Is this really asthma

[jolleyhearted]

I am hoping someone can help me here.  Back in October I started having this weird feeling in my lungs... like that feeling you get when a chest cold is coming on.  No congestion or anything, just kind of a wet feeling.  It never really went away.  Then in February, my lungs started feeling itchy (or rather my trachea).  Thought it was allergies caused by Alder (the tree) as they tend to pollinate in February in Vancouver (in particular this year when it was unseasonably warm).  Anyway, it only happened after I exercised really hard (playing roller hockey for example).  Went to the Dr. and he gave me a rescue inhaler and said it is probably exercise induced asthma.  The inhaler didn't really work and I had pain sensations in the center of my chest (had all the heart work up done as I was experiencing palpitations... ECG, holter, Echo.. came back with a benign condition... structurally normal heart).  Anyway, the feeling in the lungs was still present, so my doc gave me a steroid inhaler.  After a few weeks, the feeling went away.  I thought this was working well.  However, I started playing roller hockey again and my lungs were on fire (well, really, the trachea).  I have always had a little burning in my lungs if I haven't run for a few weeks, but it usually goes away after five to ten minutes.  Now however, it burns really bad during exercise.  Then, just the other day I was late for a game and didn't get to warm up.  My lungs were killing me... not just burning, but actually aching.  Now, after that experience I have congestion and a productive cough (which I have never had unless I had a chest cold).

So, my question is, does this really sound like asthma?  Is it possible that my asthma has actually gotten worse that quickly?  Is it possible I have actually had a mild infection that the steroid inhaler made worse?  I am really confused.  I am seeing the doctor tomorrow, but I would like to know if any asthma suffers have had a similar experience.  Would love any feedback.



Thanks in advance

[Tammy2009]

It may or may not be asthma.  You should ask your doctor for some pulmonary function tests including a methacholine challenge to determine the proper diganose.

The challenge test will test the reactivity of your lungs and help to determine if asthma is the real problem or if other diagnoses need to be looked at.  

Asthma can change quickly, I went from "not technically asthma" according to the lung function tests to being on a daily combination inhaler - max dose and still needed oral steroids to stop a flare-up.  So yes, it can change quickly depending on allergies and exposure to your triggers.

[hava]

The Yoga Pranayam (breathing exercises) will  help with controlling asthma  problems.
You will be throwing out toxins from your lungs and body.
Build up your timing gradually. If you feel tired or dizzy, stop and resume after 1 minute.

Bhastrika - Take a long deep breath into the lungs(chest not tummy) via the nose and then completely breathe out through the nose. Duration upto 5 minutes.

Kapalbhati -(Do it before eating) Push air forcefully out through the nose about once per second. Stomach will itself go in(contract in). The breathing in(through the nose) will happen automatically. Establish a rhythm and do for 10 to 30 minutes twice a day. Not for pregnant women. Seriously ill people do it gently.
Children under 15 years – do for 5 to 10 minutes.

Anulom Vilom –
Close your right nostril with thumb and deep breath-in through left nostril  
then – close left nostril with two fingers and breath-out through right nostril  
then -keeping the left nostril closed  deep breath-in through right nostril
then - close your right nostril with thumb and breath-out through left nostril.
This is one cycle of anulom vilom.
Repeat this cycle for 15 to 30  minutes twice a day.
Children under 15 years – do for 5 to 10 minutes.
You can do this before breakfast/lunch/dinner or before bedtime or in bed.Remember to take deep long breaths into the lungs.You can do this while sitting on floor or chair or lying in bed.

Bhramri Pranayam -Close eyes. Close ears with thumb, index finger on forehead, and rest three fingers on base of nose touching eyes. Breathe in through nose. And now breathe out through nose while humming like a bee.
Duration : 5 to 12  times

Once you are better, continue the pranayam once a day to stay healthy.
Be patient, as the benefits will show over a period of weeks.
Come back to report your progress.

[caregiver222]

There is a distinct possibility you have a chronic lung infection, either viral, bacterial, or fungal.

These darned things become encapsulated in biofilms and are very hard to get rid of.

Exposure to sunlight generated D3 (or take a supplement).

And you are correct in knowing that steroids can make these infections worse.

The use of steroids in such situations is controversial. Many (if not most) physicians administer steroids together with antibiotics. My theory is that this is a locomotive at both ends of the train pulling in different directions. In other words it is what I call "sideways thinking". But is the protocol for many "top doctors".

More disturbingly most U.S. hospitals no longer take cultures.

Yellow productive mucus is the hallmark of a bacterial infection.

It sounds like you have pneumonia.

Do not sleep under a fan or with air-conditioning at night.

Take 1000 mg a day of crystaline vitamin C and get plenty of sunlight.