Has anyone here either been or heard of a case where someone was being treated for asthma, and it just wouldn't get under control and then, in the end, it turned out to have been something else? Some other disease? If so, how was this discovered? What did it turn out to be? Is that person better now?

20-30 years ago, it was more common for lung diseases like asthma to be misdiagnosed. There are a small number of lung diseases that may present like asthma initially. There are also a number of triggers for asthma, and different asthmatics can have different triggers. My mother-in-law, for example, has asthma, but the underlying cause is emphysema. I have asthma, but the underlying cause is severe allergies.

It's important that any one who has asthmatic symptoms on a regular basis be diagnosed by a specialist, not just their GP for family doc. If allergy is suspected as the primary trigger, the person should see an allergist. If not, then the person should see a pulmonologist. I see a pulmonologist who specializes in allergy. It's not uncommon to find those these days.

Hello,

I was just talking to a client of mine, whose husband died a year and a half ago. He apparently had "asthma"....but died because the doctors couldn't get it under control. No wonder....it was his heart (congestive heart failure). He had the wrong initial diagnosis and when it was finally figured out, it was too late -- he died.

Sad, but true.

Sometimes it's assumed the forest is just one tree....sheesh!

It's definitely worth to pursue having a thorough diagnosis if one suspects something awry.

Best to you,
quincy

Qunicy,

Did that person ever get relief from an inhaler of any kind?

I was allergy tested and found out that I am allergic to basically EVEYTHING having to do with outdoors, do you suppose that along with weather change can trigger off breathing problems?

Yep, my son was treated for asthma the first 2 yrs of his life....He was given alot of steroids, breathing treatments ect. None of which seemed to relieve the problems like it should have. He's had pneumonia several time, he used to like a seal or something just walking into the doctor's office.

Finally he was referred to a Pediatric Pulmonologist, that Dr. performed a bronchoscopy and discovered he had Bronchomalacia in both main bronchial tubes. My son was expected to out grow it. I took him to Cincinnati Children's hospital the summer of 2003 (he was 4yrs) they found that his left main bronchial tube (lobe) is 2/3 compressed. The main artery to the heart is behind the tube and the pulmonary artery is in front of it and the 2 combined is causing the compression.

Again, they expect him to outgrow it.