Re: asthma question

[Guest guest]

Hi

I can hear your frustration! When you say you have mederate /severe problems what do you mean? Are you winded all the time? Coughing? wheezing? you said all of your tests were'normal' what tests have you had? Have you had a methacholine challenge? it is possible if everything is normal that your problems are not coming from your lungs, but your heart, or even something else. How often do you take prednisone? I dont know if that was a typo but you said you take singular plus two other allergy meds? Thats a lot of stuff, especially in addition to your other meds. Have you seen a pulmonologist? I assume since you are on allergy shots you have had testing done..have you reduced your exposures to those triggers? Sometimes people just have a hard time getting it under control..which is very frustating! If your dr is admitting to or acting baffled it is time for him to refer you to someone else.

it is frustarting when the people around youd o not understand asthma. my sister is a nurse and still does not understand my issues. All you can do is make sure you are safe and in the best health possible.

Anita

asthma questioni was wondering if anyone can answer this for me. my doctor has not yet even discussed with me anything about asthma severity with me. I was diagnosed in july last year and have had moderate/severe problems since. I have heard that in acessing severity of asthma is based on frequency of symptoms before any treatment. is this true? i think the problem is that all my tests were normal but still have had problems with my asthma. How can everything be normal and i'm stil having all this difficulty? my doctor really seems kinda baffled by all of this, and i think he actually thought that when he gave me inhaler and singulair that i'd not have any more problems and

when i did he really was floored. now i do symbicort,singulair, a rescue inhaler( until just recently 1-2X a week and before the symbicort inhaler nearly everyday and occassional nights) prednisone ( but not everyday) allergy shots and 2 allergy meds. when i first went to see my doc. in jan. '07 i was having nighttime symptoms 1-2 X a week and daytime symptoms everyday usually allday. ti's much better now than it was but it's taken 2 years and alot of reading and trying to educate myself about my asthma that no one takes seriously but me. i have to live with it everyday and i've resigned myself to the fact that some will think that becasue it's better that it wasn't bad and is "gone away" as if asthma could "go away. I don't understand why my asthma can be this bad but my tests are always normal( whatever that is) i've learned to respect my asthma, i don't dwell on the fact that i have it and

as much as possible i try to live like a normal person but i always keep in the back of my mind this knowlege that at anytime i could have an attack- my inhaler is like american express, i never leave home without it.------------------------------------

[Guest guest]

I understand what you are going through. I went from having months of

good asthma control on one med to a flare up which caused a whole set

of other problems (reflux from the prenisone, etc). I went to my pulmo

dr 2x during this period and he wasn't even convinced it really was an

asthma episode because I get a tight chest and short of breath with no

wheezing, lungs sound clear, and my breathing tests are good. So I

have the same question, how can I still have symptoms?? It is

frustrating because all the drs have to go on is how you say you feel,

with no physical evidence really to observe. I took tests that ruled

out heart problems, sinus problems. Now I am not sure many times if

the chest discomfort I feel is the asthma or the reflux. I always

assume it is the asthma first, because I can't afford to be wrong

about that. With this condition, I find that you really have to be

your own dr much of the time unfortunately.

>

> i was wondering if anyone can answer this for me. my doctor has not

> yet even discussed with me anything about asthma severity with me. I

> was diagnosed in july last year and have had moderate/severe problems

> since. I have heard that in acessing severity of asthma is based on

> frequency of symptoms before any treatment. is this true? i think the

> problem is that all my tests were normal but still have had problems

> with my asthma. How can everything be normal and i'm stil having all

> this difficulty? my doctor really seems kinda baffled by all of this,

> and i think he actually thought that when he gave me inhaler and

> singulair that i'd not have any more problems and when i did he

> really was floored. now i do symbicort,singulair, a rescue inhaler(

> until just recently 1-2X a week and before the symbicort inhaler

> nearly everyday and occassional nights) prednisone ( but not

> everyday) allergy shots and 2 allergy meds. when i first went to see

> my doc. in jan. '07 i was having nighttime symptoms 1-2 X a week and

> daytime symptoms everyday usually allday. ti's much better now than

> it was but it's taken 2 years and alot of reading and trying to

> educate myself about my asthma that no one takes seriously but me. i

> have to live with it everyday and i've resigned myself to the fact

> that some will think that becasue it's better that it wasn't bad and

> is " gone away " as if asthma could " go away. I don't understand why my

> asthma can be this bad but my tests are always normal( whatever that

> is) i've learned to respect my asthma, i don't dwell on the fact that

> i have it and as much as possible i try to live like a normal person

> but i always keep in the back of my mind this knowlege that at

> anytime i could have an attack- my inhaler is like american express,

> i never leave home without it.

>

[Guest guest]

>>my inhaler is like american express, i never leave home without it.>> Very well said.

My rescue inhaler is in my pocket at all times or under my pillow. My prescription says two puffs in the morning and two, puffs at night or as needed.. I will take 1 puff in the morning, take the Singulair, (occasionallyt forget) and if needed thru the day, but try not to take more than 4 puffs per day. I think I probably have but I haven't had any side effects.

I can't answer your questions.

I have had appointments and by the time I go, I'm better and the dr has to diagnose an almost symptom free person. I hate that don'y you.

Hicando

-------------- Original message from "pkukid1" : --------------

i was wondering if anyone can answer this for me. my doctor has not yet even discussed with me anything about asthma severity with me. I was diagnosed in july last year and have had moderate/severe problems since. I have heard that in acessing severity of asthma is based on frequency of symptoms before any treatment. is this true? i think the problem is that all my tests were normal but still have had problems with my asthma. How can everything be normal and i'm stil having all this difficulty? my doctor really seems kinda baffled by all of this, and i think he actually thought that when he gave me inhaler and singulair that i'd not have any more problems and when i did he really was floored. now i do symbicort,singulair, a rescue inhaler( until just recently 1-2X a week and before the symbicort inhaler nearly everyday and occassional nights) prednisone ( but not everyday) allergy shots and 2 allergy meds. when i first went to see my doc. in jan. '07 i was having nighttime symptoms 1-2 X a week and daytime symptoms everyday usually allday. ti's much better now than it was but it's taken 2 years and alot of reading and trying to educate myself about my asthma that no one takes seriously but me. i have to live with it everyday and i've resigned myself to the fact that some will think that becasue it's better that it wasn't bad and is "gone away" as if asthma could "go away. I don't understand why my asthma can be this bad but my tests are always normal( whatever that is) i've learned to respect my asthma, i don't dwell on the fact that i have it and as much as possible i try to live like a normal person but i always keep in the back of my mind this knowlege that at anytime i could have an attack- my inhaler is like american express, i never leave home without it.

[Guest guest]

I was in the same boat, have you been checked for acid reflux that could explain the nighttime symptoms. My tests came out pretty good too meaning no problems with the organs being diseaseed, but I had it all I finally have gotten my asthma in contorl and it has taken a year.

asthma question

i was wondering if anyone can answer this for me. my doctor has not yet even discussed with me anything about asthma severity with me. I was diagnosed in july last year and have had moderate/severe problems since. I have heard that in acessing severity of asthma is based on frequency of symptoms before any treatment. is this true? i think the problem is that all my tests were normal but still have had problems with my asthma. How can everything be normal and i'm stil having all this difficulty? my doctor really seems kinda baffled by all of this, and i think he actually thought that when he gave me inhaler and singulair that i'd not have any more problems and when i did he really was floored. now i do symbicort,singulair , a rescue inhaler( until just recently 1-2X a week and before the symbicort inhaler nearly everyday and occassional nights) prednisone ( but not everyday) allergy shots and 2

allergy meds. when i first went to see my doc. in jan. '07 i was having nighttime symptoms 1-2 X a week and daytime symptoms everyday usually allday. ti's much better now than it was but it's taken 2 years and alot of reading and trying to educate myself about my asthma that no one takes seriously but me. i have to live with it everyday and i've resigned myself to the fact that some will think that becasue it's better that it wasn't bad and is "gone away" as if asthma could "go away. I don't understand why my asthma can be this bad but my tests are always normal( whatever that is) i've learned to respect my asthma, i don't dwell on the fact that i have it and as much as possible i try to live like a normal person but i always keep in the back of my mind this knowlege that at anytime i could have an attack- my inhaler is like american express, i never leave home without

it.

[Guest guest]

My asthma is moderate/severe and right now I am using my rescue inhaler 6-8 times a day. Last week I was put on prednisone for a week but it isn't much better. I think I might need a new doctor. I take advair and singulair and get allergy shots. Anita W wrote: Hi I can hear your frustration! When you say you have mederate /severe problems what do you mean? Are you winded all the time? Coughing?

wheezing? you said all of your tests were'normal' what tests have you had? Have you had a methacholine challenge? it is possible if everything is normal that your problems are not coming from your lungs, but your heart, or even something else. How often do you take prednisone? I dont know if that was a typo but you said you take singular plus two other allergy meds? Thats a lot of stuff, especially in addition to your other meds. Have you seen a pulmonologist? I assume since you are on allergy shots you have had testing done..have you reduced your exposures to those triggers? Sometimes people just have a hard time getting it under control..which is very frustating! If your dr is admitting to or acting baffled it is time for him to refer you to someone else. it is frustarting when the people around youd o not understand asthma. my sister is a nurse and still does not understand my issues. All you can do is make sure you are safe and in the best health possible.

Anita asthma questioni was wondering if anyone can answer this for me. my doctor has not yet even discussed with me anything about asthma severity with me. I was diagnosed in july last year and have had moderate/severe problems since. I have heard that in acessing severity of asthma is based on frequency of symptoms before any treatment. is this true? i think the problem is that all my tests were normal but still have had problems with my asthma. How can everything be normal and i'm stil having all this difficulty? my doctor really seems kinda baffled by all of this, and i

think he actually thought that when he gave me inhaler and singulair that i'd not have any more problems and when i did he really was floored. now i do symbicort,singulair, a rescue inhaler( until just recently 1-2X a week and before the symbicort inhaler nearly everyday and occassional nights) prednisone ( but not everyday) allergy shots and 2 allergy meds. when i first went to see my doc. in jan. '07 i was having nighttime symptoms 1-2 X a week and daytime symptoms everyday usually allday. ti's much better now than it was but it's taken 2 years and alot of reading and trying to educate myself about my asthma that no one takes seriously but me. i have to live with it everyday and i've resigned myself to the fact that some will think that becasue it's better that it wasn't bad and is "gone away" as if asthma could "go away. I don't understand why my asthma can be this bad but my tests are always normal(

whatever that is) i've learned to respect my asthma, i don't dwell on the fact that i have it and as much as possible i try to live like a normal person but i always keep in the back of my mind this knowlege that at anytime i could have an attack- my inhaler is like american express, i never leave home without it.------------------------------------