Today I spent an hour and a half at the hospital. A few weeks ago, I noticed I was having some troubles breathing. It felt like I had to take as deep a breath as possible just to get enough air. My chest hurt and felt tight. The doctor gave me a “rescue” inhaler and ordered me a pulmonary test, which was today.
I was greeted by the technician who led me down a long corridor to a room. Inside was a lot of equipment, including a little glass booth with a chair inside and an apparatus in front of the chair with a few tubes and a mouthpiece. As I climbed inside, I couldn’t help but feeling like I was in a helicopter ride at Chuck E. Cheese or something.
For half an hour, the technician led me in a series of tests where, in various ways, we tested my lung capacity and my body’s ability to distribute the oxygen. I passed with flying colors. Then came the hard part.
She led me over to a machine called a nebulizer. She explained to me that I would be inhaling certain, increasing, doses of methacholine that might simulate an asthma attack. We’d use a control dose, measure my capacity then move onto the methacholine until we either finished all 5 doses with no response or my capcacity dropped 20%.
By the third dose, I felt a tickle in the back of my throat. When I told her that, she said maybe it was allergies, not asthma, having an effect on me. With the fourth dose, I began to cough. With the fifth, increased coughing and wheezing. And, my capacity dropped by 23%.
She gave me a “hit” off an inhaler and we sat and waited, doing more capacity tests. She couldn’t let me go until I was back to a 10% decrease or less. Finally, I was back to 9%. I also continued to have the tingle in my throat and a bit of lightheadedness.
So, I may be borderline asthmatic. We’ll know for sure in a few days. Personally, I blame my life-long allergies. And my constant colds. In the meantime, that test took a bit out of me. I need a nap.
Sounds like a scary test, actually.
I hate allergies! They are the devil. I have to do the deep breathing thing, too.
Oooh icky. I hope you feel better soon. You could always ask the Kilipino; she has both!
You know, some bicycle racers pay a small fortune (not me!) to find out what their lung capacity is! Good on you though, sounds like you have fantastic health coverage.
Sometimes “modern medicine” seems so grotesque! Hopefully you discomfort will give you a definite answer!! I totally agree that allergies suck, and each year I pray that I will avoid them bugging me, and each year it seems to get worse and worse.
~Hope you feel better soon!!
Jeez, that test sounds awful! But at least it will give you some insight into why you were having breathing problems.
I has the asthma. I say it like it’s the consumption or something. It’s weird. I have a lot of difficulty breathing. So much that sometimes I force a yawn just to get a good breath in. I’m a deep breather and a chest breather, which in turn, causes a lot of pain. Advair is a pretty fantabulous thing.
I hope you don’t have asthma…as it sucks…but at least you’re not just sitting around waiting for an attack before getting help.
P.S. Hug.
oh, weird. i don’t think i’d like taking a test that basically FORCES me to have an asthma attack. ick. you definitely deserve a nap now
I’m supposed to get one of those tests too! I say with an exclamation point not becuse it’s fun or exciting, but because you’re my clone and all…
I think I finally read a blogger who needs a nap more than me. Take care of you.
I have an appt with a pulmonologist in early May to figure out why after running for three minutes my lungs burn so bad I need to curl up into a ball and suck my thumb. And your experience totally has me more nervous than before. So really, thanks so much for informing me they induce an asthma attack.
Just curious here, did either of your parents smoke when you were really young? My wife has similar issues and both her parents smoked. They’re pretty sure the smoking triggered much of it. She no longer has to use an inhaler, but she did in her teenage years. Let’s hope it’s nothing big.
That does sound scary. Hugs and blessings to you, missy.
Cxx
There seem to be so many more allergies around these days. I had them when we lived in England, then came to the US where a whole new bunch hit me! Living in the countryside doesn’t help. Plus pollution nowadays is huge. Maybe we should go around wearing masks or something. Not fun.
It’s even worse when a covert operative blows their cover because it’s an all or nothing situation and they can never get back to zero, often because they haven’t survived
ph no cheryl! i hope you begin to feel better and figure out what’s going on in that body of yours. but in the meantime, scott’s mom is a pulmonologist and she just started this whole educational online resource for asthma called breathe easy play hard (beph.com). maybe it will be helpful??
Hey guess what… you win!
I have asthma and allergies. And my asthma is usually triggered by my allergies, sadly. So I’m right there with ya.