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confused symptoms

Question:

And next chance you get, get the hell out of that HMO so you can get some real medical attention when you really are sick.  HMOs are great if you are healthy, but not so good if you get sick! SLC

Amen!  I was in an HMO when my asthma began.  I had multiple visits to the doctor complaining of being unable to breathe.  The only diagnosis/treatment I received was "keep the cat out of the bedroom". I couldn’t even walk into a home that had a cat without going into an attack! I even begged for them to at least prescribe seldane so that I could have some relief. The response was (and I quote) "Seldane is too expensive."  (For whom?  I had only a $3 copay.  Obviously the HMO didn’t want to pick up the payment) Finally, one day while I was in an attack and sitting in the doctor’s office (my usual state) I said to the doctor "If you don’t do something right now, I am leaving this office and driving straight to the emergency room."  FOR THE FIRST TIME IN ANY OF MY VISITS, THE DOCTOR TOOK A STETHESCOPE AND LISTENED TO MY CHEST. And this was after a year of visits.  One listen and he announced I had bronchial asthma and prescibed a ventolin inhaler and sent me on my way.  They never in the whole time I had that HMO gave me any tests to check the severity of my asthma.  My whole treatment was the one stethescope listening and the proclamation that I had asthma. Never again will I join an HMO voluntarily! Stephenie

Response:

I would like to thank everyone who responded to my questions. You are very kind and supportive and it feels good to know you are there. Lyn

Response:

: didn’t want to pick up the payment) Finally, one day while I was in an : attack and sitting in the doctor’s office (my usual state) I said to the : doctor "If you don’t do something right now, I am leaving this office : and driving straight to the emergency room."  FOR THE FIRST TIME IN ANY : OF MY VISITS, THE DOCTOR TOOK A STETHESCOPE AND LISTENED TO MY CHEST. you should look at maybe taking this to a lawyer. It seems absolutely irresponsible that if you complain of the symptoms you did and he did not put a stethoscope to your chest in over one year of visits, he might be trying to avoid diagnoses. As a routine matter of fact, if I visit a doctor here, with a cold, flu or anything similar, the first thing a doctor will do is use a stethoscope to listen to my chest (even before being diagnozed with asthma). : And this was after a year of visits.  One listen and he announced I had : bronchial asthma and prescibed a ventolin inhaler and sent me on my : way.  They never in the whole time I had that HMO gave me any tests to : check the severity of my asthma.  My whole treatment was the one : stethescope listening and the proclamation that I had asthma. Again, if he suspects you have asthma, he should at least give you a peak flow meter test or if he has the resources a FEV test. and maybe refer you to an allegist. What also is worrying is that other patients of this HMO who have other symptoms of other diseases might also be treated in a similar way to yourself. Simon Patkin

Response:

. My Doctor is sending me to an allergist who is going to give me a pulmonary test but that won’t be for a few weeks.

Let me guess — you are in an HMO.  Push, scream and holler, and make them get you attention immediately.  Don’t be afraid to use the "l" word — lawyer, lawsuit.  Your symptoms are too severe to screw around for a few weeks, in my opinion.  You probably should have a chest X-ray to see if you have an infection.  I am not a doctor, but I would not let them jerk me around with symptoms like that.  Also, if you are a woman, your symptoms could be those of heart problems.   And next chance you get, get the hell out of that HMO so you can get some real medical attention when you really are sick.  HMOs are great if you are healthy, but not so good if you get sick! SLC  

Response:

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – I am new to this group and am hoping someone can help me. I seem to have trouble breathing when I am driving and come in contact with truck smoke. I get very dizzy and short of breath and sometimes my chest hurts. It’s worse on a humid day. Is this asthma? I don’t have wheezing problems. Cigarette smoke does the same thing as does my wood stove. I even noticed the smoke from the 4th of July fireworks made it very hard for me to breath. Also, I feel like there is mucus in my lungs all the time, but I rarely choke on it. I think it just stays there and never comes up. I feel it on an empty stomach or after breathing smoke. It was 98 degrees here and very humid. I was driving and the symptoms started. I had real bad chest pain that whole day because of all the fumes and I became very tired with it. My chest still hurts 5 days later but not as bad. If anyone can give me advice, I’d really appreciate it. My Doctor is sending me to an allergist who is going to give me a pulmonary test but that won’t be for a few weeks. Thanks, Lyn

It could be asthma or a look-alike condition. Some doctors will prescribe a bronchodilator like Ventolin, to see if it helps control the symptoms. Then a long term control medication like a steroid inhaler might be prescribed. A simple spirometer (lung function) test aids in the diagnosis, but you would probably have to see an allergist or pulmonologist for this test. Other conditions can make the diagnosis difficult, like sinusitis, nasal polyps, aspergillosis, severe rhinitis, vocal cord dysfunction, gastroesophageal reflux, COPD. The conditions that have to be ruled out in an asthma diagnosis are COPD, congestive heart failure, pulmonary embolism, tumor, pulmonary infiltration with eosinophilia, vocal cord dysfunction. Wheezing may be absent in mild intermittent asthma. Breathing problems, chest tightness, sensitivity to smoke & smog, and mucus are all symptoms of asthma. You deserve to be treated promptly, certainly within 2-3 days. The squeaking wheel gets the grease, you may have keep calling until you get treated. If you have to, you could go to Urgent Care or ER (after contacting primary care doctor). If they can’t make a final determination of asthma, they could at least have you try asthma meds like Ventolin to see if it helps. Symptoms on an empty stomach could be related to GER (gastroesophageal reflux). Ellis

Response:

. My Doctor is sending me to an allergist who is going to give me a pulmonary test but that won’t be for a few weeks. Let me guess — you are in an HMO.  <snip

DEFINITELY get thee to a doctor as soon as you can.  You could have an infection, you could have heart problems, you could have undiagnosed asthma, among other things.  If you are in an HMO, you will have an appeals process to get to a specialist sooner.  I believe it was Kaiser, in California, who just recently lost *millions* in a judgment for delaying care.  The court also found that HMOs cannot infringe your right to sue – many of them have clauses that say you can’t sue, you have to go through their appeal process & arbitration.  At least in California, I’m not sure how broad their ruling affects other states, this was found unconstitutional infringement. Also, if your insurance company gives you problems go to your state insurance department with your complaint.  They can help in many instances. good luck, kim

Response:

I am new to this group and am hoping someone can help me. I seem to have trouble breathing when I am driving and come in contact with truck smoke. I get very dizzy and short of breath and sometimes my chest hurts. It’s worse on a humid day. Is this asthma? I don’t have wheezing problems. Cigarette smoke does the same thing as does my wood stove. I

Hi, Lyn. I’m new to here too, but not new to asthma. What you describe sounds like asthma, though definately see a doctor for proper diagnosis. My asthma is/was triggered by the exact same things you describe, especially cig smoke and bus smog. I’ve noticed that when the humidity is high and the barometric pressure is just a certain way (usually low pressure system) the smog seems to hang low in the air and makes it difficult for me to breathe. I rarely have wheezing either, but wheezing is not necessary to an asthma diagnosis. The FAQ for this ng explains that in a bit more detail. even noticed the smoke from the 4th of July fireworks made it very hard for me to breath. Also, I feel like there is mucus in my lungs all the time, but I rarely choke on it. I think it just stays there and never comes up. I feel it on an empty stomach or after breathing smoke. It was

You need to tell your doctor about that because I think if the mucus is allowed to sit there an infection could develop. bad. If anyone can give me advice, I’d really appreciate it. My Doctor is sending me to an allergist who is going to give me a pulmonary test but that won’t be for a few weeks. Thanks, Lyn

Allergy injections helped me tremendously in getting asthma under control. Unfortunately, there’s no injection therapy for toxic smog. After my experience today I’ve decided that those of us who are that sensitive to air pollution need to get away from it at all costs.

Response:

I am new to this group and am hoping someone can help me. I seem to have trouble breathing when I am driving and come in contact with truck smoke. I get very dizzy and short of breath and sometimes my chest hurts. It’s worse on a humid day. Is this asthma? I don’t have wheezing problems. Cigarette smoke does the same thing as does my wood stove. I even noticed the smoke from the 4th of July fireworks made it very hard for me to breath. Also, I feel like there is mucus in my lungs all the time, but I rarely choke on it. I think it just stays there and never comes up. I feel it on an empty stomach or after breathing smoke. It was 98 degrees here and very humid. I was driving and the symptoms started. I had real bad chest pain that whole day because of all the fumes and I became very tired with it. My chest still hurts 5 days later but not as bad. If anyone can give me advice, I’d really appreciate it. My Doctor is sending me to an allergist who is going to give me a pulmonary test but that won’t be for a few weeks. Thanks, Lyn

Response:

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