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Suggest Treatment For Shortness Of Breath Due To Bronchial Asthma

Posted on Mon, 2 Feb 2015

Question: I have a cloudy lung, I have shortness of breath and that is most of the time. I am on 2 medications for this but it doesn't always help, it works about 50/50. The medications are Vento Lin ha as needed usually 2 puffs every 4 hours and then for night time I take pulmonary 1 puff before sleep & 1 in the morning when I wake up. They say I have asthma but I'm 60 years old and these symptoms started about 4 years ago but the Drs. did not listen to me about them. I had the massive Gaul bladder attack 1 year ago this caused them to take notice, I had a hard time even on oxygen keeping my level above 93%. I was in for 4 days due to my Gaul bladder being inflected. After this is when they finally listened to me about my shortness of breath. I'm concerned because the medicine I'd not always helping, this is causing a tightness in my chest. I'm worried, should I be pushing for more test or should I be accepting of the Drs. Answer.

Answered by Dr. Tushar Kanti Biswas (46 minutes later)

Brief Answer:
Shortness of breath unresponsive to standard therapy.

Detailed Answer:
Hi,

Thank you for your query. I can understand your concerns.

It seems you have shortness of breath due to Bronchial asthma which may start at any age, including in elderly patients.

Since Ventolin HFA (albuterol sulfate inhalation aerosol) and Pulmicort (budesonide) inhalation have only limited effect, addition of ipratropium bromide inhalation 18 mcg once a day as an additional bronchodilator may help. Low doses of theophylline may be helpful in some patients.

Eventually you may require maintenance treatment with oral corticosteroids, and the minimal dose that achieves satisfactory control should be determined by careful dose titration.

Meanwhile you can undergo Serum precipitins to A. fumigatus & serum IgE level to exclude Allergic Bronchopulmonary Aspergillosis and HRCT chest to exclude interstitial lung diseases (ILDs).

Regards

Dr. T.K. Biswas M.D. XXXXXXX

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Ashwin Bhandari

Follow up: Dr. Tushar Kanti Biswas (7 hours later)

I want to thank you for the information, I do have a Drs. Appt. On 01/05/2015
This way I know what kind of things to ask and say to my Dr.
Thanks again, XXXXXXX

Answered by Dr. Tushar Kanti Biswas (2 hours later)

Brief Answer:
Follow-up

Detailed Answer:
Hi,
You may let me know investigation results,if undertaken subsequently for follow-up consultation.

Regards

Dr. T.K. Biswas M.D. XXXXXXX

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Raju A.T