Hyperinflated Lungs

[brockash]

Hi...honestly I'm just hoping someone has experience or is an xray tech etc.

My DS 21 has always been very active, played sports throughout, goes to the gym regularly and is a fit young man. He's also never struggled with mental health in the past. He currently lives 1.5 hrs. from home at college.

In Jan. he had a bit of a cold and mentioned that he had been having a hard time breathing and has chest pains off/on. He actually started crying on the phone (he's not a cryer, but I think was just really frustrated and a lil freaked out.) At the time it had been going on for almost a week off and on. He said itvwas like he couldn't takeba deep breath. I told him to go to urgent care, which he did. They did an EKG which came back fine. They just said he had heart palpitations and it could just be stress/anxiety. I asked them to do a chest xray. They did and everything came back normal, but it says it showed hyperinflated lungs. - When asked the Dr. just said it meant he took a deep breath during the xray. We didn't question it at the time, because we're not Dr.s, but as soon as I got to the car I googled it and that isn't at all what it means according to google (it's quite the opposite which really matched his symptoms.) I went over some breathing excerises and it seemed t help a bit. He did follow up with his military PCM (he's never seen the guy before) abd again the dr. said hyperinflated lungs meant he took a deep breath (again I can find nothing that matches this assessment online).

He seemed to start feeling better and his breathing seemed better (not 100% normal, but better). However a cpl. days ago it started again. He says he gets a sharp pain in his chest when he tries to. take a deep breath. His systolic blood pressure is also a bit high for him (135/69, 140/70) over the last cpl. days.

Any thoughts or ideas as to what hyperinflated lungs on a chest xray report means. - Does it somehow actually mean you took a deep breath even though all I can find is that it's the opposite?

He tried calling his PCM again today, but as ridiculous as it sounds itsa real PITA to get them to answer the phones correctly. There phone lines go down constantly- known problem, but they say nothing they can do. Since they switched their online portal we also can't book appointments online, so while we're working on another appointment, itsa struggle. I am going to try to go with him this next time as I'm hoping to get actual answers or get referred to a specialist. I remember being young and even now you can feel like a real idiot trying to advocate for yourself when they expert isn't thorough.

Any thoughts/experience/opinions is appreciated.

 

[Disturbia]

I don’t have personal experience with this and I’m not a Dr but my kids do have lung spasms when they get congested (not asthma but sensitive lungs per lung function tests done at an allergist office). They use a nebulizer to breathe easier occasionally (once or twice during a bad cold season). I’ve had walking pneumonia and bronchitis in the past and I get tight ribs and slightly blue toe nails on the left side off and on if I am fighting a virus/bacteria. You need to figure out what the root cause is and only a Dr who is willing to investigate further can do that.

It seems like his Dr needs to do a CT scan and more blood work. Or you can take him to an asthma and allergy specialist to have them do more thorough lung function tests.

https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/emphysema/expert-answers/hyperinflated-lungs/faq-20058169#:~:text=A recent chest X-ray,fresh air into the lungs.

If it’s mucus related: NAC is one thing that can help clear lungs (only take it when sick); for me I used to get muscle spasms across the spine and Pt helps (low iron - test ferritin not just hemoglobin; low iron can exasperate restless legs and muscle spasms esp if over exercising). Liquid Iv helps restore electrolytes and muscle recovery after workouts.

 

[Disturbia]

Has anyone in the family have cystic fibrosis? I would think Drs would see any fibrosis on an X-ray but I know Ct scans are better

https://www.healthline.com/health/c...ossible to have hyperinflated,cystic fibrosis

 

[Chili327]

Zero experience, but first thing I’d do is start writing down every single thing that goes into my body, food, drink, meds, drugs, air (if it isn’t fresh), anything and see if there is any kind of pattern.
Could it be an allergic reaction?

 

[Disturbia]

Also use a finger heart rate monitor to monitor changes to oxygen levels (take a photo if it dips; if it’s below 92 that’s a medical emergency).

 

[brockash]

Has anyone in the family have cystic fibrosis? I would think Drs would see any fibrosis on an X-ray but I know Ct scans are better

https://www.healthline.com/health/copd/copd-hyperinflation#:~:text=It's possible to have hyperinflated,cystic fibrosis

Thank you...no, everyone's always fortunately been pretty healthy. I waa actually diagnosed with histoplasmosis after a lung cancer scare a few yrs. ago which is the main reason I felt comfortable asking them to do a at least a chest xray. It's just frustrating not having a regular Dr. - we almost never see the same Dr. twice (tricare) and if you're healthy it's not such a big deal, but then when something is going on...eek. I'm just so confused as to how 2 different Drs would basically write-off the hyperinflated lungs part of the chest xray. Hopefully it really is nothing, but hopefully he gets an appointment soon and we can ask to see a Pulmonologist or something.

I truly appreciate everyones input. It is hard being a mom of a an adult child lol. He's a great kid, but unfortunately I raised him how I was raised which was to be pretty compliant and go with the flow. I have learned over the years you unfortunately cannot always trust ppl. to do their jobs with fidelity without advocating for yourself which is a learned skill.

 

[Disturbia]

FYI:

 

[Disturbia]

Thank you...no, everyone's always fortunately been pretty healthy. I waa actually diagnosed with histoplasmosis after a lung cancer scare a few yrs. ago which is the main reason I felt comfortable asking them to do a at least a chest xray. It's just frustrating not having a regular Dr. - we almost never see the same Dr. twice (tricare) and if you're healthy it's not such a big deal, but then when something is going on...eek. I'm just so confused as to how 2 different Drs would basically write-off the hyperinflated lungs part of the chest xray. Hopefully it really is nothing, but hopefully he gets an appointment soon and we can ask to see a Pulmonologist or something.

I truly appreciate everyones input. It is hard being a mom of a an adult child lol. He's a great kid, but unfortunately I raised him how I was raised which was to be pretty compliant and go with the flow. I have learned over the years you unfortunately cannot always trust ppl. to do their jobs with fidelity without advocating for yourself which is a learned skill.

My brother was diagnosed with classical Hodgkin’s lymphoma and he had a cough with breathing issues that wouldn’t resolve. It took several months of just X-rays, ultrasounds bloodwork and there was a 50-80 day wait for Ct scans! It was ridiculous. He lost 50 lbs and there was a mass (X-ray showed on his lungs so we thought it was stage 4 lung cancer - he never smoke and we don’t have cancer in the family). The ultrasound showed multiple abdominal masses. CT showed it was outside his lungs in a lymph node. He completed 12 rounds of chemo and his doing well now. I was looking for alternative explanations when we were trying to figure out what it could be when I came across histoplasmosis (deadlier).

Our Dd15 rides horses and volunteers at the barn so I’ve read up on symptoms of histoplasmosis (she had unexplained bumps on her lower part of her legs). She does sometimes use Claritin and an inhaler if the dust bothers her.

I’m glad you caught yours in time and know what to look for. Keep advocating for your son and pushing for more testing if symptoms continue.

 

[brockash]

My brother was diagnosed with classical Hodgkin’s lymphoma and he had a cough with breathing issues that wouldn’t resolve. It took several months of just X-rays, ultrasounds bloodwork and there was a 50-80 day wait for Ct scans! It was ridiculous. He lost 50 lbs and there was a mass (X-ray showed on his lungs so we thought it was stage 4 lung cancer). The ultrasound showed multiple abdominal masses. CT showed it was outside his lungs in a lymph node. He completed 12 rounds of chemo and his doing well now. I was looking for alternative explanations when we were trying to figure out what it could be when I came across histoplasmosis (deadlier).

Our Dd15 rides horses and volunteers at the barn so I’ve read up on symptoms of histoplasmosis (she had unexplained bumps on her lower part of her legs). She does sometimes use Claritin and an inhaler if the dust bothers her.

I’m glad you caught yours in time and know what to look for. Keep advocating for your son and pushing for more testing if symptoms continue.

Glad to hear he's doing well. It really is so sad and frustrating when the health care system is so bogged down ppl. can't get the care the need in a timely fashion. I hope your brother continues to do well!

 

[Disturbia]

Has he experimented with Vaping? There are toxic chemicals that can cause lung damage and chest pain

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8435398/

 

[Earstou]

I had Pleurisy as a young adult after a cold. When I would take a deep breath, I would get a sharp pain. I saw a doctor who told me I just had to wait for it to get better. It slowly did get better, a few weeks later.

 

[Rogue1677x]

I'm sorry for what you and your son are going through. I've had bilateral pneumonia twice in 2 years as a kid, which left scarring in my airways. I've had pleurisy, bronchitis and a number of other respiratory issues over the years.

It's gotten to the point for advocating for myself at the doctor's where I actually said "listen to what I'm telling you and hear what I'm saying. If you don't, you damn well might kill me".

 

[mickeyboat]

I started feeling this way when Covid started, like I could not take a good enough breath, and realized after a bit that it was anxiety. I would get myself worked up because I was focusing on every breath which then made it worse.

I also had costochondritis when I was in college where I felt sharp chest pains when I took a deep breath. I thought I was having a heart attack.

I hope your son gets some answers, soon and feels better.

 

[GAN]

I'm no doctor, but assuming everything physical checks out, it sounds a lot like anxiety. Struggling to get a full breath is a pretty classic symptom.

 

[LuvOrlando]

Has he experimented with Vaping? There are toxic chemicals that can cause lung damage and chest pain

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8435398/
View attachment 843048

I was thinking the same thing and the trouble with this stuff is it can be a roommate or someone near him in the dorm. We also had a young person at my kids school who was deathly allergic to the AXE stuff but how do you legislate against allergy offense- you can't . If someone is inhaling some sort of drugs in a vape he might not even smell it.

Could be Asthma, this time of year my kids would get it from irritants not actual allergies,odd I know but leaving the area for a few days always broke the cycle (why we used to go to WDW every Spring). Some people only get random attacks due to irritants like fragrances so you aren't allergic but the body flips out anyway, some people only get it when they are sick. My DD was this way, literally only had Asthma when she got sick and it had a tendency to linger and reawaken like you are describing and when it was twitchy exercise could make her body tweak so she'd need an inhaler. 10 min breathing hot steamy shower air then super cold outside air or freezer air in a pinch helps but an inhaler was really important, but only a Dr can prescribe do not use the OTC stuff it can really mess a person up, surprised no-one gave him one yet, that seems odd.

Maybe he quit all deodorant and shampoo for a bit and switch to see if it calms down, I like these products they are in Whole Foods. Tide has unscented line too, I had to wash pollen off their stuff every day,not supposed to rewear if pollen is active and no open windows which is tough at a dorm.
https://www.amazon.com/stores/TheHo...E810-E154-4601-91C4-EBD6F15F7C2D?ref_=ast_bln


You say you can't get a hold of the Dr, don't they have online communication? Also, virtually everywhere has some sort of virtual care so I'd look that up. Also I'd find a pulmonologist and also an allergist at his school since he'll be there the majority of time for a few years, they are similar DRs but not the same because the allergist can help if it is autoimmune.

At the least I'd find a separate Urgent Care and go to an unrelated place for a fresh set of eyes not set on doubling down on a wrong diagnosis

 

[brockash]

I was thinking the same thing and the trouble with this stuff is it can be a roommate or someone near him in the dorm. We also had a young person at my kids school who was deathly allergic to the AXE stuff but how do you legislate against allergy offense- you can't . If someone is inhaling some sort of drugs in a vape he might not even smell it.

Could be Asthma, this time of year my kids would get it from irritants not actual allergies,odd I know but leaving the area for a few days always broke the cycle (why we used to go to WDW every Spring). Some people only get random attacks due to irritants like fragrances so you aren't allergic but the body flips out anyway, some people only get it when they are sick. My DD was this way, literally only had Asthma when she got sick and it had a tendency to linger and reawaken like you are describing and when it was twitchy exercise could make her body tweak so she'd need an inhaler. 10 min breathing hot steamy shower air then super cold outside air or freezer air in a pinch helps but an inhaler was really important, but only a Dr can prescribe do not use the OTC stuff it can really mess a person up, surprised no-one gave him one yet, that seems odd.

Maybe he quit all deodorant and shampoo for a bit and switch to see if it calms down, I like these products they are in Whole Foods. Tide has unscented line too, I had to wash pollen off their stuff every day,not supposed to rewear if pollen is active and no open windows which is tough at a dorm.
https://www.amazon.com/stores/TheHo...E810-E154-4601-91C4-EBD6F15F7C2D?ref_=ast_bln
View attachment 843276

You say you can't get a hold of the Dr, don't they have online communication? Also, virtually everywhere has some sort of virtual care so I'd look that up. Also I'd find a pulmonologist and also an allergist at his school since he'll be there the majority of time for a few years, they are similar DRs but not the same because the allergist can help if it is autoimmune.

At the least I'd find a separate Urgent Care and go to an unrelated place for a fresh set of eyes not set on doubling down on a wrong diagnosis

The online system (they recently switched portals) isn't totally up and running. Wr did leave a mssg but they have 3 days to. respond. We will eventually get an appnt., just like last time but it is just such a frustrating process.

Thanks again all for your thoughts!

 

[Disturbia]

All the allergy talk reminds me that I had an instance of bad seasonal allergies last year (normally I don’t even have to use anything. It was pretty bad - from the combo of dust, dry air and grass (lawn care workers decided to mow early morning while kids were waiting for the bus); even Flonaise, Clariton and albuterol couldn’t get rid of the sneezing (sudden onset back of throat irritation). I took 1/2 a spoon of high grade Manuka honey-Costco has UMF 20+ $80 for 8 ounces (can even heal a stubborn wound; good for GI issues and heartburn as well) and i was finally able to stop sneezing.