Update to my pneumonia thread...I have asthma

[luvwinnie]

and it's flaring from my cold...2 yrs ago they said hyperreactive airway disease, I was on an inhaler for a few mths and then was ok. Did pretty bad on breathing test, but after an inhaler it improved 21% which is significant, he said. I have two inhalers now (Proventil and Asthmanex) and have to get a chest xray. He wants to see me Thurs to listen to my lungs again. I was wheezing and whistling. I know SOMETHING was wrong.

 

[luvwinnie]

um, bumping
anyone have asthma?

 

[luvwinnie]

Just wanted to add that my DR. called me at 10:30 last night. I was speechless. He wanted to be sure I understood something about the meds. AMAZING!
Getting chest xray tomorrow.

 

[luvwinnie]

Changed the title to include the word asthma so maybe someone with asthma will see it.

 

[Pea-n-Me]

Glad you got a diagnosis. Is there anything in particular you'd like to know about it? Maybe I can help direct you, let me know.

 

[luvwinnie]

Just wondering if anyone here has been on those meds...albuterol and asmanex and did you have to stay on "forever". Hoping it's just a flare from my cold and I won't have to always use these inhalers.
I did find out asthma is considered an autoimmune disease...I already have 2 of those. AND that a sign of it is bronchitis with every cold. As a kid I had bronchitis at least 2 times a year.

 

[momof2inPA]

I take albuterol off and on as needed and always before I do an aerobic activity. The other med I take is Advair, which works wonders. My asthma seems to improve tremendously if I'm exercising regularly, and it gets worse when I have a cold. I don't always have to take the medicines and have gone months without them, but the older I get, the worse it seems to be.

Asthma just runs in my family. My cousin died from an asthma attack as a teenager.

 

[Pea-n-Me]

There's tons of information on the web about asthma. Here are a few sites to get you started. I don't have it, but my DH has asthma/bronchitis/chronic sinusitis which - in his case anyway - are all linked together. You have to learn what the triggers are and avoid them whenever possible. Good luck to you.

http://www.lung.ca/diseases-maladies/asthma-asthme_e.php/

http://www.webmd.com/diseases_and_conditions/asthma.htm

http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/asthma.html

http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/asthma-inhalers/HQ01081

http://www.lungusa.org/site/pp.asp?c=dvLUK9O0E&b=33276

http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/dci/Diseases/Asthma/Asthma_WhatIs.html

 

[UnderTheMistletoe]

Not asthma, but exercise-induced hypper-reactive airways. And I was a swimmer. Figure out how that one went. I got back in the pool last week without my inhalers handy... not such a good idea.

If, with the inhalers, the asthma doesn't improve, please ask them if you can have some type of test to check for lung cancer.

We have a very dear friend whose son as in our bridal part in December. She felt awful when she missed our wedding becuase she had "pneumonia" that just wouldn't go away and she wasn't permitted to fly to Disney. Fast forward. They have just now found she's in Stage IV lung cancer- a non-smoker whose never lived with or spent time with smokers. T

he whole situations just seems so unfair and so odd that they didn't catch this is December. They diagnosed her with 5 or 6 things and when she kept coming back in saying, "This isn't working... it's still the same or getting worse," is when they finally caught it. Now, I know better than anyone that doctors are human (both my parents are), but I still can't help but feel so incredibly sad and frustrated by the whole situation.

 

[luvwinnie]

There's tons of information on the web about asthma. Here are a few sites to get you started. I don't have it, but my DH has asthma/bronchitis/chronic sinusitis which - in his case anyway - are all linked together. You have to learn what the triggers are and avoid them whenever possible. Good luck to you.

http://www.lung.ca/diseases-maladies/asthma-asthme_e.php/

http://www.webmd.com/diseases_and_conditions/asthma.htm

http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/asthma.html

http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/asthma-inhalers/HQ01081

http://www.lungusa.org/site/pp.asp?c=dvLUK9O0E&b=33276

http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/dci/Diseases/Asthma/Asthma_WhatIs.html

Thanks. I found a ton too, I was just looking for "real people" experiences here.

 

[luvwinnie]

Not asthma, but exercise-induced hypper-reactive airways. And I was a swimmer. Figure out how that one went. I got back in the pool last week without my inhalers handy... not such a good idea.

If, with the inhalers, the asthma doesn't improve, please ask them if you can have some type of test to check for lung cancer.

We have a very dear friend whose son as in our bridal part in December. She felt awful when she missed our wedding becuase she had "pneumonia" that just wouldn't go away and she wasn't permitted to fly to Disney. Fast forward. They have just now found she's in Stage IV lung cancer- a non-smoker whose never lived with or spent time with smokers. T

he whole situations just seems so unfair and so odd that they didn't catch this is December. They diagnosed her with 5 or 6 things and when she kept coming back in saying, "This isn't working... it's still the same or getting worse," is when they finally caught it. Now, I know better than anyone that doctors are human (both my parents are), but I still can't help but feel so incredibly sad and frustrated by the whole situation.

Thank you. That is so so sad. I am getting a chest x-ray tomorrow.

 

[C.Ann]

I have seasonal asthma.. Use Advair and Albuterol on an as-needed basis..

DGD was just diagnosed with seasonal asthma.. They have her on Albuterol and Flomax..

My birth Mom had severe asthma all her life which eventually turned into emphysema.. Tons of allergies on that side of the family..

Hope yours turns out to be the "seasonal" or "occasional" kind..

 

[Dan Murphy]

I guess I have asthma. Cold induced and sometimes setting sun induced (never figured that out). I really wheezed a lot as a kid (many, many years back) and don;t really think asthma was diagnosed like it is today. There were no inhalers and meds. I just coughed and struggled for air. Now Ikeep an OTC inhaler with me, like Primeatene, works okay for my situation. I have it mild I guess. Good wishes, luvwinnie.

 

[Tinks]

Luvwinnie--I'm glad they discovered your current problem and it sounds like your doctor is great! I would really be surprised if you have to stay on these meds long term. I would imagine you will just need the inhalers on an "as needed" basis, meaning your airway problems will most likely go away after you recover from your cold. (airway inflammation can last quite a while after a cold!) It might also flare again with another illness and you'd have to use the inhalers again. Gotta love diseases that "flare".

Hope you feel better soon.

 

[luvwinnie]

Thank you, everyone.

Yes, Tink, I think you are right. AND my rheumatologist just told me that one med I am on (methotrexate) is used to treat asthma. Good news. Also, they are studying the effects of my other med (Enbrel) on asthma too.

 

[momsgonwild]

um, bumping
anyone have asthma?

Unfortunately, I do. I was diagnosed with Asthma approx two years ago. My son has had asthma since the age of two. Everytime we would see his physician he would ask if anyone in the family has asthma, and I would say, "no". The kicker is that he seems to have outgrown his, and mine has just started showing symptoms. I am currently using Alegra D 2x per day, and singulair at night. I also have an albuterol inhaler which I use as needed.
I tried using the Advair inhaler, and it kept giving me a mouth infection.
Be sure with the Advair or any other inhaler to rinse your mouth well after using it.
Any time I get a cold, sinus infection, it now goes into my chest very easily.
I also have problems when there is high humidity. I have learned some of the warning signs that comes before my attacks. My chest gets really tight, and get a sort of full feeling. I also start to have a cough. This is when I get the inhaler going to try to prevent an episode. I have also found that like a child with croup, a steamed up bathroom sometimes does the trick too.
I have only had one episode requiring a trip to the ER, and that was pretty rough. If you have any specific questions, please let me know. I hope you get to feeling better soon.

 

[luvwinnie]

Unfortunately, I do. I was diagnosed with Asthma approx two years ago. My son has had asthma since the age of two. Everytime we would see his physician he would ask if anyone in the family has asthma, and I would say, "no". The kicker is that he seems to have outgrown his, and mine has just started showing symptoms. I am currently using Alegra D 2x per day, and singulair at night. I also have an albuterol inhaler which I use as needed.
I tried using the Advair inhaler, and it kept giving me a mouth infection.
Be sure with the Advair or any other inhaler to rinse your mouth well after using it.
Any time I get a cold, sinus infection, it now goes into my chest very easily.
I also have problems when there is high humidity. I have learned some of the warning signs that comes before my attacks. My chest gets really tight, and get a sort of full feeling. I also start to have a cough. This is when I get the inhaler going to try to prevent an episode. I have also found that like a child with croup, a steamed up bathroom sometimes does the trick too.
I have only had one episode requiring a trip to the ER, and that was pretty rough. If you have any specific questions, please let me know. I hope you get to feeling better soon.

Thank you. My symptoms are similar...tight, full feeling and coughing.

 

[Rajah]

I have asthma, which I treat mainly with daily singulair. I have problems with the albuterol, it leaves me weak and shakey for *hours* after one puff, so they've got me on maxair for an as-needed inhaler instead. I should be using my flovent (daily inhaler) as well, but I'm really bad about keeping up with that

 

[disykat]

I have cough varient asthma / reactive airway disease. I use singular almost year round along with clariton for my allergies. I only use my inhalers when I am having an allergy flair up or any kind of cold. I start my steroidal inhaler (currently using Qvar) whenever anyone in the family gets a cold just in case. If I start it soon enough, I can get geared up enough to keep every cold from turning into months of misery. I only use the Albuterol during and after a cold while I am experiencing coughing and chest tightness.

 

[Tamarap]

I have had Asthma since I was 5. The older I get the better the Asthma seems to get too. I used to have to take medicine every day and was hospitalized quite frequently, and now just carry my inhaler everywhere for occasional usage. There are certain season when I am using the inhaler quite frequently and others that I dont seem to hardly use it at all. I never leave home without it though becuase I just never know when something will trigger it.