Hello!
For one, could you give more details as to exactly what symptoms you have? Also, are you a smoker? The methacholine challenge usually picks up people with intrinsic asthma who tend to have over reactive airways. I'm not so sure that you couldn't have extrinsic asthma that may be triggered only by a specific group of allergens.If you have a prolonged cough, tightness in the chest, and wheezing then these symptoms would suggest asthma. If you have wheezing that benefits from the inhalers then this would also be consistent with asthma. If you are a smoker and/or have had years of some smoke or industrial fume exposure then you may have COPD (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease). The pulmonary function tests should help to determine your underlying problem. Your symptoms and whether or not you benefit from the inhalers and the singulair may also be important parts of the puzzle for you. I hope this info helps some and if you have any follow up questions or details then be happy to get back to you regarding these.
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Anthony Bray MD
Doctor
14 years as clinician in the field of Family Practice
I get hard to breathe ,tightness in throat and chest,some wheezing,feeling like my airways are closing off the more I expose my self to the irritants like smoke,diesel and gas fumes ,fueling pure fuel,hairspray,industrial area fumes,powders,forklift exhaust.... and once affected can last all day,it is more severe in summer months noticed some improvement with singulair but did not completely help,also there tends to be a liquid feeling in my lungs during these bouts,in the summer I feel like I need to be put on oxygen, and winter months less severe symptoms,but I also get regular bronchitis and nasel swelling all year,as a child I just found out that doctor thought I may have had allergic rhinitus then.Am a life long non-smoker,notice some benefit from albuterol.thanks