Does anyone else get scared? - Asthma Message Board

pghprincesse · 03-28-2005, 07:04 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!!

zippy_mouse · 03-28-2005, 08:36 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, 09:51 AM

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.

singer1 · 03-28-2005, 12:30 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, 01:42 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!!!