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Ginger1218
Member
08-31-2001
| Monday, June 25, 2007 - 3:32 pm
About 2 weeks ago I started coughing, and it is a hard rough cough and I can't breath too well. I have had asthmatic bronchitis after a cold or upper respiratory infection before, but I went to the doctor today and he said I have asthma. He put me on prednisone and a spray. This horrifies me. My mother was a severe asthmatic all her life. I really need this now. <shaking my head>
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Watching2
Member
07-07-2001
| Monday, June 25, 2007 - 11:40 pm
((((Ginger))))) Having had a son with severe asthma from the time he was an infant, as well as mild cases in my girls, plus having had a FIL who was an allergist, I can only relate to what I've experienced with them and through them. My son was on nebulizer treatments from age 11 mo. until his early teens. He was hospitalized at 9 mo and 11 mo. (He's 19 now) What really worked to get him off of the nebulizer (and I might add very rarely needing his "rescue inhaler" i.e. albuterol) was going on the inhaled preventives, one non-steroidal and I believe the other was.) For years he did take Intal along with his albuterol, but it wasn't until he started on the Flovent, that he really improved. Now he rarely needs any kind of treatment with the exception of a severe chest cold. My daughters only had mild problems as adolescents, but my one daughter (23) was very sick last Fall and she was also diagnosed with asthma. She actually lost a job because it was being a phone rep and she was coughing too much to speak. Her asthma is mostly intrinsic - secondary to infection. My oldest DD (26) needs albuterol more often during allergy season. When people have "twitchy lungs," it tends to happen, as well as running in families. If you need your "rescue" inhaler every week once you get past initial treatment, please ask him about other means of treatment, esp. preventive. I'm assuming he did give you a "rescule inhaler" (albuterol or something like it) in addition to the prednisone. Finding a preventive that agrees with you, can really lead to much better quality of life. I wish you well and clear breathing!!!
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Watching2
Member
07-07-2001
| Monday, June 25, 2007 - 11:53 pm
Sorry - I messed up w/my editing and took too long and couldn't change what I posted above. I just wanted to reassure you that there are very effective meds out there now which weren't available to your mom. Hang in there!
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Chewpito
Member
01-04-2004
| Tuesday, June 26, 2007 - 12:51 am
I have had asthma all my life, I doubt I have ever gone a single day since birth where I havent been on one medication or another...Im 51 now and still suffer from it... I use a nebulizer for the really really rough times, winters seem to be hard on me..the real cold air.. I use my inhaler daily, but not as much as I use to.. I also use advair and it has seemed to help alot.. I run fast and furious from prednisone, "I know" it is a life saver for many but its one drug that scares the hell outa me... I have found thru age "time" that foods trigger my attacks. It took me yrs to relize that some things were not worth it after time.. I stay away from most dairy. Ice cream will lock me up in a heartbeat and the suffering is not worth it.. I can eat some yogurt (nonfat) with little problems and very little cheese. I dont handle wheat very well so dont eat much bread stuffs.. It might be a good idea for you to make a diary of your foods you eat and see if certain things trigger your breathing problems...then eliminate them if possible.. It was hard for me at first but now I dont even think twice when I know that my breathing might be at risk. I find that whenever I eat or drink anything with food dye in it... slushies,jello,gummi candys, things that look really pretty but you know are fake... well they set me off real bad.. Over xmas I had a craving for somthing sweet and ate some gummie bears and spent almost a month scared outa my mind over my next breath... when I have a reaction like that it really makes me think extra hard befor I do it again... good luck and I hope you find some relief... I think diet is a good place to start and I dont mean dieting, just paying attention to what sets off an attack...
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Ginger1218
Member
08-31-2001
| Tuesday, June 26, 2007 - 3:39 am
I am hoping this is not a continuous thing. It probably came from some kind of bug that triggered it. I am normally fine, unless I get a bad cold and bronchitis, then it gets ugly. So, I will take the prednisone (10 days) and the inhaler until it goes away. My mother took major doses of prednisone for 30 years straight before they knew the bad side effects. Then they weaned her off of it. She went into the hospital at least 6 times a year for extended periods. They were able to get it somewhat under control with medicine for quite a while, but she really died from the effects of the prednisone. At the end she was again on massive doses to breathe. I won't go into details of what happened to her, but it was horrible. Prednisone is a wonder drug and a horror drug. She had also developed Addison's disease from her years of taking the steroid. (Addison's disease is when your adrenal glands stop working) It took them 5 months to figure it out during which she was in the hospital (3 different ones) and she almost died then. And weirdly enough the only way to be able to live with that is to TAKE steroids, so they can get the adrenal glands working again. Okay, enough about that.
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Watching2
Member
07-07-2001
| Tuesday, June 26, 2007 - 10:08 am
(((Ginger)))) I sure hope it's just getting past this spell and you won't need an inhaler and esp. not prednisone. That's how my daughter is. She might need treatment if she's sick, but get's along fine after w/o any treatment at all once the virus passes. Good luck! About a year ago, my son ended up eating a cookie that had a nut in it. Fortunately for him, he vomits when any of those allergens get in his system. The problem was, his uvula swelled so badly that he couldn't keep down any meds and couldn't stop gagging because the darn thing was so huge. I've never seen anyone have "that thing" which hangs down the back of your mouth, so huge. After an Epi-pen, he ended up in the ED. They mainly kept him for observation to make sure it didn't get larger and he didn't end up in major distress again. Once he could actually swallow some antihistamine and some prednisone, they sent him off w/a 3 day supply of the prednisone. He didn't understand why he had to still take it the next day, but I told him it was to give his body a boost and just 3 days wasn't going to hurt him. Thank goodness he's never had to be on it for any length of time. I don't mind it for a short period of time to get past a flare, but I also wouldn't want to be on it for any length of time. Chew - It's good you've found what bothers you. My son started at 7mo and then was hospitalized at 9 and 11 mo. and it was sooooo scary. After he went on a nebulizer daily, he only was in the ED up until last yr. one more time. Each time we had to start all over w/feeding him. He weighed the same at 12 mo. as he did at 9 mo because of it. I remember the days of reading every single ingredient in everything I bought. His allergist finally realized he wasn't allergic to the dyes. Cold air was always a trigger and I was surprised he tolerates it so well now. Things could change at any time though since we know triggers change w/age/circumstances. As of now the whole family just looks for nuts of any kind in anything they buy. It's still scary that he may get one by accident.
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Chewpito
Member
01-04-2004
| Tuesday, June 26, 2007 - 1:52 pm
Im a big baker Watching, worked in a bakery for 17yrs and just enjoy it.. Im always giving goodies to friends and helpers...yrs back I realized when one friend told me that he was very allergic to walnuts I started thinking about my own reactions to things...I still bake and give things..but now I always make a label to let folks know that "Nuts" are inside...
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Dfennessey
Member
07-25-2004
| Tuesday, June 26, 2007 - 2:01 pm
I am also asthmatic, my doctor put me on flovent as a preventative, which for the most part works well for me but I have found this spring to be terrible and have to use my abuteral a lot
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Watching2
Member
07-07-2001
| Wednesday, June 27, 2007 - 11:36 am
Dfen - It's been a terrible year for allergies, if you live anywhere near me! Because of the weather, we were getting double slammed with trees and grasses when usually one is done before the other starts. Chewi - It's great you label your baking goodies! I wish more people did. I must admit, until my son ended up being so deathly allergic, I never realized just how bad it could be. Peanut butter was the healthy snack(!) not the deadly snack it could be for my son. My son tends to not eat something if a person can't tell him whether it has nuts or not.
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Dfennessey
Member
07-25-2004
| Wednesday, June 27, 2007 - 12:56 pm
watching2 I live in the Boston area. and it has been terrible
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Watching2
Member
07-07-2001
| Thursday, June 28, 2007 - 10:43 am
Yep..we're both east coasters!
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Chewpito
Member
01-04-2004
| Thursday, June 28, 2007 - 1:05 pm
Fellow Asthma folks.. Recently they changed the way the Albuteral was made (due to environmental issues) I think somtimes that the folks that make theas changes have never been sick and gasping for air. The new ones do not work the same as the one's that "most" people that have been using them all there life are used to... There was no information or education about them, just a switch... I had a very scary couple months during dec/jan...and If not for my nebulizer I dont know what I would have done... The new inhailer (that use to give me some quick relief) did nothing for me.. I felt like nothing was comming out of it... I was in panic mode and only making my attack more severe... I made many calls, talked to many doctors and searched many web-sites to see what other's had to say... I found out I was not alone.. I have found out with reserch that...you need to retrain your self on how you inhail the new model.. also if you feel that it is not working for you, taking off the breathing part and running the container under very hot water and then shaking it will help it work better..I found this to help very much.. not to store it in a cold place is another help. I asked the doctor what good is it going to do me if im not home and I have a attack and dont have "hot running water".... I no longer feel secure with the new model but am starting to learn how to use it better and have it be effective.... Just wondering if any one else had problems??
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Ginger1218
Member
08-31-2001
| Thursday, June 28, 2007 - 1:27 pm
I am using Combivent. Anyone else use that?
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Watching2
Member
07-07-2001
| Monday, July 02, 2007 - 4:32 pm
We still just have albuterol. We haven't had any recent refills so I didn't know about the change. Thanks for bringing it to our attention, Chewi. How do you have to inhale differently? Since we're in our "slowing down" mode (finally after so many years!) I'm not very current w/new medications, Ginger. Sorry I can't be of any help.
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Bombaycat
Member
07-21-2007
| Sunday, July 22, 2007 - 4:19 am
First time poster, so please be kind. I suffer from asthma and take Advair to control. After an extended hospital stay last year, I was put in a pulmonary rehab program at my local hospital. Although I live in a small mid-western town, the hospital has a top-notch 10-12 week program. When I started I was on oxygen and my levels ran at 85% (with oxygen). Thanks to the pulmonary rehab I no longer use oxygen and my levels run between 95-99%. I am on a maintenance program where I still workout 3 days per week. I don't want to end up back in the hospital again because I cannot breath. Ginger I understand your concerns. Please check with your doctor and see if there is some type of pulmonary rehab program in your area. By the way my insurance paid for the initial 12 week program.
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Ginger1218
Member
08-31-2001
| Sunday, July 22, 2007 - 5:48 am
Thank you Bombay, but thankfully the round of steroids did the trick. I don't think I am a true asthmatic (perhaps I am in denial), I think that when I get a cold, it could set it off. So, I am feeling fine now with regard to the breathing and coughing. I am glad that you were able to get some relief. That is a wonderful thing. Keep up the good work.
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Bombaycat
Member
07-21-2007
| Sunday, July 22, 2007 - 6:01 am
Ginger, I'm so glad you are feeling better. Not being able to breath, is no fun. (I know that was a double negative but you get my point.) Smile!
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Juju2bigdog
Member
10-27-2000
| Sunday, July 22, 2007 - 7:58 am
Welcome, Bombaycat. Now that you have broken the posting barrier, feel free to go wild posting all over the board.
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Rissa
Member
03-20-2006
| Sunday, July 22, 2007 - 9:05 am
Ginger, I am in the same boat. My doc calls it *exercise induced asthma* and it pops up if I run or work out aerobically and if I walk INTO a wind (don't know why LOL). I don't notice it during a cold but I know that the chronic cough seems to last weeks after the cold itself is gone. I keep an energency inhaler on my treadmill and in my purse but only use it maybe twice a year. I use the flovent for a couple weeks beginning at the first signs of a cold, also only once or twice a year. All in all, very lucky. I have heard of one trick though for those of us on the border.. coffee. Caffiene apparently opens up your bronchials. I drink a strong cup of coffee half an hour before getting on the treadmill. I used to have to use the inhaler ten minutes into every run, now like I said I only use it maybe twice in a year.
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Pamy
Member
01-02-2002
| Sunday, July 22, 2007 - 10:43 am
Welcome Bombay! Hope you enjoy posting everywhere!! I ws put on advair and singular for my last asthma/broncitus and it wks great
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Myjohnhenry
Member
01-02-2002
| Sunday, July 22, 2007 - 11:30 am
welcome Bombay! I use albuterol primarily as a rescue inhaler and I was told of the change at my last 2 refills. I don't think it works as well any more either and when I need it I generally need at least one more dose than I did before. I use q-var on a regular basis (or am supposed too, but with everything else going on I have been bad about doing so) and albuterol as needed. I almost always have to add albuterol when I get a cold or bronchitis and how much I use it is generally the indicator of bronchitis worsening or pneumonia settling in...then I often do a short course of prednisone. Allergy flareups also tend to impact the asthma, sometimes exercise (depending on what other health issues are going on at the time) and for me anxiety contributes as well.
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