Help... leaving for vacation and asthma out of control - Asthma Message Board

pocuita · 05-21-2009, 01:26 PM

Hello,

Need suggestions. I have an appointment with a pulm. DR. tommorrow and I want to educate myself before the appointment. My asthma is out of control. I mainly have SOB with very little wheezing.

My fam. dr. gave me singulair, simbicort, allegra and albuteral and it is not working (been almost three weeks). Also take zantac 2x per day.

I am supposed to leave for a trip to Mexico on the 30th and I am afraid, I want to get this under control before then.

What should I try next? Prednisone? Will it work in time.

I feel I have to be my own advocate, I had a bad experience last year with a different Pulm. Dr who blamed my SOB on weight and not being in shape. Even though I told him I walk on the treadmil 4-5 times a week. I have since lost 30 lbs and I am close to my goal weight and my asthma is still bad.

I just want to know my options so I can discuss this with the new DR. tomorrow.

Thanks!!!

Titchou · 05-21-2009, 01:59 PM

It can take some time to get the right combination of meds for a particular person's asthma. Singulair can take a month or more to start showing any benefits. Allegra never did anything for my allergies but it does help some folks. What meds were you on before? Or were you on anything? If you weren't on anything, then it could take a month or more to get your asthma totally under control on just regular meds. Prednisone may be the route to go. Hate to do it though with you going on vacation as it can cause blood pressure issues.

pocuita · 05-21-2009, 09:30 PM

Thanks for your reply.

A little background... My asthma started in my 20's and I was treated with theophyline and allergy shots and I guess for a lack of a better word it went into "remission". Fast forward 18 years and I started having attacks again. I went last year to a pulm. dr and he was awful!! I left with an inhaler. I used it for awhile until I got pregnant. I was attack free during that time thank goodness.

Starting the first week in April I had bronchitis, I was given an inhaler by my family Dr. (nursing at the time, so could not take a lot). It is not working so
I decided to wean my baby so I could start singulair because my asthma was bad.

I am struggling to get air in right now

I just hope he can help me tomorrow. I am going to ask for predisone. I have low blood pressure, hopefully I wont have a problem.

MountainReader · 05-22-2009, 12:30 AM

It does sound like steroids may be the way to go at this point. That is where I would be on my Asthma Action Plan.

Do you still have any other respiratory problems? When my asthma is so out of control, I've found I often also have another underlying infection. If that is the case, a round of antibiotics at the same time is often helpful.

My Pulm has gotten me to the point in my asthma treatment that I now have standing prescriptions for the steroids, antibiotics and higher dose prescriptions of Advair.

If you have reflux triggering your asthma, you may need to try a different or additional reflux treatment. You could ask your Pulm about that.

The steroids typically work pretty quickly. Hopefully they will help for your vacation.

For emergencies, I carry an Epi-pen. If I have a severe asthma attack, using it is supposed to help long enough for me to get further emergency treatment. The ephinephrine helps open up the airways extremely quickly. In addition to my Albuterol, I now carry the Epi-pen around wherever I go.

Titchou · 05-22-2009, 08:28 AM

Sounds like you need to be back on your inhalers as well...advair, flovent, whatever. And keep a rescue inhaler with you. Get an action plan from the pulmonologist so you know what to do if you have a cold, etc. Good luck.