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National Jewish Health  
Male
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itching and shortness of breath
Aug 20, 2009 12:59PM in the Asthma and Allergy Expert Forum
Not knowing your age and not having information about your general health, makes it a bit difficult to answer this question but the information you have provided, shortness of breath and the skin itching, suggests an allergic component to your problem (despite the negative allergy tests. The most common association of shortness of breath, combined with sympt...
Windpipe constriction while sleeping
Aug 20, 2009 12:03PM in the Respiratory Disorders Expert Forum
What you describe strongly suggests the diagnosis of Obstructive Sleep Apnea. That you have also sensed “small amounts of saliva/fluid clogging” your windpipe, brings two other considerations to mind, possibly but not necessarily related to your inability to breathe in or out and those are: 1) acid reflux, also called gastric reflux or gastroesophageal r...
Chronic Coughing (OCD)
Aug 11, 2009 02:42PM in the Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disorder Expert Forum
This is not an easy question to answer without being seen. It IS possible that your cough is related to years of smoking. That is called Chronic Bronchitis. A good physical examination, a chest xray and lung function tests will help with this diagnosis. You OCD could also be a primary cause or aggravating an existing Bronchitis. Chronic cough can...
Non-calcified lung nodules
Aug 11, 2009 09:31AM in the Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disorder Expert Forum
Any time someone finds a nodule on a routine x-ray, there is some concern. While the vast majority of these are benign and relate to previous infection, some do, in fact, indicate a more serious problem. There are two things that I would recommend: 1. It is reasonable to see a Pulmonologist if your level of concern is high. He/She may probably will not do...
Recent onset SOB; PFT shows restrictive process?
Aug 11, 2009 09:26AM in the Respiratory Disorders Expert Forum
It is apparent that your breathing difficulty has increased in the last year. That is not uncommon in asthma. It can happen without any obvious reason, such as an infection. It seems like your airways are more hyper-reactive now then they were a few years ago. Here are some answers to your questions. 1. You really do not present with any typical s...
Diagnosis
Aug 10, 2009 01:27PM in the Respiratory Disorders Expert Forum
Atelectasis occurs when there is pressure on the small airways of the lung that causes them to close up. In obesity, the size of the abdomen can be cause of such atelectasis. It is, of course, more prominent when the person in lying down. A PO2 of 52 is a significant problem. It is worth discussing wearing O2 24 hours a day. This should be discussed w...