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Suggest Treatment For Reactive Airway Disease

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Posted on Fri, 20 Feb 2015
Question: i have reactive airway syndrome with the Rinnai heater in my low income section 8 Burlington, Vermont Housing Authority apartment. i've been in here 3 months and can't breathe without coughing. i have a taste and smell of ammonia in me and wonder why? i fear a neighbor who is a chinese acupuncturist may be a break and enter quack may have punctured me several times. i wonder he's macing the ventilator. i 've no idea why i have to cough all the time in my apartment and taste ammonia. can you help with some idea of what's going on with me?
doctor
Answered by Dr. Satyadeo Choubey (5 hours later)
Brief Answer:
Get a couple of test and psychological counselling done.

Detailed Answer:
Thanks for the query.
I can feel your agony.
Reactive airway disease must be differentiated from other causes of chronic cough like asthma, gastric acid reflux.
Before any conclusion can be drawn you must undergo couple of tests like methacholine challenge test, sputum eosinophil count, endoscopy etc.
For the time being you may get some relief by inhaled steroid. Consult your physician for the same.
Also you must get a psychological counselling done for the other symptoms.
I strongly believe that you will get well.

Best wishes
Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Bhagyalaxmi Nalaparaju
doctor
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Follow up: Dr. Satyadeo Choubey (4 hours later)
i'll mention the sputum test etc to my doctor today when i so to his office. i'm disappointed with your answer. i thought maybe the ammonia taste is from a nearby apartment who may have filled their heater or the gas line with ammonia. anyway, Vermont is a place that believes in clean unpolluted air; i am without any prescribed or unprescribed drugs, i don't drink or smoke anything at all, or commit crimes. the only psychological problems i've had voluntary comittment for assistance with sobriety in and about the year 1983. was mistakenly jailed in psych unit 2006 or 7 for a traumatic eye injury. i'm disappointed you don't mention why i might have taste of ammonia. this is an horrible new experience living with this kind of heater; i believe some authorities are lying to me, for instance this Rinnai heater looks as if it predates the second world war although i have been asked to believe it only 10 years old. this is a problem of abject poverty. if i could afford to go elsewhere or even move to another apartment in my own community, i would have no congestion using 2 rolls toilet paper every 14 hours for sputum, and exhaustion and pain from coughing coninuously. i never had this befofre moving into this apartment. this is sickening lack of care and understanding from people in my community who would rather say there might be something wrong with me and uphold the less than honest landlord.
doctor
Answered by Dr. Satyadeo Choubey (11 minutes later)
Brief Answer:
Get the house examined by some other team if possible.

Detailed Answer:
Thanks for follow up.
Please don't be tense. If you are smelling like ammonia, you must get its source in your house. But you told that the house has been checked thrice. You can get it done by some other team.
The best part of the treatment in an exposure hazard is to avoid that place. You are right on that part.
Follow my answers only when the rechecking of the house by some another team again confirms it alright.

Hope the first situation to occur. .

Best wishes
Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Ashwin Bhandari
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Answered by
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Dr. Satyadeo Choubey

Pulmonologist

Practicing since :2006

Answered : 554 Questions

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Suggest Treatment For Reactive Airway Disease

Brief Answer: Get a couple of test and psychological counselling done. Detailed Answer: Thanks for the query. I can feel your agony. Reactive airway disease must be differentiated from other causes of chronic cough like asthma, gastric acid reflux. Before any conclusion can be drawn you must undergo couple of tests like methacholine challenge test, sputum eosinophil count, endoscopy etc. For the time being you may get some relief by inhaled steroid. Consult your physician for the same. Also you must get a psychological counselling done for the other symptoms. I strongly believe that you will get well. Best wishes