Can't identify my lung disease

Posted by stefank @stefank, Jan 24, 2019

I'm 15 year old and five months ago was hospitalized from pneumonia. I felt a lot better after my infection was gone but a week later started hearing noises when i breath like some snoring (i think its called rhonchi). My nose would many times start producing mucus which will most likely go to my lungs and cause me to cough when i breath too deeply and after that i start hearing this rhonchi noises(also some of the mucus goes into my throat and blocks my vocal cords making my voice weird). I also get sick very often. My immune system seems to be weak for some reason. My doctors didn't told me why and how i got pneumonia neither i know but it started with high fever going from 37 to 39°C and after that the cough was getting worse, so if someone could tell me how to prevent it from coming back and what was the reason for it, that would be really great. Also, should i spit the mucus from the lungs and nose or swallow it? I don't have asthma or any allergies for sure because i was going to the doctor for that and they confirmed that theres no allergy or asthma. I have problems with sweating too since i remember myself. Please help me anyone, i was going to doctors a lot and they just keep giving me stupid nasal sprays for congestion which i use when i have cold. I think i said everything so i hope that you will give me helping advice, because i was searchig through the internet for months now and didnt get the answer i need.

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Welcome to Mayo Clinic Connect @stefank . I'm sorry that you are having all of these lung problems. Have your doctors sat down with you and one of your parents to discuss what's going on with your lungs? If you don't know you could ask your mom or dad.
I suggest getting rid of phlegm, don't let it settle in your lungs if you can help get rid of it.
I am not a doctor or nurse so I can not tell you what your problem is but I can help guide you so that you will learn about it, but I need more information.
What kind of tests have you been given? Have you had blood tests? Do you know what the results were? Do you understand the findings?
Hang in there sweet heart, I know that this must be a scary time, and a confusing Hopefully we'll get to the bottom of this.
Hopefully you will get back to me. Be brave.

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@merpreb I had CRP for the white blood cells in the hospital and it was all fine when my infection was gone. Later (a month ago) i got a cold and the doctors did the same and it was fine again (they also did xray). I'm okay now and the sounds are now most of the times clear, but i still get a little bit scared of it coming back and loosing all of my days in school it's really important for me cause i need to get in high school. I'm really confused and I think my parents are too (they know the same as me). My doctors didn't told me anything they just said "you are fine" and send me out the hospital, they didn't gave me any suggestions or anything. Getting rid of the phlegm is complicated when i go to school and most of the times i don't even cough just my sinuses slip through my throat and it builds up, then i clear it and it comes again with the sounds. If you can tell me which doctor should i see it would be really helpful, because i wasn't going to any lung specialists, just a normal doctor. Thanks for the good wishes and have a nice day.

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@stefank-I can understand about being scared because you lose time at school. How much time do you lose with your colds? I suggest at ENT, Ear Nose and Throat doctor. What kind of doctor did you see? CRP shows inflammation, and certainly during an infection there would be inflammation. Did the doctor give you any antibiotics to get rid of your infection?

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@merpreb My colds usually last for 7 days. I have seen pediatric. I was treated with antibiotics at the hospital. A month ago when i had a normal cold i didn't need any antibiotics and after 7 days it was gone.

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@stefank- Colds can last up to 10 days or more, with the worst the first 3 days. All the symptoms that you listed are very normal for a cold. Why are you home for a week? Do your fevers last that long? Do you get ear aches?
Colds are viruses, here is some information about them:
https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/common-cold/symptoms-causes/syc-20351605
A cold not a lung disease, although you might get wheezing because of all the mucus. In social situations do the best that you can with the mucus, other than that cough it into a tissue.

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@merpreb During the cold a month ago i didn't have fever neither ear aches. My family was just scared for me getting the pneumonia again and said that i should rest for a week. I hear these wheezing sounds when i don't have cold thats why i'm concerned about this. Sometimes it's harder to cough it up, but when i cough the sound stops, i noticed that when i drink more water the mucus kind of gets less thick and easier to cough up. I'll sugest my parents to go to that doctor and update you on the status soon.

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Hi @stefank. I add my welcome to Mayo Clinic Connect and give you thumbs up for seeking out a reputable source like Mayo Clinic's community to figure things out. As @merpreb mentioned, we are not doctors here, but rather fellow patients.

I can imagine that you are scared about the infection coming back, and that you're concerned about missing school. It's really good that you're asking your doctor questions. I encourage you to continue to ask questions until you understand the answers and also understand the next steps. Do your parents know that you are using Mayo Clinic Connect to get support? Maybe you can invite them to sit with you as you use the website, so they can ask questions too.

I recommend that you make a list of questions to ask your pediatrician. Write down anything that worries you. From your messages, here are some questions I think you might want to ask:
- Why did I get pneumonia?
- How can I prevent getting pneumonia again?
- Why do I get sick so often?
- Do I have a weak immune system?
- What can I do to prevent getting sick and to boost my immune system?
- What do you recommend for me to get rid of phlegm?
- Do you recommend that I see a specialist? An Ear, Nose and Throat specialist? Or a pulmonologist (lung specialist)?

Is this a good start? What questions would you like your doctor to answer?

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@colleenyoung My parents aren't really in the new technology, but they encourage me to get information on the internet about anything that bothers me. I will suggest them to use the website, but the problem is that they don't speak English very well so i'll have to translate for them. I'll certainly use the questions that you suggested me. I understand that you aren't doctors, but you showed me the path and i'm really grateful to you. I'll definitely tell other people if they are concerned about their health to use this website.

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Hate to rain on your parade but I have had a loss of breath going on 3 years. Been thru CT, PET, echo, ETC. Have a pacemaker, 2 cardio catherazations,. That only covers heart treatment. Pulmanary Doctor has given me every inhaler under the sun, nebulizer, etc. Cancer Doctor monitors my other functions with pet scan. I am in the same position as I was on 4/2/16 when all of this started, hope you have better luck
!!!1111

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@boredsilly- Hello. You sound so frustrated, and I so sorry. When there aren't answers and solutions it can be devastating, but not hopeless. I am a lung cancer survivor of over 21 years. Cardioversion straightened out your heart beat from an arrhythmia to a normal beat. Have you doctors explained any reasons for your shortness of breath? Do you also have cancer? You haven't said. What kind is it? You also mentioned getting off the wagon. Does this mean that you have stopped drinking?

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