Hi all:)
Had a few questions .
I was diagnosed with COPD in 2018 with pneumonia via cat scan . Them my PFT my fev1 was 90% and my dr was shocked .I smoked two years after and quit . I started aging in quarentine in March a nervous wreck for 2 months .
I just had my second PFT and this time my fev 1 was 86.I’m told still normal but according to cat scan I def have COPD . The only numbers that changed is the amount of air I don’t exhale completely .
I suffer with bad anxiety . The past year I’ve really struggled with loads of mucous and most days can’t get behind it .I’ve tried everything .mucinex, pineapple juice ect.
fast forward and 6 weeks ago I started with a sore throat that is low in the throat with swallowing , ear pain and stuffy nose. But my breathing has been very different . I’m winded a lot and when I breath in my airways feel dry and very tight . I’m told reflux by my ent and my pulmonologist says it just bronchial irritation from something in the air . I have been on Medrol dose pack twice and z pack and it’s still here but waxes and wanes .
I gained a lot of weight in a year and I think that plays a big part .
night time is awful .I wake up snorting and gasp for air .I am having a sleep study for apnea but I think if I lost weight I would maybe be better with it . If I fall asleep on the couch I wake and get up to go to bed and after climbing stairs I am so extremely tight to expand my chest to breath and check my o2 and at times it’s 89. Then goes up . But it’s after I’ve slept I feel awful! Dry airways and tight for air and I’m told reflux! C’mon, really?
I usually run 94-98 during day with o2 .I get winded talking at times .
Anyway my questions are
Because my PFT is good I think many think it’s anxiety but would anxiety lower my numbers on an oximeter ? ( I do have anxiety w this)
Can anyone tell me what could be going on ? Maybe a virus ? Weather change ? I’m so afraid I won’t return to my old normal and will need oxygen although I’m told no way with my day numbers .
I don’t know what’s causing the tight airway feeling and I wheeze some too. I’m told reflux can cause a feeling of asthma . But I have COPD so I find it hard to except that it’s reflux .
I’m fixing to go on my third Medrol dose pack of steroids in 2 months .isn’t this bad , so many steroids? I’m told no as long as I’m not on constant .Do we get immune to them .
thanks soooo much :)