Seems Never Ending

By jentmarinewife

1 min read

I’ve been an asthmatic for around 20 years and the last 3 years have been the worse for me. I have been to an allergist to see if my asthma revolves around allergies and it seems to be why I have such horrible symptoms. I’ve been through the police academy and I coached soccer for my twins which involved running the fields with them with zero asthma flare-ups! I’ve been hospitalized 4 times with in the last 12 months with hospital stays for 7-10 days in duration!

Asthma and fall allergies

I’m currently an RN and this has taken a toll not only in my personal life but with my job as well. I take every precaution necessary to not have these flare-ups but here I am and it's the beginning of November which means it’s the asthma season. I’m awake at 4 am with increased mucus in my lungs and wheezing (which makes my anxiety high). I’m drinking hot chocolate and I took 40mg of prednisone and using my rescue inhaler! Oh and by the way I was 135lbs a year ago and I now weigh 190lbs which has caused me to feel depressed.

Side effects of allergies

What I can say is prednisone and solumedrol for long periods of time will have these effects. It’s a horrible feeling since I’ve always been in shape, worked out but now I can’t. I’ve been losing weight but my fear is another episode and boom sitting in a hospital yet again on steroids. I’m open to any suggestions to help with my asthmatic flare-ups!

Thank you so very much

—- desperately seeking help

Jenny T, Indiana

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Lynida Jo Harper, MPA, BSRT, RRT, AE-C Moderator
HI Jenny - Thank you for sharing your story with us. Obviously something has changed in the last few years that you need to get answers to. My first thought would have been developing allergies - but you said you went to an allergist, and I'm assuming that came back negative? You didn't mention the type of ongoing treatment that your pulmonologist has you on. Obviously you have a rescue inhaler, but what else? What type of maintenance medications do you take? I would start with there and speak to your doctor about adding/changing/adjusting your daily medications. - Lyn (site moderator)
janinka Member
Sounds like part of my problem. I also have a thcken center wall of my heart, and have been coughing 2 years. I try to avoid prednisone but need it. My cardiologist doesn't seem to give credence to my asthma/cough and acted incredulous that I don't walk every day. It's winter. I'm up to 190#! I'm 74 and so run down. I'm also severely anemic and have scarred vocal cords from "cough, acid, cough"! Doing tests. Ct showed nodules in upper left lobe, 5-6 cm? Very frustrated. Triggers are cold air, caffeine, dairy, cigarette smoke, activity. Am accumulating drs who don't know what to do.
gogadawgs3 Member
I have been there m! I was on 80 mg of prednisone a day just to be able to breathe. It was horrible. Countless ER visits and hospitalizations. I went to Vanderbilt Hospital to see a top specialist and they diagnosed me with both types of asthma.... Yay me! Obstructive and allergic asthma. I am an over achiever. LOL! I have to laugh so I do not cry. Have you tried allergy shots. I did those twice and they helped my allergic asthma. I had a Bronchial Thermaplastey (BT) for my obstructive asthma. You might want to talk to your doctor about a BT. Yours seems severe enough for one. It will not cure you but it will help to reduce to ER visits and hospital stays. They will need to determine which kind you have first. If it is allergic asthma then allergy shots and the new eosinophils asthma medicine may work for you. If it obstructive asthma then a BT might work for you.
1. Leon Lebowitz, RRT Moderator & Contributor
 Hi again, Gogadawgs3, and thanks for lending your support and encouragement here. Did you find the bronchial thermoplasty procedure was successful for you? For our readers who are not familiar with this procedure, this article may shed some more light on the topic: <a href='https://asthma.net/treatment/bronchial-thermoplasty' target='_blank'>https://asthma.net/treatment/bronchial-thermoplasty/</a>. Wishing you well, Leon (site moderator <a href='https://asthma.net' target='_blank'>asthma.net</a>)