For the past three years, I have noticed that my first big breath in the morning is raspy and heavy. I can feel crud in my lungs. I have been an off and on smoker since I was 10 years old. I m now 24. I also have a cat that sheds a lot of fur all over my apartment, and who I am mildly allergic to. I m not sure if the cause of this uneasy breathing in the morning is due to my years of smoking or a fur allergy . What do you think and if it s caused by the cat, what can I do to reduce this irritation other than getting rid of my cat?
Hi, Thanks for posting your query. You may have possibility of COPD and asthma (allergic to cat fur). You should go for spirometry or pulmonary function test. Improvement in FEW 1 > 20% after bronchodilator therapy suggest asthma and less than 20% suggest COPD. You can use mask and anti-allergic medications for control of allergy. Thanks,