What does an asthma attack feel like? - Asthma Message Board

Ouch-ear-pain · 08-30-2003, 09:32 PM

Hi,
I am wondering if I have ever had an asthma attack? What exactly are the symptoms of it? Please post here!
Thanks~

scb411 · 08-30-2003, 11:07 PM

DROWNING IN A SEA OF AIR

Usually, with me, there is no wondering if I have had an asthma attack or not. And, generally for myself, I don't really attack as much I flare and then it just gets gradually worse until I have an acute asthma attack. An acute asthma exacerbation can have many different symptoms which may include, but are not limited to: wheezing, coughing, shortness of breath, tightness of breath, etc. Signs that a person is having an attack are: rapid breathing, nostril flaring, and retracting (when the tissues of the chest between the ribs and sometimes around the neck sink in with each breath). Severe attacks may include inability to speak and cyanosis (a discoloration that is usually of your fingers and lips...they turn blue).

Remember, all that wheezes isn't asthma. There are many things that can cause wheezing and are not asthma.

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Hope this helps!

Sara

[This message has been edited by scb411 (edited 08-31-2003).]

Ouch-ear-pain · 08-30-2003, 11:27 PM

THANKS FOR YOUR REPLY. I ONLY GET SHORTNESS OF BREATH AND WHEEZING. I NEVER REALLY GULP FOR AIR. I'M A BIGGER PERSON SO I WAS WONDERING IF THIS IS WHY I GET IT? I ALREADY KNOW FOR SURE I HAVE ASTHMA MY DOC SAYS SO AND I'M ON ADVAIR. ADVAIR I CAN'T STAND BECAUSE I FEEL LIKE IT DON'T HELP. MY FACE TURNS BRIGHT RED ALSO AFTER EXCERSIZING WELL THANKS FOR THE REPLY!

scb411 · 08-30-2003, 11:35 PM

Did your doctor do a spirometry on you??? Did he/she schedule you for a methacholine challenge? If you have the asthma symptoms and respond well to asthma medications (documented through spirometry) it is very likely you have asthma, though a meth would help you and your doctor see how severe it is and the like. I don't know what to tell you about the advair. I have trouble with albuterol--it causes adverse bronchospasms in my lungs--and advair contains serevent which is chemically related to albuterol, so I don't do well on the long-acting bronchodilators (LABs) like foradil and serevent. Maybe you should read the post about the Advair side effects. :-P

plm · 08-31-2003, 10:08 AM

ouch,

I read a lot of posts on message boards such as this one where a general doctor tells someone they have asthma (because of the wheezing) and puts them on asthma meds. But he doesn't do any tests to confirm it. then later on, a pulmonologists finds something different. I think it's a good idea to get tested so you know FOR SURE whether asthma is your problem. You mention being heavy, so shortness of breath could be from heart problems, or from fat squeezing your chest cavity and making it hard to breathe. Although wheezing usually indicates a constriction in the lungs.

It is a good idea to have a pulmonary function test that includes testing your lung function before AND AFTER using a broncodilator. This shows whether your problem responds to a bronchodilator. This can tell the lung doctor if you have asthma. To be positive, you can take a methacholine challenge test, which is considered the gold standard in diagnosing asthma. It's an easy test. You breathe into a tube and they measure your breath. Then they add a little methacholine and see if it constricts your lungs (they measure your breath again). They keep adding a little at a time and measuring after each addition. Once your lungs measure 20% restricted, they stop the test and give you a treatment to open your lungs. On me, after the third addition of methacholine, I was 28% restricted, so they knew I had asthmatic lungs.

Personally, I don't believe in taking meds until I know FOR SURE if they are going to treat my problem. So you want to know if you really have asthma.