Hey Bud,
I have had to stop combusting too, I started vaping/smoking after a 20+ year break and after a mere two months I got to the point that I was coughing frequently and felt seriously out of breath all the time. The thing that helped me get thru the worst of it was Mucinex, let me cough up all that crap and breathe easier. I also use some asthma drugs, albuterol and Advair, the albuterol (most common ingredient in rescue inhalers) didn't work too well but the Advair was key, it got me thru the worst of it. Now I just eat my meds, I decarb ground bud for about 30 min at 225F and mix with olive oil and gently heat for another 30 min. I use 1g per oz of oil, I'm going to try coconut oil and lecithin too. Bottom line is I totally understand what you are going thru, while you fortunately don't have the health problems I do the lack of being able to take a good breath is terrible. I get so jealous of seeing Sub and others smoke countless bowls of wax, I just know I'd be hacking. I have a crap load of Advair and I'm in the North Bay, it helped me so much I'd be glad to send you some (with a proper prescription of course... I don't want to get my post deleted). It sounds like your union has a good health plan, I'd stay on those docs to find out what's really going on, it sounds to me like your immune system is beginning to attack itself which is what I have been grappling with for about 15 years. Health is like youth, you don't appreciate it until it's gone or leaving.
Also, I just finished growing GGG Bright Moments, turned out killer. It's still curing but the jars smell like the most amazing candy/fruit ever. I got one keeper out of a ten pack that I'm planning to run again once I finish this run of Dinafem that I'm doing just because the plants veg so strong, I don't think there will be any comparison of the genetics. I do have two of The Void vegging too, slooooow vegger but one of them is like a bunch of vines, kinda cool.
Good luck with your health man, try not to get too stressed out, I'm convinced that the mind/body is waaaay more connected than young healthy people realize.