Help in pulmonology- not for the weak of stomach

I'm specifically wondering if Lucaspa might be able to help, since he is a prof at a med school. If anyone else can help, it'd be appreciated.

And if you don't know what you're talking about, please try to restrain yourself from giving obvious advice or posting a web link. I've searched but I'd like a personal professional opinion.

I'd post this in the Fitness and Health section, but I'd be a cookie to a doughnut (or whatever) that most everyone there is a pseudo-doctor or just likes to flex their muscles and brag about how much they bench. I believe this will be the most productive section to ask for help.


I have a chronic pulmonary illness that is as of yet undiagnosed. It is not bronchitis because it is not near the brachial tubes, and I have no difficulty breathing. I just cough out a LOT of phlegm, all the time. At least seven or eight times a day I have to go to the restroom and empty my lungs (I work in a chiropractic office, so I have to go upstairs to do it because it requires a very strong cough to get it out.)

When I lie down, that is when it tends to run up my trachea and I tend to cough on it. It is yellowish to a very light brownish in color always. Two days ago I coughed out one continuous respiratory secretion that was about the size and dimension of about half of an Altoid tin (in one cough)! It is not bilateral, so it is not an allergic reaction. I have no difficulty breathing, no fever, chills, anything. I've had it for over a year. It is in my right lung. An x-ray that I set up and developed and posed myself for the shots, and got my friend to do the actual shooting of the films, and they revealed a healthy set of lungs (right lung smaller than the left, intestinal gases in the proper place, no spinal disorders of any sort). There was NO visible fluid- yet it was there. I posed for three separate shots, one in which I crossed my arms and raised them above my head. The second was from the posterior. Both times I inhaled completely and deeply. Nothing.

My closest diagnosis is mycoplasma pneumonia, since this is not severe at all. It's just annoying and gross to everyone around me. I took antibiotics- twice.

I can't figure it out. TTYL Jesus loves you! Sorry if I grossed someone out but this is a serious chronic condition. I have had no luck finding pulmonologists in the area, so I to know what I can for now.

Well, it certainly sounds like an infection because the phlem is colored. Have you had any tests to see what exactly is in the phlegm? Have they determined if it is even bacterial in origen?

/not really anything close to a doctor, just have lung problems

I agree with Phosada (can't really read her name because the shadowing is so dark ) that it sounds like an infection. Any other signs, such as a temperature?

1. How do you know it's not bilateral?
2. Do you smoke? Have you ever smoked?
3. It could be viral pneumonia. Of course, antibiotics won't do a bit of good against viral or microplasma.
4. Looking at x-rays of the lung is very tricky. You are looking for very subtle differences in shading, made more difficult by the presence of the radiodense ribs. I suggest you get a pulmonary radiologist to look at the films.

All in all, why the hell haven't you gone to a physician?

Shesela just highlight the text and the effects disappear

lucaspa said:

I agree with Phosada (can't really read her name because the shadowing is so dark ) that it sounds like an infection. Any other signs, such as a temperature?

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If you select the name you will see that it's Sheseala.

lucaspa said:

All in all, why the hell haven't you gone to a physician?

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nil curatio sine lucre?

Jet Black said:

Shesela just highlight the text and the effects disappear

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The first letter is an "S"? Never would have guessed.

So you are better at playing with the computer effects than I am.

Where is the help for Drotar?

Mistermystery said:

If you select the name you will see that it's Sheseala.

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Et tu, Brute?

well it is something I discovered when trying to read posts by people who insist on writing in Teal and yellow and other unreadable colours. I would have thought you were quite the 1337 computer user

Jet Black said:

well it is something I discovered when trying to read posts by people who insist on writing in Teal and yellow and other unreadable colours. I would have thought you were quite the 1337 computer user

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I'm more interested in content than all the bells and whistles. I'd just rather apologize in advance for getting it wrong and have Sheseala correct me than spend a lot of time at the learning curve. Computers are tools only. Kind of like antibodies. I don't spend time making them; I just use what others have made.

lucaspa said:

I agree with Phosada (can't really read her name because the shadowing is so dark ) that it sounds like an infection. Any other signs, such as a temperature?

1. How do you know it's not bilateral?
2. Do you smoke? Have you ever smoked?
3. It could be viral pneumonia. Of course, antibiotics won't do a bit of good against viral or microplasma.
4. Looking at x-rays of the lung is very tricky. You are looking for very subtle differences in shading, made more difficult by the presence of the radiodense ribs. I suggest you get a pulmonary radiologist to look at the films.

All in all, why the hell haven't you gone to a physician?

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Because I've seen two physicians, one of which I saw twice. All three times I got different antibiotics.

No I do not smoke. I have never smoked.

What do you mean by temperature? It tends to be most prevalent when there are changes in temperature, like when I take my shirt off or step out of the shower.

I have a scanner. Do you think I might be able to scan my x-ray shots and post them here? One of the posterior shots turned out really good- I'd kind of like to be a show-off and maybe someone with a background in radiology could look at them.

Drotar said:

Because I've seen two physicians, one of which I saw twice. All three times I got different antibiotics.

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They all assumed you had a bacterial infection. Did anyone take cultures of you phlegm?

No I do not smoke. I have never smoked.

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Well, you're only 18, so we can pretty well rule out a tumor.

Does this make you short of breath?

And by temperature, I mean do you have a temp? Are you running a low grade fever?

No fever of any sort. No shortness of breath.

Just a lot of **** in my lungs. And draining won't work, because it has gone away altogether, and then it comes back. It sounds like milk allergies, but it's not my diet because it's not a bilateral problem and it's deep in my lungs.

And why did it edit out the word "c-r-a-p"?

This might be serious. Are you comparatively thin, short or young-looking for your age? Do you ever have difficulty digesting certain foods, like high-fat pork products? And this may sound like a bizarre question, but has anyone ever told you your skin tastes salty (i.e., from kissing the forehead or some such)?

If the answer to any of these questions is "yes," you may have a hereditary condition known as Cystic Fibrosis. There's a specialized test they use to detect it involving sweat analysis. You may want to bring up the possibility with a doctor. If so, you have my deepest sympathies, and would be wise to get it diagnosed and treated as soon as possible. Hopefully you'll find it's just a staph infection or something, though.

I am quite thin, slightly taller than average, and very young looking. I do have difficulty digesting high protein products. Additionally, I've been getting a progressively weaker immune system.

That's quite odd. Cystic fibrosis if my memory serves me affects primarily caucasians. I'm a hybrid Oriental and white person, and interracial children logically have lower tendencies towards recessive hereditary problems.

Hopefully it is a staph infection. I noted that there is only ONE direct symptom.

I never thought to look there. Thank you for the suggestion WinAce. TTYL Jesus loves you!

doesn't CF manifest itself from a young age though, or does it vary in severity.

I hope it is just an infection, I have a hereditary condition and it's..... well, the only description gets censored out. hoping all the best for you

oh, I nearly forgot, I can't resist - you should get a culture of your phlegm. appreciate it because it is the only culture you will ever see unless you move to the UK of course

At least my potentially fatal pathology offered you a perfect opportunity for sarcastic British chauvinism. Glad I could help.

Problem solved: http://www.lung.ca/diseases/bronchiectasis.html

I have a rare lung disease known as bronchiectasis. It is not fatal. Victims have been known to cough up as much as a cup of phlegm a day.

This fits perfectly. It started to act up worst when I was working at UPS- the dust and dirt collected in my lungs, and the UNBEARABLE fumes of the exhaust from the trucks probably destroyed a considerable amount of healthy cilia that would otherwise block such. Additionally, I worked at three in the morning in an undershirt through the winter, whether rain or clear.

However, Winace does present something interesting. If I had cystic fibrosis I would know it by now- what I am interested in is that I am aware of the existence of a variant form that affects young adults. This may be what ultimately CAUSED the bronchiectasis. So I am visiting a pulmonologist on the second of June.

I have a friend who is a radiologist who examined the x-rays I shot for free (I was once a creationist, and so everyone at my church likes me. He doesn't know of course.) He is almost positive it is bronchiectasis, a rare respiratory condition, but it might have developed as a result of this variant cystic fibrosis, so I need a sweat test done.

Thanks for all the help. TTYL Jesus loves you!