I HATE it....every DAY!!!!

02-04-2003, 05:53 PM

WHen my sister and I were children, we used to do this "thing" when we were angry with one another.

We would sit on opposite sides of the room facing one another with our arms crossed and our eyebrows scrunched, holding our breath with our cheeks puffed out like trumpet players, until one of us burst out laughing or turned purple from lack of air...lol.

I would do ANYTHING to breathe as easily as I did as a child.

I don't know about this anymore.

I was diagnosed with asthma... and have been taking albuterol and flovent for a WHILE now, but don't really feel much better than I did before I took it.

I mean, shouldn't I feel ANY different? Some relief?

I also take effexor for the anxiety related to my breathing problem, so I do not think it is an anxiety related thing.

What does one do when the asthma meds they are taking do not seem to be enough?

I have told my doctor, and this sort of phenomenon
seems to happen. Every time I go into his office,
my lungs sound clear, yet, as soon as I leave, I feel like crap again!
So he is reluctant to increase my dosage or add medication.

I almost do not remember what it feels like to feel good.... I have not had a symptom free day in over a year. I HATE it.

Anyone?

Blue

wrin · 02-04-2003, 08:39 PM

One goes in to have PFTs, one increases the dosage of their meds...
I used to think I had mild asthma, and 500/12 of symbicort later, I'm starting to realize my asthma isn't as 'mild' as I thought it was.

Talk to your doctor -- you aren't supposed to be having symptomatic days. Using your ventolin too much isn't horribly good for you. Increasing the dose of your flovent is likely not going to cause any side-effects that you're not already experiencing.

charleyhorse · 02-04-2003, 08:40 PM

That's not good that you constantly have symptoms. Your meds should give you a break at least some of the time. Ideally, they should keep you almost symptom-free, but that's what 'the book' says and I haven't met too many people who's lungs have read 'the book.' Do you use a peak flow meter? Like you have experienced, the problem with asthma is that your lungs can sound fine in the doctor's office and be lousy a few hours later. Its the nature of the beast. A peak flow meter lets you chart your lung function over a period of time and then you have some solid numbers to wave in front of a doctor's face. They do seem to like numbers.

hope you get some relief
Barb

laci · 02-04-2003, 10:09 PM

Blue,
What medication do you want upped? Is it oral prednisone or inhaled steroids? What about Xolair? Well, I'm not sure it's in the market yet.

He should by now believe you about you're feeling real bad alot of the time.

I just got back from a new pulmonologist appt and he put me on Advair and Rhinocort trying to reduce the inflammation in the sinuses and lungs. It might work--it might not.

But my breathing tests showed I had GREAT exhalation! So he mentioned that about 3 times during our conversation. And if I had asthma or emphyzema, my exhalations wouldn't be that strong. But I quickly said, "but this achy, burning in my lungs, esophagus and my VCD all happens."
Thanks to my ct scan of my sinuses which proves I have a very stuffed sinus cavity with gook. And this sinus problem can cause asthma or hypersensitive lungs to flareup. I'm thinking I might have very hypersensitive lungs as opposed to actual asthma. But I feel short of breath and I also wheeze. He heard the wheeze.
Can you change pulmonologists?

creinha · 02-05-2003, 09:44 AM

Hi, Blue.

When I was first diagnosed, the dr. gave me Aerobid (corticosteroid) as well as the Proventil (rescue inhaler). I was still using the Proventil every day (not good), even while I was on the Aerobid. He took me off the Aerobid and put me on Singulair. The Singulair worked well for a couple of months, then back to using the Proventil every day. He left me on the Singulair but added Advair. What a difference!!! I've been on that combination for at least 6 months now. I've probably used the Proventil once since I started the Advair. Advair has been such a life saver for me. I love it!

My doctor said that adult-onset asthma can be difficult to control. Just keep going back to your doctor until you find the right drug or combination of drugs for you. You have every right to expect to have symptom free days.

Cheri.