What the Heck?

I don’t understand the medical professionals at all. And I am so frustrated I want to scream. Is it too much to ask for answers?

In September I began to cough. To the point I sounded like I was trying to cough up a lung, if you know what I mean. I could not sleep through the night, the coughing was so bad. First the doctor thought it was COPD without running a single test. Finally she changed her mind and thought it was from all the spores I inhaled while pulling ivy, so she had me use a saline spray 4 times a day beginning in October. Eventually the cough when away. Eventually, as in January. Three months of coughing is not good. Mid March, the cough was back again, same as before. I was sick the last week of our cruise. Not fun.

So in April (the first available appointment) my doctor scheduled a series of lung capacity tests. The findings were mixed – ILD or COPD. My doctor thought COPD (which she has been insisting for a while now) while the pulmonary specialist thought it might be ILD. Both are broad, blanketed terms for lung disease. ILD eventually leads to lung transplant or death. I felt the need to fight for a more definitive answer – a wrong diagnoses could be fatal. Finally got my doctor to agree to order a high-resolution CT Scan (without contrast). That was yesterday, on my birthday. I felt God would not give me bad news on my birthday. I was sort of right, but not quite right.

Results are in – everything – and I mean everything came back normal. No evidence of any sort of lung disease – not ILD or COPD or emphysema – nothing. So scarring, no blockage, no gas leaks – whatever that means. Even my heart was fine. Yet according to the breathing tests, the lungs are not putting enough oxygen into the bloodstream. I thought that was odd since reading of oxygen levels have always been between 98 and 100.

I cannot stop coughing. It’s a dry, unproductive cough. I cannot breath when lifting or carrying things, but I’m fine walking. I have headaches, and get confused. I’m tired a lot and yet I cannot sleep. All the tests results thus far contradict one another. What the heck!!! At this point I’m open to guesses.

Sure feels good to rant every now and again.

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Author: Rosemarie's Kitchen

I'm a wife, mother, grandmother and avid home cook.I believe in eating healthy whenever possible, while still managing to indulge in life's pleasures.

18 thoughts on “What the Heck?”

  1. I’m sorry to hear about this. My husband was misdiagnosed with COPD by a very inexperienced PA. He really had congestive heart failure, diagnosed by a stress test. That same day, he was told to go straight to the hospital. Turned out he had a completely blocked artery. Luckily, the cardiologist in the hospital saw his EKG, and his high blood pressure along with the results of the stress test. He was furious at the misdiagnosis. He got him strong enough to have a stent put in. He saved his life. He had had what is called a widow maker heart attack. Don’t settle for no answers. Coughing can be a sign of heart trouble. Get a stress test. Keep seeing doctors until you get a straight answer. You must advocate for your own health. Good luck to you.

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    1. I had 4 blocked arteries a few years ago. We’ve been keeping an eye on the heart ever since. They are so quick with COPD. This has been a fight for 9 months now. Have no plans to quit. Thanks for the help. Glad your husband is better.

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  2. I had a dry unproductive cough back in my 30’s. I couldn’t do anything. Just a short walk would have me coughing and worn out. I wasn’t getting any oxygen to my system.My doctors were running all sorts of tests and it finally turned out to be GERD. I had acid reflux so bad it was impacting my ability to breathe. My lower esophagus had lost its ability to close, so when I lay down to sleep, I had acid leak out of my stomach. Maybe my experience will help? It may not be your lungs or heart at all.

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  3. Hi Rosemarie, I’m glad the test result came back with good news. You know I’m the alternative medicine lady. I love acupuncture especially Japanese. If you don’t like needles, Japanese acupuncture uses the thinnest needles. I have never felt pain from acupuncture. Sometimes they have given me not so tasty herbs. Sometimes insurance covers acupuncture. But it’s not expensive if you don’t have insurance. Here’s some virtual herbal hot tea. Feel better!

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