Sorry I haven't been able to reply to your posts to me. I have a nasty bout of asthma and I've been on steroids for 3 days but it seems to be getting a little worse now.
I'll write as soon as I feel better and get this sorted out.
Sorry to hear about this issue. Sounds like you could use antibiotics also. So often an asthma attack is often precipitated by a lung infection. If a person isn't coughing up junk the doctors can get behind the 8 ball pretty fast.
One of the lastest things that the doctors have finally figured out is that when non asthmatics come in with pneumonia and severe bronchitis they will give antibiotics and an inhaler. They finally figured out that with infection comes swelling and with swelling comes the shortness of breath, wheezing and coughing fits. People recover so much better with the inhaler. Good luck and let us know how you are doing. Irish
Thanks, Irish.
I'm on antibiotics, breathing treatments, steroids, tussinex, , the works! Just finished my 6 am breathing treatment. I can hear rales, wheezing and not coughing up hardly anything. It's deep. I don't think I've ever had asthma this bad. Doc gave me a 13 day pill pack of steroids (DEXPAC). I'll be so wild after taking those that I"ll be miserable but I don't want to think what I"d be like w/out the steroids.
Doc gave me a choice of coming in everyday for antibiotic and steroid IV's or taking the meds at home. I chose home. No way am I going to be in a petri dish room of contagion to get IV meds. (or be admitted) My experience in the hospital has been very unpleasant so I prefer to be at home.
I'm also using the menthol cough suppressant lozenges which keep my throat moist.
You are so right with the inflammation comment. My son had asthma from age 3 so I would take him in immediately for steroids when he had a cold...it always turned into pneumonia. That wasn't true for me at all until now. I hope by the time I start my steroid taper I"ll be turning the corner.
The problem with us sjoggies is that the mucus in our lungs is so thick that we can't cough it up and there is not that much of it. One thing you might try---this sounds crazy---is to wear a face mask while you sit around at home.
When you do this you rebreathe the moisture that you exhale and it helps to loosen the mucus up.I learned this little trick many, many years ago. I have worn a mask for years when working in the garden and this is when I noticed that the mucus was easier to bring up.
Also, doing some walking or some physical exercise will stimulate the lungs to loosen up so that you can cough up the junk. Also, try asking your doc to order sterile saline in 3 cc amps and add it to the albuterol. This really helps loosen things up. I have 6 cc of saline that I add to the albuterol..
Do a search on this little saline and albuterol treatment and respiratory therapy and you will be so surprised at the info out there and how many places are using this treatment. Good luck. Irish
Do you also use a vaporizer? My Dr. recommends those when I get bad asthma. I feel your pain. I had to be moved at work b/c I found out there was something on that side of the building making me sick. I got better at home and over the weekends. It was a horrible 6 weeks though and we could not make the asthma go away until I was removed from what was causing it.
I hope you feel better soon!!
I'm so glad I checked this site before trying to sleep. Irish, the extra saline makessense to help loosen the gunk. Yes, it's thick and rattly, and I can't cough it up.
I'll use the face mask but don't have one at the moment. Deb, I thought about getting a vaporizer yesterday but ended up not getting it. Sounds like your solution and Irish's accomplishes the same thing, so I'll try.
Tonight is going to probably be rough. My lungs are purring....death rattle sounding. not good. At least the fever broke.
Doc gave me a real low dose of steroids as it's only 1.5 mg. each pill, and I'm to take 3 before breakfast and 3 after dinner. That's only 9 mg /day. Standard dose is starting at 40 mg / day. I am guessing she started me low due to my experience in the past of turning into a mean girl.
Thanks for the suggestions and the help and concern. Very much appreciated.
Tinker, I also have a facial sauna that heats us a small amount of distilled water. I then can place my face inside the plastic piece and breathe the humidified air. It actually does work better thaqn a humidifier and the steam is warm. It is much safer than the old fashioned heating water in a pan on the stove. Very little chance of burning your lungs.
Also, I just use the regular oral nebulizer with the albuterol and sterile saline and it works great. Irish
Something is going around. I have never had asthma and this winter I got progressively sicker for over 8 weeks before I turned the corner and recovered. I almost went to the ER which for me is tantamount to being REALLY sick. I now have an inhaler but did go and have a chest x ray and a CT scan and whatever the breathing into a machine is and I am all back to normal. It was super scary while it occurred and they say it was a bad virus circulating.
WEll, I made it through last night. But since I can't bring much of this crud up, I feel like it's building up in my lungs. I feel more gurgly than ever and my lungs sound like I swallowed a breathing, gurlgling, crackling ALIEN.
Been sitting up to breathe every night as I can't breathe w/out doing this. I'm seeing the doc again tomorrow for a follow up. JUmping out oif my skin from the steroids and albuterol... Ugh, I"ll be glad when I'm over this.
I'm hoping I can continue to stay at home and finally get over this. Sure hope they can give me something to stop the jitters And sleep. I'm jumpy, can't focus, and pretty miserable.
Yikes - that sounds terrible Tinker :'( I'm praying that your doctor pays attention tomorrow and does what needs to be done to deal with the issue quickly.
My maternal instinct is to wrap you up in a nice warm blanket and take you to the ER...
Sending you hugs and healing energies... Keep sending us updates. We care.
You would be wise to call your doc and talk to his nurse and let them know just how bad your lungs are. Just because you are on certain meds doesn't mean that there is something that will work better. You may well need to be admitted to the hospital for intense IV antibiotics and monitoring. You sound like this is getting worse. Please don't wait and get worse. Let us know how you are getting along. Irish
I agree with Irish. You sound like you are sicker. Please call your doctor now. Is someone with you?
You should not be alone! I know you don't like hospitals but sometimes they are necessary. Please let us know how you are doing.
I have been accused of being over protective and of being a worry wort but I agree with Irish on this. Better to be safe than sorry!
You sound like you are really sick! Please let us know how you are doing.
Kathy
Hey guys,
Thanks for your concern. I did see the PA on Wed and just posted about that under "Red spots, etc. ( I can't remember)
I brought all this up to the PA because I had to let her know I was concerned I wasn't getting better. Since I"m done with antibiotics and tapering the steroids now, I'm watching to make sure I don't backslide. I am feeling better as of Thurs afternoon.
If I backslide, I'm going to a pulmonologist and since it's weekend, I'll have to go the ER. But, I am feeling better as of now.
Head2Toe, I'll take that security blanket and how!
I am not alone, my daughter took me to the doc Wed. and my husband is around, too.
Going back to sleep now if I can. Thanks for all your support.
Tinker,
Thanks for posting how you are doing. This probably sounds stupid but I was worried! So glad you are not alone!😀
Kathy