Guest guest Posted August 9, 2005 Report Share Posted August 9, 2005 Hi June, Thanks for all the encouragement and suggestions. Yes June I do use the nebulizer with Xopenex and Ipatropium. It helps some, but the other night I guess I was just too congested and it didn't give me relief so I ended up in the ER. Now that I'm back on AB's, the neb treatment seem to help more. Maybe I still do have a bit of pneumonia. The steriods that I've been on are prednisone and solumedrol. I am extremely swollen, especially my ankles. I'm gonna ask the Dr. tomorrow to give me something to help get rid of the fluid. My asthma has been a lifelong issue but I don't thing it's ever been classified. You know I used to be on Advair and that did seem to help. I'm now on Foradil and Spiriva and I still struggle. And yes, I am looking forward to my appointment at Nat Jewish next month. We're leaving in a couple of weeks and taking our time driving out. God bless and thanks again for your concern and loving suggestions... Re: now it's June! Hi I am so sorry you are so bad again, you are following much the same pattern as a dear asthma friend here in London is going through. Pneumonia takes ages to get over, you have to give it time to go, sometimes up to a year. But don't despair there are things that can help. First of all do you have a nebuliser, to me that is the number one weapon in the arsenal against all this. Lots of people only have MIDI inhalers but nebulisers break the medicine down in to tiny moist particles which a lot of doctors think get deeper in to the lungs. Albueterol alone is not so effective as Combivent which is Ipatropium and Albeuterol. Atrovent (ipatropium) is a long acting bronchodilator - gives you about 6 to 8 hours relief. Albeuterol(Ventolin) only lasts for 4 hours so not so effective. My GP said especially in people over 30 the combination of the 2 is much more effective than just Albeuterol alone. You also neb saline (just sterile salt solution) which breaks down the congestion. If you need more advice on nebulising, just ask me. When you say full of steroids do you have oral Prednisolone or an inhaled steroid. Advair is an inhaled steroid which did me more good than oral steroids, it gets to the source of the problem, deep in the lungs. I have had a few side effects with it but it has turned my asthma around. Have they classed your asthma as Brittle, Difficult, Atopic what? Or have they not told you at all? Postural Drainage, steamy showers, massage mats, garlic, pineapple and lots of things can all add together to help you. Just hang on in there till the 6th ( I also have my Brompton lung hospital appointment that day, so I am waiting impatiently for that date to arrive) I can promise you the Nat Jewish will completely review your situation as the Brompton did mine and you will have the best doctors who know every trick in the book to get you back on track. It is so scary when you can't breathe, Sandy and I know only to well what that feels like, when I get that sort of attack I go straight on my nebuliser which usually brings relief very quickly. Hope this gives you a few ideas, take care of yourself and if you are feeling miserable just yell and one of us will be on line. The nice thing about this world group is you can usually find someone to talk you through bad patches. Cheryl saved me on many a long night when I couldn't breathe just by talking on line to me. We are all here to help you Love June > Sandy, > The weight right now is not the priority, though I wish I could loose > weight. My asthma is out of control again, the throat is really sore, > and I am so swollen I can't wear anthing but flip flops on my feet. I > saw my asthma doctor yesterday and he says "you're a really sick > puppy". I don't think he knows what to give me to help. He did > put me back on AB's "Ceftin". > What you said about my asthma taking a different type is really what I > think is happening. There are times when all of sudden I can't > breathe. I do carry a rescue inhaler and have them all over the > house, but even those only give some relief. I was in the ER for 4 > hours a couple days ago and they got me breathing again, but I am so > full of steriods I am miserable. What inhalers do you use? All I use > is the albuterol. What's different for me too is a real tightness in > the chest in addition to the constant wheeze. It's just like you said > Sandy, just all of sudden. I wonder why this is? I keep trying to > think of what I've done different? > > I go to Denver to the National Jewish Research Center here in US on > Sept 6th. We're leaving the end of the month cause we're driving from > California. I hope they can put me on some kind of maintenance > plan. > Better go for now, I've already had my yogurt and I think I'll make me > some tea to try and ease the sore throat. Thanks so much again for > all you share.. > ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted August 10, 2005 Report Share Posted August 10, 2005 Hi Great to hear from you, how are you doing? Why on earth did they take you off Advair, it's the only drug that has ever really worked for me? The other thing that occurred to me is that whenever I have to go in to hospital they give me a Magnesium sulphate drip which is miraculous for clearing the lungs. As soon as it starts to go through your system you start to cough up enormous amounts thus clearing the lungs and helping you to breathe. This is standard practice in the UK for any asthma patient going in as an emergency, do they use it in the States? I'm sure it would help you. Not long now till Nat Jewish, don't get too down hearted about struggling, I did for ages, I still have days where I am breathless but much better than I was. The sinus thing is another can of worms too, I'm on Nasonex steroid nasal spray but it only does limited good and makes my nose bleed. I am trying alternative products to help that problem. Keep us posted on your progress! Love from London - June > Hi June, Thanks for all the encouragement and suggestions. Yes June > I do use the nebulizer with Xopenex and Ipatropium. It helps some, > but the other night I guess I was just too congested and it didn't > give me relief so I ended up in the ER. Now that I'm back on AB's, > the neb treatment seem to help more. Maybe I still do have a bit of > pneumonia. > The steriods that I've been on are prednisone and solumedrol. I am > extremely swollen, especially my ankles. I'm gonna ask the Dr. > tomorrow to give me something to help get rid of the fluid. > My asthma has been a lifelong issue but I don't thing it's ever been > classified. You know I used to be on Advair and that did seem to > help. I'm now on Foradil and Spiriva and I still struggle. > And yes, I am looking forward to my appointment at Nat Jewish next > month. We're leaving in a couple of weeks and taking our time driving > out. God bless and thanks again for your concern and loving > suggestions... > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted August 10, 2005 Report Share Posted August 10, 2005 I agree with you June, I have said it so many times, the magnesium really workd quickly and has very few if any side affects. it certainly helps get a head start on things. Sandy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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