Blah!
Yesterday I went to the doctor because I just couldn’t get rid of a cough that I developed at the beginning of March in conjunction with a bad head cold. My doctor told me that with my history of bouts of bronchitis (at least once borderlining pneumonia) and many airborne allergies I probably had reactive airway disease. It doesn’t help that I work with kids because that is brining me into contact with their germs and only adding to the problem.
Now I’m on Levaquin (an antibiotic) again and on prednisone (a steroid) again. Plus I have two inhalers and got a shot of cortisone at the doctor’s office. I didn’t sleep until after 4 am this morning. Joy.
So what is Reactive Airway Disease? All I know for sure is that it is not asthma. According to my sister, the doctor, that’s an important point at least as far as insurance goes. It can also be a point when it comes to diagnosing other things. Beyond that, I have no clue.
From the MayoClinic.com
Some doctors use the terms “reactive airway disease” and “asthma” interchangeably. However, they are not necessarily the same thing. “Reactive airway disease” is a general term and does not indicate a specific diagnosis. It may be used to describe a history of coughing, wheezing or shortness of breath due to undetermined cause. These signs and symptoms may or may not be caused by asthma. Time or further testing will tell.
Use of the term “reactive airway disease” in part reflects the difficulty in establishing a diagnosis of asthma in certain situations. This is especially true with very young children. Breathing tests needed to confirm a diagnosis of asthma are not practical in young children because they require cooperation and understanding to get good results. Children usually don’t develop these skills until age 4 years — sometimes older.
Just about everything I could find related back to children. I only found one item that was for an adult and that was on a question and answer forum.
I figure a good air purifier is in order. At least for my bedroom. Anyone have any suggestions?
jan says:
Uuuhh…stay away from kids?
4/7/2007, 10:52 pmvoxpop says:
This might sound like ‘one of those’ questions: (but it’s a serious one)
Do you have dark circles under or surrounding your eyes that were not there a year ago or two years ago? Any other small changes that you or your doctor might not think are significant but that YOU have noticed?
Happy Easter !
4/8/2007, 6:58 amRoscoe says:
Great, another fancy name for some insignificant problem. Quit your crying.
4/8/2007, 10:50 amLaura says:
jan I’d love to.
voxpop Only when I haven’t gotten enough sleep. I can’t think of anything else.
Roscoe Aren’t you the nice one. Personally, I don’t think that asking for advice on an air purifier is crying, but to each his own.
LAW says:
my my, Roscoe got up on the wrong side of the bed….or he’s just a jackass.
Haven’t needed an air purifier, we have a whole hour air to air heat exchanger that has a filter system.
But I’d check with the Lung Association myself. or consumer reports. they usually have a rating system.
I have a subscription to Consumer Reports, if you need me to check, just email me.
LAW
4/8/2007, 12:39 pmRicardo says:
I have asthma and have been on the some of the drugs you described and it’s no fun. Not too sure what this reactive airway thing is but it sure does sound like asthma. I bet you coughing picks up when you try and sleep? Hope you knock it out.
4/9/2007, 2:59 pmAlice says:
I have been diagnosed with reactive airways disease because of the chemicals I breathe in at work that has no ventilation. It took months of tests and knowing that the symptons appear when I am at work and disappear over the weekend. Symptons include- tightness in chest, difficulty breathing, pressure in throat and get out of breathe when talking and climbing 1 flight of stairs. Only solution that the doctor had was to change jobs.
4/10/2007, 3:19 pmI have also had a bad winter with numerous head colds and a case or 2 of broncitis. It has been a bad season for illness, all of the nurses I have talked to in the past few months have verified that.
Before taking more and more medications, you should see a respiratory specialist to determine whether or not you have a form of asthma whether caused by an allergic reaction (asthma) or from an irritant breathed into the lungs (reactive airways disease). You might be just battling viruses from being closed up with kids all winter.
If your doctor just keeps on prescribing medications without getting to the root of the problem, than you may never get relief, you will only get more and more resistant to antibotics.
Good Luck!
Deanne says:
Hello,
I am 39 years old and just returned from the Dr who told me he suspects this same thing you have been told.I have a sinus catscan scheduled for Friday. I also got sick in March but have had a bad year of bronchitis all around. I even lost my sense of smell completely for a few weeks over the summer. I am still searching for more info on this.
VOXPOP~Why do you ask that about the circles under the eyes?
4/11/2007, 1:58 pmCeci says:
Don’t know what VOXPOP was referring to re: the dark circles, but I can tell you that West Inidan physicians have know for years that these circles often indicate allergies. In my 40’s, I have never been asthmatic. However, I was in a car accident where the airbags deployed, and am now asthmatic. I look like a racoon. What Alice saya is also true – you need to find a physician that listens to you and treats you with respect: your physician should also be naturally curious and truly WANT to know what is wroong with you. I fear that he/she may be giving you drugs so that you get relief, but also so that you just go away… there is no easy solution, but without understanding why your symptoms occur, you are bound to keep taking powerful drugs. My son also has Reactive Airway Disease. Asthma is difficult to diagnose – especially in children. I know folks who disagree, but often allergen removal will ease the symptoms.
4/25/2007, 7:27 amBest of Luck.
Betsy says:
I am 40 and was diagnosed with RAD more than 4 years ago. It happened following several years of severe respiratory infections, including pneumonia and plurisy. All of these tyically started out as colds or upper respiratory viruses, and i kept working, etc, until I was very sick. I’m an otherwise completely healthy person.
After too many severe infections in a short period of time I had simply done damage to my respiratory system. Now, whenever my respiratory system is irritated, it can trigger an accute attack of a severe and unique cough, driven by a spasm I can not control.
The cough is hollow and high pitched, and clearly abnormal. The kind of cough that would terrify a parent who heard it in a child. The spasm is so strong that no air can pass. Attempts to breathe result in more coughing, because the cough is actually trying to reject anything coming into the body. At times the spasms are so severe they can trigger vomiting. The coughs are shallow and dry and cause strong burning sensation in the lungs.
I had a sinus CAT done to determine if Sinus issues were causing irritation. Also had a bronchioscopy, because one of my attacks continued long enough that scar tissue and/or other type of obstruction in the upper airway needed to be ruled out.
Eventually, a year of heavy steriods reduced the chronic irritation. Since then, I’ve been able to identify triggers, sense the first tightness and spasm beginning, and treat immediately. If I can control the spasm from the start, it does less damage – ie, less irritation. Once it is allowed to irritate the respiratory system, the irritation triggers more sensitivity and more coughing, and it perpetuates itself.
An attack can be life threatening. I have only been in the ER once, but I’ve read of parents with children who are there frequently.
Hope this helps in some way
5/9/2007, 2:20 pmAlice says:
Betsy, that is terrifying. What are your triggers? Do you feel a tightness in the throat at first? I have RAD due to chemicals in the air at work, first acquired it from months of being over exposed with no ventilation. Now any strong chemical in the air can cause a tightness in chest and throat and shortness of breathe, but no restrictions yet. Curious if you think I keep exposing myself to my triggers, will I have the acute sysmptons you write about?
5/9/2007, 4:23 pmHope you stay on top of it.
Alice
voxpop says:
These aren’t from being sleepy or from asthma. I would be very suspicious of the physician who told you that. Dark circles under the eyes stem from the inability of the body to carry away dead red blood cells quickly enough. Therefore it would have nothing to do with any of those things. The underlying reason in some cases is that of pesticide or other poisons being utilized purposely in your home, yard or vehicles. Perhaps similar to the chemicals one person reported in a place of work. I have no allergies, no asthma and I’m not sure I believe in many ‘modern’ diagnoses. Like acid-reflux disease, they just sound fake to me. I believe in your suffering just not in the root cause OR the diagnosis. My niece was diagnosed with acid reflux a disease we had never heard of a few years ago and she is a young girl. It’s ridiculous. They all stem from the same thing and I find it perplexing when people believe physicians who really aren’t operating on that much more knowledge than we are. And that’s the truth. I have studied as much anatomy and have the same red book at home as a doctor uses to diagnose. When one pulls this book out while I am in her office I know there is a problem. Dark eye circles can only be attributed to a few things. Sources of poison are one. It’s strange to me how long this post is running with replies. But interesting.
5/9/2007, 7:11 pmEnjoy your day everyone. Don’t buy what you hear from people who are perhaps not qualified to diagnose you.
Z says:
Today, I was diagnosed with RAD. I have been coughing for 4 weeks following a head cold. To my surprise, I leave with prescriptions for steroids and an inhaler! I feel your pain. I reasearched and this is what I found: http://www.mesothelioma-asbestosis.info/Lung-Diseases/reactive-airway-disease
As for Roscoe, I don’t think he is a jackASS, I just wonder if he was to experience childbirth…would he cry?
5/11/2007, 4:42 pmCarl J says:
Having humped a ruck in the outback and in desert conditions, I have experienced my soliders having RAD from the dust from the desert as well as the thick pollen from some tropical plants. It is a real diagnosis and occurs in people who normally have no diagnosis of asthma or COPD. It will pass but often needs adjuct therapy to cope for the duration. Clear air, clear cool (drinking) water and a brochoditator like albuterol MDI or atropent are great for getting through the acute phase. It may be precursory to asthma or other obstructive disease pathology, but the verdict is still out on that.
5/23/2007, 10:19 pmMegan says:
I was recently diagnosed with RAD also. I had a history of chronic bronichitis (with a horrible barking cough) that would require several doses of antibiotics and steriods to feel better again. I finally went to a pulmonologist and was told it may be RAD. He put me on Advair which is a very low dose of steroids to keep my bronhials open. I've been on it for a month and already feel a lot better. Maybe you should ask about that???
6/26/2007, 9:43 pmDiane says:
Thanks to everyone who has posted here. I, too, at age 46, just came home with a diagnosis of RAD and like Megan was put on Advair. I was also given a breathing treatment at the Drs office and while my chest now feels as if I've just finished a 5 mile run I'm sucking in more air than I have in months! I truly thought this was a minor problem but the wheezing concerned me and I also had one blackout due to lack of oxygen. I taught for 14 years and over a life time have had numerous heavy chest colds, walking pneumonia and bronchitis. My doctor thinks that I have probably done some damage to my bronchial tubes as a result. It seems minor but if my breathing continues to improve as much as its has over the last few hours I will be eternally grateful. Take care.
7/9/2007, 7:10 pmKatrina says:
My mother and my son both have Reacive Airways Disease. My son was born with it and my mother wasn't diagnosed with it until she was 51. My son's symptoms would go undetected and still does. He could be just fine on the outside but on the inside he is breathing so fast that by the time he realizes he is having tightness in his chest it has been going on for several days and so discreatly that he never noticed it until he was in respiratory distress and had to be rushed by ambulance to the nearest hospital. We almost lost him 3 times before he was 1 year old. He would go in for a routine check up and would be on the examining table playing, laughing and having a good time and the next thing my husband and I knew the doctor was calling for an ambulance. We were so frustrated because we couldn't tell when he was having trouble breathing. An asthma attack is outloud and sudden and a person with Reactive Airways Disease often doesn't realize there is anything wrong with them until they are very sick. My son can wake up with a dry cough one day and by mid afternoon it is a wet cough and within 2 days can be bronchitis and within 4 to 6 days can be pnemonia. To me Reactive Airways Disease is a silent killer because the person suffering won't realize there is a problem until it is too late and I keep hoping that there is never a time when we are so late in detecting one of our sons attacks that we lose him. Health insurance agencies don't want to touch him and his doctor appointments throughout the year plus prescriptions to keep him healthy are adding up. He is only 6 and last year he missed 22 days of school because of this illness. Most schools and doctors won't acept that there is a difference between Asthma and Reactive Airways Disease but there is a significant difference my son is living proof of that.
9/20/2007, 12:33 pmvoxy says:
Some amazing coincidences here. Just the last several days the toxins used around my home have been increased and I have been bothered by same. They are trying to force us out of the property because it is EXTREMELY valuable. As I've attempted to illustrate the symptoms of this poisoning are extremely similar to what is being diagnosed as RAD. One thing I'm a bit troubled by is that I have been subscribed to this post since I replied here and this is the second or third time that someone has commented here when this same toxin was used around my home and car and made our skin sticky and our breathing difficult.For the record; I and my family trust our judgment. We KNOW what is being done around our house. The air feels different, you can walk a block away and find normal air; we've already HAD local doctors attempt to diagnose us with this and that and other false bullshit. If people are making things up and coming here and posting them in order to frighten my family and I into thinking we have some extremely temporary but 'possibly near-fatal' disease I feel extremely sorry for you. I've noticed this same tendency in the St Pete Times and the Tampa Trib. They name false symptoms of diseases because most people would fall for it.
9/20/2007, 2:06 pmAs an athlete, I am quite aware of changes in the air around me and in my body. I would not accept the diagnosis of any Tampa quacking doctor when I know for a fact that toxins are being used in my yard and my car and around my home. I have it on video. Just for the record and all.It's extremely odd that this is the second or third time these symptoms have worsened slightly and some person has come here with some horror story. In fact, two days ago I predicted another post here on this subject. Certainly that is a bit more than coincidental that I KNEW there would be a post here. Sad.If you all have been diagnosed with this and you own property in tampa that someone has continuously made you offers on you had better wake up and smell the coffee.For you frauds: SHAME ON YOU. And, you're wasting your time. It's hard to manipulate those who think for themselves, isn't it??
KKCB says:
My 4 year old has RAD brought on by illness. As a baby he suffered from croup numerous times. His RAD primarily involves a severe, but dry, cough that last for days on end with no relief. He does breathing treatments and uses an inhaler during cold season. The breathing treatments definitely help, and the inhaler is supposed to keep him from having problems as severely as he would without it. I have not found a humidifier to help. We live in an extremely humid climate and he still has the problem on a recurring basis.
10/7/2007, 12:24 pmwilkie says:
My son, who is 11, has just been diagnosed with asthma. He had several bouts of croup when he was a baby and has colds that head straight to his chest every winter.He has an unusual symptom, according to the resperologist, and that is a "tightness" in his throat when he is having trouble breathing. This is the only place that I have ever read about this symptom. He has been allergy tested and has reacted to dust, pollen, and mould. The inhaler steroid didn't do anything to help him.He uses a ventolin inhaler when he feels the need.I've read that RAD occurs when babies are premature and my son was premature. Anybody familiar with this?
10/30/2007, 5:34 pmvoxy says:
Here we go again. X102LC. This ties in with a conversation loudly dropped by the ’smart ones’ in my direction. Something to do with hydrochloric acid and asthma and attacks. It’s all very droll and an obvious threat. awwwwwwww. so you can only IMAGINE my surprise to come here this morning and find this.
So amusing ……….
amazing how none of these are ever linked.
Ahhhhh the plot thickens.
I cancelled my subscription to this post just now (which is why I edited same) …. so this should pretty much KO this activity and/or amusement for those who attempt to intimidate my family and steal our property.
Laura, I am very sorry your site was used for this purpose.
I’d also venture to say that RAD is a faked up disease and you need to travel elsewhere for a better diagnosis. OR keep your health in YOUR hands. We do fine staying away from Florida doctors.
Good luck.
10/31/2007, 8:32 amwilkie says:
ummmm……yeah….anybody else have anything constructive or helpful regarding information or resources that I might consider using to help my son???
11/2/2007, 5:02 pmliz says:
Do you have access to a pulmonologist(a lung specialist), or an allergist ?
11/6/2007, 11:27 amOne or both may have more answers!
Good Luck
Amy says:
Good morning, my 18 month old son was just diagnosed with RAD. I have never heard of it until last night at the ER. He has had bronchiolitis 6 times since his birth and each time it seems to get worse. I feel for all the parents / individuals out there, this can be very scary when you or your child has such difficulty breathing. I haven't done much research so I can't be of any help to anyone but I look forward to learning a little more about this disease.
11/14/2007, 9:35 amAlice says:
It is just hard to believe that an 18 month old was diagnosed with RAD. My RAD is from harsh chemicals in the air and is an irritation in the lung and not an allergic reaction. Is their something in your environment that would cause you son's irritation of the lung? RAD is a term that has been thrown around and could mean a multitude of causes. Hoping you are looking into the "trigger" that is making your son ill. Does anyone in your household smoke?Best of Luck
11/14/2007, 9:58 ambrandy says:
My daughter has RAD. We were in and out of doctors offices for years with coughs that would last for months and start just as she she should be recovering from a cold. She missed lots of school because she would cough so much that she would vomit up to 6 times per day. It took about 3 years before we had a doctor perscribe anything other than steroids, cough medicine and antibiotics. The first time she used a nebulizer with xopenex and pulmicort the results were almost immediate. It usually only takes one treatment for her. She was delayed in diagnosis because noone could hear her wheeze. Even me, her mother, a nurse. I am sharing this because I hope that it will help someone else who has these symptoms without the wheezing, which is usually key to diagnosis.Her trigger is a viral illness or simple infection.
11/14/2007, 10:34 pm