Pulmonary Sarcoidosis Treatment in India

Navya Reddy, a 28-year-old software engineer...

Navya Reddy, a 28-year-old software engineer from Hyderabad, India, had always been active and healthy. Over the past six months, she developed a persistent dry cough and a profound, unexplained fatigue that made it hard to get through her workday. She also noticed occasional sharp pains in her chest and felt short of breath climbing the stairs to her apartment. Initially dismissing it as long-COVID or stress, she grew concerned when red, tender bumps appeared on her shins. Her primary doctor, noting her symptoms and a suspicious chest X-ray, referred her to a pulmonologist. The pulmonologist, Dr. Chen, explained that the constellation of symptoms, especially the skin lesions (erythema nodosum), and hazy lymph nodes on the X-ray were highly suggestive of sarcoidosis. To confirm the diagnosis and rule out infections or other diseases, he recommended a bronchoscopy with biopsy. Navya was terrified of the procedure, fearing the scope and what the diagnosis might mean for her future career and plans to start a family. The procedure itself, under sedation, was uneventful. The recovery involved a sore throat and waiting anxiously for pathology results for a week. The biopsy confirmed non-caseating granulomas, diagnosing pulmonary sarcoidosis. Fortunately, Dr. Chen classified it as Stage II, affecting her lymph nodes and lungs, but felt her case might resolve spontaneously. He prescribed a short course of corticosteroids to quickly alleviate her debilitating symptoms. Within weeks, Navya's energy returned, her cough subsided, and the skin lesions faded. Emotionally, she transitioned from fear and uncertainty to relief and cautious optimism. While she knows she'll need monitoring, having a name for her condition and an effective treatment plan has given her control back. She now focuses on managing stress and attending follow-up scans, feeling empowered rather than victimized.