Hi All,
I have no cough, and no real acute asthma attacks. However, I started having chronic shortness of breath (severe) in October...They are putting me through the wringer with medical tests, but one of them showed that I had asthma.....I do sometimes get wheezy at night - but would not consider myself having severe asthma. Could this be the cause though of my shortness of breath - I've not been able to exercise because of the SOB....They prescribed singular, albuterol and advair....the advair started to give me a yeast infection in my mouth on the second day so I stopped it. The pulomonary doc seems to think I really need an inhaled steroid so now they want me to try asmanex.....If there's a chance this would cure my SOB I will try it, but if not I don't think I want to take it (also have bone density issues).....I am getting tested for gallbladder and heart issues too. (Am 41 years old - family history of artery clogging and gallbladder probs)....
Thanks for any help!!
Best wishes to you all...
Kathy
PS Non-smoker, never smoked...

Kathy,
Your situation sounds a lot like mine. I started having vague shortness of breath (not severe) about 7 years ago. I would also get winded while walking the neighborhood with my friend. I just assumed I was out of shape.(Which I was and still am! ) After a couple of doctors I was diagnosed with asthma. I NEVER wheeze, have asthma attacks, hardly ever cough and even cold air doesn't bother me. I am certainly not a typical asthmatic. My lung function test showed narrowing in my small airways. Even with medication I am not 100% normal. I am on allergy meds and Advair. I have done well with Advair. It has made an enormous difference in how I feel and my test results improved. I would really consider taking what medications your doctor suggests. Long term symptoms can mean damaging your lungs for good and possibly oxygen on down the road. You don't want that!
Cindy

Hi Howitt44,
Thanks for your reply...when you say the meds have made an enormous difference - do you mean it's helped your shortness of breath? I have trouble even walking into the office...I used to exercise regularly - but that came to a screeching halth with this sob and I've gained tons of weight....which doesn't help the SOB, but it started before the weight gain....I had some narrowing too but I'm not sure where...I'll have to ask....Thanks again,
Kathy

The Advair does help with shortness of breath. I mean, I can't jog a mile yet, but I can do about 4 mph on the treadmill. Some days are worse than others, too. The last couple of weeks have been bad for me because I am allergic to tree pollen. We just moved to the country and we are surrounded by trees. I live in Oklahoma, so I have to contend with the wind also. Usually after the tree pollen dies down (middle of June or so), I am fine. No more sneezing, watery eyes and tight lungs. I am overweight which makes everything worse. My allergy doctor even told me that if I would lose weight, she thought my lung function would improve. Do you have allergies?

I'm am okie too - an allergist told us it's one of the worst places in the country for allergies because the wind blows pollens in from every direction!! I really only have mild allergies - I used to take a 1/2 benadryl at night and no allergies....they just changed me to singulair to help with the asthma....I have no sneezing, but my eyes do sting...Good for you for getting on the treadmill!! I recently gained a lot of weight but my breathing problems started before I gained it - I gained 50 lbs in 5 weeks last november! A stupid medicine.....I quit the med - but still have the weight and more....I have bad breathing days and better days too...and they seem to come in clusters....They gave me asmanex....I didn't take it last night....right now I'm just looking at it! : ) Thanks for your help!
Best wishes,
Kathy

hi kathy, i have severe asthma too, ask your doctor for a nebulizer, it will help and also ask him for a xolair injection monthly it helps me tremendously,ask him for singulair as well it will help with allergies,and last but not least ask him if he thinks you could benefit from pulmonary rehab i start rehab on tuesday,they teach you how to breathe while you walk etc, i am trying to do all that will help with my severe asthma because it gets tiring when you cant' breathe right. keep me posted.

ps. kathy when you inhale advair you are supposed to rinse out your mouth and gargle every time with water it will prevent mouth infections.

Hi Marissamm,
Thanks for all that info - I knew about the mouth infection thing and didn't like the way my mouth felt with advair so they switched it to asmanex....I've tried it two nights now - still rinsing and brushing afterward....they did put me on singulair and I have albuterol inhaler to take as needed....it does help but makes me feel jittery and sick....I can ask about the shots....the rehab sounds useful because for awhile I was hyperventilating and I'm not sure yet, but I think I might need to "retrain" my breathing.....thanks for telling me about all that - it gives me more options....they are still going to check my heart with heart cath because of the sob so I have to get that out of the way - but then we'll see...
Thanks so much -
Best wishes,
Kathy

did u have a pft yet if so what did your fev1 read?

I did have a pft - two in fact....and a methacholine challenge.....the fev1 says 2.25? does that sound like the number you are asking about? I only have the report from the first test - I need to get a copy from the second test and methacholine challenge.....they told me during the challenge that after three doses of methacholine I had dropped over 20%......so they said I had asthma....

hey kathy the pft number doesn't sound like the one i am talking about, did your doctor tell you how much lung function you have?

there's amother fev1# thst is 82% pre-med...does that sound right?

yes the 82% sounds right well if thats your number that is how much your lung function is and that is pretty good. mine is 33% lung function,

My FEV1 is pretty good at around 90% but my small airways are around 50%.

Howitt,
How do you tell about your small airways...what variable name is that one?
K

On the chart it was FEF25-75%, I think. It is supposed to determine how fast you can blow out at 25% of your exhalation and at 75%.

humm....mine says 2.85....doesn't look like a percent....guess I'm not a pulmonary doc huh?! thx!

There should be two numbers - the 2.85 is liters per second and a percentage number. At least that's what my copy showed. I wish I had my copy in front of me. I know mine had a number like yours also. By the way, what did your test show - is it asthma?

Kathy,
Could you copy your numbers to me and maybe I can tell by that?

You're awfully kind! These are all pre-medication
Measurement Best %Pred Pred LLN
FVC (L) 2.67 82 3.23 2.43
FEV1(L) 2.25 82 2.73 2.13
FEV1% 84 99 85 72
FEF25-75(L/S) 2.85 90 3.16
PEF(L/S) 4.09 67 6.11
FET (S) 6.58
FIVC (L) 2.57 79 3.23
PIF (L/S) 4.12
FEF50/FEF50 0.96

Kathy, all I know is that the two digit number after the liters per second number, example 2.85 82 on the first one. Well, the 82 is 82% of normal. Of course, the ideal number is close to 100% with the high 90's being acceptable. For people with asthma, the numbers are usually below 90%, but may improve after medication. Did they give you medication and then have you blow again? Was there an improvement?

There was only a slight improvement.....the number that was 2.85 and 90% went up to 3.21 and 100% after meds....since then I've had the methacholine challenge test for asthma and after three doses of metacholine I have over 20% decrease so they declared that I have asthma....I do have wheezing in the evening.....but I have shortness of breath all the time.....I am having trouble with the inhaled steroids they are trying to give me....advair irritated my mouth really bad and now the asmanex is doing the same after taking it for 5 days....I don't know whether to stick with it or just quit it.....maybe I need to give it more time to work......
Thanks for trying to help!
Kathy

I have been on Advair for about 2 years and have had minimal side affects. I just really rinse my mouth and/or brush my teeth afterwards. The Advair increased my lung capacity, but is still not normal. I guess I have some permanent damage, which is kind of hard to believe considering I never had asthma before 5 years ago and still not at a severe stage.