Breathing problems

[leigh244]

July 27 2011 I had a cyst on my bottom that I was just hoping would go away but two days later it caused me to go sepsis and I was rushed to the hospital where they cut it open and drained it. I was much better after that but on August 2nd 2011 I suddenly had a very hard time breathing. I would try to go to work but going up the stairs or any physical exertion would cause my pulse to race to 130- 170, I would have shortness of breath, sharp pain in my heart and irregular heart beat. This went on till September 22nd of 2011 when I started my car and it smelled like dirty feet. I took my car to the mechanic on the 26th and he told me I had mold in the air conditioner of my car. I still have the car but I DO NOT TURN THE AIR OR HEATER ON EVER. On October 2nd I felt better for the first time in a long time and slowly have gotten better. However, I still suffer from the feeling that I can not get enough air in my lungs. Through out the day I'm searching for that good breath in and it's constant. I find it eventually only to have to find it four or five minutes later. I told my GP and he referred me to a allergy specialist and a pulmonalogist. So far they have not helped much. I have had chest x-ray, cat scan ekg's which all come back normal. They have tried to treat me as if this is asthma but the medications never help. I have a referal to a nose throat and ear specialist and they want to do a scope my appointment is the 20th until then I found the question from Anelle who is on this website and her condition is EXACTLY like me but that was back in 2002 and the likely hood she would respond is slim to none. If anybody has had what I have or have what I have please tell me. Hope to hear from you thanks.

[leigh244]

Thanks for your comments I appreciate it more than you know. My symptoms are so baffling to me. I literally moved in with my mom last Wednesday thinking it was something enviromental in my apartment. However, its been eight days and I still have air hunger and chronic cough. The only relief I have had is when I started taking 2 mucinex a day for like 4 days and by the 5th day I had so much nasal congestion coming out it was crazy. In the morning in comes out green but throughout the day its clear. No matter how gross that sounds it was the only time that my air hunger started to dimenish for the first time in two months. Today I only took Allegra D and my breathing is horrible. Its like the congestion coming out actually stopped my air hunger HOW IS THAT POSSIBLE. Anybody out there knows anything please let me know thanks.

[allmymarbles]

Tests to diagnose Aspergillus infection include:

    * Aspergillus antibody test
    * Chest x-ray
    * Complete blood count
    * CT scan
    * Galactomannan (a molecule from the fungus that is sometimes found in the blood)
    * Immunoglobulin E (IgE) blood level
    * Lung function tests
    * Sputum stain and culture for Aspergillus
    * Tissue biopsy

[leigh244]

Yes sorry I forgot to say that they did a blood test to see if I was allergic to mold and it came back positive. I asked my doctor if he could do a test to see if I had a fungal infection and he told me they do a blood test. However, I have not been back to the Dr. and he has not called me so I will call tomorrow to get the results of that test. I also forgot to mention that the allergist put me on prednisone and for a couple of days I felt great but it came back like two days after I was done with the pills.

[allmymarbles]

I immediately think of aspergillis, a fungus that often attacks the lungs. Have they tested for this? Even if the test is negative, if it were I, I would ask for a trial treatment anyway if the symptoms suggested the infection.