<human>: Family doctor thought my asthma came back and is allergy driven. I have been taking Ventolin and Flovent for a year now and they dont seem to be as effective anymore. I am also a mild smoker who is trying to quit. Started at 17 with the army and Im 31 now, I know Ive done some damage to my lungs. Ive brought up a bit of blood in a coughing fit and lately clear mucus. The clear mucus is almost transparent with bubbles in it. When pressed with a finger, pops like bubble wrap. Im really worried about COPD.
<bot>: Hello, Thank you for asking at Chat Doctor. I went through your history and would like to make suggestions for you as follows:1. Looking at your age, history and complaints, I would first think of allergies and asthma, however, coughing of blood is not a usual feature of asthma, unless your cough was very severe.2. Were I treating you, I would suggest you Chest X-ray and spirometry. Combining these investigations, your doctor will be reasonably able to decide whether you have asthma, COPD or something else, also what was the cause of coughing out blood.3. If it turns out to be asthma, I would suggest you allergy testing which will help you identify the substances causing allergies to you and also to know the measures to avoid them. Based on allergy testing, an Allergist-Immunologist may prescribe you allergen specific immunotherapy which gradually improves allergy symptoms by working on immunity.4. If your inhalers were previously working and now not working, I would suggest you to increase dose of "asthma controller" medications after consulting your doctor until your diagnosis is confirmed.5. Regular breathing exercise will help you in a long run by improving your lung capacity.6. Please avoid exposure to dusts, smokes and air pollution as much as possible. Hope above suggestions will be helpful to you. Should you have any further query, please feel free to ask at Chat Doctor. Wish you the best of the health ahead. Thank you & Regards.