Hi Healthgirl,

I am sorry you have been experiencing some "resistance" from the pulmonologist. I am concerned she did not allow you to demonstrate your breathing issue in front of her. I hope she has ordered a full work-up and will get the full picture on testing this week. Perhaps she was planning on getting the full picture this coming week; it just seems reasonable to allow you to demonstrate while you are right there with her.

Please also pursue the heart testing.
Myocardial Perfusion Imaging (aka "Nuclear Stress Test) was the last heart test I had when I was having shortness of breath, etc.

http://www.heart.org/HEARTORG/Condit...52_Article.jsp

This is a "stress test" along with a SPECT or a PET scan.
I cannot be sure what you need for testing. I am just sharing with you.
I had been taken to the ER with shortness of breath and low oxygen saturation measurements (the clip they place on a finger to measure O2 saturation percentage).

It was my 12th visit to the ER that year, after prolonged flu complications.

Whenever an inhaler is prescribed, there is always a chance the type prescribed may not work for any given patient or may exacerbate breathing issues.

My first allergist had taught me to always use a "Peak Flow Meter" @15 minutes, 30 minutes, 1 hour and 2 hours after using a NEW inhaled medication. Taking these readings and comparing them to a pre-med/pre-inhalation "baseline" reading then clearly demonstrates if the inhaled med is helping or not and also shows if you are having a negative reaction to the inhaled med. It's an objective measurement.

I am so glad he had taught me to do this, as I have found 3 commonly prescribed asthma meds/inhalers which were quickly making my readings drop (worse). The Peak Flow Meter can also help you to see when you do/don't need to use your inhaler. (Note: This is not an "incentive spirometer." many people get these two devices confused with one another.)

http://www.lung.org/lung-disease/ast...flow-rate.html

If you were not prescribed a "chamber" for your inhaler, please ask if you need one. Doctors often "forget" to prescribe them and the chambers deliver more medication into the lungs, rather than depositing the inhaled med at the back of your throat.

Inquire as to whether the Pulmonologist or your GP will prescribe a "Peak Flow Meter" for you so you can track readings when you wonder about the status of your breathing and/or whether inhaled meds are helping or not.

Hope something in this post is helpful to you.
Hope you are feeling better.

To our healing!
DejaVu