Pat Report - Special Asthma Investigation Edition


Short version:

Who's got two thumbs and probably doesn't have asthma?

THIS GUY!



Long version:

Today was the methacholine challenge.  This is the third (and hopefully final) test my new allergy and asthma doctor has ordered to see if I actually have exercise induced asthma (we've been operating under the assumption that I've had asthma for the last year).

You breath into a tube and they measure your lung capacity.  Then you inhale a bunch of chemicals that taste like band-aids and swimming pool.  It's supposed to make your lungs tighten up (your twenty-five cent word of the day is "bronchoconstriction").  Then you breath into the tube again.

For a guy my age, height and weight, I had roughly 150% of the lung capacity you would have expected for someone with asthma to start with (thanks, running!).

After inhaling the drugs... I was still at 150% (actually, slightly better).

So... I still have to have a follow-up with my new doctor, but this tests strongly indicates no asthma.

The moral of the story is that sometimes doctors can be dipshits, too.

The only question now is how to tell my old doctor allergy I'll be leaving.  Do I just not make another appointment?  Or do I write the "Dear Dr. Douchebag" letter?  The temptation is strong.

And I no longer have to take the medication that lists "asthma related death" as a possible side effect.  So there's that.