I'm on 5 different meds, and my Asthma isnt getting better. HELP!?
The chest tightness/soreness and PAIN, that is associated with my asthma symptoms are almost a daily occurence sometimes, and they get worse when I'm on the road driving, out somewhere, the mall, basically living my day.
I'm on: singulair, claritin, advair, atrovent, and obvvoiusly albuterol emergency inhaler. Despite all this, it's not controlled at all.
My doctors say theres not much more they can do for me, but thats B*LLShit! I'm very mad, i see all sorts of different drugs, even injections. Why are the docs not helping me out? Just because i can breathe and oxygen levels are fine doesnt mean that my tightness/pressure and PAIN arent there. theyre not deadly i guess, but they make me dizzy like i want to pass out.
Answer:
I have bad asthma too. A couple of years ago I would periodically get this horrendous tightness in my chest making it difficult for me to breathe. It was like the worst asthma attacks possible. I even had to be taken to the ER by ambulance. No one could figure out what the problem was. After quite some time they discovered that I had horrible gallstones and had to have my gallbladder taken out. My gallbladder? What does that have to do with my breathing? I still don't know but they took out my gallbladder and I haven't had the problem since. The point is, it could be something totally unrelated to the asthma. Your symptoms sound a lot like non-asthma stuff like maybe acid reflux, but I'm not a doctor. Get a second opinion or a third. Keep searching until someone listens to you. You should not have to live with this pain. You don't smoke do you?
Drink Mormon Tea .. or doupbe up on the pills.. works like a charm!
maybe you need to see a lung Dr. Perhaps you need pulmonary rehab. Have you tried flonase? You spray it in your nose to block allergens that come in that way
First off I am sorry you are having this problem. Nothing worse than not being able to breath and not getting any relief.
I hope you are aware that advair has a side affect that causes attacks. You need to get to another doctor. Keep going until someone gives you the help you need. Yes what your having can be deadly. You may not be able to get the carbon dioxide out of your lungs which will give you a good 02 reading but you will feel like you still can't breath. It may be time for a nebulizer machine, which will get more of the meds in your lungs and give you some relief. Another thing to do is to get an allergy test done and find what your allergic to. You may have something that you can get a shot for and will lesson your breathing problem. Bottom line is keep a diary of when your worse and get to a lung doctor and an allergist. I am sorry this is all you can do at this point. Animals,trees and the list goes on to things that may be triggers which is why I said keep a diary. It will help you know when and what is going on. Good Luck and Do Not Give Up!! Try another doctor, please.
Asthma is often made worse by living in an environment where there are fine particulates in the air that get down into the lungs. Consider where you are living. Is it in an area with smog problems, or in a rural area with a lot of pollen or coal-powered electric plants upwind?
Many people move to the west coast (clean ocean breezes) or to the southwestern U.S. to escape these environmental problems common elsewhere.
I used to have asthma, but once I moved out of the Midwest with all its rotting corn, mold spores, pollen, and coal electric plants, I'm like a new person.
You also might want to get tested for allergies and get shots if that is a problem.
I think it would be a wise idea for you to find another doctor. With the asthma medications you are on, your asthma should be getting somewhat under control. If you are still having pain, then there is something else going on. Have you ever been tested for gastric reflux? If you have reflux bad enough you can have all of the symptoms you described-plus have asthma symptoms from inhaling fine particles of stomach acid. The main thing though is not to stop seeking treatment until you get some answers. Not all docs are the same, and you will eventually find someone who will be able to diagnose you correctly. Hope you get to feeling better soon!
Advair is trash, throw it away. Is asthmacort on the market anymore? You need a good steroid to be used on a daily basis. Singular is just for allergies and most people don't like it. Claritin is an antihistamine. Atrovent in a bronchial dilator. You need a steroid. Go back to the doctor and make some demands.for a good inhaled corticosteroid that works. (not advair)
Advair has been taken off the market in parts of the world because it simply does not work well.
see some links here-- http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&q=adv...
Just throw the trash away where it belongs and demand you doctor prescribe something that actually works. Asthmacort was always my favorite product for my son's asthma. IT works better than any of the others like tilade(trash) or advair(trash). Just try a good inhaled corticosteroid for daily use and a rescue inhaler. Sometimes you have to be forceful with doctors. Make demands. They get blinded by what the drug companies push. And the drug companies push things for profit not effectiveness.
edit--
There is also another good corticosteroid called pulmacort. I am sure there are others too. A good working corticosteroid does better for asthma than any other drug. Talk to your doctor and have him find you one that actually works. And honestly, people have died on advair because it simply doesn't work. You need something that works.
Do you know your asthma triggers and are you making an attempt to avoid those triggers?
Do you have an asthma action plan? Do you track your signs and symptoms with peak flow readings every day in a diary?
Do you clean your bedding and bed room on a regular basis?
Do you let pets sleep with you or sleep in your bed during the day?
Do you smoke? Have you ever smoked? Could it be more then just asthma?
Ask your Dr. to change your Atrovent med to Spiriva. It is so much better.
Also, you really need to be aware of your asthma triggers..
some of your symptons sound like you are ODing with the albuterol. Be careful.
good luck
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