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I had the allergy sensitivity blood test which showed no allergies, great news but no surprise. Now, the doctor wants to put me in the hospital for a day to run a methacholine challenge test - "just to be sure". From what I have found online, I'm not so sure I want or need it. I have Traditional Medicare so they have to find tests to run before they can bill.
Does anyone have experience with this test for diagnosing asthma?
I was diagnosed with asthma at 50 because it felt like someone had put a fist in my chest and was squeezing. My doctor thought I was having a heart attack and sent me to the emergency room. They also thought I was having a heart attack. When the cardiologist came in he said that is asthma. However, I have horrible allergies which was the cause of mine. There’s two types of asthma and one is allergy related. What’s the reason that he thinks you have asthma?
Hi All,
Now, the doctor wants to put me in the hospital for a day to run a methacholine challenge test - "just to be sure".
You doc is either over 80 y/o or terribly naive.
"Bronchospasm" is the situation where the bronchioles (muscular airway tubes capable of changing diameter as needed) clamp down in spasm and prevent air from moving in and out of the lungs as freely as it should.
Bronchospasm can be caused by inhaling foreign material like dust or bugs, irritated by extreme temperature of the air, heart failure or as a part of COPD. We call it asthma when that normally protective reflex is extreme, taking only a small stimulus to set off too severe a reaction.
It's not usually due to "allergy" per se. Teenagers will often show exercise asthma-- periods of severe bronchospasm induced by the rapid breathing of heavy exercise. When bronchospasm shows up for the first time in adults, particularly middle age and older, one should be suspicious that more severe lung problems or heart problems are behind it.
Asthma is a clinical diagnosis, ie- based on history and physical exam, and other lung or heart problems have been excluded.... In the old days, a methacholine provocation test was performed in an attempt to look scientific in the days when there was very little science to medical practice. It's a potentially dangerous test. That's why he wants you in the hospital to do it. I haven't heard of anyone doing it in the last 60 years.
To make the diagnosis, you must be examined while having an episode of bronchospasm. Treatment is really easy for most cases- albuterol inhaler used as needed..If you are having frequent need for use of the inhaler, long acting inhalers with or without steroids can be used.....Death from an asthma attack is not unheard of, but unusual, and that rate actually went up when home treatment with inhalers came to the market ~50 y/o-- because pts got so comfortable with their condition that they would delay going to the ER with a severe episode until it was too late.
Guido, you nailed it! You must be in the medical profession.
I have aortic stenosis which is what I believe to cause periodic shortness of breath not requiring an inhaler.
My gut level feeling is that the young, foreign doctor is looking for any way to bill our Traditional Medicare regardless of how dangerous the test is for me. My cardiologist refused to even discuss the test with me, probably to protect the pulmonologist.
And so, I ask on social media, which they don't like.
I too am a senior who has developed a problem with asthma/wheezing and shortness of breath
I have been reading about late onset asthma and it can be symptom of an auto-immune condition
Which is very difficult to diagnose
I had a CT scan w/o contrast a couple of weeks ago which showed micro-nodules in my upper lungs
No fluid in cadiac area, no significan arterial buildup
The radiologist report said the number/size of the nodules were usually the result of auto-immune condition
I saw the NP in my doctor’s office for this condition two times since March—she referred me to allergist before results of CT scan were available—the allergist’s office when I called after a week of no contact was less than helpful. Said the dr was still reviewing referrals and IF she decided to see me it would be August before I could be scheduled…
So in market for new dr for referral—thinking more of pulmonologist or rheumatologist to deal with auto-immune aspect
I am in FL full time for past 2.5-3 yrs—but know I have strong reaction to red tide which is not happening now, cedar//elm pollen—which I had big time in DFW TX area where we lived before…
I take Allegry, Benadryl, Flonase to help with some symptoms and Albuterol puffer for wheezing
Have had two prednisone packs and 10 days of Doxycycline for two bouts of these bad attacks
But finished RX last week—have tele conf w/my NP Tuesday to discuss my test results and what to do now
I will read the links posted about gut situation because I know that is growth area influencing how some drs are viewing auto-immune and other causation factors for long-term illness…
Taking heavy antibiotics also reduces gut viability from what I understand
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Late onset asthma—
