I a SO Effed Off with my Asthma.....

[pofacedandproud]

I haven't had symptoms for 8 years and suddenly since October I've been struggling with bronchitis and the worst asthma I have ever had. Struggling for breath walking back from ds's school this morning. Back on inhaled steroids for the first time since childhood. Wtf is going on? Anyone else struggling this year? Anyone got any tips for getting better apart from steroids and ventolin? [short of moving to a mountain in Switzerland]I am so depressed about it. Would have to be the year of the swine flu too. Any asthmatics out there?

hi ladies, another one here having a crap time just now, had an awful virus over the weekend now my chest is awful, am ususally on Qvar 100mcg twice a day and never need my ventolin, but on qvar 200mcg twice a day and oral steroids for 5 days ans amoxicillan for a week, am really down havent had this for years, had SF jab last thurs and next day had a temp of 40 but think this was brewing before jab

Can i join in too?
I've been having bad attacks at the moment, the worst I've been for 20 years. I'm on my second lot of prednisolone in 2 weeks, I'm taking fluticasone, salmeterol, singulair and salbutamol, on top of antihistamines.
I finish this course of steroids in a few days, and I'm terrified of ending up a wheezing wreck again.
It does seem to be a bad time for asthmatics at the moment.
My mother suggested Aloe Vera (stabilised gel?) which apparently helps to control inflammation - I tried it, but it was so vile I couldn't swallow it, but it might work for those of you with a better gag reflex than me!
The other thing that I'm going to try is Manuka honey - this tip was from my Dr - I haven't a clue why it would help, but it must taste better than the aloe vera.

Oh, everyone's welcome in the wheezy corner

Interesting, seaglass. Although I'm always a little wary of anything that costs a lot and only has testimonials as it's main form of evidence. Can't find anything specific by googling - interesting that your GP recommended.

The only alternative therapy that looks promising (though not enough studies have been done so far) are breathing techniques. Again, not time to chuck away the drugs, but may at least ease the need for relievers if only to relax and take away the panic effects that make asthma attacks so much worse.

sympathies seaglass and ellielou. Apparently the UK the worst country in the world for asthma - what is going on here?

Somewhere clean and warm. That is difficult. Er, maybe a Croatian Island?

When everyone is feeling well enough I recommend regular running. I am clearer and less wheezy when I am doing reasonably long and regular runs. Free and has no side-effect (well not bad ones)

just running up the stairs at the moment is a fantasy

Well yes, get back to good health first.

I was saying to DH this morning I am def going to do more exercise when I am better, I was enjoying going out on my bike in the summer but when the cold hit the back of my throat it was really tight! DH doesnt understand how tired I feel when asthma is bad. The Croatian Island sounds good pp I havent been on holiday for so long def going next year though!

my dh is not particularly understanding either. Unless he sees me fighting for breath in a full blown attack he says things like 'well you seem ok at the moment' Yes, that is because I have just dosed myself up to the nines with steroids and ventolin. grrr.

I'm also struggling with my asthma more this year than ever before and ended up with oral steroids last week. I still feel and sound like a geriatric smoker.

we haven't been on holiday for ages either. I'm going to force dh to go next year even if it is on the credit card..

That's the thing I find really hard to explain to non-asthmatics actually, that by the time you hear an audible wheeze/see the effects of breathlessness then things have got bad.

I found it interesting measuring peak flow as a teenager. My lung function would drop to almost a quarter of its normal capacity before I even noticed that I was slightly struggling and long long before anyone else would have noticed that anything is wrong. The wheeze is just the tip of a very very large iceberg.

so many people think it is psychosomatic too. My older sister used to make me run around the playground without my inhaler telling me to think myself out of an attack Stress has little effect on my asthma actually.

Can you ever get off inhaled steroids once you are on them? do your lungs get used to them and then you can't get off?

Yes, you can get off them, po. Both my nephew and niece in Australia have done so. They seemed to grow out of asthma. Incidentally, Australia has huge asthma numbers as well.

I second the running. Both my two do crosscountry and I do think it helps to keep their lungs healthy and strong so that if they do get a bug or some other trigger there's a bit of ooomph there to counter it. My son was told at his last checkup that his lung capacity is above average, despite his asthma. He was really chuffed.

If we all chipped in a little we could buy a group island. Baggsy us for late August, when they cut the crops round here!

I know of several people who 'grew out' of asthma (basically slowly dropped the steroids over time as they didn't need them - one of the reasons for the annual asthma check up) so it is possible.

However, mine seems to be going through phases. I was diagnosed at the age of 8, had a big flare ups at ages 14, 21, 26 and 30, so no signs of it going away any time soon for me

I thought I had grown out of it.

The other thread reminded me - how are you feeling today, pofaced? (And everyone else for that matter?)

Was chatting to another mum in the playground this morning and she was saying how there seemed to be much more problems with asthma this season than normal.

My voice has started to come back today, am now just sounding a bit husky . However, am much more breathless so guess I've got a few more days to go yet.

thanks RD, steroids starting to kick in I think, have even forgotten about my breathing once or twice. Just hate steroids!

I feel a bit of a fool, perhaps if I'd taken antibiotics when they were prescribed I could have knocked this on the head, I don't know if there is any point to taking them now, when only asthma is left, no coughing.