New diagnosis of asthma, any tips? - Asthma Message Board

kirsten22 · 06-28-2006, 08:44 PM

Hi everyone.

My name is Kirsten and I just got diagnosed with asthma today after I had a methacoline test done. My breathing dropped to 20% on the second dose of methacoline. It made me short of breath and cough, and feel tightness in my chest like I sometimes get. Afterwards, they gave me ventalin and it made me feel better. My breathing went back to normal right away..

I have been having shortness of breath and tightness, feeling need to yawn alot and trouble getting like.. satisfying i guess deep breaths. It's been like over a year of this and my family doctor told me it was anxiety because my pft was normal, and she didn't hear a wheeze.

So now finding this out I am happy to know whats wrong but angry no one diagnosed me before this!! Anyways.. I got some medications, one is Flovent its orange and looks like a disk, and you click a thing down then breathe it in. I think its a steroid one.

The other is a ventalin puffer.. also i got a steroid nose spray.

Anyways. Is there anything I should know about? I have taken all the medications and I haevn't had any side effects yet. When I took the ventalin at the hospital where I had my test my heart pounded a bit but not for long. And i felt pretty good.

Any tips or info.. would be so welcome! Thank you..

dazedandconfused10 · 06-28-2006, 08:51 PM

the dr who sent you for the test should explain the meds, any inhalers that are steriod, rinse your mouth thoroughly and I even brush my teeth to avoid thrush. Some inhalers may make you jittery, you may want to let the dr know/
Wheezing is not required , the dr did the best thing with the test. I don't wheeze, my symptom was an annoying cough that never went away. 4 days on advair and its gone. When I get sick, thats a whole different issue. the pft only shows part of the picture, I think I'm like normal low but had the chronic cough and holy cow if I get sick its all out the window!! Need the rescue inhaler for ME when sick and one day when air quality was bad. Good luck and rinsing your mouth is important.

kirsten22 · 06-29-2006, 03:46 AM

Thanks alot for your reply!

My specialist didn't explain alot about asthma to me, so I am feeling a bit confused.. he didn't say anything about finding wat triggers are, or a peak flow monitor thing, or anything.. am I supposed to go back to my family doctor and talk to her about it do you think? Or do I go back to him?

Man doctors are icy sometimes! Any ideas?

Titchou · 06-29-2006, 05:07 AM

since everyon eis different, it will take you a while to get your meds down right. I have a mild case of asthma. I use my Flovent daily and albuterol as a rescue inhaler. I started on the Flovent with two puffs twice a day. I am down to one puff a day. If I get a cold or have allergy issues, etc, I up my Flovent to one puff twice a day until the cold is gone or I generally feel better. I'm a jogger also and I have to use two puffs of the albuterol 20 minutes before I run. I rarely need it otherwise as my asthma is well controlled.

If you continue to have questions, write them down and take them with you to the doctor. Don't leave till you get answers. Good luck!

tiercy · 06-29-2006, 05:45 AM

Welcome Kristen.

I was recently dx'd with asthma. My doctor didn't give me a peak flow meter either. I have persistant moderate asthma, I wheeze almost constantly along with the tight chest feeling. I take pulmicort, albuterol and nasal spray, but like your doctor, mine didn't exlpain much either. He did check for triggers though.

Do you have a follow appt with him? If so, I would write down the questions you would like answers to and take them with you. You deserve to know, that's what they get paid for. Good Luck.

Tiercy