BookNut
08-20-2014, 01:21 PM
Interesting visit today with Dr. Daniel Culver, a pulmonologist at the Cleveland Clinic. I forgot to follow up with a why question, but the first thing he asked me is if I was a premature baby. I was not....but we got talking other things before I remembered to ask about it. Anyway...he ordered a chest CT and a methacholine challenge test to solidify the diagnosis of asthma. He is also talking another ENT referral referral. It would be my third....so I am not sure that will be productive...but I will go along with it. He is also talking perhaps Xolair, which scares me a little as it seems to have a higher than usual incidence of anaphylactic shock.
Also, I have been MUCH better since starting on 500 mg of clarithromycin three times per week. The mucous production is down at least by 75%. For months I have waken up every morning feeling as if I have been a punching bag for Mike tyson all night. For the month I've been on clarithromycin, I feel so much better. I still have my 24/7/365 wheeze.....but that is livable since I am only aware of it if i take a deep,breath. My shortness of breath has also improved ... thought it is not where I want it. I have a SOB guage that works pretty well. From Least intrusive to most intrusive, it goes like this:
4. Shopping Mall (Hard to walk from one end of shopping mall to the other)
3. Supermarket (hard to walk from one side of supermarket to the other.)
2. House ( hard to walk from one side of house to the other)
1. Chair (SOB while sitting still in my chair)
up till I started the long term antibiotic, I was at level 2 most of the time, and level 1 some of the time. Now I am at level 4, but really want to get back to being able to walking at LEAST a mile a day, and maybe some day getting back to my 4 mile walks.
So I have my tests next week and he will call me to talk about the results and make a plan.
I have this forum to thanks for recommending the Cleveland Clinic, and Dr. Daniel Culver. I am hoping we will find a solution that will work for me. I can live with the wheeze if I can just get rid of the shortness of breath!
I will post again when I find out more.
Also, I have been MUCH better since starting on 500 mg of clarithromycin three times per week. The mucous production is down at least by 75%. For months I have waken up every morning feeling as if I have been a punching bag for Mike tyson all night. For the month I've been on clarithromycin, I feel so much better. I still have my 24/7/365 wheeze.....but that is livable since I am only aware of it if i take a deep,breath. My shortness of breath has also improved ... thought it is not where I want it. I have a SOB guage that works pretty well. From Least intrusive to most intrusive, it goes like this:
4. Shopping Mall (Hard to walk from one end of shopping mall to the other)
3. Supermarket (hard to walk from one side of supermarket to the other.)
2. House ( hard to walk from one side of house to the other)
1. Chair (SOB while sitting still in my chair)
up till I started the long term antibiotic, I was at level 2 most of the time, and level 1 some of the time. Now I am at level 4, but really want to get back to being able to walking at LEAST a mile a day, and maybe some day getting back to my 4 mile walks.
So I have my tests next week and he will call me to talk about the results and make a plan.
I have this forum to thanks for recommending the Cleveland Clinic, and Dr. Daniel Culver. I am hoping we will find a solution that will work for me. I can live with the wheeze if I can just get rid of the shortness of breath!
I will post again when I find out more.