Can't Get Full Breath / tightness In Chest Posted: 08-29-07 17:46pm
first of all- 15 years old, guy
Okay a little history, I'm currently on
advair and singulair to manage my asthma.
In the past (up untill this month) this
combo of meds has worked fine. I used to
use my short acting inhaler about once
every two-three weeks.
Aso noteworthy: In the past 2-3 years, I
used to stop using the singulair in the
late summer through January. In the past
year though, I have not stopped using the
singulair, at all.
Recently (late July) I went on a trip to
New Hampshire, very country-ish (compared
to densely populated New Jersey- Not a
city however). While on that trip, I
experienced no medical difficulties
whatsoever.
When I came back to NJ though, I developed
severe breathing problems. Occasionally,
it gets to the point where I can NOT get
that full breath of air, not matter how
hard I try. usually, this does not occur.
however, it does often interfere with my
sleeping, and daily activities. Such as
getting very winded after climbing up a
flight of stairs.
I have seen a specialist today (mainly to
get a skin test to confirm my suspicions
about food allergies, and airborne ones.
FYI- very allergic to trees, and molds),
but in terms of asthma he was pretty much
dumbfounded at my condition. first, he
gave me a pulmonary function test (i think
that's what it's called- it tests your
lung capacity), then he gave me two
puffs of albutoral, then fifteen minutes
later (after the skin test), he gave me
the PF test again. There was absolutely
no notable difference in the two different
times, he said that even if I didn't have
an asthma attack, there should of been at
least a slight difference.
His idea is to ween me off of the meds,
since they seem to have no affect (if
anything advair is just an added steroid
that could be doing me more harm than
good) on my condition. Then see if my
condition remains stable, if so, perhaps
further diagnose it as something other
than asthma.
Oh, and, this feels EXACTLY like when I
have an asthma attack
SOOOOO....
My question to you guys is, what could a
15 y/o have that could mimic the symptoms
of asthma. I figure i should at least
have a list of my own to go through.