Asthma or COPD?

How about if you treat it as asthma, using a long acting beta agonist full time (like Singulair) and a rescue inhaler like albuterol when your chest feels tight or heavy? A 3-6 month trial ought to let you know whether that works. I believe COPD is defined as chronic persistent cough plus bronchitis along with flaccid or scarred airways and that doesn't seem like what you are describing.
If it doesn't help or you get worse you can consult a pulmonologist for a deeper look.
What do you think of trying this?

Thank you very much for your feedback. I appreciate it and will work on having patience and giving the time you are suggesting. I did go to the hospital on the weekend and they suggested a course of treatment for two weeks, including Albuteral. I have moments of panic on days when my lungs feel flared up with mucus that is not moving and restricting my airway. I will continue to seek help for the time you suggested and hope that this will be resolved.

I have asthma with an elevated mucus component. My pulmonologist says this is a common asthma symptom and it seems to wax and wane seasonally for me. I’ve also had X-rays, CT scans and they are all clear. Additionally, your smoking history seems relatively low when translated into pack-years. And after stopping smoking, it can take your lungs a long time to recover and settle. You may need to be more patient.

Good morning and welcome to Mayo Clinic Connect. I smoked very heavily and have COPD but no asthma. In all of the tests that you had, did you have a Spirometry? Spirometry is a simple test of how well your lungs work. For this test, you blow air into a mouthpiece and tubing attached to a small machine. I hate this test, lol but it is the best test that medicine offers for COPD.

I certainly understand the scariness associated with having your breathing interrupted and having a problem with clearing mucus. But you must take the reins and try medications that will help you. Sue and Otter suggest it and so do I.

Here is an explanation of what is going on in your lungs with asthma:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D0HvxftFDrU
and COPD
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T1G9Rl65M-Q&t=76s

Many inhalers that are available are used for both. And it is possible for your doctors to be wrong and in the future things might turn out to be different. But what you need right now is to treat what is happening now, not any "might be" in the future. And you are lucky because there are cross-over of treatments for both, so you will be ahead of the game.

When you feel panicked sit-down and slow your breathing down. It works wonders for

Ask your Pulmonologist for information about it, or call your local hospital about Pulmonary rehab. It teaches you how to control your symptoms and learning how to breathe effectively.

Would you consider pulmonary rehab?

Hello and thank you. Yes, I would consider anything that will be helpful. I did breathe into a tube but it was not attached to any machine. My lung function on this was good according to this test but of course it may have been a rudimentary one. While I am still congested, I noticed I am breathing a little better and definitely sleeping better in the last several weeks...little moments of hope. Another consulting physician expressed doubt again that it is COPD. I will go with this for now, but will do the course of treatment recommended until I know what is actually happening. Thanks again!

Thank you very much. I am working on being patient. I have a history of being very fit, run a few marathons, about a dozen 1/2 marathons, taught fitness and continue to work out in my home gym (less so recently of course)...so feeling so restricted did set me off into a panic...Your feedback was helpful. Thank you

Please see if you can get a better lung test done! Best of luck to you and I hope that you check out our Asthma Group,

Sorry to hear about your health conditions, not knowing what you have and not getting the right treatment isnt ideal.

I am not a doctor, just from my experience with asthma.

You need to find md or pulmonologist who will be vested in looking whats going on and help you square away things.

They can do trial meds in addition to what mentioned above such as spiriva, laba and inhaled corticosteroids.

There is also mechalochine challenge test that helps to dx asthma - wasnt my favorite, but thats how mine was dx-ed. My breathing tests were borderline or only satistified 1 out of 2 parameters for asthma based on ATS. You can look up on google American Thoracic Society guidelines on copd, on spirometry, etc - do your homework 🙂

And there is also plane Mucinex over the counter, various strengths that helps to break up the mucus. Good luck !

@lenchiksf- Thank you for responding so thoroughly! I didn't know that Mucinex came in different strengths! I'll have to check this out!

Merry

Have you had spirometer testing for your lung function?