Originally Posted by Idiopathic PN

I have been looking up on the internet about emphysema/COPD. For those who may have read my other posts, I am having problems with shortness of breath, both at rest and exertion. I dont have cough and wheezing is very very very rarely. I dont smoke. (My appointment with a pulmonologist is still way far off.)

I encountered this symptom checker on the net. It asks about your symptoms and at the end of the process will tell you about your "possible" problem. In my case, since I dont have any other symptoms typical of emphysema, it says among other things:

Another cause of shortness of breath is a nerve or muscle disease that weakens the diaphragm and chest muscles. With a nerve or muscle disease, there will almost always be other areas of the body involved. For example, you might notice that your legs or arms are weak or you may have numbness or tingling.

http://symptomchecker.about.com/od/w...etofinish..htm

Is there anyone who has a similar symptom like mine? I have an asthma but I have not had an attack for a long long time. I am not sure th ough, if this shortness of breath is asthma related.

I am concerned about emphysema because in 1988, I also had similar shortness of breath, a pulmonologist diagnosed me with emphysema based on my chest x-ray. She scared me to death. I went to another pulmonologist and she laughed at my earlier diagnosis. She said that I have normal lungs based on a pulmonary function test (PFT). I had a lung CT scan in 2011 and another PFT. My scan was normal as well as the PFT. The pulmo commented though that my FEV1 has reduced a little.

I do not know if my shortness of breath (which has been on going for 2 years now) is related to my PN or lungs.

Thank you in advance for sharing with me your inputs and experiences.