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Metacholine Challenge

Posted , 3 users are following.

net27
net27

Just wondering if anyone has any idea what the Metacholine Challenge? will prove in a long term asthmatic?

?I've had chronic asthma for over 25 years and I've had problems with my throat since June,  It was put down to vocal cord dysfunction but while it has improved somewhat I'm not back to normal.  My consultant had said rest would fix it in a couple of weeks which would have brought it up to the 3rd week in July.

?As of today I still have the issues in my throat and I received a letter that a Metacholine Challenge? had been organized for me?  Since apparently this is used to diagnose asthma and I am already a chronic asthmatic what will the test prove other than that?

?It's after causing me a lot of worry now and I am trying not to stress as it makes my throat worse.

?Any insight would be appreciated

Thanks

1 like, 6 replies

6 Replies

  • Aschm32186
    Aschm32186 net27

    Posted

    I have never heard about this challenge ...but find out all you can before you try it.
  • net27
    net27

    Posted

    Yes, I've rang the hospital but the admin staff were unable to help me only to say it was to do with breathing and they only do one a week.  Apparently from google you are made inhale a substance to cause an asthma attack, they start at the lowest dose and do a breathing test, if it doesn't worsen they double the dose and so on until you lose 20%+ of function.  I already have lost a quarter of my lung function so I'm panicking a bit about the test.

    ?After they have induced the attack, measure your stats etc they give you your bricanyl or whatever to bring you back to normal function.  It needs to be carried out in a controlled environment such as a hospital in case you need to be resuscitated or other intervention is needed to bring you back to breathing properly.

    ?I'm wondering why it would be ordered in someone who is an asthmatic since it's a test to prove asthma?

  • Aschm32186
    Aschm32186 net27

    Posted

    Holy cow, I really never heard of it. I wouldn't want to even take the medicine to make me have a asthma attack! I am too chicken and this test is to see if you do have asthma ? There has got to be a easier way, like a x-ray. Let me know what happens. 

    • net27
      net27 Aschm32186

      Posted

      I will indeed.  I spoke to my doctor this evening and he told me he has no idea why my consultant ordered it and in the end no one could make me do anything I didn't want to do but I'm just trying to see what else it is used for other than diagnosing asthma, I'm worrying he is trying to make sure that my current symptoms are asthma related or if he suspects something else.  I am a long time asthmatic so he's not checking if I am one, he knows I am and he has my history.

      In June I wasn't feeling right, couldn't understand what was happening or put my finger on what was wrong but I knew something wasn't right with my breathing. I went to my GP and while he was in the process of listening to my lungs and telling me they were clear so it wasn't my asthma, I suddenly couldn't breathe, lost my ability to swallow and my heart rate went through the roof.  He called an ambulance to the surgery and I was ferried to hospital where I released the next day because my stats had stabilised and they found nothing in my chest xray or bloods except they told me I may have an issue with my bowel pressing on my diaphragm.   I'm asthmatic, used to be chronic but am no longer.  The steroid medication made my thyroid underactive for a time leading to a 6 stone weight gain of which I have lost 2.  My thyroid corrected itself and I am no longer on medication though I will always have the antibodies.  My endocrinologist told me recently I no longer have to see her, my thyroid is fine.

      My diet is very healthy and I was very active but I'm not allowed to exercise at the moment. 

      ?I had 8 hospital admittances in 2 weeks due suffocation.  My respiratory consultant has told me it is because I drove my body to the point of exhaustion and basically my brain targeted my respiratory system as it remembered that was my weakness though it couldn't replicate asthma it tightened my vocal cords, so the symptoms of VCD are similar, you suffocate but it's not your lungs.  He subscribed complete rest for two weeks and told me I was very lucky. He told me eventually when my vocal cords tightened enough I would pass out and my body would reset like a computer, I would not die from this but it was a warning from my brain.

      ?That was in July and I still have not recovered though my symptoms seem to come and go every couple of days now, the best way to describe it suddenly my entire windpipe closes and I suffocate. It's having a bad effect on my life as it happens out of the blue with no warning, I'm being extra careful  with what I do including not driving.

      ?An ENT has also been organized for tomorrow so I'm thinking now that perhaps he thinks it's not VCD after all

       

  • green881
    green881 net27

    Posted

    I have heard of Metacholine Challenge test ... I was told it is the definitive test for asthma.  I believe it is just as you described it but I never had one.  

    Not sure why they suggested one if you had asthma for 25 years unless they suspect you were misdiagnosed all these years? Or if it went away?  The first sounds very unlikely the second is possible but also not that likely.

    I guess you need to get hold of this consultant and find out why they suggested it.

  • net27
    net27

    Posted

    Thanks. I found out today that they use the Metacholine Challenge to measure how much lung function you have left, not sure I like the sound of that any better.  On the bright side my ENT  said I definitely have VCD and everything else is healthy in my throat so just have to bear with it and it will disappear by itself.  He's never seen it last more than 2 years.  One less thing to lose sleep over

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