pghprincesse
03-28-2005, 10:04 AM
:( Hello all! I'm a 38 year old woman who has suffered from asthma since I was 7. I also was diagnosed 2 years ago with General Anxiety Disorder. Only recently did I have a bad enough asthma attack that I was taken to the emergency room. They gave me a respiratory treatment, and IV with steroids, took a chest x-ray, and they said that they could hear a little wheezing but not enough to be worried. My chest x-ray came out good. They did put me on Prednisone for the last 5 days. Yesterday was my last day to take it. I did notice a bit of a difference from last week when I had my attack, but here's the thing...I'm CONSTANTLY thinking about my breathing now. Worried that I'm going to have another attack or even worse...stop :( I've been obsessed with this since last week and am really scared. Can anyone help me with this? or recommend a way to help get my mind off of a very natural thing which is BREATHING?? I would appreciate any help :) Thank you!!
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zippy_mouse
03-28-2005, 11:36 AM
I know how you feel. In the past I went through serious attacks. Of course they are unpleasant memories. But one thing we have to keep in mind is that we have to do something to prevent another attack. Prevention is the key. You've completed 5 days oral steroid treatment. The next step is to keep the good condition. Keep contact with your doctor and follow his/her advice on your dose. Also surfing on the Internet might help. Asthma and allergy is, I believe, a lifestyle-related disease. Changing your lifestyle and keeping a good lifestyle habit might be helpful and there are so many tips about them on the Internet. Tranquilizer might help to relieve your anxiety. It'll work as a short term solution, but for a long term solution, you should focus more on your liferstyle. If you're interested, check 'anti-candida diet' thread. Be well and good luck. :)
celtic_mom
03-28-2005, 12:51 PM
You could be me! Except I'm a 38yo woman who never had asthma before - or at least was never dx'd or symptomatic. I had an attack 2 months ago and now I've become obsessive. I constantly think about my breathing and I think I started having panic attacks/anxiety attacks right after getting out of the hospital.
2 weeks ago, I had another attack, this one, I believe brought on by the anxiety. I think I got myself so worked up that I started to hyperventilate and before I knew it, it turned into an attack. I did have (yet another) cold at the time, so I think all it needed was a trigger.
I have been trying to focus on breathing out of my nose, I think that helps keep me from hyperventilating. I have been going to a host of doctors and have an appt with a pulmonary specialist in a couple of days. I hopethat once I get a definitive on what is going on and how I can prevent it from happening again, I will be able to stop obsessing over my breathing.
I did take some of my DH's medication (I know - not always a wise thing - but my sister a pdoc said it would be okay) called neurontin. It went a long way in helping me initially recover from the second attack. You may want to talk to your doc about some type of med to get you over the hump.
I'm also going to look into yoga for long term maintenance.
2 weeks ago, I had another attack, this one, I believe brought on by the anxiety. I think I got myself so worked up that I started to hyperventilate and before I knew it, it turned into an attack. I did have (yet another) cold at the time, so I think all it needed was a trigger.
I have been trying to focus on breathing out of my nose, I think that helps keep me from hyperventilating. I have been going to a host of doctors and have an appt with a pulmonary specialist in a couple of days. I hopethat once I get a definitive on what is going on and how I can prevent it from happening again, I will be able to stop obsessing over my breathing.
I did take some of my DH's medication (I know - not always a wise thing - but my sister a pdoc said it would be okay) called neurontin. It went a long way in helping me initially recover from the second attack. You may want to talk to your doc about some type of med to get you over the hump.
I'm also going to look into yoga for long term maintenance.
singer1
03-28-2005, 03:30 PM
I know what you are saying...I am 42 years old and the only suggestion that I have to offer, is to keep busy! If you don't, you will probably think about it more. Why? Because you have the time to. Good luck, I know it's no fun!!!
pghprincesse
03-28-2005, 04:42 PM
Thank you all for posting your replies :) I appreciate the advice and help :) See, that's what I thought too...was that I'm obsessing over it because I have time on my hands since I've been unemployed. When I was working, I didn't have time to think about all of it, you know? I'm currently looking for a job, it's just hard to find something in the area I live. (It's country ;)...) but I'm no longer taking the Prednisone. It was only a 5 day dose. And what I'm worried about is that I don't have any insurance. My husband just started a new job and it cost $60 to see my doctor. :( So...I guess that I'm trying to "calm" myself down so that I don't go into another attack. See, the attack that I had last week I think was brought on by my GAD as well. I was/am on Ativan for the anxiety. Unfortunately, I think sometimes it made it worse instead of better. I'm more into trying some herbal treatment if possible. A friend of ours is getting information on it for me. He's "Mystic" and he believes, as I do, in the herbal treatment. I know that lavender and chamomile and eucalyptus are supposed to help, but my problem is this...lavender and eucalyptus have such a strong smell...I guess I'm afraid of it making it worse. I LOVE the smell of lavender...I even bought scented milk bath (before all this happened) and now, I'm afraid to use it.
I agree that this is a life-style disease...I wish it weren't...and I think that's what scares me. Knowing that every day I have to "watch" what I do and how I do it...and I guess it's just one of those things where you say "Oh my Gosh, this is for the rest of my life!" and it's scary :( I know it's a mental thing too...that I need to get my mind off of it...and keep busy. I've looked online for some help with articles but alot of them scared me. Actually, one put me INTO the attack last week...because it talked about death.
Does anyone have any suggestions as far as the herbs? Has anyone had success with them?
You guys are great :) Thank you so much for writing me...I had joined another group on MSN...and they DELETED my post!!! :( I was so upset...
Thank you again :) and I wish you all well too!!!
I agree that this is a life-style disease...I wish it weren't...and I think that's what scares me. Knowing that every day I have to "watch" what I do and how I do it...and I guess it's just one of those things where you say "Oh my Gosh, this is for the rest of my life!" and it's scary :( I know it's a mental thing too...that I need to get my mind off of it...and keep busy. I've looked online for some help with articles but alot of them scared me. Actually, one put me INTO the attack last week...because it talked about death.
Does anyone have any suggestions as far as the herbs? Has anyone had success with them?
You guys are great :) Thank you so much for writing me...I had joined another group on MSN...and they DELETED my post!!! :( I was so upset...
Thank you again :) and I wish you all well too!!!
singer1
03-28-2005, 07:48 PM
Passion Flower with Chamomile is a good natural calmer. It is by Nutrilite. I take that and valerian Hops to help me sleep at times (also by Nutrilite). The company is out of Michigan. Sometimes, when I am having a hard time breathing, I'll take a Tylonol PM, but since I'm not much of a medicine taker, I don't take that too often. I know what you mean, when I was working, I was way too busy to notice things about my anxiety etc... but now, I have the time and I think sometimes, although keeping busy helps ALOT! Don't get scared and watch what you read on the internet. Sometimes articles will say things to promote a product. Be calm, don't think about your breathing because that right there will produce anxiety which will in turn start breathing problems. Look on the Nutrilite site and good luck to you!!!! :wave:
celtic_mom
03-28-2005, 10:42 PM
I'm the same way with any strong scent now. I'm afraid it might trigger an attack. It's probably silly. I know that the first "attack" was after I had been living with a lung infection for ?months? But still, I'm constantly looking at different sources for triggers. I hold my breath now when I do the laundry or dishes.
I'm hoping that as time goes on I can start to live my life like I used to. I see how insurance can be a huge deal though! My co-pays for the stuff I have now is outrageous. I think I would find a doc that would prescribe some prednisone and have it on hand for peace of mind. I think that has a lot to do with my anxiety.
Which, as I type, I'm still suffering from. I've been noticing my breathing again today. Ugh! It's good to know that I'm not alone though.
I'm hoping that as time goes on I can start to live my life like I used to. I see how insurance can be a huge deal though! My co-pays for the stuff I have now is outrageous. I think I would find a doc that would prescribe some prednisone and have it on hand for peace of mind. I think that has a lot to do with my anxiety.
Which, as I type, I'm still suffering from. I've been noticing my breathing again today. Ugh! It's good to know that I'm not alone though.
pghprincesse
03-31-2005, 11:47 PM
Thank you again, for the suggestions :) I really appreciate it. I actually have been drinking some chamomile tea...and a friend of mine who has a degree in homeopathy is sending me information on some herbs to take...one called 5HTP and the other is the BACH FLOWER REMEDY. I do know that I've had 2 cups of chamomile today and that seems to relax me. He also told me that a good strong cup of coffee will help with an attack...the side effect is the jitters...so, if it's between the jitters and breathing...I'll take breathing :) Thank you again :) Hope you guys are doing ok!!! I do know that the weather is kinda getting to me though...I keep checking the pollen report...it was high today where I live... :eek:
regionals18
04-03-2005, 01:47 PM
im 13 and i have asthma and upper respitory distruction ive been really sick for 5 months now 6 and have been hospitalized from asthma 2 times when i was 3. i get really scared i have been on prednisone 3 times taking 2 breaks in between each time. i have also been on zithromax, bioxin, amoxicillion, amox and clv, advair, singular, hecto., tps, and i take regular breathing treatments aswell as albuteral. lately i have been really worried that i'll b at school one day and ill go into attack. ive also in the past 5 months have had around 5 lung viruses, sinus infection, bronchitis, and phnemonia twice. its horriable. i cant keep getting sick my dr. says. im so scared is this how u feel?
MelissaNC
04-04-2005, 09:52 PM
I'm a 31 y.o. woman, and I was just diagnosed with asthma today during a major attack. Honestly, I'm not super worried about it. It was very very bad, and I still can't breathe right, but the albuterol helps. I think the reason that I'm not super worried about it is because my best friend has asthma. We've been best friends for like 5 years, and she is always using her inhaler. By being around her, I've seen that it is controllable (she does still end up at the ER occasionally, but rarely), and that it's something that I can live with. Without her, I really think I would be super panicky about it. There's something about having a person who you can physically see dealing with it, as opposed to just hearing stories on the internet (no offense to anyone, but I can't see what's happening over the 'net, and I can when I'm with her). You might want to see if you can find someone in your area who already has asthma, that you can talk to. Perhaps your doctor might know someone...they can't hand out the person's info, but maybe you could ask him to give your info to someone that he thinks might be interested in talking to you about it.
Good luck!
Melissa
Good luck!
Melissa
dolphins
04-05-2005, 07:33 PM
I was like that when I was first diagnosed and up till the first 2-3 years of having asthma. I'd get a mild asthma attack only the panic/anxiety would make it worse + addmitted 7 times one year.
It got better, I learnt how to stay calm/correct breathing techniques if I got wheezy/sob (short of breath), coughing etc... Only bad thing, I can now have mild symptoms and not pick up/notice myself having these symptoms until it gets moderate stage - generally other people seem to notice before I do...
Good luck hey ... :angel:
It got better, I learnt how to stay calm/correct breathing techniques if I got wheezy/sob (short of breath), coughing etc... Only bad thing, I can now have mild symptoms and not pick up/notice myself having these symptoms until it gets moderate stage - generally other people seem to notice before I do...
Good luck hey ... :angel:
pghprincesse
04-13-2005, 03:04 PM
Wow..in a way, I'm happy to know that you all go through the same thing I do. But in another way, I am sad that it happens to you too :( It's funny because I've had this since I was 7...and to be honest, it never really bothered me until this year!! lol....I just don't get it? I don't know if it's a coincidence that I noticed it because I'm unemployed now and have nothing to do during the days? When I lost my job back in February, it's been down hill since :( I've been depressed, my anxiety is bad and I notice my asthma alot more. On a good note though, I am going back to school to become a Massage Therapist and have an interview with the school on Saturday. Then, I'm also going to try and get a part-time job if my unemployment doesn't go through.
Like today, I notice my asthma and sinuses are really bad :( I woke up from a nap with that "closing throat" feeling and it's awful! :( My sinuses are draining and I hate that feeling in the back of my throat.
I have noticed that posting on this board makes me feel better. I guess it's because it makes me know that I'm not the only person out there going through all of the things I'm going through. :) You guys are sweet! Thank you for responding. I hope you all are well :)
Like today, I notice my asthma and sinuses are really bad :( I woke up from a nap with that "closing throat" feeling and it's awful! :( My sinuses are draining and I hate that feeling in the back of my throat.
I have noticed that posting on this board makes me feel better. I guess it's because it makes me know that I'm not the only person out there going through all of the things I'm going through. :) You guys are sweet! Thank you for responding. I hope you all are well :)