I had my long awaited methacholine test this past Friday. I wasn’t really sure what to expect but from what I read online it said it was a physically demanding test and that it took about an hour. I got to the hospital at 2:30 and met an awesome lung technician named Norm who immediately put me at ease. He was so nice and walked me through the whole process. Basically they get your height and weight and determine what your lung capacity should be for a person your age and your size. After getting measured I took a deep breath and then blew into a tube that recorded how my lungs handled air in my normal state. He said my lungs were exactly what they should be and that in my resting state I did not appear to have asthma. Then the fun began, I had to breathe in a methacholine vapor that if you has asthma of any sort should cause your lungs to react like they would during an asthma attack. The dosage of methacholine increases up to six times and if after any of those tests your lung capacity drops by over 20% you’re considered to have asthma and the test is over.
The first dose didn’t even seem like I was breathing in anything. My test came back fine. The second dose started to taste like cough syrup but I didn’t feel anything and my test came back fine. After the third dose (which really tasted like cough syrup) my breathing started to feel a little constricted and my lung capacity dropped by 5%. After the fourth dose my lungs really started to feel tight, though never like I couldn’t breathe, just like it was more effort. When I breathed on the machine he said the test was over, my lung capacity had dropped by a total of 35%, and that I in fact have asthma. Afterwards I had to breathe in a vapor that gets your breathing back under control for a few minutes. Norm then retested me and said my lungs were even better than my pretest. Something I didn’t expect after the test was to be sweating and to feel a little dizzy with tingly palms. Norm said that’s normal because we normally don’t breathe so strongly for so long, and that it caused me to hyperventilate a little. The next step now is him sending over my information to the lung specialist, who writes the official diagnosis, who sends that over to my Doctor, who then calls me in to go over everything and give me a prescription plan.
While asthma isn’t a good thing to have I really don’t feel bothered by the results. I only ever feel the effects of it when I run or when I’m around cats. Knowing that I have a way to treat it makes me happy. Our poor future kids though, Norm saw my ring and was asking about Josh during the test. When I mentioned how Josh also has asthma Norm said there’s a pretty high chance our kids will have asthma too. At least we don’t live in a world like Revolution (Does anyone else watch that show? We’re obsessed!) and inhalers are pretty easy to come by.
After the diagnosis I headed over to Panera for dinner and then to Kohls for some browsing. I sent out an Instagram picture of the 10 piece OXO pop top set and how I couldn’t wait to put it on my wedding registry. I then headed over to T.J. Maxx and stumbled upon a five piece OXO pop top set in red on sale for $22. Santa must have seen my Instagram post! I snatched that up so quick! 😀
After my unexpected shopping trip I headed over to Verizon to get my new phone set up. I’ve had a Droid 2 for forever and it has been dying a slow sad death for months. I always had to have it plugged into a charger, if I didn’t it would die within 30 minutes. Paying $75 a month for a phone contract I wasn’t fully getting to use since I could hardly use my phone when I was out and about got annoying. I finally decided to upgrade my phone to the new Droid 4. I LOVE it. It is so much faster, I’m finally on 4G, and even though the screen is bigger the phone is so much thinner and lighter. I also love that I didn’t have to give up my keyboard. I know virtually everyone uses touchscreen exclusively but I need a keyboard. I love using apps and checking updates on the touchscreen but for writing text messages or long emails nothing compares to having a keyboard. I got the anti-glare screen protector on it and it’s really nice. Now I’m just waiting on my case to come in the mail and then it will be fully good to go.
Saturday morning I woke up bright and early to head to Josh’s. I’ve been puppy sitting for the week while my parents have been on vacation and since they were getting back that day I could finally go and see Josh. It was nearly three weeks since I had last seen him! I picked up a salad from Fiddlehead for us and we had it along with leftover pizza for lunch. It was so good.
After lunch we headed to Target to check out the Neiman Marcus and Target collection. We were both really underwhelmed. The prices were super expensive and in my opinion they weren’t justified. This was the one top I sort of liked but not for $80.
After Target we headed over to T.J.Maxx for some potential jean shopping for me. My T.J.Maxx in Williamsport is nice but the one in State College is awesome. They always have a huge selection of designer jeans on such great sales, I need to remember to check there on a consistent basis. Since I’m pretty much alternating between my pair of Joes Jeans, my Vince denim jeggings, and my Lulu Wunder Unders at this point I really need a new pair of jeans. I’ve lost some weight and I have to get rid of at least ten pairs of jeans because they’re too big. I tried on a few hopefuls at T.J.Maxx but they were either not the right wash or they were still too expensive. I’ll keep checking back, I’m pretty persistent! While I didn’t leave with jeans we did leave with our first ornament! I’m so excited for Josh and I to get to decorate our first Christmas tree next year! We spotted this ornament and both loved it. We’re thinking we want a silver and gold theme for our future tree and since our wedding theme is birds we thought this would be the perfect first ornament for us.
Sunday was spent working on school work. I had a 12 page paper to write that was due today that I had procrastinated on for forever. I finally got it done, along with homework, although it took most of the day. Thank goodness this semester is almost over! I’m so ready for break. I had to share a picture of this multi-grain baguette topped with Wegman’s fresh pesto topped with roasted garlic that I had at lunch. It was out of this world good.
And that was my weekend. I hope you enjoyed yours! Unfortunately it’s time to get back to the grind but before you know it it will be the weekend again! I love how that happens. 😀
Oh and the winner of the Hummuz Crispz is Mindy Artze! Congrats girly! If you can please email me at [email protected] your address I’ll get your information sent over to Mediterranean Snacks so they can get your goodie bag on its way to you!
Question of the Day: What was the highlight of your weekend?
Bummer on the asthma diagnosis. But I know TONS of people who had exercise induced asthma and rarely need their inhaler. Good luck!
BTW – totally disappointed in the Neiman Marcus collection at Target. Cute but just not worth it!
Yes, I thought Neimans would have done more! Oh well, at least it was fun browsing. And thanks so much, I’m feeling really good about the diagnosis, I don’t think it’s going to affect me in any real negative way.
I enjoyed cheering on friends at a half marathon this weekend! Asthma stinks, but I have it too. I’ve gone from being a 10:30 or slower runner 3 years ago….conditioning and training in all weather while using my inhaler when needed and allergy meds (mine is allergen induced) has helped my lungs immensely! I’m now around a sub 9 race pace runner, who still struggles breathing in the heat, working on half after half and then a full? It’s a challenge, but totally push-throughable 😉
How awesome you were cheering on friends at a race! I’m sure they really appreciated that! That’s so good to know running will improve with proper lung treatment, here’s hoping I’ll be able to run a little faster! 😀
great post. love the oxo set. enjoy your new phone!
Thanks so much girly! I’m LOVING my new phone!
My Little cousin was diagnosed w the
Same asthma A fewYears ago!! Luckily theyare finally le
Learning tOGet it under control now!! Sry for alL the posts!! My phone is being bonkers!!!!
Oh good, I’m so glad he’s getting it under control. That would be so scary!
I was diagnosed with athsma that seemed to come on after a virus. Once that was gone, I only needed to use the inhaler when I ran, and after a while (months) I didn’t need it all. Before I was diagnosed and while I was still sorting out the treatment, I had a few athsma attacks, which were very scary. so, even though I don’t need to treat it now, it is something to take seriously. It sounds like it won’t interfere with your activity level – you may perform beetter with the inhaler since your lungs weren’t at full capacity before.
Oh wow, I’m so glad you’re okay! And you’re right, it’s not something to take lightly. I’m excited to see how my lungs perform with an inhaler, I’m hoping it will make running a little easier for me!
I was diagnosed with exercise induced reactive airway anbout a year and a half ago. Similar to exercise induce asthma. I use an inhaler before I work out and that usually keeps my symptoms at bay. There are times in extreme heat or cold that my symptoms persists despite the inhaler but for the most part it doesn’t impact my day to day life or fitness!
That’s awesome it doesn’t really effect you, that’s how I feel mine is too. I think we’re really lucky!
I’m sorry that about the asthma diagnosis but it’s good that you now know and can work out a plan with your doctor. I’ve had asthma since I was little – sounds similar to yours in that it’s mostly exercise-induced. Honestly, I don’t feel like it’s really restricted my activity much. It’s good to be aware of the situations that seem to cause your astma to act up. As for kids, while your future kids may have asthma, they also may not develop it. Even if they do, it much more manageable these days. My oldest has it and still gets to do everything he wants.
Yes, I feel like the kind of asthma I have doesn’t really keep me from doing anything. It’s never been scary, just a nuisance. I don’t even feel it from all exercise, just running. I’m hoping the inhaler will make it so that it will never be a serious problem for me. Thanks so much!
Sorry to hear about the asthma but I’m glad you have such a good outlook on the situation! I have chronic asthma which means it isn’t exercise induced; for example, during that initial resting state asthma test you took, I could only breathe at 50% of where I should be. No bueno! I’m on steroid meds twice a day plus an emergency inhaler which definitely isn’t fun….but you know, everything is what you make it! As long as I take my meds, I’m fine and I can do anything I want. You start to learn your body and symptoms and it never holds me back from anything.
Oh wow, I’m so sorry you have to deal with such a serious form of asthma! Your outlook is awesome! I’m so glad the medicine is working, I think you take a lot of the same stuff Josh was taking for a while. I hope your lungs eventually get stronger from it!
Mike has asthma, so I know he feels your pain! He doesn’t need to use his inhaler often though, which is nice!
YAY for that deal on those storage containers, those are great to have!
Happy week to you love!
I didn’t know Mike has asthma, that’s awesome he has it so under control! I feel lucky I’ve never had a real asthma attack, just stupid tightness in my lungs. With an inhaler I think it’s definitely manageable!
Busy weekend! Yes, as Angela said, there are lots of people who exercise through their asthma and make it work. Glad you got an official diagnosis, at least now you can work with that!
Yes, knowing for certain what it is is definitely a good thing! Thanks so much!
I have a mix of exercise and allergy induced asthma. It’s worse when I have a cold. I never know when it will decide to act up!
Oh no, I hope it doesn’t act up for a long long time!
I have grown up with exercise induced asthma and can relate to needing it before a run or if something aggravates my allergies (like my brothers cat). Pretty much I use it only a couple times a week as a preventative before I run and don’t have problems!
People said Id grow out of it, but since that didn’t happen I already know how to maintain my active lifestyle even though I do have asthma. Glad you have a positive outlook because if you have controllable asthma it really isn’t the end of the world 🙂
Yes, it really doesn’t feel like the end of the world. Without my inhaler asthma has only felt like a nuisance so now that I have treatment for it I’m feeling really good about it. Thanks so much!
Sorry about the asthma diagnosis! I have it too and I wish I had your outlook on it. I just started Advair though so I’m hoping that will improve things.
NiceTJ Maxx find! 🙂 I love when things like that happen.
Unexpected T.J. Maxx finds are the best! I hope you can get your asthma under control soon! <3
Sorry to hear about your diagnosis hunnie. At least now you know what’s going on, and you can continue working with your doctor to figure out all the best things for you <3
Exactly, thank you so much!
I love all the SUPPORT and help in the comments above!
xoxo
Right?! I feel so lucky to be a part of such a supportive and caring community! <3