Trouble breathing - Asthma or something else?

[cirila01]

I used to have asthma but it went away when I was 15. My family have a lot of allergy and asthma problems. My father was a pack a day smoker and he used to smoke in the house.
I'm a 32F who was swimming competitively until last year, work in a office and tends to get stress out and anxious very easily
Last august I got walking pneumonia and since then I have a lot of problem breathing. I've been taking Advair 500, Intal, Spiriva and Albuterol but It doesn't seem that I'm getting any better and my concern now is that I could have been misdiagnosed with asthma since I told the doctors that I used to have it before.

My Symptoms
Dry cough and shortness of breath - NO wheezing
I'm sort of ok if I'm seating or laying down (no activity)
No night problems
Better indoors. Not so good outdoors
If I do any type of exercise (such as reg. swimming workout) or go for a walk (shopping indoor or outdoor) or if I get too tired I would start having shortness of breath and I would definitely spend the next 6 to 10 days having a lot of trouble breathing
I don't seem to have an acute asthma attack but it usually feel like a constant shortness of breath and the Albuterol doesn't help
I'm lately catching colds very often and when I do I start having problem breathing
I'm very allergic to dust mites, mold, trees, grasses and shrimp.

If someone can tell me what I have and how to treat it!

[blue_eyes_72]

The dr's have told you that you have allergies, am I correct? Are they treating you for them? It sounds like all the Meds your taking are more for the breathing. My daughters Allergy dr, is treating her for allergies, meds and shots, and for asthma, but she also has copd. with copd, it has come to my attention, mimmics asthma attacks, you get nervous, or upset or anything like that your airways close. Have thay ran a pulminary function test, did x-rays anything like that? Do you see an allergy specialist? My daughter had asthma as an infant and outgrew it, but now it is back and the copd is now with it. I dont know if this will help, but Its the only thing I know to give you any kind of help. HOpe it works out for you.

[cirila01]

Blue_Eyes
I'm currently seeing an allergist as well and getting the allergy shots. I started this few months ago, but there is no difference. I also tried taking singulair, then allegra and then zyrtec but nothing helped.
The shortness of breath always happen after any type of exercise or something as simple as walking few blocks. And if I do a little too much, I stay without able to breath for several days or weeks. Is very frustrating because I'm only ok only if I'm not doing anything, so this is letting me to a very sedentary life. I'm actually getting depress about this since I used to swim a lot, almost everyday for 1 1/2 hour before going to work and do a lot of things after work.
I really wondering if this is asthma since any of the asthma inhalers seems to help and I don't have many of the symptoms that asthamic usually have such as wheezing, not being able to breath at night, etc

[blue_eyes_72]

Here is a site I was given. I was asking about my 15 year old have copd. this makes alot of sense. maybe it wilhelp you. I guess alot of dr's dont look for it.


http://www.medicinenet.com/alpha_1_antitrypsin_deficiency/article.html

Hope this helps.