and that my chest is being sat on by a 500lb man.  I have lost my appetite and the doctors think it might be heart burn but my chest doesnt feel pain like heart burn I just want to feel my self again I want to be able to breath if anyone can make me feel better please help me thanks

[Terry1]

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