Do I Have Asthma, Allergies, or Both?
Summary
Farah Ahmad visits Dr. Zhivago, an Immunologist with very high credentials. Her Primary Care Physician has referred her.
The patient is confused because the sign on the practice says that Dr. Zhivago is an Allergist, whereas her Primary Care Physician has referred to him as an Immunologist. The doctor explains why and assures the Patient she is in the right place.
The doctor tries to answer Farah’s questions about ‘allergies’ vs ‘asthma’, a difficult concept to get at first. In the course of the conversation, Dr. Zhivago mentions the role of ‘allergens’ and he mentions some ‘triggers’ involved, including pet dander.
The doctor asks an important question: “Do you have any pets, Farah”? When she answers that she has 3 dogs and 1 cat, Dr. Zhivago begins to suspect the culprit may be ‘pet dander’. When Farah explains that one of the dogs sleeps ‘with’ her, his suspicion grows.
After explaining thoroughly what pet dander is, the doctor arranges for 3 tests to finalize the diagnosis and begin treatment.
