Readers Respond: What Asthma Symptom Led To Your Diagnosis?

Responses: 26

From Pat Bass, former About.com Guide

Updated May 08, 2010

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Although my chest feels tight and my swollen airways make my voice sound very hoarse, it is the coughing spasms that are exhausting and frustrating. Any change in air temperature or quality can set me off.
—Guest debs905

I have the typical symptoms, SOB, wheezing, chest pain on right side, neck muscles feel tight but I also have headache, trembling and heartburn.
—Guest laura

i was diagnosed recently with asthma when i had an asthma attack after having chronic bronchitis for a few months. i was treated for the attack and the tightness in my chest is better but the wheezing hasnt gone away and the coughing has worsened. is this normal? still having trouble sleeping cause breathing while laying down is complicated. would love feed back.
—mjl1990

I was first diagnosed when i was 2, then re-diagnosed a few years ago. I have a cough that wont go away, and the chest tightness, and I cannot run or it triggers an asthma attack but the most annoying symptom is when I have an asthma attack I get light headed, and winter is the worst, as soon as I hit the cold air i start coughing
—jessicaoreo

Shortness of breath is by far the most horrendous symptom od my asthma. It comes on when I do anything too quickly with exertion or seomtimes when I am talking on the phone (usually in emotional conversation)
—Guest dewhit

Coughing and thick sticky mucous in my airway that is so hard to remove when I am in public and hesitate to cough it up.
—Guest Shirley Randall

My asthma always seems to come on a good week after i have had a cold or virus. The cough changes, tightness in the chest and sometimes the 'wheezing'.
—Guest guest karen

I developed asthma after my son started daycare. My asthma appears to be more of a reaction to viral infections. However, it has worsened since I've been on Advair. Now ozone and extremes in temperature/humidity cause asthma symptoms too.
—Guest Pam

I GET A BURNING FEELING IN THE TRACHEA IF I JOG OR RUN - NOT WEIGHTS OR CALISTHENICS.THIS AFFECTS MY VOICE FOR SOME TIME AFTERWARDS AS WELL.
—Guest WILLIAM DYK

I suspect it's more common in severe or chronic asthmatics, but by far the most annoying symptom for me is air-trapping... what I term "asthma purgatory". I call it that, because, even though your peak flows can be normal and your chest clear, you still feel very short of breath. Air trapping is usually caused by inflammation, mucus plugging or the loss of elasticity of the air passages . It's a condition where air gets trapped in your lungs making it difficult to exhale completely. Imagine being able to take a full breath in, but only able to exhale partially. See how long you can keep that up? The sensation can make you miserable. Feels like someone sitting on your chest.. For me, the symptoms of air-trapping come out of the blue and can last from a few hours to several days. To my knowledge there's not a lot that can be done to alleviate the problem . You usually just have to wait for your lung decompress on their own.
—Breathinstephen

I experienced a prolonged cough and was evaluated by several different physicians. Finally, I was diagnosed with a type of asthma where cough is really the sole symptom I was experiencing.
—Guest Rick

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