Not really sure it is asthma

[Kelrik]

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I'm new at this....please be patient. I was recently diagnosed with asthma. I am 45. I only ever had asthmatic episodes around cats before. For the past couple weeks I have had difficulty taking a deep breath. Sometimes it seems I can only take "baby breaths". No coughing. Post nasal drip at night. Minimal hoarsness. No fever, no wheazing. Doc prescribed Combivent and a low dose of prednisone.Prior to the diagnosis my neck felt tight almost choking(thyroid area). I had an ultrasound. No significant change in the thyroid from last year. I still get that tight feeling now and then. The inhaler helps quite a bit. I worry that I may just be masking the symptoms of something more serious. Any thoughts? Thanks.
Kelrik

[Howitt44]

Originally Posted by Kelrik

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I'm new at this....please be patient. I was recently diagnosed with asthma. I am 45. I only ever had asthmatic episodes around cats before. For the past couple weeks I have had difficulty taking a deep breath. Sometimes it seems I can only take "baby breaths". No coughing. Post nasal drip at night. Minimal hoarsness. No fever, no wheazing. Doc prescribed Combivent and a low dose of prednisone.Prior to the diagnosis my neck felt tight almost choking(thyroid area). I had an ultrasound. No significant change in the thyroid from last year. I still get that tight feeling now and then. The inhaler helps quite a bit. I worry that I may just be masking the symptoms of something more serious. Any thoughts? Thanks.
Kelrik

There are certain tests that doctors can do to determine if its really asthma. You probably should consult an allergy specialist or a pulmonologist for that. Did the combivent and prednisone give you any relief? If you are having "tightness" in the neck area, maybe its Vocal Chord Dysfunction or some other throat disorder. There are a number of things this could be. But if it only happens around cats, then its probably allergies.

[Kelrik]

Originally Posted by Howitt44

There are certain tests that doctors can do to determine if its really asthma. You probably should consult an allergy specialist or a pulmonologist for that. Did the combivent and prednisone give you any relief? If you are having "tightness" in the neck area, maybe its Vocal Chord Dysfunction or some other throat disorder. There are a number of things this could be. But if it only happens around cats, then its probably allergies.

The feeling of not beng able to get a good breath happens various times throughout the day...not only around cats. The inhaler works great.

[LYNNE B]

HI! I AM NEW TO THE BOARD.. I HAVE HAD THE SAME TYPE OF PROBLEMS AS YOU HAVE.. I WAS HAVING THE POST NASAL DRIP. I WAS HAVING THE COUGHING (UNLIKE YOU), BUT NO WHEEZING. I WAS HAVING TROUBLE BREATHING LAST WEEK (GETTING IN A GOOD BREATHE) AND THE DR PUT ME ON AN ORAL STEROID FOR A WEEK. WHICH HELPED..AND HE PUT ME ON COMBIVENT INHALER THAT REALLY DIDN'T SEEM TO WORK..I AM NOW ON PULMICORT AN INHALED STEROID I TAKE 2 TIMES A DAY..THAT SEEMS TO KEEP MY ASTHMATIC BRONCHITIS UNDER CONTROL. I DO HAVE PANIC AND ANXIETY. SO ALOT OF TIMES MY BREATHING IS DUE TO MY PANIC ATTACKS.
I ALSO WENT TO A PULMANARY SPECIALIST THIS WEEK AND HE SAYS I HAVE ACID REFLUX..THAT CAN AFFECT YOUR BREATHING TOO..
I WISH YOU WELL.... LYNNE

[Kelrik]

Originally Posted by LYNNE B

HI! I AM NEW TO THE BOARD.. I HAVE HAD THE SAME TYPE OF PROBLEMS AS YOU HAVE.. I WAS HAVING THE POST NASAL DRIP. I WAS HAVING THE COUGHING (UNLIKE YOU), BUT NO WHEEZING. I WAS HAVING TROUBLE BREATHING LAST WEEK (GETTING IN A GOOD BREATHE) AND THE DR PUT ME ON AN ORAL STEROID FOR A WEEK. WHICH HELPED..AND HE PUT ME ON COMBIVENT INHALER THAT REALLY DIDN'T SEEM TO WORK..I AM NOW ON PULMICORT AN INHALED STEROID I TAKE 2 TIMES A DAY..THAT SEEMS TO KEEP MY ASTHMATIC BRONCHITIS UNDER CONTROL. I DO HAVE PANIC AND ANXIETY. SO ALOT OF TIMES MY BREATHING IS DUE TO MY PANIC ATTACKS.
I ALSO WENT TO A PULMANARY SPECIALIST THIS WEEK AND HE SAYS I HAVE ACID REFLUX..THAT CAN AFFECT YOUR BREATHING TOO..
I WISH YOU WELL.... LYNNE

Thanks for the input. I will give this a couple of weeks then go to a pulmanary specialist. For some reason it is comforting to know other people have the same symptoms. Take care.
Kelrik