asthma...when to ask dr for a neb.

[kandeebunny]

I have asthma...it gets aggrivated really bad whenever I get a cold. I avoid going to the ER for a nebulizer treatment because whenever I go to the hospital I always pick up something else (compromised immune system)

When do I ask the Dr about a nebulizer for home? What do my symptoms need to be...?

Tonight I could really use an ER visit, but I am the only one awake, and don't wanna get people up to take me, sit with me, and expose myself to more germs than I am already dealing with.

 

[Poppinsme]

Hi there! Im a Respiratory Therapist at work right now and just checking the boards before going back to the unit. Have you thought about getting a MDI? (sometimes called a puffer) I use a Duoneb for myself (Albuterol/Atrovent) works great. 2 puffs and Im cool. When I have a really bad attack I sometimes use 5-6 puffs. Whatever it takes. I also have my own concentrator at home and nebs to use but I still find in a pinch that MDIs are great. And I would NEVER hesitate to go to ER if it was really bad. Salumedrol is my friend. Never, Never think you can handle it if you cant breath. GO TO ER. I have seen to many people die including another friend of mine who had asthma because he thought he could make it. He died in the parking lot of a local hospital because he waited to long to go to ER. Please if you cant get a handle on it go to ER. Your life is more important then anything. I must go now.

 

[kandeebunny]

I have albuterol at home and have used it tonight. I can breathe ok...its now just a bit of tightness, but that is pretty normal for me after using my albuterol. I have chostachondritis as well, so chest tightness is ok, just annoying.

The neb treatment I usually get is just albuterol mixed with something...no steriods...take them and I'm on the floor...no idea why.

Since it's calmed down I'm going to attempt to sleep. I plan on seeing my Dr in the morning, but if it gets worse I am headed in. I just wish there was a better way to treat it at home as to not expose myself to more infections.

Thanks!

 

[aprilgail2]

my daughter has occiasional asthma type symtoms but only when she has a cold and after the second time of havingto take her to the Dr and them having to give her a breathing treatment I went home that second visit with our own nebulizer, paid 100 percent by the insurance company. She has used it many times (and it came in handy when grams got pnemonia too!) and the insurance company even sent me a travel one so we have 2 of them.

 

[wuv tigger]

and 2 the ER.

Please get in to see the MD today!

Remind them of your concerns.

I have a hand held Neb and I take it with me wherever I need it.

It is something I need BEFORE I go to AK.

 

[Christine]

Maybe you need to discuss with your MD about going on an asthma "maintenance" type medication such as Advair or Flovent. These are not "rescue" inhalers or are they the type of medication used in a nebulizer. It is something you use everyday so that when you DO get a cold or the flu or any upper respiratory infection, you symptoms are better controlled and hopefully you won't need "rescuing."

 

[luvmarypoppins]

I had to fight ds allergist tooth and nail for it. I blew my top when I broke my leg and told him there was no one to take ds to the emergency room if he needed a treatment when his regular meds were not working. The dr. told me to go call the rescue squad. Needless to say I won. I think they must get penalized from the ins. co. or at least the one we had then if they do stuff like that. Go figure. Its cheaper for a machine than er visits. My son is 16 and he takes 3 meds a day, has a rescue inhaler and when that does not work he hooks himself up to the machine in bed. He doesnt like it though, he says he feels like he is on a trip, dizzy etc. I said, at least its saving your life. and guess what now he files for the dr. in the summer part time. You have to be your own advocate with your doctor. Best of luck and feel better.

 

[golfgal]

I just asked our Dr for one one year when the kids were having an especially bad winter and their rescue inhalers just weren't cutting it--they couldn't breath deeply enough to get enough of the meds into their lungs. Most of the time their inhalers are fine but there are times when we need the nebulizer and I am glad we have one. We didn't have to pay for ours because it was the year DD had her surgery and we had met our out of pocket expenses with that so that was a bonus too.

 

[momoftwins]

check with your healthcare provider. Mine provided me with my neb for home. It is a small portable unit and uses albuterol.

Only once did I have to go to the ER. I had previously been on prednisone for 10 days. My peakflow got no better after 10 days! A full day in the ER with IV prednisone and 5 breathing treatments later, I was sent home - but boy was I after all those treatments!

Anyway, I know you know this if you have asthma. Follow the rescue routine from your doc, if that doesn't work over to the ER you go

 

[kldmom2000]

My DD was thought to have had RSV when she was 3 months old-but it was technically diagnosed as severe bronchiolitis since the actual test for RSV came back negative. She is now 4 yrs old and everytime she gets a cold, she ends up having difficulty breathing and ends up wheezing/etc.... she was prescribed a nebulizer at 3 months and annually we get a refill on the Rx for it but thankfully don't need it very often... they consider her mildly asthmatic.... so I would say if she's MILDLY asthmatic, then you should be eligible yourself for a nebulizer.... good luck to you and I hope you're feeling better soon!!!!!

 

[ducklite]

OP, your asthma is NOT under control! You need to see a pulmanary specialist and describe all of your symptoms. Are you using a peak flow meter? Do you take a daily medication? (Advair or Singulair or ?)

You and your doctor need to be on the same page as far as the treatment of your disease. It is as much a disease as diabetes and believe it or not, kills over 5000 people in the US each year!

You need to PARTNER with your doctor. It's quite possible that s/he doesn't realize how bad your asthma is. Does he know about the ER visits? If he does, and hasn't put your on a preventative, and hasn't prescribed an inhaler, and doesn't have you using a peak flow meter, it's time to find a new doctor who can PARTNER with you to manage this disease.

With proper management, asthmatics can live a full, healthy life with minimal restritctions. WIthout proper management, you will only get worse.

Anne

 

[EthansMom]

OP, I agree with the other posters that you need to go see your doctor. Describe your history (going to the hospital) and ask if you could get more of a preventative med.

Like PPs, my young kids both have viral-triggered asthma. During winter months, they take Pulmicort (preventative) through the nebulizer. When the kids' asthma does act up, I also have to have them on albuterol treatments with the nebulizer.

The nebulizer is just the mechanism for delivering the medication, though. If you are able to tell the doctor the name of the medication that has helped at the hospital, he/she may be willing to give you a prescription for it and the nebulizer. In your shoes, I would also ask for a preventative medication. Albuterol is not a preventative.

If you are having problems now or during the night, get into the ER.

Good Luck!

 

[momoftwins]

I was finally diagnosed with adult onset asthma, although my docs said I probably had it when I was younger. I smoked for a little over 12 years, then quit cold turkey About 4 years later, I had an asthma attack and from that day forward I required meds. It look me a couple of years of trying med combinations, lectures from my docs to take my meds as prescribed, and learning how to really use my peakflow readings to come to terms with asthma and to start to feel better.

For me, I take Flovent and Serevent everyday. Once in a blue moon is will use my albuterol . When I wasn't following my asthma plan the docs had prepared, I was going thru an albuterol in about 5 weeks I always had a tightness in my chest because I was not properly medicating myself. For those that don't have asthma, albuterol is consider a rescue inhaler. It is meant to open up those airways quickly so you can breathe.

Ducklite is right. If you do indeed follow a rescue plan for when your peakflow starts to drop and you can't control the drop, you need to get to the ER.

So, go to the ER if you need to. Get with your docs and make a promise to yourself to follow their advice. You will feel better. I know I did!