Asthma Questions...

[LisaM 0]

Well I don't have asthma.

In March I had pneumonia and was given Abuterol to help with the breathing. After I got "healthy" I seemed to have exercise induced asthma. I got extra inhalers. At one point my doctor told me it was allergies and I needed to treat that. I did Clariton and a nose spray and for the first time my cough & breathing issues went away in early August.

Got sick again a bit ago and the cough came back and so did the breathing issues. I didn't think I should have to use the Abuterol like that so I went to another doc (mine of course was out all week.. I hate that). She gave me Advair to use for 2 weeks and cough meds with codeine so I could sleep. At the same time I started the Clariton & nose sprays again and the cough and breathing issues got better. I did not need the Abuterol at all after about a day into the Advair.

I stopped the Advair two days ago and the slight cough is coming back and so is the wheezing. I also forgot to take Clariton and have slacked on the nose spray.

I guess I am answering my own question that I need to keep up with the allergy meds. I asked the doc if I had asthma and she just says "who knows" but I find it odd this all started from the pneumonia.

And with my allergies prior to the pneumonia I have never had breathing issues ever.

Anyone else deal with something similar? Will I be like this forever? It's driving me nuts.

~ Lisa
~ Do you Rigminder?

[CMiller 1]

It's probably just allergy related. As a child I was told I had asthma, but as I grew older and consequently grew out of most of my allergies, my asthma related symptoms have vanished, meaning it was probably related to the allergies in the first place.

You may or may not grow out of your allergies like I have, but you can always consider allergy shots.

[LadiDadi 0]

Depending on the type of pneumonia you had and the severity and duration, etc. it can cause scarring that will trigger asthma - or so I'm told. I'm not a doctor.

I have asthma that is triggered by two things - seasonal allergies and temperature.

What happens to me is this: I go from breathing cold air to breathing warm air or vice versa and *boom* asthma attack. It's worse if I'm out of breath (like from exercise).

I haven't needed an inhaler in over a year but went to my doc to get one since I'm new to skydiving. I know that, if I ever get back out there again, breating the cold air during a jump followed by going inside to warm air will cause one.

It really isn't a big deal, just one more thing to have to carry with you.

Three tips for you -

One ask your doctor for a spacer. That's the contraption you put on the end of your inhaler to make sure you get the medication into your lungs properly.

Two is that you wait at least a full two or three minutes between your first and second puffs. The first puff will take down the swelling higher up and the second will get deeper down. If you do them back to back, the medication won't get all the way into your lungs.

The third tip is that you don't hit the inhaler right before you jump. Albuterol can make you shaky and a bit dizzy and that could have dire consequences.

If you can't laugh at yourself, I'll be happy to do it for you.
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Be like the cupcake and suck it up.

[kbordson 8]

Asthma is a reversible airway disease that can have different symptoms (some have the typically problems breathing, some have a cough varient) and different triggers (exercise, seasonal allergies)

It is quite possible that the pneumonia injured the lungs so that now they are more reactive and when exposed to the triggers, the small bronchials swell and constrict. The fact that the medicines help you to breathe so much better reinforces (but isn't diagnostic) for asthma.

Give your lungs a few months to recover. Then talk to your doc about getting pulmonary function testing to fully evaluate your respiratory status.

Until then... I hope that you're able to begin breathing easier.

[LisaM 0]

Thanks to all of you for replying. I stopped the Advair again but am keeping on the Clariton and we'll see how I do. If it does turn out to be allergies I will look into the shots.

~ Lisa
~ Do you Rigminder?