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Flu, Cough, Fatigue, Tiredness, Levaquin, Heavy Lungs. Pneumonia Or Bronchitis ?
Question: hello, I am a 25 year old female (post operative transexual) about a month ago, I started feeling like I had some type of a flu which then just turned into heavy lungs with an unproductive cough and consisted fatigue and tiredness. I had my lung x rays taken at urgent care and nothing showed up. The doctor went ahead anyway and gave me levaquin for possible pneumonia or bronchitis. Two different sets of anti biotics later and my XXXXXXX lungs are still heavy and If it were up to me I could sleep 24-7. I am a smoker, I have cut down SEVERELY with the intension to quite, and of course when I do have a cigarette , it knocks me on my bum.
Hello,
Thanks for posting your query. It is good that you have taken two courses of antibiotics because the first possibilities for such symptoms is of lung conditions like pneumonia and bronchitis.
Some antibiotics would not go well with smoking and cause such unpleasant effects as you have on bum. I think you are having one such symptom.
Other details I would like to mention:
In majority of the cases of undiagnosed and continuous cough, the underlying cause is bronchial asthma. Other than that it can be due to smoker’s cough because cigarettes contain chemicals that irritate the air passages and lungs. When a smoker inhales these substances, the body tries to protect itself by coughing. Sometimes when you are trying to quit, you may have more phlegm and cough because when you quit, the cilia get back to work within a couple of days.
Apart from that since you have been a smoker it is always better to rule out any lung malignancy as well although the chances are very less. Other than that, it can be due to GERD, allergic rhinitis and viral infections.
You are having excessive sleepiness because of disturbed sleep cycle at night due to coughing and your lungs feeling heavy. Other than that it can be due to obesity and any drug or alcohol abuse.
I suggest you to consult a chest physician and get a CT scan chest pulmonary function tests done to rule out these conditions. CT scan is a more sensitive test than x-ray and should be done in a patient having chronic cough.
Hope this answers your query. If you have additional questions or follow up queries then please do not hesitate in writing to us. I will be happy to answer your queries.
Wishing you good health.
Regards.
Thanks for posting your query. It is good that you have taken two courses of antibiotics because the first possibilities for such symptoms is of lung conditions like pneumonia and bronchitis.
Some antibiotics would not go well with smoking and cause such unpleasant effects as you have on bum. I think you are having one such symptom.
Other details I would like to mention:
In majority of the cases of undiagnosed and continuous cough, the underlying cause is bronchial asthma. Other than that it can be due to smoker’s cough because cigarettes contain chemicals that irritate the air passages and lungs. When a smoker inhales these substances, the body tries to protect itself by coughing. Sometimes when you are trying to quit, you may have more phlegm and cough because when you quit, the cilia get back to work within a couple of days.
Apart from that since you have been a smoker it is always better to rule out any lung malignancy as well although the chances are very less. Other than that, it can be due to GERD, allergic rhinitis and viral infections.
You are having excessive sleepiness because of disturbed sleep cycle at night due to coughing and your lungs feeling heavy. Other than that it can be due to obesity and any drug or alcohol abuse.
I suggest you to consult a chest physician and get a CT scan chest pulmonary function tests done to rule out these conditions. CT scan is a more sensitive test than x-ray and should be done in a patient having chronic cough.
Hope this answers your query. If you have additional questions or follow up queries then please do not hesitate in writing to us. I will be happy to answer your queries.
Wishing you good health.
Regards.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
Answered by
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