Does this sound like asthma?

[Mnr777]

I recently left the hospital after staying for 4 days for sudden weakness and sudden bad headache.
This was 2 weeks ago and the since the day I left, I've had a shortness of breath and odd pressure feeling near my throat. I also have a dry cough that is worse when I speak or try to sing etc. This occurs all day and is present even when lying down.

I don't seem to have any heart burn, but I've been sitting down for very long periods since then. The only other symptoms are loose stools and slight tinnitus.

Incidentally, while in the hospital I had a lumbar puncture and CT brain scan with contrast. Both were negative. The only oddities on my blood test lately were high CO2 29 mmol/L and low Anion gap of 5 mmol/L.

I've never had any previous breathing problems and I'm in good shape 6ft 167lbs 38yo. Non smoker, non drinker, non drugs.
Any ideas, recommendations or insight would be appreciated. Thanks.

[evewisewoman]

Hello there,

Welcome to the asthma community. I see you joined Med help in July.
Based on your comments, I am not sure if these are asthma symptoms.
I have asthma and have had asthma for many years now. I control my
asthma through asthma meds. Have you been to see your family doctor regarding these symptoms ? If you have not, I would strongly suggest that you do. You mention a dry cough that is worse when you speak, that the dry cough is present all day and when you lie down. This may be asthma.
It was actually a persistent dry cough that made me go to my doctor. I would have what I can only call " coughing episodes ". They could and did happen anywhere. I was once sharing a meal with a friend of mine.
I can only describe it as a feeling like I was being choked and it would come on all of a sudden. Then I would start coughing. The time it happened in the restaurant, I coughed so hard and so long that tears were coming down my cheek. My friend who I was having lunch with was quite concerned. I always kept lozenges with me, so I popped one in my mouth and that seemed to help control the cough.  You mention feeling like there is an odd pressure near your throat. I felt that way too before the asthma diagnosis.  Now that I think of it, that is like the choking feeling I was having at the time. What scared me was that it was happening more often and I couldn't predict when it would happen. I described the type of cough I was experiencing at that time.  My doctor gave me a breathing test which is a special test to diagnose asthma and she confirmed it back then.
So I guess I would recommend going to see your family doctor. Talking about the symptoms you are experiencing and see what your doctor says.
I wish you well.   Eve

[Mnr777]

Thank you. I've got several other symptoms so I'm not exactly sure what's going on.