This spring has been quite different from the last dozen I've lived through.

5 years ago I felt like asthma was taking over my life. I was miserably sick
all of the time-coughing, hacking, and very scared when I really felt my
breathing was impaired. My asthma had never been that bad before.

I decided to really work at fixing my health. Unfortunately it wasn't that
easy as I'm in an HMO...but was able to get referrals to all the right
people.

The one that I thought was the biggest waste of time was the allergist-first
with weekly shots, then after 18 months every 2 weeks. I went in and
complained that it wasn't doing anything for me, nothing had improved-I
really didn't notice a difference at that time. The shots another year later
went down to every 3 weeks-I complained about the swelling from the
shots-they changed the dosage to the same every time, so no more itching and
swelling. Another year later, I've been getting allergy shots only every 4
weeks. It's no longer a big block of time to get my shots. And wow, maybe it
is helping?

At the beginning of 2005, I started (with my pulmonologists approval) to
slowly stop my inhalers (foradil and pulmicort).

It was easy going down to just one foradil and 1/2 pulmicorts a day-but as
soon as I stopped it all completely, I got a cold (and got scared) and went
right back on to the minimal dose. A week later (wow that's quick!!) I was
able to stop, and I've been off them completely since March.

I still take one Allegra daily and one Nexium daily (and carry an
Albuterol-but haven't used it). The GERD wasn't diagnosed until 3 years ago,
but I really think that the Nexium (I took 2 daily for 2 years) had the
biggest impact on my asthma. I'd like to slowly stop these too, but I'm
nervous.

A year and a half ago, my doc agreed to treat me with long-term antibiotics
IF I continued getting so sick regularly-and then I stopped getting sick-
the horrible cycle of changing inhalers, and adding antibiotics and steroids
has stopped (I hope forever). I never had to start the long-term antibiotic
treatment.

I don't know if it was just one drug or the many that helped me get
healthy--or is it timing? My kids are 9 and 13, fewer colds and flu were
coming home from school this year. I guess I'll never know, but I sure would
like to figure it out so that I don't ever have to start the cycle again.

This newsgroup has been very helpful- often giving lots of good information
and support. Thanks!

Karen