DUers in medical field-question about a pulmonary problem I'm having.

I smoked from the age of 17 until I quit in 1990, when I was 25. When I smoked, I would endure nasty bouts with bronchitis about twice a year. After I quit, I would only occasionally get bronchitis. IN January of 2000, I was hit with a really nasty case of bacterial bronchitis that came on suddenly and landed me in the emergency room. I was told that it was a new and particularly vicious strain of bacterial bronchitis that was going around. I had a temperature for several days, and was off work for almost two weeks.

Since then, I have had several cases of pleurisy (which I'd never had before), as well as bronchitis. This past spring I ended up in the emergency room with pneumonia, which I hadn't had since I was 13 (I'm 38). I was off work for almost two weeks.

This past week was supposed to be my vacation week. I took my son to see my dad and stepmom in Toledo (I live near Cleveland). I'd felt a little dizzy a few times during the day, but since it was hot I didn't think much of it. The next day it hit, I knew, as soon as I started feeling that particular type of fatigue, what was happening. I started getting the familiar pains in the center of my back and on both sides. I was coughing up thick white phlegm and had absolutely no energy. I went to the doctor the next day, who gave me antibiotics and an expectorant to help in coughing the gunk out of my lungs. I've been in bed for three days, and still feel miserable. And this is supposed to be my vacation, I had a lot of plans to go places with the kid.

Well, I asked why I keep getting these things, and if it could have anything to do with the bacterial bronchitis I had a few years ago. He said that things like that can cause scarring in the lungs, which makes it easier for congestion to settle there. My son had had a cold last week, which was probably what happened. He wants to do a couple of pulmonary tests when I've fully recovered, to measure my lung function and capacity.

So what kind of test is he talking about, and what types of things can be done if the results are abnormal, as I'm really afraid they might be. Could the bacterial bronchitis have caused some damage, which is why I keep getting pleurisy, bronchitis, and pneumonia? What kinds of things can/will they do? I'd appreciate any info, thanks in advance!

http://www.lungusa.org/diseases/lungchronic.html

I'm not a medical professional, but I have suffered with similar things for years. What you have sounds like it might be chronic bronchitis, or similar.

If so, you are probably continuing to do your lungs harm by being around others who smoke or by having work-related exposure to something that is causing these problems. Also, you could have something else wrong. The American Lung Association site I'm referring you to has a lot of information. Maybe something there will help.

I now have my problems with bronchitis under control, but it took making some big changes to my life.

Good luck!

Fortunately, I'm not around any smokers and the office I work at has good ventilation and no smoking. So that's one thing I don't have to deal with.

http://www.healthtalk.ca
They have a health discussion board

Hope you find some answers

eom