in my experience most people in the UK do ask questions and can change
doctors if they wish. the doc won't like it but they can. in fact only last
week the government here advertised the fact patients have a choice to
choose there hospital and doctor

I will admit to being angry at all the wasted time and all the road blocks
(I'm sure they think they are well meaning) folks throw up when the
antibiotics for asthma topic comes up for discussion. But how can I be angry
at you? We have the same problems. Not only do you have asthma, but then
there is the financial loss you suffer with the flooding. Boy, do I know
about that. Maureen has had a similar experience and I know she also knows
what it is like. You.don't feel well enough to cope with it all. I had
surely been there.

I have no way of knowing if the antibiotic cure will benefit you (short of
your going to National Jewish and having a test). I just don't want to see
anyone throw their one chance out because they  are unwilling to take long
term antibiotics. People like Dr Hahn have been facing this for years. They
actually have the answer for so many of us, and no one is listening because
the "Fix" involves antibiotics. The fix is the fix. You can turn it down,
but then you have to deal with your ongoing condition if your problem is C
or M pneumoniae. This is not a big problem for the asthmatics who are well
controlled on meds. But you aren't in that situation if you can't live in
your own house. So then you have to deal with the unknown (the antibiotics
may or may not help) and the unwillingness of your doctors to prescribe the
meds. Most people just give in and don't purse the hope of a cure. It truly
is a shame. Maureen and I were comparing notes once. We are similar in that
we don't let things like that stop us. People may not appreciate being mowed
over as we head for our goal, but think of the benefits of knowing people
like us. Not only did we prevail, but we hang out here hoping others
suffering can make it.

SOB= Short of breath. I forget that not everyone knows that. Been posting
too many years.

I forgot to answer your question several posts back. I did move out of my
flooded house (Kansas), and I didn't get better, but worse. Could be because
I moved to Atlanta, which is not known as having clean air. I did get better
when I moved several miles south of ATL, but wasn't cured. Singulair helped
too and I did start to take that about 5 years ago. Now though, I need
nothing. I lay in bed in the morning and JUST breathe. You don't know how
great it feels -effortless.

Let me fill your in about some of the past posts relating to this issue. The
researchers into asthma/infection connection *think* they can help half the
asthmatics. It isn't clear to me if they don't think they can help the rest
because the cause of their asthma is something else, or if the damage due to
the infection (remodeling) has become permanent so it is basically too late.
I have read several studies which suggest that EVERY kid with asthma-like
symptoms should be placed on long term antibiotics in order to prevent their
condition from becoming permanent. On the other hand, I have read that some
people *think* asthma is caused by antibiotic use which results in allergic
inflammation. Stay tuned. It isn't likely either side has the whole story.
You are really only dealing with your asthma though so you need to know how
you are the same or different from the people who are helped. POST at Jim
Quilan's site. Ask lots of questions! See how their onset was like yours. Or
the triggers.Your goal is to cure yourself because believe me, no one in the
medical profession is going to step up to the plate in a timely manner. I
certainly do believe the researchers will solve the problem - I just don't
think they will do it in the near term.

Meanwhile, you are pretty much right that you have no help coming IMHO.
Everyone seems to think that asthma is SO WELL CONTROLLED on current
medications, that you are just a complainer. I know that isn't true because
it happened to me.  I had a  coughing asthma problem. Coughing in my sleep,
coughing around perfume, coughing, coughing, and more coughing. I never
rested so I was OFTEN dog tired. The docs told me I should have been more
controlled on the meds, but my point was, if people are so well controlled,
why do 5000 people DIE every year in the US of asthma? If you are not well
controlled in your house, why do you think those asthma meds aren't working
for you? You don't have to answer. I know the frustration. Just don't ignore
the possibility that your asthma is caused by infection. I had triggers that
appeared allergic (high ozone days, wet carpets, perfume, thunderstorms). I
was also adult onset after a respiratory problem and my research told me
THAT indicated my problem was infectious. Maureen has more contact with more
people who are helped and not helped than I do. I know for a fact she will
help you determine if you are like the people who are helped. She works very
hard to help everyone who posts in the forum at asthmastory.

Joy

Well - I assume he means that it is approved for long term use for
other indications since nothing is approved for any period of time for
this (specifically at least- see below). Zithromax is a standard drug
for long term use for treatment and prophylaxis of MAC (in severaly
immunosuppressed pts) even if it does not have the offical FDA
approval. In fact, it is profered to Biaxin by most clinitians due to
the decreased drug interactions (a huge issue with HIV and transplant
pts) and the improved tolerability.

A moredirect response to him would be to ask if he ever uses a drug
for "off label" indications (which is impossible not to do and stil
practice medicine)

Finally- Zithromax is FDA approved for treatment of mild to moderate
pneumonia and other respiratory infections and specifically for the
treatment of chlamydia and mycoplasma species. The PDR/FDA does not
make any recommendations as to duration of therapy for any of these
indications so there is a strong argument that the drug is FDA
approved for this purpose.

Yes - the medical lingo would call it an "off label" use. Most people
- and most docs - would be shocked to learn how many of the drugs are
not approved for the indications they happily use them for. Getting
FDA approval is expensive so if the drug is generic, the practice is
already common (so no additional money will be made by getting it
approved), or the condition is unusual there never will be FDA
approval for it.

Like I said above- Zithromax is FDA approved for pneumonia,
bronchitis, and chlamydia and mycoplasma infections. There is no
mention of length of therapy in the approval so I really don't see the
issue. He might be confusing the approval to specifically market 5 and
3 day "paks" with the general indication for the infection.

Anecdotal evidence should not be confused with being synonymous with
evidence from a randomized trial. However, it is a good jumping off
point when planning the trials. Actually, you almost need it since it
will dictate your estimates of power/how large and long you need to go
and warn you of many of the issues you are likely to face and need to
account for.

Like I alluded to - sometimes it gets dropped - sometimes it is
carried with spectacular success. One problem (probably the big
problem) is that there is no consitant unifying authority that sets
any kind of a rational agenda. Even at the CDC and NIH funding is done
in a piecemeal fasion. One would think that if a small study was
funded and showed promisinfg results that the larger study would be a
no-brainer to get funded. Why else fund the small study in the first
place? Similarly - one would think that if someone suggested a small
study that the authority would point out that that work has been done
and that the authors should build on it rather than duplicate it. That
is what any rational being would do.

Are you saying that the people at asthmastory can agree that part of the
defining symptoms are recurring bronchitis, tiredness, headache, sinusitis?
I realize that not everyone has every symptom. But that does match my
history/symptoms. Do you ever have someone who is cured who has none of
these symptoms?