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Medical Forum / Diseases and Disorders / Asthma / March 2007VCD and Asthma correlation?
I've had severe asthma for over 20 years. Most medicines help only slightly. I recently went to a new internal medicine/pulmonologist who recommended I have a Vocal Chord Dysfunction test. Had that done today. It showed considerable inflammation in my throat and vocal chords as well as a constant dropped uvula restricting airflow. My question is whether such VCD can be a result of chronic asthma for many years. In other words, is asthma causing VCD or is VCD caused on it's own causing me to have two unrelated issues that both are causing me breathing problems? i have no comments WRT to which disorder came first, but taking care of the VCD by speech therapy could relax the vocal cords and allow the asthma medicines to be delivered more efficiently to your airways. I have the same problem (medications don't help asthma) and got checked for VCD, but the VCD was not there. But the rationale above was my doc's theory on why the meds don't work. Did not work for me, may work for you. Have you had a PH probe (24 hour monitoring) to see if the inflammation is due to Silent Gerd? > I've had severe asthma for over 20 years. Most medicines help only > slightly. I recently went to a new internal medicine/pulmonologist who [quoted text clipped - 6 lines] > it's own causing me to have two unrelated issues that both are causing > me breathing problems? > Have you had a PH probe (24 hour monitoring) to see if the inflammation is > due to Silent Gerd? I will have the Bravo probe done in a few weeks. The proton pump inhibitors are supposed to work well if it turns out to be positive. I had posted previously that the doctors at Emory find that about 2/3 of people respond to a regular dose and the next third need either a double dose or Nexium. Hope that turns out to work for you. If not, I think they usually suggest speech therapy - although most people with VCD don't think it works very well. > > Have you had a PH probe (24 hour monitoring) to see if the inflammation is > > due to Silent Gerd? > > I will have the Bravo probe done in a few weeks. > The proton pump inhibitors are supposed to work well if it turns out to be > positive. I had posted previously that the doctors at Emory find that about [quoted text clipped - 4 lines] > speech therapy - although most people with VCD don't think it works very > well. I've tried prilosec and previcid with little effect. I've never tried Nexium. I have a feeling my insurance won't cover it. > I've tried prilosec and previcid with little effect. I've never tried > Nexium. I have a feeling my insurance won't cover it. I also had insurance problems. Not only did I have to try every over the counter medication out there, but I had to wait for a couple of months on the single dose to prove to them the single dose didn't work for me. If I wanted to go up to Nexium, at this point I have done the qualifying "step therapy" and they would fill it I suppose, but it has taken a year of my life, 5 prescriptions before they would cover it and 3 different doctors calling them - something like 10 office visits. It is beyond belief. Emory says they have started a study regarding the additional 'costs' this is adding to their bottom line. But you have to fight for it - you know the alternative is that you will continue to spend your life coughing and may face surgery to correct all that damage your reflux is causing, if you turn out to actually have it (of course). I have no idea about false positives or negatives. Perhaps one of the doctors who stop by here would know how accurately PH testing is for silent Gerd. I know that you have good days and bad days even when you have received the proper treatment (what ever drug at whatever dose works for you), and there are diet suggestions (no caffeine, alcohol, spicy or acid foods) you can add to the mix. It isn't like it is a total fix. There is the raised head of the bed to try also if you have night -time symptoms. we need free healthcare. > we need free healthcare. No such thing. You mean you want someone else to pay for it for you. No I agree Be realistic. You Pay regardless. And you if you work for CDC, you know they could use the help ( people are able to get actuate diagnosis when we know if something is out there). Nope this not pay system is history -it is a matter of time. > > we need free healthcare. > > No such thing. You mean you want someone else to pay for it for you. Nothing is ever free. But if health care was 'free', I wonder if there would be a push toward PREVENTION and healthy living (and maybe even clean air!). Nope, the pharmaceutical companies would never allow that. The money is in the treatment, not the prevention. Even the food pyramid is nudged heavily in an unhealthy direction (What to Eat by Marion Nestle). > I've had severe asthma for over 20 years. Most medicines help only > slightly. I recently went to a new internal medicine/pulmonologist who [quoted text clipped - 6 lines] > it's own causing me to have two unrelated issues that both are causing > me breathing problems? A few links to help: http://www.medhelp.org/forums/RespiratoryDisorders/messages/937.html http://www.njc.org/disease-info/diseases/vcd/about.aspx I had read an article about this today, but evidently I didn't bookmark it so I don't remember where I found it. I thought I had accessed it through WebMD. Sorry, I would try to find it now, but I'm actually on my way to the doctor! Hope the above helps anyway. TGG |
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