I've been having this chest tightness and shortness of breath for about four months now, and it's getting pretty bad. About six months ago, I noticed my sputum turning grey once a day too. My doctor did a sputum culture and said it's streptococci pneumonia, but my X-ray and ECG were normal. I was on Novamax 500mg three times a day, but I still feel tightness in my chest and have grey sputum. A CT scan showed fibrotic strands on my upper right lobe, which my doctor said was from a past infection. I'm not on any meds right now, but I'm still struggling with these symptoms. Do you have any idea what might be going on or what steps I should take next? It's really affecting my daily life.

Answered by 1 Apollo Doctors

Dr Ranjith Darla

General Practitioner

MBBS
3+ Yrs

Consult Now

Consider consulting a pulmonologist for further evaluation and management, as your symptoms persist despite treatment and normal heart tests; the CT scan findings suggest possible pulmonary fibrosis or scarring, which may be causing your chest tightness and shortness of breath; the pulmonologist can assess your condition, potentially ordering additional tests like pulmonary function tests (PFTs) or bronchoscopy, and develop a personalized treatment plan to alleviate your symptoms.

Dr. Ranjith Suggests...

Consult a Pulmonology Respiratory Medicine Specialist

Find a Pulmonology Respiratory Medicine Specialist

Answered 04/07/2025

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I've been smoking for the past 4 years, but now I've started feeling really lazy and it's causing other issues too. I'm really looking to quit. Could you please give me some advice on how to stop smoking and maybe help with these problems?

Smoking cessation is advised to the patient.

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Disclaimer: Answers on Apollo 247 are not intended to replace your doctor advice. Always seek help of a professional doctor in case of an medical emergency or ailment.