mineemowse
03-05-2004, 08:42 AM
Hi! I started having my asthma problems in October, with upper respitory infections, etc. By the time we got it all under control, it was December. I was well for 6 weeks, then got another upper respitory infection and strep. Two weeks of antibiotics and I was better. Now, two weeks later, I've got another upper respitory (am calling Dr. today). What gives? I'm so tired of these. Could it be the pneumonia shot I had last week? Does anyone else get constant ur infections? Thanks!
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jp3892
03-05-2004, 09:15 AM
Did u have asthma all your life or were u only diagnosed in October? If u had it b4, have u ever had these infections before as frequently as u are having them now? What medication (were) and are u on now?
There is a huge chance of u developing frequent infections if u are taking steroid inhalers as they lower the immune system very effectively.
There is a huge chance of u developing frequent infections if u are taking steroid inhalers as they lower the immune system very effectively.
mineemowse
03-05-2004, 09:32 AM
I've had asthma for the last 10 years. Have only used my albuterol inhaler a hand full of times per year. I had other inhalers, but found I was "ok" without them. Now, since October I have what I call "full blown" asthma. I am on singular 1x per day, flovent 220 2x per day, albuterol when needed, flonase 1x per day. My asthma appears to be under control with the above meds, just certain triggers, cold air, getting upset (I have a job that tends to lend itself to that) can get me going. Thanks for answering...am going to call DOC in 1/2 hour and hopefully he can help. I just saw him 2 days ago for a check up and was fine!
jp3892
03-05-2004, 10:00 AM
OK but have your infections gotten worse/more frequent since starting the meds or have they always been like that? What are the symptoms of full-blown asthma? Are u gettin wheezy almost every day now?
PinkBananaz
03-05-2004, 04:20 PM
Hi! I started having my asthma problems in October, with upper respitory infections, etc. By the time we got it all under control, it was December. I was well for 6 weeks, then got another upper respitory infection and strep. Two weeks of antibiotics and I was better. Now, two weeks later, I've got another upper respitory (am calling Dr. today). What gives? I'm so tired of these. Could it be the pneumonia shot I had last week? Does anyone else get constant ur infections? Thanks!
Yup yup. I've had bronchitis 3x, pneumonia once, countless colds all since i've been diagnosed/on medication 4 asthma..which was last March!
Hoping 2 get tests done soon as i'm starting 2 think I may be somewhat immunocompromised or have some kind of imbalance.
Yup yup. I've had bronchitis 3x, pneumonia once, countless colds all since i've been diagnosed/on medication 4 asthma..which was last March!
Hoping 2 get tests done soon as i'm starting 2 think I may be somewhat immunocompromised or have some kind of imbalance.
monacks
03-05-2004, 04:32 PM
I have always had problems with respiratory infections, ever since I can remember and way before I ever started taking meds for asthma. I get the common cold and a week later I've got bronchitis. I am sure that its true regarding the medications, too. But,I heard another explanation just last week from an allergist. I am allergic to dust, when the heat kicks on in September, my allergies/asthma get worse. Because my body is constantly fighting the allergens, my immune system gets compromised and I'm more susceptible to picking up other illnesses. Whatever the explanation, I am usually sick from September until it starts getting warm and then I have a few months of respite. I would hate to see how sick I got though if I wasn't taking all my medications.
PinkBananaz
03-05-2004, 04:52 PM
I have always had problems with respiratory infections, ever since I can remember and way before I ever started taking meds for asthma. I get the common cold and a week later I've got bronchitis. I am sure that its true regarding the medications, too. But,I heard another explanation just last week from an allergist. I am allergic to dust, when the heat kicks on in September, my allergies/asthma get worse. Because my body is constantly fighting the allergens, my immune system gets compromised and I'm more susceptible to picking up other illnesses. Whatever the explanation, I am usually sick from September until it starts getting warm and then I have a few months of respite. I would hate to see how sick I got though if I wasn't taking all my medications.
I've never heard that theory before but it makes a lot of sense!
That's why then you tend 2 get sicker when your going through a flare up then.
Though some of us are allergic 2 pollen and NEVER see relief year round..=(..
I've never heard that theory before but it makes a lot of sense!
That's why then you tend 2 get sicker when your going through a flare up then.
Though some of us are allergic 2 pollen and NEVER see relief year round..=(..
jerrie97
03-05-2004, 08:16 PM
I have asthma and chronic bronchitis.. I've had 14 bouts of bronchitis this year and pneumonia twice. One right after another. They're thinking it's allergies now. From what I understand, allergic bronchitis is common in asthmatics.
mineemowse
03-06-2004, 06:07 AM
Thank you everyone for your responses. I've "always" gotten an upper respitory infection 1x-2x per year, but now seems constant since my asthma has gotten worse. I have (don't remember the name, duh) the kind of asthma where I really don't wheeze but cough...and yes, it's gotten much worse since I've been on all the meds so that might be one of the answers-the inhaled steriods. Dr. put me on prednisone and an antibiotic yesterday. Right ear is hurting again, so must have ear infection too. He didn't want to see me since I was coughing on the phone (he heard that) and he had just seen me two days ago for my check up and I was great.
Thanks to all who responded...I'll just figure that this is par for the course with the inhaled steriods and my airborne allergies.
Have a great weekend everyone!
Thanks to all who responded...I'll just figure that this is par for the course with the inhaled steriods and my airborne allergies.
Have a great weekend everyone!
engineer1961
03-08-2004, 04:40 PM
I have exactly the same symptoms and tend to get broncitus 4 to 6 times per year and pneumonia once or twice a year too . And my only real "good time "is late spring to early agust (then it hits me again).My doctor finally decided it was asthma in the last year (dhh ). And i'm just getting over a bought of pneumonia now (5 weeks this time and i can't seem to kick it ) but i'm feaking my husband out beasuse i'm having a really hard time in the night breathing (plus the whistling sound coming from my breathing keeps both of us awake :( )Good to know i'm not the only one out there going threw this! Hope your doing OK now.
Danitom
03-09-2004, 12:40 PM
my daughter went through her whole life with constant upper respiratory infections.... bronchitis, pneumonia, RAD until we FINALLY got her to a specialist and he put her on Advair and Singulair and she has been stuffy and a slight cough but hasn't had a FULL BLOWN infection in the three months she has been under his care
jp3892
03-10-2004, 06:12 AM
My understanding is that the Singulair is a leukotriene antagonist and being on that, there is much less need for inhaled steroids. The combination of both allows asthma symptoms to disappear without compromising the immune system. If u were on high doses of inhaled steroid alone u would see the effects.
By the way, what are your doses for those meds?
By the way, what are your doses for those meds?
Danitom
03-10-2004, 12:36 PM
Did you have an epidural when you had her?
Chris
yes, I did have an edipural........ I have four children. She is the youngest (6 years old) and also the only one I had an epidural with and also the only one with these problems(so far)
Chris
yes, I did have an edipural........ I have four children. She is the youngest (6 years old) and also the only one I had an epidural with and also the only one with these problems(so far)
Danitom
03-11-2004, 11:52 AM
wow- that is so interesting. My daughter is also very limited to the foods she will eat. We didn't know she had asthma/allergies but got frustrated when year after year without fail she would get pneumonia, bronchitis, RAD and every year it would get more severe. Several friends suggested we take her to a specialist and she did in fact have allergic asthma. She just always seemed stuffy and she ALWAYS coughs a terrible cough..... Thanks for the info. I am anxious to look into it.
dolphins
03-13-2004, 02:24 AM
I've heard that asthmatics don't get any more URTI than those w/o asthma, but asthmatics do have URTI much worse than those w/o asthma. Well, this is what my dr told.......
Sandson
03-13-2004, 04:02 AM
I've heard that asthmatics don't get any more URTI than those w/o asthma, but asthmatics do have URTI much worse than those w/o asthma. Well, this is what my dr told.......
Dolphins:
So in other words, your doctor said that asthmatics and non asthmatics have the same frequency of URTI's. But , the intensity of asthmatic related URTI is worse.
As a longtime asthmatic, I beg to differ with his statement. It is a known fact that asthmatics get more respiratory infection than non-asthmatics.
Dolphins:
So in other words, your doctor said that asthmatics and non asthmatics have the same frequency of URTI's. But , the intensity of asthmatic related URTI is worse.
As a longtime asthmatic, I beg to differ with his statement. It is a known fact that asthmatics get more respiratory infection than non-asthmatics.
Blondee15
03-13-2004, 11:45 AM
Dolphins:
So in other words, your doctor said that asthmatics and non asthmatics have the same frequency of URTI's. But , the intensity of asthmatic related URTI is worse.
As a longtime asthmatic, I beg to differ with his statement. It is a known fact that asthmatics get more respiratory infection than non-asthmatics.
There are a few arguments to both those statements.
1. Asthma runs the immune system dry..your body is constantly "fighting off" something that isn't there..of course the immune system doesn't work normally.
2. Often, asthmatics have allergic rhinitis with swells their nasal passages/sinuses and bacteria can get more easily trapped & more infectious therefore. Also this can happen in the lungs with bronchitis..that's why it's so much worse 4 anyone with asthma.
So in other words, your doctor said that asthmatics and non asthmatics have the same frequency of URTI's. But , the intensity of asthmatic related URTI is worse.
As a longtime asthmatic, I beg to differ with his statement. It is a known fact that asthmatics get more respiratory infection than non-asthmatics.
There are a few arguments to both those statements.
1. Asthma runs the immune system dry..your body is constantly "fighting off" something that isn't there..of course the immune system doesn't work normally.
2. Often, asthmatics have allergic rhinitis with swells their nasal passages/sinuses and bacteria can get more easily trapped & more infectious therefore. Also this can happen in the lungs with bronchitis..that's why it's so much worse 4 anyone with asthma.
monacks
03-14-2004, 02:04 PM
From a nonclinical standpoint- my kids bring home lots of viruses and germs. Sometimes only one kids gets a cold, not the other. And I get sick EVERY single time anyone else in the house gets sick. But my husband who doesn't have asthma usually only catches it one in 5 times.
Same goes at work. If I'm not careful, I will get sick a few days after someone else at work has a cold. Same with the other asthmatic I work with. Whereas, the other people in the office don't always catch it.
So I do believe that asthmatics just tend to get respiratory infections more than people with the disease.
Same goes at work. If I'm not careful, I will get sick a few days after someone else at work has a cold. Same with the other asthmatic I work with. Whereas, the other people in the office don't always catch it.
So I do believe that asthmatics just tend to get respiratory infections more than people with the disease.
jp3892
03-14-2004, 06:18 PM
Asthmatics do tend to get respiratory infections more than people without the disease but it is not caused BY the disease itself. It is ususally caused by the immune-compromising medications they are on. Countless tests have proven that people on inhaled (but more likely oral) steroids have SIGNIFICANTLY higher frequencies of URTIs as is expected because the only way steroids actually work is by lowering the immune system. Check it out on Google.
Danitom
03-16-2004, 11:55 AM
Chrisgj,
Sorry it took me so long to respond.
She does NOT have trouble in school although she is only in kindergarten but she is reading well and seems to be on top of the school situation. At home on the other hand she is very bad about having to be told over and over to do something and sometimes I even have to "walk her through it" like literally take her to the bathroom and stand over her as she brushes her teeth......she is also hyper....I always thought she may a little ADHD
PALE skin.....DARK circles under eys......lotsa energy.....she plays softball with 8 year olds.........she plays second base(a little bragging...sorry) she has a bald spot!!!! OMG! it is hardly noticeable but if you part her hair a certain way there is this bright white spot of her scalp and there seems to be no little like hair follicles or anything........it is weird
She goes back to her specialist in a few weeks.....I will ask alot of questions. THANKS!! I will keep you informed. It just may take me awhile.
Sorry it took me so long to respond.
She does NOT have trouble in school although she is only in kindergarten but she is reading well and seems to be on top of the school situation. At home on the other hand she is very bad about having to be told over and over to do something and sometimes I even have to "walk her through it" like literally take her to the bathroom and stand over her as she brushes her teeth......she is also hyper....I always thought she may a little ADHD
PALE skin.....DARK circles under eys......lotsa energy.....she plays softball with 8 year olds.........she plays second base(a little bragging...sorry) she has a bald spot!!!! OMG! it is hardly noticeable but if you part her hair a certain way there is this bright white spot of her scalp and there seems to be no little like hair follicles or anything........it is weird
She goes back to her specialist in a few weeks.....I will ask alot of questions. THANKS!! I will keep you informed. It just may take me awhile.
Danitom
03-16-2004, 12:00 PM
Asthmatics do tend to get respiratory infections more than people without the disease but it is not caused BY the disease itself. It is ususally caused by the immune-compromising medications they are on. Countless tests have proven that people on inhaled (but more likely oral) steroids have SIGNIFICANTLY higher frequencies of URTIs as is expected because the only way steroids actually work is by lowering the immune system. Check it out on Google.
I don't know about reasearch and studies but I do know what I have experienced with my daughter and she was getting RAD, bronchitis, and pneumonia several times EVERY YEAR before she was diagnosed with asthma and ever on any medication for it. She would get all congested and have a horrible cough and we would go the doc(a pediatrician) and he would say it is viral or it is just a cold and two days later we were in the ER with pneumonia. Since she has started her Advair and Singulair she has only had to be on one antibiotic.
I don't know about reasearch and studies but I do know what I have experienced with my daughter and she was getting RAD, bronchitis, and pneumonia several times EVERY YEAR before she was diagnosed with asthma and ever on any medication for it. She would get all congested and have a horrible cough and we would go the doc(a pediatrician) and he would say it is viral or it is just a cold and two days later we were in the ER with pneumonia. Since she has started her Advair and Singulair she has only had to be on one antibiotic.
jp3892
03-17-2004, 07:36 AM
I don't know about reasearch and studies but I do know what I have experienced with my daughter and she was getting RAD, bronchitis, and pneumonia several times EVERY YEAR before she was diagnosed with asthma and ever on any medication for it. She would get all congested and have a horrible cough and we would go the doc(a pediatrician) and he would say it is viral or it is just a cold and two days later we were in the ER with pneumonia. Since she has started her Advair and Singulair she has only had to be on one antibiotic.
Studies are usually done on normal people so that drug effects can be isolated. On normal people, people on steroids get significantly more URTIs than those not on it. This PROVES that steroids lower the immune system. We all know that right.
Now, Im not too sure of this but it must seem that asthmatics (say, those not on steropids) also get more frequent URTIs perhaps due to the over-reactivity of their airways or something.
Now, if u are not too susceptible to the steroids but u were always getting asthma related URTIs then the benefit of the steroid in reducing airways reactivity will outweigh the immune compromise and there will be less frequent attacks (if u know what Im saying).
U are a lucky person in this respect but people on higher doses of steroids (or people that used to never get URTIs) will be the ones most affected, and this is the majority of asthma sufferers.
Studies are usually done on normal people so that drug effects can be isolated. On normal people, people on steroids get significantly more URTIs than those not on it. This PROVES that steroids lower the immune system. We all know that right.
Now, Im not too sure of this but it must seem that asthmatics (say, those not on steropids) also get more frequent URTIs perhaps due to the over-reactivity of their airways or something.
Now, if u are not too susceptible to the steroids but u were always getting asthma related URTIs then the benefit of the steroid in reducing airways reactivity will outweigh the immune compromise and there will be less frequent attacks (if u know what Im saying).
U are a lucky person in this respect but people on higher doses of steroids (or people that used to never get URTIs) will be the ones most affected, and this is the majority of asthma sufferers.
Danitom
03-17-2004, 10:39 AM
Now, Im not too sure of this but it must seem that asthmatics (say, those not on steropids) also get more frequent URTIs perhaps due to the over-reactivity of their airways or something.
Now, if u are not too susceptible to the steroids but u were always getting asthma related URTIs then the benefit of the steroid in reducing airways reactivity will outweigh the immune compromise and there will be less frequent attacks (if u know what Im saying)
yes, I understand. I think that makes perfect sense. My daughter still gets the congestion and cough but it doesn't go into a full blown infection. The Advair and Singulair have been very helpful. We ARE very fortunate for that. I hope I didn't come across as trying to argue. I didn't intend to. :)
Now, if u are not too susceptible to the steroids but u were always getting asthma related URTIs then the benefit of the steroid in reducing airways reactivity will outweigh the immune compromise and there will be less frequent attacks (if u know what Im saying)
yes, I understand. I think that makes perfect sense. My daughter still gets the congestion and cough but it doesn't go into a full blown infection. The Advair and Singulair have been very helpful. We ARE very fortunate for that. I hope I didn't come across as trying to argue. I didn't intend to. :)
Danitom
03-17-2004, 10:45 AM
My son was hyper until about 7 or 8, but was unbelievably hyper from about walking (1yr) until 4 yrs. Was spanking at least 12 times a day. Wouldn't help, he would get into trouble almost immediately after (loved to climb, top o f piano, entertainment center (6 feet), kitchen counters).
we gave up spanking a LONG time ago cuz it didn't help. She is very emotional. She cries easily but is actually "tough" she cries not fom being hurt but like out of frustration. She has a bad temper. she also like to stand on her head!!?? Go figure....... she watches tv that way......
Be patient and try not to stress her, (punishments, yelling, etc) as it will cause her to get worse with the confusion and memory.
Easier said than done LOL
we gave up spanking a LONG time ago cuz it didn't help. She is very emotional. She cries easily but is actually "tough" she cries not fom being hurt but like out of frustration. She has a bad temper. she also like to stand on her head!!?? Go figure....... she watches tv that way......
Be patient and try not to stress her, (punishments, yelling, etc) as it will cause her to get worse with the confusion and memory.
Easier said than done LOL
Cloie
03-29-2004, 11:04 AM
Dear Mon,
You are describing my experience with colds to a tee. I almost always catch a cold in Nov. and stay sick on and off till May. The cold turns into sinus infection, into bronchitis, then into asthma. I usually get a few minor colds May to Oct. as well, but the one from Nov. to May never seems to go away, perhaps because allergies keep me congested. I'm going to be more aggressive attacking the allergies and sinusitis this year to see if that doesn't help. I'm also going to be more aggressive in treating colds with asthma meds before it gets critical and try to treat sinus infection more rapidly with antibiotic before it progresses into full-blown bronchitis. Another trigger for asthma for me is GERD, so I have to be careful not to let that flare up. I think having tight, inflammed airways makes them more prone to infection. Keeping them open with air circulating has to be better. Cloie :)
You are describing my experience with colds to a tee. I almost always catch a cold in Nov. and stay sick on and off till May. The cold turns into sinus infection, into bronchitis, then into asthma. I usually get a few minor colds May to Oct. as well, but the one from Nov. to May never seems to go away, perhaps because allergies keep me congested. I'm going to be more aggressive attacking the allergies and sinusitis this year to see if that doesn't help. I'm also going to be more aggressive in treating colds with asthma meds before it gets critical and try to treat sinus infection more rapidly with antibiotic before it progresses into full-blown bronchitis. Another trigger for asthma for me is GERD, so I have to be careful not to let that flare up. I think having tight, inflammed airways makes them more prone to infection. Keeping them open with air circulating has to be better. Cloie :)
jp3892
03-29-2004, 02:12 PM
Actually, you would think that having inflamed airways would lessen the chance of an infection surviving there. Thats why they are inflamed - to protect the airways from infection! Its much more likely that asthmatics have much much more colds every year compared to others because every asthmatic is on some kind of immune compromising drug (especially steroids) IMO!
Cloie
03-29-2004, 03:54 PM
I believe an inflammed membrane is more prone to infection not less. it gets inflammed due to an inflammatory process of reacting to a perceived invasion by a foreign body..an allergen or irritant. Histamines and other lukotreines? are released inflamming area, attempting to close area off to invading body. However, this doesn't close area off to bacteria. Lack of air makes non-aerobic bacteria thrive. Cloie :)
jp3892
03-29-2004, 05:25 PM
Interesting Cloie. Thanks for that!