You have provided a very informative description of your chronic illness. That description strongly suggests that you have both sinus disease and lung disease, a not uncommon scenario for individuals who smoke cigarettes, especially those individuals who are genetically predisposed to the toxic effects of cigarette smoke. Your history, especially the early onset of symptoms, suggests that you (and perhaps other members of your family) may have that predisposition.
Be aware that a person can have very serious lung disease and still have a normal chest X-ray and normal “blood tests.” Persons can have advanced disease before there are significant changes on the Chest X-ray. A better, more sensitive test of lung function and the degree of severity of loss of lung function, would be Pulmonary Function Tests (PFT’s) and you should have that test. Also given the severity of your symptoms, it would be reasonable for your doctors to consider ordering CT Scans of your lungs and sinuses, to more objectively assess the extent of disease and to and possibly demonstrate unsuspected disease of either lungs or sinuses. Consideration should also be given to what are called autoimmune diseases that are known to not uncommonly involve both lungs and sinuses. Other diseases that might present in this fashion would include asthma (especially with a condition that can occur with asthma, called ABPM (allergic bronchopulmonary fungal disease) and Cystic Fibrosis (CF). Finally, like CF, there is another inherited condition that can be diagnosed with a blood test, Alpha-1 anti-trypsin deficiency or anti-protease deficiency.
I also suggest that if you have not been evaluated by an ENT specialist and a Pulmonologist (lung specialist) you and your doctor should seriously consider requesting consultation with doctors in each of these specialties.
Please do not interpret this as a criticism, but it is imperative that you and your doctors do absolutely everything possible to enable you to stop smoking immediately. Completely!
Now is the time for you and your doctors to thoroughly investigate your condition to identify the underlying cause of your symptoms.
Do not hesitate to ask your doctor questions and request further consultation.
Good luck
Thank you so much for the information. I have felt much better since our last post and the phlem production nearly gone as well as the cough. Although I feel better I will definately take down all the information and do all the relevant test to make sure I am healthy. Your insight on all the different types of diseases has helped me alot to know what to look out for. I am currently also trying to stop smoking and know I will succeed. Again thank you so much for all the information and help.
Kind Regards