Is there hope for me?

[Guest guest]

I recently got my IgE test back and I will qualify for Xolair. I am

amazed at how severe my asthma has become. Right now I am on

theophylline, Zyflo, Advair, Asmanex, Ranitide, Loratadine,

Guiffenassen, DuoNeb, and codiene cough syrup all at their maximum

doses. I neb 4 times daily. My attacks do not respond to inhalers

and I self administer Epi injections in my stomach to stop attacks.

I am living on high dose steroids.

I have six young children and I am terrified that I will not be here

for them.

But I am afraid that Xolair wil not work for me. I don't have

allergies really. My IgE was only 48. I am told it needed to be 30

to qualify so that isn't high. I am very allergic to dogs but that

is my only significant reaction and I have had multiple allergy

tests.

Right now I am on 60 mg of prednisone cycling off of 100 mg and I am

still waking up at night to give myself epi injections. Is there

anyone else like me?

I am so tired and so scared. If I don't have really high IgE and

allergies, is there hope that this will work for me?

And to answer a question someone else asked, technically, I do have

adult onset asthma. I was diagnosed last year! But I have been

treated for bronchitis, pluerisy, pnuemonia ect all winter for

years. My sisters all have asthma but when the Dr's listened to my

chest I didn't wheeze so they always said I didn't have it. As an

adult when I went in I was always told it was anxiety or a chest

cold. My MIL finally talked me into seeing the pulmologist she works

for and my spirometer(?) readings were the worst they had ever seen.

Turns out, I don't move enough air to wheeze.

Hannah