Asthma & Bronchritis

[HappyLawyer]

Did you know that asthma is considered to be a disability. I was asking for a new office as skoke was triggering my asthma and i was told to bring in proof of my disability, i had no idea, so for all of you asthma and broncritis people, i need some help as i am in really bad shape right now, i am on albuteral, advere, predisone and just got on cingular. had a breathing treatment today and still feel like crap, cannot breathe, all the coughing is leading me to vomit, i am having muscle spasims and to top it off, my kidneys lose control whenever i go into an attack, i am embharassed at times an adult weting herself but why be? I cannot help it, so i am looking for anyone who knows what i am going through and any help they can offer to me.

 

[spotdog]

I know that asthma can be very disabling. According to the ADA breathing is one of the basic functions of living and severe asthma can make breathing very difficult.

I developed asthma after a bout with pneumonia in my 30's and it still kicks up every now and then. Fortunatley it rarely affects me at work and in Washington there are VERY strict laws about cigarette smoke in the workplace.

Feel free to PM me about how I have handled the times when I have had to speak up at work. It is embarrasing.

 

[Wish I lived in Fl]

An aircleaner at night and an aircleaner at the office. Consumers Reports rates them and one of the areas they are rated on is cigarette smoke removal. I have a $400 Friedrich Electrostatic precipitator that doesn't need replacement filters and a smaller Honeywell unit that does need HEPA replacement filters.This might seem expensive but one month my asthma med copays were $250. Down to only advair now.


Look on www.allergybuyers.com. I think they have units specifically for cigarette smoke removal. It might be tax deductible or elegible for Heath savings account if prescribed by Dr.

Check with Dr. if taking Guafensin in tablets (mucinex) would be advisable for you. it thins out the mucus.

Sanitary napkins in a pinch for leakage.

You have my sympathy and i hope you can get it under control soon.

 

[pugdog]

Move here to MN there is NO SMOKING in any office building at all. The Mn clean indoor air act is very strict. I'm sure it can really vary from state to state. Go ahead and get a very detailed MD note and see what they do. If they don't do enough sue them under the ADA for violation.

 

[mickeyfan2]

Yes asthma is a disability. I have severe asthma and take advair and singulair every day. Wouldn't something from your Dr. do? I can't believe they allow smoking in your building!! Get a air cleaner for your home and office. We have one in my bedroom, out living room, our family room, our kitchen and on our A/C. There are two others in the spare bedrooms for our guests.

 

[HappyLawyer]

thanks for all the great advice, i just found out i have pneumonia or however you spell it, this condition really makes things difficult, especially since i have a dtr with special needs so most of my time and energy is devoted to her but i have none to give right now.

 

[lovethattink]

Sorry to hear about your pneumonia. My son has severe asthma and smoke is definately one of his triggers. He's had pneumonia so many times too. That on top of the asthma just makes breathing so difficult. Usually the doc would recommend a cool mist humidifier, but he always found a hot air vaporizer worked for him. We usually had to do the breathing treatments around the clock. When he had pneumonia, he got more benefit from the nebulizer treatments than the same medicine by inhaler. We had to replace his carpet in his room with ceramic tile. HEPA filters seem to help too. As for the smoke at work, I sure hope you can get rid of it! I know there is no way my son could function anywhere near smoke.

 

[HappyLawyer]

i went to the er last night for a nebulizer treatment, when i go back to the doctor i am gonna ask for a perscription so i can have a machine at home, it is amazing how this can disable a person.

 

[DisneyElf]

Air filters may be paid by your company -- our office (thankfully in NY they are smoke free) pays for ergnomic keyboards, mice & anything else you need at work for health issues.

Also - the nebulizer maybe covered by your insurance (durable medical goods). Mine was covered --I also take Advir & Singular daily. I also have a CPAP machine - asthma & a small airway don't mix - and my blood oxygen was going into the 80's at night.

 

[lovethattink]

Another thing about the nebulizer and insurance. Usually they come from a home med. supply shop. I was able to get our insurance co. to purchase the nebulizer for DH when I pointed out to them that the cost for rental over so many months was more expensive than the purchase price. His current nebulizer is 4 years old. We also have a battery operated one that we purchased ourselves for hurricane season.

 

[christym]

When I've had pneumonia the nebulizer treatments have really been the only thing that helped. If you haven't needed one before now, I'd say your asthma has been pretty good. I've needed one since I was little. I hate the dumb thing, but I need it.

As for your office, I'd speak up loudly. There's no reason to be embarressed. It's not like you did something to contract this disease amd even if you had there are laws in place for cases like this. If you're sick your employer needs to make reasonable accomodations.

Personally, I wish more people would speak up and make people realize that having asthma is a disability. It's life-threatening and and if more people who had the disease treated it that way more of the general public would take it seriously (and this isn't aimed at anybody here. I just get annoyed that people treat asthamtics as people who are "faking" or that it isn't that bad. I'd like to see most of them try and breathe through a straw for awhile and see if I'm kidding when I say I can't breathe!)

 

[HappyLawyer]

When I've had pneumonia the nebulizer treatments have really been the only thing that helped. If you haven't needed one before now, I'd say your asthma has been pretty good. I've needed one since I was little. I hate the dumb thing, but I need it.

As for your office, I'd speak up loudly. There's no reason to be embarressed. It's not like you did something to contract this disease amd even if you had there are laws in place for cases like this. If you're sick your employer needs to make reasonable accomodations.

Personally, I wish more people would speak up and make people realize that having asthma is a disability. It's life-threatening and and if more people who had the disease treated it that way more of the general public would take it seriously (and this isn't aimed at anybody here. I just get annoyed that people treat asthamtics as people who are "faking" or that it isn't that bad. I'd like to see most of them try and breathe through a straw for awhile and see if I'm kidding when I say I can't breathe!)

WOW you hit the nail on the head, would you believe they made a big deal and told me i needed medical documentation which was no problem, my doctor just did up a quick note, but they hear these hard coughs that i make, and they see me have attacks, what person would want to fake this? Having this condition is no fun, do you know how scary it is waking up in the middle of the night with an attack cuz you cannot breathe, it almost make you not want to fall asleep.

 

[dclfun]

Most workplaces that provide special accomodations for employees with disabilities need documentation that the person is covered under the ADA. For instance an allergy to dog hair is not a disability so other people in my workplace with allergies to my SD aren't covered but I am. ( not to mean I wouldn't prefer to have my workspace away from someone who is allergic so they aren't affected by my dog, just that legally it is different). For someone with asthma to be covered under the ADA it must meet certain criteria meaning a disability that substantially limits a persons ability in certain areas. Someone with severe asthma would probably be covered if it impairs their ability to work, walk, breathe every day ( not just during an attack). It seems ridiculous that someone with asthma is forced to work in a smoke filled atmosphere whether it's a legally covered issue or not. Once when I was pregnant I refused to go to a weekly meeting in which I was pretty much the only nonsmoker. You could barely see across the conference table and all I could focus on was how many people were "lighting up" and how often. Even though I wasn't legally able to refuse to attend, my employer allowed me to omit this particular meeting due to my concerns for my unborn child. Things have changed alot since then ( this was the 80's) and I'd definitely be standing up for my rights if my workplace environment was jeopardizing my health. ---Kathy

 

[HappyLawyer]

since you all have been so great with your suggestions i wanted to update you with my progress, on sat i went ot a specialist, she was great she first had no problems giving me the documentation i needed for work, i explained what was going on and she wrote the note up for me before she did anything else. I told her about my visits to the er for treatments, she asked me why i did not have a neb machine of my own, she said anyone with asthma should have their own machine, she yelled out for a machine, and i now have my own machine, that fast, very impressive, she told me she was going to do some tests but she wanted to get rid of my horrible cough, she gave me some meds and i am following up with her in two weeks, i am very hopeful, i mean my regular doctor is good, but i think he did all he can and perhaps a person who studies asthma is able to do more for me. But i am encouraged already.

 

[SueM in MN]

Glad to hear that you got what you needed.

I just wanted to point out that the ADA does NOT cover conditions.
Most people think that it does.
That's one of the reasons why sometimes people ask about a GAC (Guest Assistance Card) at WDW for autism, or diabetes or any other condition and ask if it's a "cevered condition".

There is no "coverage" under the ADA for any conditions. For example, my DD's main conditions, Cerebral Palsy, ADD or Obsessive Compulsive Disorder are not covered under the ADA.

What the ADA does cover is needs for accomidation that might be caused by that condition.

Someone might have the same conditions as my DD has, but not have any needs for accomidation. They would not be covered under the ADA.

As dclfun posted, "to be covered under the ADA it must meet certain criteria meaning a disability that substantially limits a persons ability in certain areas."

 

[stahshee]

Did you know that asthma is considered to be a disability. I was asking for a new office as skoke was triggering my asthma and i was told to bring in proof of my disability, i had no idea, so for all of you asthma and broncritis people, i need some help as i am in really bad shape right now, i am on albuteral, advere, predisone and just got on cingular. had a breathing treatment today and still feel like crap, cannot breathe, all the coughing is leading me to vomit, i am having muscle spasims and to top it off, my kidneys lose control whenever i go into an attack, i am embharassed at times an adult weting herself but why be? I cannot help it, so i am looking for anyone who knows what i am going through and any help they can offer to me.

Wow I am sorry My DD 5 has Asthma and is on breathing treatments singular ect and coughs and vomits. She must feel just as bad as you.

 

[HappyLawyer]

Wow I am sorry My DD 5 has Asthma and is on breathing treatments singular ect and coughs and vomits. She must feel just as bad as you.

I don't think anyone without this can imagine how awful it feels, it can be intense, there are so many other issues too, like the chronic cough that effects your kidneys and no bladder control, i think you know where i am going with this, but luckily i saw a specialist, and i am doing so much better