Adult Asthma - Preventer not working any more

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Bri - 01 Nov 2007 22:05 GMT

Hi,

I've been on a preventer puffer for about 3 weeks now. It was working well
for me but now I seem to be having to use the Ventolin again more often.
It's usually on days where its warm and even though I have bad hayfever my
breathing is ok. When it starts to cool in the evening, My chest gets all
tight and I keep coughing when I breath out. I need to use the Ventolin
then.

I thought it would have been the hayfever causing me problems but it seems
to be the cool air instead.

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miles - 02 Nov 2007 01:42 GMT

> Hi,
>
[quoted text clipped - 7 lines]
> I thought it would have been the hayfever causing me problems but it seems
> to be the cool air instead.

Could be many things. Cold air gets to me as well. Are you having
drainage down the back of your sinuses? Usually you can feel that
irritation but a sinus cat scan can see if you have drainage, pollups
etc. Your Dr. should determine if going to a ENT or allergist or other
specialist may help.

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Dragonfly - 03 Nov 2007 22:21 GMT

On Nov 1, 2:05 pm, "Bri" <brionyangusSAYNO2S...@optusnet.com.au>
wrote:

> I thought it would have been the hayfever causing me problems but it seems
> to be the cool air instead.
>
> --
> B - Australia

Cold air does that to a LOT of people with asthma. I can't tolerate
cold air and will cough and cough and cough until I get to where the
air is warmer. One way to see if its just the cold air is to wrap a
thick, warm scarf around your neck and over your mouth and nose. The
air that you breath in is held close to your body and thus warms up.
It may help. If it does, then you can probably safetly assume its the
cold air and not something else. If it doesn't help, that doesn't
mean it is not cold air, but tests from your doctor would probably
help pinpoint the reason.

Something else to think about, how often do you take the preventative
inhaler? I started off taking Qvar twice a day, once when I woke up
and once before I went to bed. It worked well for a few weeks, but I
started having breathing problems late afternoon, into the evening.
The Qvar had all left my system by late afternoon. Once I was taking
the Qvar three times a day, the problems I had in the evening went
away.

In any case, DEFINITELY talk to your doctor about this! We're talking
about you not being able to breath right, that is always something to
take VERY seriously and not something to wait on.. :/ Hope you and
your doc can find a way to beat this and get you to being able to
breath easily as soon as possible. Breathing problems are never fun.

Dragonfly

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Bri - 07 Nov 2007 02:49 GMT

I've been to my doctor. He did a Peak Flow Test (1st time I've had one).
It was 4.5. Not sure what than means but he said it was good. Figured it
would be considering I usually am fine during the middle of the day.

He has taken me off the preventer I was using (Flixotide) and put me on to
Seretide instead. The Seritide isn't a puffer. It's a purple UFO shaped
thing that you have to suck on. Bit strange but as long as it works. Same
thing, I have to use it twice a day and see how I go with that.

My gosh these medications cost a fortune. )o:

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> On Nov 1, 2:05 pm, "Bri" <brionyangusSAYNO2S...@optusnet.com.au>
> wrote:
[quoted text clipped - 29 lines]
>
> Dragonfly

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miles - 07 Nov 2007 03:45 GMT

> I've been to my doctor. He did a Peak Flow Test (1st time I've had one).
> It was 4.5. Not sure what than means but he said it was good. Figured it
[quoted text clipped - 6 lines]
>
> My gosh these medications cost a fortune. )o:

You really need to see a pulmonologist. No way would I just rely on a
primary care physician for chronic respiratory problems even minor.

Right now I'm on Spiriva and QVar. They help me considerably where most
other drugs failed. Have fewer side effects as well.

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Dragonfly - 11 Nov 2007 03:05 GMT

On Nov 6, 6:49 pm, "Bri" <brionyangusSAYNO2S...@optusnet.com.au>
wrote:

I've been using a purple ufo-looking thing for almost a year now,
though mine is called advair. It works a lot better than my old
maintenance inhaler (Qvar, in the more common aerosol style of
inhaler). If it gets too expensive to where you can't afford it,
talk to your doctor about trying some cheaper inhalers. Or, look in
to the drug company's website, a lot of them offer free medications to
low-income people.

The peak flow meter is good, but only really gives full benefits if
you continually record your peak flow meter score to establish a
baseline reading specific for YOU. Then you and your doctor can track
your breathing over time and determine just if the inhaler helps and
if so, by how much, and other useful things like that.

Dragonfly

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Bri - 13 Nov 2007 21:25 GMT

I've been on the Seritide now for a week. It seems to be helping more than
the Flixotide did but I still get short of breath early evening as the air
cools down again. Probably need to use Ventolin every second night at the
moment. Hopefully as we get warmer weather that will get better too.

Looking back I've realised that I've had trouble with shortness of breath
for quite a few years. Probably since I moved down south which would have
been 7 years ago. Prior to that I lived in the tropics and don't recall
ever having a problem. It was only a couple of months ago that I started
wheezing after a bought of Bronchitis.

Still thinking about asking for a referral to a specialist but for the
moment I'm feeling happier about the GP. He does seem to know his stuff.
My first impression was obviously wrong.

Thanks

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> On Nov 6, 6:49 pm, "Bri" <brionyangusSAYNO2S...@optusnet.com.au>
> wrote:
[quoted text clipped - 24 lines]
>
> Dragonfly

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