So guess what? I am actually sick! NOT mast cell sick, though! Good old fashioned have something in my lungs sick. It's really bizarre because I very rarely get sick. Sometimes I think our overactive mast cells blast away any germs that try to get us.

So now the dilemma begins: to go to the doctor or not to go to the doctor. 50/50 chance my doc has an opening and I won't see someone else in her office because I think they aren't terribly impressive. Hmmm

I had a little something about three weeks ago... mucus in my lungs, post-nasal drip, coughing, hoarseness, difficulty sleeping... Mucinex made a huge difference.  I took it for about two weeks and now everything is fine  Good luck with whatever you decide!

Heather

So, who wants an update? Well, I went to the doc, who put me on antibiotic (I can only take one at this point, Cefdnir, so we always hope it still stays safe for me to take without reacting.) By the next day, I was even worse (lungs), so I started a 12 day course (taper dose) of prednisone. Now, normally, I would think - yay- I will feel great for a bit because my mast cells love pred. However, while my lungs cleared, I continued to get worse. Maybe I have a virus and the antibiotic isn't going to clear it. Who knows.

Unfortunately, I was having a dinner party last night (my 2nd day of prednisone), and I refused to cancel it. My hubbie did much of the cooking (because it was for my birthday), and we had fun. However, by 10 pm I wasn't feeling so well again...and by 11pm I really needed people to go home! Today we went out to a movie for Father's Day since I was too sick to plan anything else. I figured I could easily sit in a movie theater. Not a good choice. Movie was great (Superman), but by the time I got home around 4, I knew I should have spent the past 2 days in bed lying down....which is where I am now. At least my lungs aren't aching anymore, although my ear and eye are really hurting now. My cough varies from very good to coughing so hard my back muscles hurt.

I always get better quickly once I start meds, and especially prednisone, so this is not my normal response and it is really annoying. Oh, and I usually have tinnitus in one ear that comes and goes, but now I have it loud and clear in both ears. I know that is related to whatever I have, because I never have it in 2 ears!

If I am not better tomorrow, looks like I will be headed back to the doc. Unfortunately she knows nothing about mast cell disease, so if any of that is affecting me in getting better, she won't know how to deal with that. I might just need to email Dr. Akin for advice if that happens.

Now tell me, who in the heck gets sick in the SUMMER???