Last week I had my annual studies. It is not too different than the usual lung function tests (PFT’S), X-Ray, blood work, and doctor’s appointment. They add a lot more tests to the blood work and every two years I have a Dexa scan. This year I was due for my scan. A Dexa scan is sort of like a X-Ray that measures bone mineral density checking for osteoporosis. Instead of standing, you lay down while the scanner passes over you. You don’t feel a thing and it doesn’t take long.

Picture of a Dexa Scan

This cough I have been complaining about turned into a productive cough meaning, I have been coughing up sputum again. I’m having flashbacks of the “old days” with my old lungs. This last Friday I started doing some antibiotics with a nebulizer. Before I “smoke” my antibiotic, I start with Albuterol to open up the airways. People would always ask if I had side effects from doing Albuterol four times a day. I never used to. The funny thing is now that my body is not used to inhaling it on a regular basis, I sure feel it! I was trying to hold a piece of paper immediately following a treatment. My hand was shaking so badly I had to set the paper down. I’m taking it twice a day and in about two hours the shakiness wears off.

“smoking” my neb

Unfortunately, my PFT’s have declined. I was concerned about that with the cough I have been experiencing. My doctor didn’t seem to be too worried. My doctor also checked for something called RSV (Respiratory Syncytial Virus) a virus of the respiratory tract that causes wheezing. Luckily, yesterday, that came back negative.

The longer term plan was to wait for the RSV results. Thank goodness it was negative. Now I am to start taking a bump in steroids a.k.a. Prednisone. The reason we had to get the results back from the RSV test first is because a higher dose of Prednisone can weaken your immune system. I was going to need every bit of fighting power in my body if I had the virus. I was to return in one week and repeat my lung functions.

Today, I did repeat those tests. My PFT’s dropped again! I’m not a happy girl. This is the first time since my new lungs that I have had a significant drop in lung function. I will have to wait until tomorrow to see what the next move is. I started Prednisone this morning, maybe we will give that a chance to work before any drastic measures are taken.