Does this sound like Asthma or not???

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slimseeker

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I sure hope someone can help me out here. I am age 47. At age 38, I was told (after pulmonary function tests) that I have asthma. My main symptom was shortness of breath and it gets worse around smoke or allergens that trigger it.

My question is everywhere online I read about asthma is says you have wheezing. I do not get wheezing. I only struggle to breathe. It's hard to take a deep breath and from struggling with that I do get chest tenderness. Can you have asthma without wheezing?

I was on advair and felt it did nothing. I've been off the advair for a few years. I only take singulair for my asthma, but since we started winter and are burning wood in our boiler, I've noticed the smoke that gets out when you add wood and I breathe that has flared up my asthma.

I just wonder if I even have asthma since I dont get wheezing. Do you wheeze...what are your symptoms?

Thank you SO much for your replies.

Slimseeker
:wave:
 
I don't typically wheeze. For me it is a chronic cough, breath shortness and sometimes a "tight" feeling when I breathe. I have some previous posts on asthma early warning signs and symptoms.

Do you have a rescue inhaler?
 
I don't wheeze either. Lots of people with asthma don't.

Go below and read the thread about the importance of following your treatment plan. You need to see a pulmonologist and get proper treatment. Get a written plan for how to treat your asthma during flare ups, certain seasons, etc.
 
No i hardly ever wheeze. Infact my General Practitioner didnt diagnose me with asthma because i wasnt "wheezing" despite having shortness of breath, dizziness, nausea, etc...... it wasnt until i saw an asthma specialist/allergist that she diagnosed me so according to her you didnt have to have the classic wheezing symptom to have it.
 
Thank you so much for your replies. I do have a rescue inhaler, but the date expired and I never called for another one, but will tomorrow. I've hardly in the past ever used a rescue inhaler when I had this shortness of breath cause it didn't seem like it really helped me. I'll just have to see a pulmonologist instead of my GP about this. Thanks for the idea.

I have one more question? do any of you get heart palpitations with your asthma. I tend to get those and wonder if it's asthma related. Years ago I had ekg's, heart monitor (24 hour one), and an echocardiogram and it never showed anything of why i get these palps...so I'm thinking it's asthma related OR anxiety which I do get anxious.

Thanks again!
Slimseeker
 
"I have one more question? do any of you get heart palpitations with your asthma. I tend to get those and wonder if it's asthma related. Years ago I had ekg's, heart monitor (24 hour one), and an echocardiogram and it never showed anything of why i get these palps...so I'm thinking it's asthma related OR anxiety which I do get anxious."

Thanks again!
Slimseeker[/QUOTE]


i know how you feel, because i have the very same condition. the heart and the lungs all work together to get oxygen to the rest of your body. what you're feeling is, assuming your dr.'s have not found another reason, is caused by the lack of oxygen being distributed through your body. your heart is basically overworking itself to get that job done. your asthma is probably more advanced than you expected. some people dont always get wheezing attacks. others, like myself, the attacks are internal. "silent asthma" it sometimes might be called. an inhaler is really only ment for short time use, and shouldnt be used for more than 3-4 times a day, if that. you should really look into geting a daily breathing treatment/medication.

also, very important, if you are having palpitaions, along with shortness of breath, if you can still breath, try to stay calm and not take your inhaler unless absolutly nessesary, because its a steroid and will cause your heart to beat even faster (which is not safe during a palpitaion or when your heart is beating fast). you can also go to cardiologist and get perscribed a beta-blocker which can slow your heart rate. i take this, and it is definitly a help, along with my other asthma medications.

remeraber, everything is a trial run until you find the right corabination of medicines that work best for your body.

if you have anymore questions, let me know :)
 
I have asthma without wheezing for the most part. Its very frustrating because I can go to the doctor in obvious distress and he'll listen to me and say "you sound clear, you're not wheezing." I've been sent home with nothing only to end up in the emergency room the next day with a full blown attack. (can you hear me now?!) Anyway, I may not wheeze until I'm in full crisis, but I definitely get short of breath from smoke, allergens even weather changes such as humidity. My chest gets really tight and I feel like I have to force each breath. I also get a dry cough for several weeks leading up to an exacerbation if I don't get treated. So that being said, yes you can have asthma without wheezing. Know your body. Take inventory of your symptoms and know if they are escalating. Once they start to get worse its harder to calm them down. Better to be proactive. They can get out of control!
 
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