Information and opinions on health from thp636 at HealthCentral.com. HealthCentral.com is one of the top health destinations on the Web, with more than 35 condition-specific, wellness and general health Web properties. http://www.healthcentral.com/profiles/c/1589/index http://www.healthcentral.com/profiles/c/1589/rss self application/xml en-us 15 120 19 http://www.healthcentral.com/images/hc_logo_sm.gif http://www.healthcentral.com/profiles/c/1589/index http://www.healthcentral.com/asthma/c/1589/53374/dysphonia Fri, 26 Dec 2008 00:13:21 -0500 thp636 I was seen by an ENT doc after a CT scan of my throat and upper airways revealed a slightly enlarged thyroid. She sent me for another CT focusing on the larynx area and also had me get a videostroboscopy. It tuns out the thyroid needs no further action at this time but my vocal cords close partially when I exhale. The ENT doc,speech therapist and my pulm conferred and told me that I have vocal cord dysphonia. They said that it's probably... http://www.healthcentral.com/asthma/c/1589/53374/dysphonia http://www.healthcentral.com/asthma/c/1589/31480/summer-reruns Fri, 20 Jun 2008 16:44:12 -0400 thp636 It seems as if my summer is beginning just as my winter did. Another URI, another round of antibiotics, breathing treatments and prednisone. I get my shots and my interaction with other people is limited since I've retired so I don't know what's up. Maybe my meds and my asthma has weakened my resistance..or maybe I'm just unlucky. All I do know is that I hope the fall schedule offers smoother sailing.   Tom http://www.healthcentral.com/asthma/c/1589/31480/summer-reruns http://www.healthcentral.com/asthma/c/1589/21235/predfor Thu, 06 Mar 2008 20:59:00 -0500 thp636 Today I took my last 5 mg of pred thus completing 5 weeks of a pred taper. I am feeling much better although I still tire easily. I'm not going to push things too hard yet. I don't want a relapse . But I hope that maybe I have finally come to an end of 6 weeks of one cold after another and, consequently, one flare up after another. I am optimistic. Tom http://www.healthcentral.com/asthma/c/1589/21235/predfor http://www.healthcentral.com/asthma/c/1589/20956/update-andor-vent Fri, 29 Feb 2008 15:15:00 -0500 thp636 I am still being plagued by the aftermath of a resiratory infection I thought that I was over with a couple of weeks ago. I was approaching the end of a four week taper of prednisone and hoped to get off it after my followup visit with my pulmonologist on Wednesday. Unfortunately I get really winded with very little effort these last few weeks. By the time I got to the doctor's office I was gasping and coughing. They gave me a breathing... http://www.healthcentral.com/asthma/c/1589/20956/update-andor-vent http://www.healthcentral.com/asthma/c/1589/20574/fatigued Tue, 19 Feb 2008 16:18:00 -0500 thp636 I am in the third week of feeling a bit off. Now that the initial respiratory infetion problem has been taken care of (I hope), I am in the midst of completing a prednisone taper. I still have about 8 more days on pred. I return for a followup visit to the pulmonologist next week. What is unusual to me is that some days I feel normal and on other days, like today, I feel sore and exhausted. All I can do is sleep. Oh well,I just don't seem to... http://www.healthcentral.com/asthma/c/1589/20574/fatigued http://www.healthcentral.com/asthma/c/1589/20409/coldflu Thu, 14 Feb 2008 23:40:00 -0500 thp636 Hi all,Recently I have had a series of flare ups due to some sort of respiratory infection. I did get a flu shot this year but maybe it wasn't for the right strain or maybe this is just a cold on steroids...I don't know. Bottom line is that it has been/is giving me the blues. I saw my pulmonologist yesterday and was coughing so badly she had me take a breathing treatment in her office. She prescribed levaquin and prednisone. I... http://www.healthcentral.com/asthma/c/1589/20409/coldflu http://www.healthcentral.com/asthma/c/1589/13759/domino-effect Mon, 17 Sep 2007 18:31:00 -0400 thp636 One of my biggest problems lately is balancing the treatments for my various health problems. I have high blood pressure, high cholesterol and diabetes as well as asthma. My latest difficulty is due to having to change my BP meds in order to help reduce my asthma symptoms. So far it's a work in progress. My BP is a little higher and my pulse rate is elevated...but I'm not coughing as much.It just seems when you adjust one thing, another... http://www.healthcentral.com/asthma/c/1589/13759/domino-effect http://www.healthcentral.com/asthma/c/1589/12299/doctor Mon, 13 Aug 2007 23:09:00 -0400 thp636 I just spent the day being poked and prodded and tested and sent all over a huge medical building. I was referred by my pulmonologist to an asthma specialist some distance away from my home. Although inconvenient, I'm really grateful that my pulmonologist is being so thorough. this asthma doctor is really well thought of in his field and he reconfirmed that I have it. He said I was sent there so that he can try to help me... http://www.healthcentral.com/asthma/c/1589/12299/doctor http://www.healthcentral.com/asthma/c/1589/11191/alpha1-deficiency Tue, 10 Jul 2007 00:42:00 -0400 thp636 I saw my pulmonologist today and he said that my recent blood test showed that I am an AAt deficiency carrier. From what he said I know that it is genetic. Since I am just a carrier do I have any further health risks?  http://www.healthcentral.com/asthma/c/1589/11191/alpha1-deficiency http://www.healthcentral.com/asthma/c/1589/10539/asthma-specialist Mon, 18 Jun 2007 21:02:00 -0400 thp636 What is the difference between a pulmonologist and an asthma specialist? I was diagnosed with asthma by the pulmonologist following a positive methacholine challenge test back in October. Now I'm being sent to an asthma specialist. I thought the pulmonologist was the asthma specialist. What's the difference? http://www.healthcentral.com/asthma/c/1589/10539/asthma-specialist