Lung Tests II

[dewline]

To recap and reassure:

Those x-ray tests a month or so back already ruled out infections and tumours in the lungs. The worst cases scenarios are off the table (at least for this year). So today's "breathe into the tube hooked up to the recording computer gear" tests were intended to build up the pile of evidence with which to figure out what I am coping with. Right now, I'm leaning towards sleep apnea. But I'm the patient, not the medical professional here.

Comments

[sabotabby]

I'm glad it's not a tumour or infection! Good luck.

[dewline]

Thanks!

[agoodwinsmith]

Gotcha. Thank you.

[dewline]

You're welcome!

[notasupervillain]

Good news, in some ways.

[dewline]

Yes. It is.

[thewayne]

There is a test called a Methacholine Challenge if you have undiagnosed asthma. Caused my wife to freak out more than a little bit. Methacholine is an antagonist that will cause an asthma attack. But through this test, they definitively proved that I do have asthma, albeit borderline/mild, whereas before it was just kind of suspected.

If you're not diagnosed with asthma and the PFT doesn't prove anything, you might suggest the methacholine challenge to the doctor. Myself, I hate the PFTs as I usually have to do them 1-3 times a year, but they are a good diagnostic tool.

Two weeks ago I went to my lung doctor for a persistent cough that's been bugging me for a few months. My sinus infections have finally cleared and I'd been off of antibiotics for a couple of weeks, so we eliminated that as a cause. He changed one of my inhalers from a puff inhaler to a nebulizer, and that's done a great job of reducing the cough. It's inconvenient because it's gone from practically a zero time medication to blocking out about 20 minutes twice a day, plus time to do a sterilization ritual once a week (manufacturer recommends daily).