Asthma anyone

[harley89]

Okay I am 55 and was told about 6 months ago I had asthma(which explains why I sometimes would stop breathing)  I have my primary control med which works great and I have a rescue inhaler which I have finally learned to keep with me. I dont have sudden onset often in fact its pretty rare but when I do it goes straight to unable to breathe nothing in between. I was hoping someone here could perhaps clue me into those symtoms that may indicate a problem is on the way. I have learned to use the rescue inhaler when I hear and feel wheezing in my chest but just wondered if there were others that I am missing.  It is very unnerving when you suddenly lose the ability to breathe.  I have read web md  but sometimes clinical doesnt compare to real experiences people have.   

[Stinkerbell]

My daughter has asthma and she says that she starts to feel like her chest is swelling, getting tighter and over time (minutes or seconds) it just gets harder and harder to breathe. She said she doesn't get anything overly obvious happening, it's just a subtle tightness in her chest/lung area and as soon as she uses her inhaler it goes away.

Sorry I can't be of more help, but from what we learned going through specialists, etc., is that symptoms can be very different for different people.

[harley89]

Thanks Stinker.  I am beginning to realize that it does vary from person to person.   I guess what bug me most is the lack of anything prior to it happening. My 7 yr old grandson was so sweet last itme I had one. We had walked into the house after school  and I sat down and WHAM I could not breathe. I heard him yell I GOT IT GRANDMA. Little devil had the inhaler in my hand real quick and sat by my side until it passed.

[Stinkerbell]

Awww, that was so sweet of him! What a cutie!  My daughter hasn't had a bad attack in awhile. It's really hit and miss with her which is why we don't use the daily medication. It's not needed, and I hate over medicating. She still keeps an inhaler in her purse though, because she never knows what might trigger an attack. Often times they occur when her allergies are at their worse.

Good luck, my sweet friend. I hope you can learn to read your own warning signs and not be caught in the midst of a bad attack unprepared.

*hugs*

[Squid]

I've seen those awful asthma attacks... they're awful.  I wish I had some words of advice, Harley, but I don't.  I'm glad you have the rescue inhaler with you at all times now.

[disneyland lady]

I am allergic to lots of different types of woods and palm trees being one of them. Go figure.... San Diego has a few of them and one right outside my house. Things are worse in April and May when Palms give off their pollen. I use ADVAIR discus which has been the best one for use as an inhaler. Since it is round it also is easy for me to find while digging in my purse plus it is purple so stands out. You need a prescription for it but many doctors will give you a couple of 50 shot ones for you to try out.

[twinkle6590]

I myself have asthma and have had this since I was 10. Spring time and Summer are my worst enemies and in the winter when the air is bad I really get in troubles. I also use an Advair inhaler and I have my regular inhaler (albuterol) with me at all times. I also have a portable nebulizer that I take with me where ever I go. I have one at home too and it hs saved me many a trips to the doctor. I know when I need to use my nebulizer and when it is time to call the dr. I would check into seeing if you can get  yourself a portable nebulizer for when you are out and your inhaler just isnt doing the trick. They are small enough to carry in your purse and very easy to use. I love summer time and the flowers and all but when you are only functioning on one lung, pollen and other irritants make your world very miserable. I hope i have helped you some and wish you good health and all that other good stuff. p.s.s You might want to check into an advair discus as well as someone else said up above. Just remember when using that, make sure you have some water with you so you can rinse your mouth out afterwards or you could develop thrush because you are inhaling a steroid and sometimes part of it lingers in your mouth.

[harley89]

Yeah that Advair is wicked and I rinse like crazy after using it. It controls it very well. I rarely have sudden onset but not being able to breathe suddenly is unnerving.  I dont have allergies at all. I read up on it I have what is called adult onset asthma.  Appears it happens mostly to women that are menopausal(if that alone isnt enough) . Sorry I just heard a strange noise out my backdoor and guess what a wild turkey was strutting across my yard.  I do have one thing I must confess I have smoked for over 30 years and still do and I have one MD not real happy about that. Problem is I make my own and before the tax increase kicked in I brought in a years supply.  Got a basement full of Gambler Light. 

[twinkle6590]

If thats your worst habit you got then you got it made. My neighbor has asthma (so bad its all she can do to walk to the kitchen w/o losing her breath). She smokes non stop and also is on oxygen because shes developed emphysema. I use to go over and visit her but I am unable to do that anymore because I have built up an allergic reaction to cigarette smoke. Not only that but im afraid to go visit her because she smokes while shes got her oxygen on.    I asked her if she had any idea how dangerous that was or what damage she could not only do to herself but to the apartment building we all ive in and the people that live here. Her reply is well if your asking me to quit smoking im not going to and im sure not turning my oxygen off. so if for some reason you dont see me on here anymore its because the dingbat neighbor i have has blown us all up in the building. lol.

anyways, i forgot to tell you that my dr also just started me on singulair 2 months ago and i have already noticed an improvement in my asthma. i can actually stop and smell the flowers without knowing a wheezing fit is coming up. that might be something to check into as well. (if you arent already taking that.) either way good luck with it and hopefully you can get it under control. i still battle with mine but i have saved myself quite a few trips to the dr. with the things i have now.

[Stinkerbell]

My mom is a heavy smoker. She can't go 10 minutes without a smoke. She has a neighbor who also smokes and uses oxygen. Yeeegads!

[harley89]

My mom is a heavy smoker. She can't go 10 minutes without a smoke. She has a neighbor who also smokes and uses oxygen. Yeeegads!

Im not that bad about a pack a day.  Using oxygen and smoking is dangerous  you can blow stuff up that way not to mention people.  I just have not learned to handle that feeling you get when it hits you.  I have I guess what you would call a mini panic attack along with it.  And because mine seem to just hit it gets real scarry. Not to bad when someone is here but man if Im alone I do freak.  And I am alone for about 10 hours a day.  Thats why I get into so much trouble. AS my Grandmother always said (and every other southern Granny) Idle hands are the devils workshop

[Stinkerbell]

Im not that bad about a pack a day.  Using oxygen and smoking is dangerous  you can blow stuff up that way not to mention people.  I just have not learned to handle that feeling you get when it hits you.  I have I guess what you would call a mini panic attack along with it.  And because mine seem to just hit it gets real scarry. Not to bad when someone is here but man if Im alone I do freak.  And I am alone for about 10 hours a day.  Thats why I get into so much trouble. AS my Grandmother always said (and every other southern Granny) Idle hands are the devils workshop

And the mini panic attack adds to the feeling of the asthma attack. It's like it feeds it, somehow. I know, we lived it with my daughter. One of the big reasons we started homeschooling was because she was constantly having attacks at school and it was because the ventilation system was so bad and they could/would do nothing about it. She had resp. problems all the time. After we took her out, the infections stopped and the asthma got much better.

[harley89]

Next time I have attack Im catching plane to come to your house

[Stinkerbell]

Next time I have attack Im catching plane to come to your house

Bring the mini-bar!