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Posted 7/24/2008 8:55 AM (GMT -7)
Hi. I was diagnosed with asthma about a month and a half ago. I've been told I have mild persistent asthma and am taking 720mcg of pulmicort a day. I have an albuterol rescue inhaler for attacks. I have some weird symptoms that I believe are caused by asthma but my pulminologist keeps saying they are not. I have chest pain on the left side and can't sleep on that side because I wake up and can't breathe. It seems to be better on the right side but I still wake up at night with shortness of breath. I have chest pressure when I lay on my back. I had a sleep study done to check for sleep apnea and other sleep disorders and was told I stopped breathing 5 times while laying on my back but was also told this was normal and I don't have apnea (I'm not sure how this is normal!) I also get pain in my back and neck, tingling/numbness in my arms, hands, and face on a daily basis, often feel short of breath, get heart palpitations, cramps in my legs and feet at night, and rattling in my chest. I have had every type of test done (blood work, heart tests, met with every kind of specialist) and have been told that everything is normal, except I have asthma. It took 6 months to diagnose me with asthma because my lung function tests kept coming back normal. I finally had a methacholine test and that came back positive.

I guess my questions are:

1. Are these symptoms caused from asthma not being properly controlled and should it take this long for pulmicort to control my symptoms?

2. I have asthma attacks about twice a week. Is this normal for mild persistent asthma?

3. I can't seem to get a peak flow reading above 370 and it's usually 350. Is that normal? I'm 33, female, am 5'5" and weigh 115. Until recently, I ran 4-5 days a week. This seems really low for someone with mild persistent asthma.

4. Do others who have asthma experience these same symptoms?

5. Will my symptoms get better or will I always feel this way. I'm starting to get depressed.

Thanks for your help!

Posted 7/24/2008 12:40 PM (GMT -7)
Hi sth,i'll help you with 5.Your symptoms will get better,but it might take you a little while.I know it can get depressing,I've had it for 14 years.When you start to get depressed do something to take you mind off of it.Do something you love to do.I play basketball or read the encyclopedia or go for a walk or the movies.Don't let asthma rule your life.
Posted 7/24/2008 2:09 PM (GMT -7)
I think you need to talk to your doctor about your symptoms and have him reevaluate your medications. If your still having these symptoms, always short of breath, you might need to get on a low dose of Advair or Symbicort which contains a long acting bronchodialator. Asthma attacks about twice a week I would say is mild but then again you say you are short of breath so those symptoms should be included. There are different sources for peak flows, I am right where you are and I am 29 5'6 110 lbs. about 380 is normal for my age and height. I have been going through this too and was diagnosed with mild asthma. Although I feel short of breath all the time, and have issues with reflux which makes it worse. Sometimes I wander if it really is asthma as the medication I am on hasn't completely relieved my symptoms and I am on the highest dose of Symbicort. Been through this for two months now. Good luck to you hope you do get better.
Posted 7/24/2008 2:46 PM (GMT -7)
My nine year old had simialr simptoms, a lot of breathing problems and heart palpitations. Different meds were administrated with no avail until we decided to try non-invesive, more natural approach to the problem. We changed his diet all together with all natural and vegeterian food. We reduced all obviouis toxins around his life. Our living quarter was changed to reflect the new attitude, carpets out, no pets, no dust. We think the biggest improvment came after we painted entire four bedroom house with a paint called Caliwel. My husband's asthma was nearly eliminated and my son went from weekly checking in hospital to no checking AT ALL for the past 9 months! It is common sense some of these things that we all like to forgo in exhange for swallowing pills and think that should take care of the problem.
Posted 7/25/2008 6:40 AM (GMT -7)
Thanks for the responses! I will definitely talk with my doctor again and will try some of the suggested natural remedies.

Posted 7/27/2008 9:04 AM (GMT -7)
It might help if you get allergy testing to find out what might be causing your asthma to flair and keep a side diary on when your asthma is at it worse and the time of day your getting flairs. Take this diary to your doctor and it could help pin point your triggers.
Many many things can trigger Asthma other than Allergies and Gerd (acid reflux). Cold air is a big trigger for me, so I don't usually visit family in the winter months up north.
Be careful of natural remedies as they don't all work and usually are for allergy induced asthma. Honey, but locally raised Honey and not your everyday store bought honey can help with certain allergies. Teas help some people.
Also, I was switched to asmanex a newer asthma medicine and it really helps keep my asthma in control everyday.
Albuterol was changed when it was made cfc free and is not as effective in treating asthma as it used to be so ask your doctor about Xopenex, Xopenex has been around for a long time and is whats used in nebulizers and its now in inhaler form and for me it's Wonderful...
Plus, the doctors have free coupons now for y'all to try out Xopenex inhaler, at least my doctor did and let me tell you It's nice not having to pay a arm and a leg for a medicine. This was a big relief for me from my doctor as I have a lot of medicines I have to take on a daily basis.
Keep us posted as to how your doing okay.
Take care and soft hugz.
Posted 7/28/2008 6:59 AM (GMT -7)
I've actually been tested for allergies and do not have any. I have adult-onset asthma and it is not related to allergies. I've also had these symptoms for months and they are not related to the asthma medication. I'm curious if anyone else has any of these same symptoms. I'll certainly talk with my doctor again but I know the symptoms aren't from the pulmicort because I had them long before I started taking it.
Posted 7/28/2008 7:14 AM (GMT -7)
Okay I tried posting twice but the pages aren't loading right. so if there are mulitiple posts from sorry.
It could be your heart. Discomfort sleeping on the left side and chest pressure can also be a condition of the heart.
Posted 7/28/2008 2:45 PM (GMT -7)
Sorry, I didn't read that you'd been allergy tested. However don't rule out enviromental factors such as smog and pollution. Also, I agree with Provrb3130mom, get a good physical work up could be a underlining heart condition. Just trying to help k.
Soft hugz and hope you feel better soon!
Keep us posted as to how your doing, and I sure hope it's not a heart condition and will keep you in my prayers if you don't mind!
Try www.webmd.com
if no one can offer up any other help.
also the national jewish center has a asthma hospital in Denver Colorado and a wonderful website as well. I'll try to find the website and post it later okay!
Also peak flows vary from person to person 370 to 420 is normal for me. 350 might be a lil low, ask your doctor this question.
Posted 7/29/2008 8:37 AM (GMT -7)
I had quite a few heart tests done a few months ago (numerous EKG's, echo, 30-day heart monitor, 24-hour heart monitor) and all came back normal. Is it possible to have a heart problem when all these tests came back normal? I also have an esophageal probe test done to check for reflux and that came back normal but I'm wondering if some of my problems are actually caused by heartburn/gerd. Does anyone with heartburn/gerd have these same issues?

Posted 7/29/2008 6:01 PM (GMT -7)

You said you had the esophageal probe.  Are you talking about the ph probe where they put the wire up your nose, down your throat and into the esophagus and you keep it in for 24 hours?  If so, this test should have shown if you had GERD.  It is definitely a test you would remember.

Carla

Posted 7/30/2008 5:29 AM (GMT -7)
Yes, that's the test, but it only took an hour or so. They said there were a couple abnormal things but overall they considered it normal

Posted 8/1/2008 7:04 PM (GMT -7)
Hey there hope your feeling somewhat better today.
Try looking up asthma on www.webmd.com
it's a good website and has a lot of information on asthma and all the different types of asthma including a cough variant asthma.
If that doesn't help just ask your doctor to try you on a different medication, I use Xopenex as my rescue inhaler and really like it.
In the grand scheme of things Asthma can only be controlled, not cured, wish I could tell you something more hopeful, you'll need medicine everyday for the rest of your life, it can get depressing. So seek out counselling as a good therapist can help in times of need. But you can take charge of it once you get on a medicine that'll help, there are many meds out there and maybe the ones your doctor gave you need to be change till you find the one that can help.
Sure hope this info helps.
Keep us posted as to how your doing okay!
Prayer and soft hugz
Sorry you've been thru so many test, but allergy testing is not always definitive you can still test negative and have a allergic reaction.
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