ive always been healthy, was never around smoking or pollution in my life. No asthma. Was fit. In May of 2019 (i was 32 years old) i got a viral bronchitis (later found it was mycoplasma pneumoniae) which left me with lasting symptoms of phlegm production, shortness of breath and subtle wheezing that only i can hear bec i feel it, it feels intense to me. After a lot of bothering my doctors, i did a full pulm function test at UCLA. Basically in my fev1/fvc i have “mild obstruction”. It did not improve at all after bronchodilator. They didn’t know how to diagnose me bec i was healthy, young and never smoked or worked a chemical heavy job. So, i got a ct scan and tons of tests. Ct scan was normal except a small patch of Ground Glass Opacities. They said thay wasnt a big deal. Here’s other tests i did:
alpha1 gene result was normal
No allergies except very minor to a tree im not near
Passed methocholine test- so doctor said likely not asthma.
Eosinophils are always normal. Actually lower end.
Echocardiograms- all norma
a few autoimmune tests- all normal.
Many more pulmonary function tests over the past 4 years which show roughly the same result. A little lower obstruction by 1 point.
So, here i am still dealing with shortness of breath. My breztri works somewhat but i still have well, basically an “obstruction feeling” when i exhale.
I have a lot of health im grateful for but between this and my bad low back i feel like being a Mom of young kids is just ROUGH.
Humidity and cold air to any degree really causes me hell. I stay inside a LOT. Thus, missing out on a lot of activities with my kids and even just a healthy walk for myself.
My doctor is perplexed. And im going to go to Mayo Clinic. I am not excited bec ive been to so many doctors and they usually slap on “asthma”. But i dont fit the bill for asthma and per my tests and blood work. Yet, having copd seems like wow, can’t believe i have that when i also have super low risk factors.
Is anyone like me?
Thanks for reading