Hello,
My name is Mat (42). Writing for a first time at this forum. I would like to get an opinion, especially from Dr. David, if there is any chance? Sorry for my english, I am from Europe (Poland). There is my case.
I have been smoking for about 25 years, but usually half pack a day and with many gaps, I mean usually haven’t smoke during winter all this years, sometimes only in days off like weekends, I know it is strange, but lets say, finally it would be max like 15 pack years. Definitely quit smoking a year ago. For as long as I rememeber, if I get sick, it always has been a chest, especially when young, but in my 20-30’s it was like 2-3 times a year (winter time). But I have never got some serious sick like pneumonia or severe bronchitis, haven't took antibiotics last 20 years since now, never been in hospital as young. I write all this because it may be useful in opinion.
Last year I got sick, and like usually runny nose and then coughing green phlegm, but this time I got coughing longer then usually, like 1 month and noticed for the first time in my life I could’t get full inhale, like can’t get enough air to be satisfied. After few months also a year ago, before I quit smoking for a good, I got sick again and had a lot of jelly green phlegm for like 2 months and then normal phlegm, but also a lot. From this time I have phlegm all the time, now is a year, sometimes it is green, with green spots. It is worth to mention, I cough only when have green phlegm, usually in the morning, but for most of time I have white, sticky mucus and make a throat clearing or forced cough all the time. Sometimes it’s like a glass/day and sometimes it is less, I haven’t noticed any correlation. I am eating healthy food, drink a lot, enough sleep etc. By the way, when I get sleep I don’t have this problem, I mean there is a lot less mucus/phlegm when I wake up during night, just need to forcibly clear a throat and sleep all right. Now, again I have green phlegm, when I get up I have to forcibly cough and even blow it from my nose. Since a year I have also problem with shortness of breath, need to take extra breath or yawning a lot and can't get satisfying breath, need to repeat yawn, last months it is better and have it only sometimes, occasionally. Ha few sweating nights. Also had a chest pains, especially when lying, like there was a weight on the chest, last month don't have it. All this respiratory problems only during the rest, when I am active never have a problem. I started running this year about 3-4 miles, 2-3 times a week, and have no problem with it during running, even feel better after. Another important things may be: got Covid 2020 and 2023 (normal symptoms), 10 years ago Whooping cough (Pertussis?) and appendictis surgery in 2005 (by the way in Chicago during my students summer work).
So I was at the doctors, laryngologist (found only crooked nasal septum), allergist (nothing special), pulmologist:
1st visit 04.2024: got PFT (Spirometry No.1 - above), many blood tests, X-ray etc. , results: chlamydia pneumoniae IgG (positive) - 56RU/ml; mild thrombocytosis - 460 ths/ul, a little too much iron, everything else was okay;
after this visit pulmo said, it may be an asthma becasue of FEV1 increase 240ml, prescribed me Symbicort and Azithromycin fo 10 days (because of chlamydia); no improvement;
2nd visit: 11.2024: got PFT (Spirometry No.2 - above), blood test again, CT, , results: CT described by a radiologist, everything in the chest was okay (no suspicion of bronchiectasis), found some hypodense focus under diaphragm (?) (calcified tumor?) but this is separate case I think; mild thrombocytosis - 450 ths/ul, normal iron and other results,
after this visit pulmo chenaged Symbicort to Formodual, described Erdostein and Esoxx (to reject any GERD issue). Got also referral to hospital for bronchoscopy (to check and get mucus bacteriological study) I also get amoxicillin, which I am taking now, because pulmo said, this is what they do usually to "reset a body", after 4 days of taking it I don't see any better, maybe less green phlegm.
A lot of writing, sorry for that, but I am sure it is important to get enough information. I've been reading this forum for many months and most of content about COPD, especially that one with dr David. I know he is a worldwide specialist. Of course I trust my pulmo, the one I am visiting now is a Head of Lung Diseases Department at the Hospital, but sometimes i know it is good to get another opinion, from a different perspective.
Anticipating any comments, doctors never mentioned about DLCO or RV test, which I see is nomal at this forum, but I think not for pulmos over there. By the way my SpO2 is always between 95-99%. To sum up, my main problem is constant mucus/phlegm. I'm going to stop taking it for a while Formodual to check what happens. On the other hand, this is hard to get completely cure while kids bring diseases every 2 weeks, one of them had last month pneumoniae mycoplasma. Thank you.
Best regards, Mat