Expert: Marc Rubin, RPh Asthma Educator - 1/27/2011

Question
I have breathing problem, during infections. Starts with cold, running nose, congestion, fever and ends up with wheeze, hard chest, incomplete breating, normally after trips and tours and exposure to dust (old papers and files). If not exposed to above no health problems in that year, but if it starts normally in july afterwards never stops with treatment like antibiotics, atleast nagging low grade fever, unconfortable stomach, stools after eating, frequent urination etc persists atleast for 3 to 4 months until every thing is normal. in the past 7 or 8 years I have had one year (july to sept) only low grade fever in evenings no other symptoms, no health problems of any sort during two years when not exposed to dust, outside travel etc. but if exposed to some sort of infection then persistent ill health of some sort or other including bloated abdomen, frequent stools, headache, cold and congestion, low grade fever, frequent urination etc keeps on recurring. if treated also every thing will be normal only for the time I take medicines + one or two weeks more and then some sort of symptoms recur, until the low grade fever vanishes, which takes atleast three to four months. If the problem starts only in november or december it vanishes fast only 15  days or 45 days etc. Normally when blood test, chest X ray is done everything is normal. Now in the recent past slightly elevated BP (which is varying from normal to 138/90) is seen when there is wheezing.

Answer
Hello Yati,

It doesn't sound like asthma, more like bronchitis. You should have a pulmonologist look into this, and run full lung function testing. Some of the issues are unrelated to your lung problem, so there should be a discussion between your general MD and the pulmonologist.

Sorry I can't help you more on this one.

Sincerely,

Marc