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Exudative cellular bronchiolitis...?
Lung Health | Last Active: Feb 13, 2021 | Replies (9)Comment receiving replies
@zoelife- Welcome to Mayo Clinic Connect. We are patients helping other patients and not in the medical field. I am not in the medical field and have had lots of lung tests because of lung cancer. I bet that this is uncomfortable or even painful. I also have a tree in bud formation in one of my lungs. Tree in bud and signet rings are an indication of an infection and usually occur in the centrilobular nodules.
From what little I have read about this a sample of mucus can determine if someone has bronchiolitis along with listening to lung signs. A bronchoscopy may make your symptoms worse or introduce bacteria and really complicate things. Bronchiolitis is typically caused by a virus so antibiotics aren't used.
I can't tell you what percentage of patients should get a bronchoscopy biopsy for this condition. Also percentages, I find, are unreliable as diagnostic tools or treatments. The nodules can also be seen as part of the infection. I am glad that you are getting a second opinion. Have you been given any inhalers or anti-inflammatories to help?
Have your
https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/bronchiolitis/diagnosis-treatment/drc-20351571Replies to "@zoelife- Welcome to Mayo Clinic Connect. We are patients helping other patients and not in the..."
Thanks for taking the time to provide this feedback, Merry. Is appreciated.
The patient reported discomfort during the moments the itchiness got intense with no way to alleviate it. The shortness of breath has more less been an inconvenience more than anything. One of their hobbies is singing and this has made it difficult for them. But they did say that as Iong as they have breath in their lungs they will never stop singing, which was good to hear.
The cause was aspiration and not a virus. I have read how some physicians are able to make a definitive diagnosis without doing a bronchoscopy, however it seems getting the pathology from a bronchoscopy could have its benefits of knowing exactly what one is dealing with and the best treatment options.
As to your questions, the patient was given 5 days worth of methylprednisone (steroid anti inflammatory) in mid January, which didn’t seem to make a difference. The issue breathing hasn’t caused them to need an inhaler as the shortness of breath symptoms have been entirely different than asthmatic symptoms. They say this with assuredness because the asthma they had as a child (causing hospitalization and being put in an incubator for a few weeks) by God’s grace they recovered from at age 18. Patient hasn’t needed an inhaler since.
The first Doctor they saw had them take albuterol via a nebulizer as part of the pulmonary function test but it felt like it made things worse causing them to cough mucus for the next hour. Also, it didn’t alleviate the itchy lungs at all. As to relieving the shortness of breath, it helped maybe 2%. To clarify, all symptoms came a day after they accidentally choked and then aspirated.
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@zoelife Their symptoms sound extremely difficult to manage and I hope they will soon find answers, treatment, and relief.
I'd like to extend my welcome to Mayo Clinic Connect and concur with @merpreb that members are not medically trained but they are here to support and share their experiences. It sounds like @merpreb has a lot of experience on this topic.
I'd like to invite members like @bizzy12 @nla4625 @fracturedd @oakbourne @spudmato @janeellen @lori01 @hopeful33250 to join the conversation, as they have recently discussed Lung Health and may be able to offer support on this journey.
I also think it is good you are getting a second opinion.
May I ask if the second opinion is at a specialty or teaching hospital?