Post by Colleen-NC on Apr 15, 2008 8:35:32 GMT -5
Asthma or Emphysema?
« Thread Started on Apr 1, 2008, 1:46pm »
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The last couple of times I have walked, I get very sob and my chest feels tight. I can only get in 1-1/2 or 2 miles in. Very uncomfortable. Right now in my area, all the trees and plants are blossoming. Beautiful to look at but I wonder if this is the culprit for my sob/tightness? When I was coming off 40mg of Prednisone, I could walk 4-5 miles a day. What a difference in a week or so..Any thoughts or similiar experiences? Pat
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canyon711
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Re: Asthma or Emphysema?
« Reply #1 on Apr 1, 2008, 2:15pm »
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WEll, with emphysema that probably would not happen. Though we have bad days and good days that seems like too much of a range. I would say this is the asthma part probably due to allergies. You might want to talk to your Doctor about a good allergy med like Zyrtec which is now over the counter. Apparantly you enphysema is not that bad if you can walk 4-5miles a day normally. don't think most of us can do that.
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MarthaK
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Re: Asthma or Emphysema?
« Reply #2 on Apr 1, 2008, 3:32pm »
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I would say it is allergy induced bronchoconstriction. I get that feeling as well...just can't breathe but not sick. I also get a non-productive cough (sound like a seal barking ) and wheezing. My regimen for allergy:
antihistamine such as Claritin or Zyrtec.
Flonase, Astelin and saline nasal wash -- all twice a day.
Albuterol as needed.
When the pollen is high - like it is now - I would not go for a long walk outside, in fact I pretty much stay inside.
The reason I said bronchoconstriction instead of specifying asthma or emphysema is that the culprit is hyper-reactive airways which can exist with either. I specifically asked my doctor which is it - he said, "hard to tell".
« Last Edit: Apr 1, 2008, 3:33pm by MarthaK » Link to Post - Back to Top Logged
sweetpea
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Re: Asthma or Emphysema?
« Reply #3 on Apr 1, 2008, 3:49pm »
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The air doesn't look all that good out here the past several days. So combination of blossoms and not clean looking air is probably what is triggering it. I was feeling sob yesterday, but not real bad. I took a shower and the humidity from the shower really affected me. I had to do a nebulizer treatment to settle my lungs down. It felt just like a asthma attack. I caught it in time. I also notice since first of year that I wheeze at night. I notice it when I get up and go to the bathroom and then lay back down. If I can cough, the wheeze goes away. I think it must be the asthma..Only thing I can think of.
Thanks for your opinions Canyon and Martha. Pat
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Colleen-Pa
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Re: Asthma or Emphysema?
« Reply #4 on Apr 1, 2008, 4:50pm »
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Pat, have you ever taken anything for allergies or been tested ? Maybe this is something you should look into so you don't have to go thru this. Just a thought, hate to think of you suffering when you don't need to.
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"NEVER REGRET ANYTHING THAT MAKES YO SMILE"
sweetpea
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Re: Asthma or Emphysema?
« Reply #5 on Apr 1, 2008, 5:26pm »
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Colleen, I did see a allergist last year. He couldn't do the regular skin tests on me to see what I am allergic to because I was on Metorpolol (sp) blood pressure medicine. He said the skin tests would make my breathing stop because of that bp. I also have psoriasis and he said the skin tests would make it worse. So it was a no win situation. He did do some blood work on me for grasses and trees, which all came back negative. I think dust, dust mites or mold is causing my allergies, plus pollution isn't helping. Since being back in SoCal, my nose is congested alot, while in Colorado my nose ran non-stop. What a trade off
I think I will try the Zyrtec and see if that is helpful at night. During the day I do pretty good. Almost every nasal spray and pill has not worked for me. At one time my doc's nurse referred me to a doc to see if I needed surgery to clean up my nasal passages. Well, pneumonia came along and that got put on the backburner.
Pat
« Thread Started on Apr 1, 2008, 1:46pm »
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The last couple of times I have walked, I get very sob and my chest feels tight. I can only get in 1-1/2 or 2 miles in. Very uncomfortable. Right now in my area, all the trees and plants are blossoming. Beautiful to look at but I wonder if this is the culprit for my sob/tightness? When I was coming off 40mg of Prednisone, I could walk 4-5 miles a day. What a difference in a week or so..Any thoughts or similiar experiences? Pat
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canyon711
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Re: Asthma or Emphysema?
« Reply #1 on Apr 1, 2008, 2:15pm »
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
WEll, with emphysema that probably would not happen. Though we have bad days and good days that seems like too much of a range. I would say this is the asthma part probably due to allergies. You might want to talk to your Doctor about a good allergy med like Zyrtec which is now over the counter. Apparantly you enphysema is not that bad if you can walk 4-5miles a day normally. don't think most of us can do that.
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MarthaK
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Re: Asthma or Emphysema?
« Reply #2 on Apr 1, 2008, 3:32pm »
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
I would say it is allergy induced bronchoconstriction. I get that feeling as well...just can't breathe but not sick. I also get a non-productive cough (sound like a seal barking ) and wheezing. My regimen for allergy:
antihistamine such as Claritin or Zyrtec.
Flonase, Astelin and saline nasal wash -- all twice a day.
Albuterol as needed.
When the pollen is high - like it is now - I would not go for a long walk outside, in fact I pretty much stay inside.
The reason I said bronchoconstriction instead of specifying asthma or emphysema is that the culprit is hyper-reactive airways which can exist with either. I specifically asked my doctor which is it - he said, "hard to tell".
« Last Edit: Apr 1, 2008, 3:33pm by MarthaK » Link to Post - Back to Top Logged
sweetpea
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Re: Asthma or Emphysema?
« Reply #3 on Apr 1, 2008, 3:49pm »
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The air doesn't look all that good out here the past several days. So combination of blossoms and not clean looking air is probably what is triggering it. I was feeling sob yesterday, but not real bad. I took a shower and the humidity from the shower really affected me. I had to do a nebulizer treatment to settle my lungs down. It felt just like a asthma attack. I caught it in time. I also notice since first of year that I wheeze at night. I notice it when I get up and go to the bathroom and then lay back down. If I can cough, the wheeze goes away. I think it must be the asthma..Only thing I can think of.
Thanks for your opinions Canyon and Martha. Pat
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Colleen-Pa
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Re: Asthma or Emphysema?
« Reply #4 on Apr 1, 2008, 4:50pm »
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Pat, have you ever taken anything for allergies or been tested ? Maybe this is something you should look into so you don't have to go thru this. Just a thought, hate to think of you suffering when you don't need to.
Link to Post - Back to Top Logged
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
"NEVER REGRET ANYTHING THAT MAKES YO SMILE"
sweetpea
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Re: Asthma or Emphysema?
« Reply #5 on Apr 1, 2008, 5:26pm »
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Colleen, I did see a allergist last year. He couldn't do the regular skin tests on me to see what I am allergic to because I was on Metorpolol (sp) blood pressure medicine. He said the skin tests would make my breathing stop because of that bp. I also have psoriasis and he said the skin tests would make it worse. So it was a no win situation. He did do some blood work on me for grasses and trees, which all came back negative. I think dust, dust mites or mold is causing my allergies, plus pollution isn't helping. Since being back in SoCal, my nose is congested alot, while in Colorado my nose ran non-stop. What a trade off
I think I will try the Zyrtec and see if that is helpful at night. During the day I do pretty good. Almost every nasal spray and pill has not worked for me. At one time my doc's nurse referred me to a doc to see if I needed surgery to clean up my nasal passages. Well, pneumonia came along and that got put on the backburner.
Pat
