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Mysterious shortness of breath: What has helped you?

Lung Health | Last Active: 1 day ago | Replies (3424)

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@sussistrikesmichelle

Good evening Jennifer, it feel very heard and seen, thank you for taking the time to write your suggestions and insights.

I do, indeed, have severe allergies and was hospitalized as a child multiple times during the springtime for allergic asthma. I did allergy shots for two years but went into Anaphylactic shock three times before my doctor deemed it too dangerous for me. I might give it another go and not titrate further than a yellow range.

How did you find out your chest is too tight and doesn't expand properly? Ironically, I also broke my ankle and have 9 screws and a plate and terribly allergic to metals (can't wear earrings for longer than 1 minute). I am getting curious about the possibility of removing the metal and seeing if the post nasal drip will get resolved.

Also, how do I get more knowledge on out-gassing issues? My husband and I just bought a home. We went through a private company to swipe dust and test it for mold and it had a great score, which feels so relieving!

Hugs to you

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Replies to "Good evening Jennifer, it feel very heard and seen, thank you for taking the time to..."

@sussistrikesmichelle I see an environmental medicine doctor for allergies and they individually test antigens for things like molds, dust, etc, and they can break it down and test individual molds, one at a time. They find the maximum tolerated dose that doesn't make the weal grow larger than a certain size on their scale and that becomes the treating dose. Then they will combine results from several different antigens for molds together in a custom blend. I actually have 4 vials of mold antigens for allergy shots, one of which is specific for molds on agricultural crops, and the others are year round molds that can be found indoors. According to my doctor this was a much safer way to test allergies.

The doctor that pioneered this field of medicine started the Environmental Health Center of Dallas. (moving North of Dallas now) They do sell books. Here is info about safe buildings. Out gassing is worst after new construction and we had our home build in ways to minimize it and cut down on formaldehyde in building products. There is lots of information about this and other topics at https://www.ehcd.com/ehc-d-home-and-commercial-building-services

They do have treatments for immune responses to surgical implants, but you may also be able to have hardware removed like I did. I had pain from the plates and screws and it would be a bit warm, and I had extensive chronic hives and had to stay on anti-histamines. Just having pain (and not needing to prove allergic response) would be enough to warrant hardware removal if your doctor approves.
https://www.ehcd.com/implant-syndrome
https://www.ehcd.com/formaldehyde
I have HEPA air filters that also have carbon filtration to remove VOCs from the air. I purchased them with my doctor's recommendation from https://foustco.com/

If you want a test for metal allergies, you can contact a lab in Chicago https://www.orthopedicanalysis.com/ .
I did a blood test there before spine surgery 5 years ago and it did not indicate any problems which was surprising to me since I had to give up pierced earrings due to reactions. After I had the ankle fracture surgery, the hives started about 6 months later. It might just take time after continuous exposure to develop an immune response.

As for my physical issues with breathing, my physical therapist told me about the left side of my chest not expanding enough. I have thoracic outlet syndrome which causes tightness in muscle and fascia and that prevents my chest from expanding enough, and I can see it and feel it too. I was having a repeating pattern of chest infections from excess phlegm that always happens on the left side first, and then could expand to the right side. This was before Covid, and I learned how to treat it with Bactroban ointment by putting that in my nostrils with my doctor's prescription. That was something my surgeon at Mayo had me do as preventative for staff infections before spine surgery, and it also worked to clear my lung infections. With all the metal removed from my body, I have a lot less phlegm and this has not been a problem. If the lungs don't move enough, mucous does not get expelled which is why after surgery and anesthesia, patients need to get up and walk.

If you are not close to Texas, you could search for other providers in the field of Environmental medicine at
https://www.aaemonline.org/
This is a puzzle to solve and you find things one piece at a time. I eliminated all foods I was allergic to and gluten, and I treat my allergies, and removing all metal implants from my body made a big difference.

I sounds like you have had similar issues to me and I wish you well on your journey. It can get better! Will you come back and share what you find is helping you? I am glad I had my hardware removed which was only 4 weeks ago and the improvement was right away.