I've been an asthmatic for my entire life; I am 32 years of age. My asthma throughout my youth was considered moderate. Only this past year has it been upgraded to severe. I am currently on everything (Advair, Singulair, Prednisone, Clarinex, Albuterol, Prevacid), however, it is still uncontrolled. I do not have pneumonia. I don't think I have anything but out-of-control asthma. I cannot do anything lately; holding my newborn gives me trouble breathing. I no longer socialize because of the difficulty breathing. Please help as I feel my life is all but over.

Have you been tested for allergies? It seems like you need to find out what your triggers are and try to stay away from things that set off your asthma. If it is environmental allergies (pollen, dust mites, etc) you can get allergy shots for those things. I've just started getting the shots myself.

You also sound very anxious about this. Have your doctors suggested giving you some anxiety meds to see if it helps? I had a problem with anxiety. But with me, it manifested itself as shaking. I would shake like I was cold. And sometimes have very large muscle jerks. Anxiety meds helped tremendously.

Many people have panic attacks so severe they think they are having a heart attack (and so do the physicians in the emergency room!). Some people just feel short of breath. Anxiety affects people all different ways. It's worth looking into.

Another idea is vocal cord dysfunction. You can read about this at the National Jewish Hospital website. Some people are treated for asthma years and years and it turns out they never had asthma! They had vocal cord dysfunction. You vocal cords actually close up a little or a lot, but it causes breathing difficulties. The doctors at National Jewish discovered this dysfunction in 1981.

The bottom line is that if you aren't getting relief from all these meds, you need to find another doctor who will work with you. If you can afford it, or if it is on your insurance plan, make a trip to National Jewish in Denver. You stay about a week and come in every day on an out-patient basis. They are rated the number-one respiratory facility for 5 years in a row.

I have been to many pulmonary doctors. And I've been on the same meds for years plus new ones. I don't know what to do. I can't breath. My dad died of breathing issues. I don't want to share his fate.

What were the "breathing issues" that your dad had?

You said you have been to several pulmonologists. Did you have pulmonary function tests?

If so, what were your fev1 numbers?

Did you have a diffusion test and what are your dlco numbers?

And what were the fef25-75 numbers?

My dad had both asthma and emphysema. I had that test. I don't know the specific levels, but it showed that my asthma had gotten worse.

Actually, I could care less what those numbers were because it doesn't matter. Bottom line is, you have asthma and you can't breathe. Period. You're on an awful lot of meds for it to still not be under control. I'm going to assume that the Advair you're taking is the 500 strength...if not, it should be. Have you considered maybe trying a different doctor? Sometimes you can go to ten different doctors before you finally find the one who can 'fix' you.
I also want to ask, what happened that made your asthma become worse? What's changed in your life, other than your newborn? Did being pregnant set it off?

I'm there with ya'. Consider this. Those of us who have severe asthma just for there the sake of having severe asthma (meaning that everything else that could drive it like allergies and GERD are all controlled or non-existant) will never be "controlled". It's hard to take sometimes...I've been looking for the same answers. I have had pH probe, a foradil challenge, multiple spiros, a PFT, a barium swallow, a chest CT, a methacholine challenge, myriads of allergy testing, a laryngoscopy, and the list goes on. The only thing that it can be now is severe asthma, as my methacholine challenge states. I would recommend getting a meth challenge, just because it will tell you how severe your asthma is, and possibly a laryngoscopy with it because it will tell you if you have Vocal Cord Dysfunction.

I'm sorry, but the numbers on your pft tests are very important. LIke the DLCO. It can give an indication whether the problem is asthma or emphysema. You will have totally different numbers. The FEV1 is also very important because that is the main number that doctors use to monitor you over time.

I think it is very important to understand what each of these numbers means and what clues it gives the doctors. There are websites on the internet where you can look up detailed descriptions of the different numbers. I find them very helpful.

It is also important to do some detective work and figure out what your triggers are. If you constantly expose yourself to things that set off your asthma, you will never be able to control it. Sometimes, all the meds in the world are not the answer. You've got to try to do some detective work yourself and try to figure it out.

Since you had your baby, you've been having lots more problems. That is a definite clue that holding your baby gives you problems. Are you using any particular baby products that you weren't exposed to before. Are you using baby powder, or special "baby wash"?

Have you had allergy tests for environmental allergies (dust mites, pollen, etc)? If your asthma is really out of control, having those tests (and possibly shots) could be very helpful to you.

It is also obvious from your questions that you have a lot of anxiety about this. It is certainly worth having the anxiety component of your problem looked into. You have deep-seated worries about your relatives and their breathing problems, and you are worried that you are going to follow in their footsteps.

According to my tests, I have severe asthma. I'm on prednisone all the time. Will I eventually stop breathing?

I've had severe asthma and allergic rhinitis for several years. I was on serevent, flovent, and claritin-d, and nasacortQ, plus albuterol several times a day. Nine months ago, I changed my whole way of eating. Plenty of protein, whole grains, and veggies. Added omega 3's, in the form of fish oils and flax oil. Cut out wheat and cow dairy products, and sugars, and lo and behold, I was able to come off all the meds, except using the albuterol inhaler occasionally, when I'm triggered by smoke or something like that.

hello, i have very serve asmtha and i too am following in my mothers foot steps but they have better means today to make sure we too make our life what we do. till a year ago they gave my mom very limted living time left due to the damage her lungs from over 25 years off chronis attacks they changed her meds and she has lost over 100 pds put on from all the predizone she took she was on anywhere from 60 mgs to over 100 mgs at a time . i'm trying to be hopefull they will find the right comition for mine too its just going to take time. thinking the worst is going to only make things worse because stress and being upset can trigure your asmtha too if you stay as calm as you can and poistive you will find the right way to deal with your asmtha. you say you have a newborn your hormones are still up and down and is probally causing your asmtha problems did the same with me 3 years ago it took time but it went away. this time i'm not pregrant its due to damage from phemunia i have thats done prepant damage this time. but i'm staying positive and am willing to try anything to get better. i have 3 wonderfull kids and a husband that need me hear . remember that baby needs you to stay postive he will never get bye without your love its not how fast you can run how far you can jump its you being there when he's hurt or scared or needs someone to tell that staory too. rember that and we all will get through our asmtha eventally. one more meds than you and i'm trying to stay postive if i can you can
i'm on 60mg predizone albutrol inhaler every 4 hours, 100/50 advair diskus, on albutrol solution through neubtizer machine, clartin for my sinus problem that doesnt work. i still whezz every day am out of breathe and this morning fell down stairs after i passed out from not being able to breathe so yes i do know what your going through my youngest is only 3 years old a boy 7 years old and a girl 4 years old. so if you need someone to talk to i maybe able to help . or not cause not much helping me right know either.


kepping postive is the biggest battle of alllllll
sherry

Hi, I need some help asap. I remember it like it was tomorrow lol. I am 21 yrs of age now, and i had this breathing problem every since i was 8. as far as i can remember.

I was at a park and was playing tag football. and i was running tryin to catch the kid with the ball of course. when all of a sudden. it felt like a lil peice of plastic was in my throat. I heard a minor pop like when u pop gum in ur mouth. now i was a kid then so i figured something like plastic was chokin me. i then became really weak. and i was carried in the office there and they sat me down and gave me water. 5 minutes later i was ok. every since then i've having problems running, excerising, or moving really fast. I get very hot in my chest and it feels like my lungs be burning and gets real tight. Not only that i can feel my pulse and actually see it moving. for instance if i look at my chest it just pumps so hard my chest moving. i cough a little and and weeze a lil. and i have to start and breath for bout 5 minutes. What is this? is it a cure? i kno i dont' have asthma because everydoctor i been to told me i didn't have it.

PS> i can something feel my heart beat soo much to where i can hear it like it's almost talking to me. i be scared sometimes becuz i don't know what it means. please help

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