LaDonna - asthma

[Guest guest]

--- " Dymond " wrote:

>

> I did not know

> that adults can get asthma at a later age,

Hi LaDonna -

You can certainly develop asthma as an adult - mine didn't appear

until my mid-thirties! Mine is triggered primarily by allergies -

which I also developed only as an adult - but now it also comes on

when I exercise, or in cold weather (not much of that here in Phoenix

but it killed me when I lived in Indiana!), or whenever I get a cold

or cough or bronchial infection.

The absolute lifesaver for me was a drug called Singulair - ask your

doctor about it! It's a preventative (not to be used to treat acute

attacks - you'll still need to have a rescue inhaler available for any

attacks). You take just one pill a day. It also is FDA approved to

treat allergies, so it gives me a double benefit. Since starting it,

I've been able to get off all the inhaled steriods and haven't had to

use my rescue inhaler more than a handful of times in the last three

years.

Plus it has made what were miserable allergies almost non-existant!

Unlike antihistamines, it doesn't make you drowsy. (Besides which,

antihistamines never did me a bit of good!) In fact, I've had no side

effects at all, and the potential side effects are minor.

You do want to have your doc and/or pharmacist check for interactions

with other drugs you're taking, however, before starting Singulair.

It does interact with certain anti-depressants, I know for sure. But

it is safe to take with the opiates and anti-seizure meds many of us

are on.

I hope this gives you a treatment option you can discuss with your

doc. I can't say enough good things about this med - it literally

gave me my life back!

Cheryl in AZ