My pulmonary function tests were definitively positive for Asthma, reactive airways due to environmental allergens and irritants!
I completely failed the Methacholine challenge test. This test uses Methacholine gas that mimics irritants and you are to inhale 5 metered dosages, each increasing in the amount of gas. You fail if forced inspiration/expiration is less than 20% of your baseline.
The first dose I felt something, but thought it might be power of suggestion. The second, I noted some possible chest tightness but also thought this might be power of suggestion. However, the third was pretty obvious as my chest was quite tight, and the fourth felt like an elephant sitting on my chest and I was gasping for breath. I could barely breathe in the 4th dosage for the entire 30 seconds.
After the fourth challenge dose, my PFTs were reduced by 30%, so the test was stopped and I was given rescue inhaler.
Although it's upsetting to have the diagnosis of asthma, instead of shortness of breath due to anxiety (as CBT is very effective), it's a cautionary tale that you MUST make sure your doctors rule out medical conditions first before they slap a label of anxiety or depression on your condition.
All the doctors I've seen while hospitalized, and since being hospitalized insinuated that my shortness of breath is most likely due to anxiety, except my trusty Pulmonologist, Dr. Hogue. And this is at a reputable medical academic center that trains medical students, interns and residents (yikes!), Cooper University Hospital.
At least when I was training, after the first rule of doing no harm, the second rule we learned is that you must rule out all medical causes first, before you say that the condition is due to psychiatric issues. This is such a basic rule, that not knowing this as a doctor is analogous to a professional quarterback not knowing what a touchdown is.
It seems that quite a few doctors in the US, if they don't know what's going on, they just say it's all in your head, which is what I experienced even at a reputable medical center. Although I prefer that my shortness of breath is due to anxiety since you can control anxiety using Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), there's a silver lining in that my story serves as a cautionary tale to everyone that you must make sure your doctors do a complete work-up before they label your condition as psychiatric.
If I was falsely diagnosed with anxiety without the proper work-up and given Zoloft instead of a steroid inhaler, I may very well experience an asthma attack in the future, possibly leading to death.
If you're not a doctor or you don't have family or friends in the medical field to accompany you to your appointments, you can research your condition and write down tests that are recommended in trusted medical sites such as the Mayo Clinic.
Next step is to pester your doctor to make sure they do these tests, and if they refuse, ask why. If their answers make no sense, then get a second opinion. If you don't take these steps, it could otherwise cost you your life.
Be forewarned!
The How of Happiness Review
I completely failed the Methacholine challenge test. This test uses Methacholine gas that mimics irritants and you are to inhale 5 metered dosages, each increasing in the amount of gas. You fail if forced inspiration/expiration is less than 20% of your baseline.
The first dose I felt something, but thought it might be power of suggestion. The second, I noted some possible chest tightness but also thought this might be power of suggestion. However, the third was pretty obvious as my chest was quite tight, and the fourth felt like an elephant sitting on my chest and I was gasping for breath. I could barely breathe in the 4th dosage for the entire 30 seconds.
After the fourth challenge dose, my PFTs were reduced by 30%, so the test was stopped and I was given rescue inhaler.
Although it's upsetting to have the diagnosis of asthma, instead of shortness of breath due to anxiety (as CBT is very effective), it's a cautionary tale that you MUST make sure your doctors rule out medical conditions first before they slap a label of anxiety or depression on your condition.
All the doctors I've seen while hospitalized, and since being hospitalized insinuated that my shortness of breath is most likely due to anxiety, except my trusty Pulmonologist, Dr. Hogue. And this is at a reputable medical academic center that trains medical students, interns and residents (yikes!), Cooper University Hospital.
At least when I was training, after the first rule of doing no harm, the second rule we learned is that you must rule out all medical causes first, before you say that the condition is due to psychiatric issues. This is such a basic rule, that not knowing this as a doctor is analogous to a professional quarterback not knowing what a touchdown is.
It seems that quite a few doctors in the US, if they don't know what's going on, they just say it's all in your head, which is what I experienced even at a reputable medical center. Although I prefer that my shortness of breath is due to anxiety since you can control anxiety using Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), there's a silver lining in that my story serves as a cautionary tale to everyone that you must make sure your doctors do a complete work-up before they label your condition as psychiatric.
If I was falsely diagnosed with anxiety without the proper work-up and given Zoloft instead of a steroid inhaler, I may very well experience an asthma attack in the future, possibly leading to death.
If you're not a doctor or you don't have family or friends in the medical field to accompany you to your appointments, you can research your condition and write down tests that are recommended in trusted medical sites such as the Mayo Clinic.
Next step is to pester your doctor to make sure they do these tests, and if they refuse, ask why. If their answers make no sense, then get a second opinion. If you don't take these steps, it could otherwise cost you your life.
Be forewarned!
The How of Happiness Review
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