Any Encouragement? - Asthma Message Board

MadScientist · 02-29-2004, 09:58 PM

Hi guys,
I'm a 37 year old male who has recently been dx'd with chronic asthma. I've never had an asthma attack. It's just there slowly eating at my lung function. The lung function decrease was first noticed when I was about 28 yrs old.

I was told by a local small town pulmo that I had COPD even though I have never smoked and don't have A1AD. I decided to go to the University of Alabama in Birmingham and see a doc there. He says it's asthma. CT scan was normal and so were chest x-rays. My full PFT showed a 13% increase in FEV1 with Albuterol.

Was first put on Advair 250. After a month, my spiro results showed a small decline in lung function(59%). Was then put on Advair 500. A month later showed no improvement. Was then put on Advair 500, Singulair and a burst of prednisone. Two months later showed no improvement. I'm back to taking the Advair 250/50 and Singulair and Prevecid(2/day). Hopefully, I'll get some change for the better.

I guess my next step is to go back to taking allergy shots in hopes for improvement.

I guess I'm fairly well controlled because my FEV1 isn't going down anymore. However, it isn't going up either. Do any of you guys have any words of encouragement? I know some of you are on a lot more meds than I am. I'd just like to know I'm not the only one not improving.

thanks
ken

jp3892 · 03-01-2004, 08:36 AM

Don't want to sound too pessimistic but thats a lot of steroids and there has been no improvement. It could be irreversible damage or commonly 'airway remodeling' associated with asthma. Unfortunately this could have been prevented earlier in life using corticosteroids at an early age. Studies have shown this. Any optimistic people out there?

MadScientist · 03-01-2004, 09:44 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jp3892

Don't want to sound too pessimistic but thats a lot of steroids and there has been no improvement. It could be irreversible damage or commonly 'airway remodeling' associated with asthma. Unfortunately this could have been prevented earlier in life using corticosteroids at an early age. Studies have shown this. Any optimistic people out there?

That's what I'm afraid of too. It gets really frustrating when you realize the first pulmo just gave me an albuterol inhaler and sent me on my merry way. He just said to come back if it got worse. He had full PFT results right there in front of him (including the 13% increase) and still made no efforts to improve my lung function. He was just so baffled that I didn't smoke but "had COPD" according to his beliefs. He didn't order a CT scan or anything. If he had, maybe he would have seen that the results were normal and then dx'd the asthma. It was only last year that I decided to seek better health because I was using that inhaler twice a day.

Howitt44 · 03-01-2004, 07:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MadScientist

That's what I'm afraid of too. It gets really frustrating when you realize the first pulmo just gave me an albuterol inhaler and sent me on my merry way. He just said to come back if it got worse. He had full PFT results right there in front of him (including the 13% increase) and still made no efforts to improve my lung function. He was just so baffled that I didn't smoke but "had COPD" according to his beliefs. He didn't order a CT scan or anything. If he had, maybe he would have seen that the results were normal and then dx'd the asthma. It was only last year that I decided to seek better health because I was using that inhaler twice a day.

Mad Scientist,
What are your daily symptoms? Do you remember your numbers on your Pft? I haven't shown a lot of improvement either with my Advair 100/50. Maybe I need to up it, but my allergist just said to add Flovent if I felt I needed it. I don't really have daily symptoms, only occasionally. But still I worry that my FEF (small airways) is only about 40% of normal. She didn't seem that concerned , though. My dad had emphysema and smoked , but I have never smoked, I still worry about COPD. I have had that test for inherited emphysema, but it was normal. I have started exercising more and really working my lungs. Thats what my doctor recommended. I have noticed that I can jog a little more without getting winded than I used to. I also have GERD and am overweight. All my weight is around the middle and sometimes is hard to breath after a heavy meal. I know losing weight would help me.I am really interested in natural ways to help my lungs. I hate taking meds! Oh, and I also take a Yoga class and some of the exercises I do really seems to open up the lungs and show you how to breathe properly. Good luck!

PinkBananaz · 03-01-2004, 08:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Howitt44

Mad Scientist,
What are your daily symptoms? Do you remember your numbers on your Pft? I haven't shown a lot of improvement either with my Advair 100/50. Maybe I need to up it, but my allergist just said to add Flovent if I felt I needed it. I don't really have daily symptoms, only occasionally. But still I worry that my FEF (small airways) is only about 40% of normal. She didn't seem that concerned , though. My dad had emphysema and smoked , but I have never smoked, I still worry about COPD. I have had that test for inherited emphysema, but it was normal. I have started exercising more and really working my lungs. Thats what my doctor recommended. I have noticed that I can jog a little more without getting winded than I used to. I also have GERD and am overweight. All my weight is around the middle and sometimes is hard to breath after a heavy meal. I know losing weight would help me.I am really interested in natural ways to help my lungs. I hate taking meds! Oh, and I also take a Yoga class and some of the exercises I do really seems to open up the lungs and show you how to breathe properly. Good luck!

Howitt I was considering yoga classes to take while it seems like my asthma has taken a break and decided to be nice to me for a little bit=)..or at least until the dreaded pollen season hits=(. Either way I thought that could help strengthen my lungs..how have you found it? Is it it really helping you breathe easier? Does it help decrease coughing also? Or does any of the stuff leave you with late reaction..?