Asthma

[bluebelle]

I always had some lung problems, including several bouts with pneumonia, and mild, exercise-induced-asthma, but for a year now, my asthma's been so bad I don't know what to do. Even right now, I'm awake because every time I try to lay down I wheeze and cough til I have to sit back up to get some air!

I take advair twice a day, nebulizer treatments at least once a day, and the albuterol rescue inhaler all the time. I've been to the ER 4 times since last March, and am currently on my 6th round of prednisone in a year.

Has anyone else been through this??? I can't understand why it got so much worse all of a sudden, and after a year of sleeping sitting up, feeling constantly run-down, and having to sit-out pretty much anything fun, I am at my wits end.

I am open to suggestion here. Really open. If you have struggled with asthma please tell me what has helped you... My doctor's sending me to a pulmonologist, but it might be months before I can get in, so I really need some advice to make my airways happier til then! Thanks for reading and for any suggestions.

[soopashinaab]

I can't even begin to imagine what you are going through right now... I can and will add you in m prayers, may you find respite from what ails you,

[BLOODMOON]

I always had some lung problems, including several bouts with pneumonia, and mild, exercise-induced-asthma, but for a year now, my asthma's been so bad I don't know what to do. Even right now, I'm awake because every time I try to lay down I wheeze and cough til I have to sit back up to get some air!

I take advair twice a day, nebulizer treatments at least once a day, and the albuterol rescue inhaler all the time. I've been to the ER 4 times since last March, and am currently on my 6th round of prednisone in a year.

Has anyone else been through this??? I can't understand why it got so much worse all of a sudden, and after a year of sleeping sitting up, feeling constantly run-down, and having to sit-out pretty much anything fun, I am at my wits end.

I am open to suggestion here. Really open. If you have struggled with asthma please tell me what has helped you... My doctor's sending me to a pulmonologist, but it might be months before I can get in, so I really need some advice to make my airways happier til then! Thanks for reading and for any suggestions.

ive struggled with asthma my whole life i know how you feel this year is the worst still on advair when worst came to worst ive had to use mini tabs with a white cross sold at covenience stores mini thin 25/50 i wouldnt stay on them though u to long i still think i might of burnt my lungs workin at a dairy factory they work with acids and chlorines see if the dr can bump up your advair to a stroner one and u might do a asthma nebulizer treatment talk to the dr about them also i take zinc melt tablets its supposed to help but i cant say they do

[Joe's Dad]

OK. So I DO NOT condone drug abuse, but in my family, plants, herbs and roots were used for medicinal purposes.

That said, I have a brother 7 years younger than me. When he was a baby/little boy, I remember him getting these wicked asthma attacks where they would have to rush him to the emergency room (yes, they had emergency rooms in the early 60's. LOL)

Anyhoo, I also remember a small saucepan boiling in the stove and these stems boiling in there. They would give him the tea to drink at the onset of the attack. He would calm down and I guess it would open up his air passages cuz in a while he'd be resting comfortably. Years later, I asked what was it that they boiled in the pan. I was told it was marijuana stems. I have no reason to questions my grandmother and parents on their actions.

Now remember, this was in the early 60's and the potency of the plant was way less. If you try it...use ONE (1) small stem! LOL

Many of of us older ones grew up with home remedies and not pharmaceuticals as our cure-alls. Anybody remember wearing potato slices under your chin for the mumps? hahaaaa

Hope you outgrow your ills.

[bluebelle]

I can't even begin to imagine what you are going through right now... I can and will add you in m prayers, may you find respite from what ails you,

^ That is so kind, I thank you!

Bloodmoon, I haven't tried Zinc yet, I'll look into that! I'm sorry to hear you've had these issues too, and thank you for the advice. :)

Joe's Dad, I'm pretty sure you're gonna win the prize for most original suggestion in this thread, lol, but I see no reason at all not to try it (starting small, as you suggested!) I'm pretty ready to try something "outside the box." Thank you for the suggestion, I'll be sure to let you know how it works!

[subeeds]

My son has asthma, also. He had not been bothered by his in years, yet this winter it has flared up. We have had a very mild winter and very little rain, so we suspect it's all the pollen in the air causing this. He has almost the same meds as you. give JD's tea a try, also, peppermint tea helps. When you lay down, don't lay flat, prop pillows up and keep your head higher than your chest. All this stuff worked for my son when he was young and they seem to be helping now.

[bluebelle]

My son has asthma, also. He had not been bothered by his in years, yet this winter it has flared up. We have had a very mild winter and very little rain, so we suspect it's all the pollen in the air causing this. He has almost the same meds as you. give JD's tea a try, also, peppermint tea helps. When you lay down, don't lay flat, prop pillows up and keep your head higher than your chest. All this stuff worked for my son when he was young and they seem to be helping now.

One of my bffs just gave me some peppermint tea, so I'll take your suggestion and try that til I can get hold of another friend for his stems, lol. I am pretty good about going to sleep on the propped pillows, but usually sometime in the night my neck gets to hurtin and I wiggle off them in my sleep. >.< Thanks much for your help, and I hope your son's symptoms improve soon too!

[silvermoon2012]

Asthma

I have asthma I understand the frustration that you are feeling girl. Unfortunantly Asthma is the least of my concerns. Right now it is not that bad but the summer it can be unbearable. Good luck with managing your symptoms. You are in my thoughts and prayers.

[bowman]

I had asthma as a child. The doctor first tested to see what I was allergic to by putting an apparatus on my back with needles in it. Each needle had something that people are allergic to on it. This scratched my skin. The doctor checked to see where I had a skin reaction to find out what all my allergies were. Then I started weekly injections in increasingly stronger liquids prepared from the the things I was allergic to. Eventually, I stopped reacting to the things I was allergic to. Now, I have only mild reactions to a few things that I can avoid. Yes, I spent some time in the hospital so before the injection treatments my asthma was bad. I used to think about Jesus on the cross and how he must have felt late at night when I couldn't sleep. Eventually, we moved away from being near a copper smelter that gave off really obnoxious fumes and that probably helped too.

Hope all this helps.

[bowman]

Asthma

The previous post has good information that matches my experience. I would only add two things. Tobacco can be a trigger for some people. A friend told me his doctor told him it was give up smoking or give up breathing. He stopped smoking and he doesn't have "attacks" as frequently. Also, if you have asthma, you will know it. If you have trouble breathing, it is probably asthma or emphysema. I didn't have emphysema, so I will not write about it. Maybe, someone else will write something.

[comadre]

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