Today I -finally- had my appointment with the allergy specialist to figure out what the hell is going on with me to try and stop all this phlegm and coughing! After about 90 minutes I had been poked and proded, had a allergy skin prick test and I was done for today. It turns out that I am allergic to dust mites and cats and a few other things but they were the main ones. The controlled test registered as 8mms and here is the size of the other ones:
D.pternoyssinus - 7 (dust mites)
House Dust - 5
Cat - 7
Dog - 2
7 Grass mix - 3
Rye Grass - 6
Cypress - 4
He doesn't think that it's caused by allergies though, he thinks it is a bronchial thing - I forget the name but he described it like this:
In you lungs there are vein/tubey type things that start in the middle of your chest and go around to the sides and get thinner in diameter the long they get and then stop - he thinks that mine might be more of a sausage shape instead of a thinning cylindrical/cone type shape and due to previous infections and the like it has never cleared up, or something like that!
Anyway the outcomes are that I am now on new Asthma medication - Symbicort 200 and I need to start taking the Rhinocort nose spray again but take it a different way to try to reduce the bleeding from my nose. I also need to go have a lung function test.
He also told me that I need to persist with riding and exercising, even though it causes me to cough a lot, to the point where I need to stop for the coughing fit to pass as he says that I need to cough it up - urgh! He also said that it's not right that I've put up with it for so long and even to the point that I had to stop riding my bike to work on cold mornings and to stop playing tennis at night etc due to the cold air.
I go back in 6 weeks time and if there is no improvement then it will be off to have a CT scan of my lungs.
I actually feel like I might be getting somewhere and if not I feel like I am in the hands of someone that can do something about it!!,
Monday, February 1, 2010
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1 comments:
I have a similar thing which "appeared" three years ago but it's a dry cough. Original doctor said it was just "asthma" and gave me Symbicort. I wasn't happy with the diagnosis because it didn't make sense that it just appeared. Like...why suddenly...and the doctor didn't like me questioning them **frown**.
Went back to a trusted doctor (a bit of a shyte because he's miles away from where I work now). Did the lung function thing which was slightly weird but interesting. They basically introduce a chemical (I think it's called a "challenge") in gradually increasing doses to make the asthma flare up...not a full blown asthma attack...but you'll notice a gradual reduction in your ability to expel air. They had to crank the chemical to almost max to get the reaction...which showed that it wasn't asthma.
So I'm know on another med on an "as needs basis"...
The exercise certainly does help...sorry it's true... ;) ...it's flared up again recently because I haven't been running and cycling for ages...and I think I copped a slight lurgy.
Hope it sorts itself out.
Cheers
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