Open main menu
☰
Health Conditions
Allergies
Alzheimer's Disease
Anxiety & Panic Disorders
Arthritis
Breast Cancer
Chronic Illness
Crohn's Disease
Depression
Diabetes
Fibromyalgia
GERD & Acid Reflux
Irritable Bowel Syndrome
Lupus
Lyme Disease
Migraine Headache
Multiple Sclerosis
Prostate Cancer
Ulcerative Colitis
View Conditions A to Z »
Support Forums
Anxiety & Panic Disorders
Bipolar Disorder
Breast Cancer
Chronic Pain
Crohn's Disease
Depression
Diabetes
Fibromyalgia
GERD & Acid Reflux
Hepatitis
Irritable Bowel Syndrome
Lupus
Lyme Disease
Multiple Sclerosis
Ostomies
Prostate Cancer
Rheumatoid Arthritis
Ulcerative Colitis
View Forums A to Z »
Log In
Join Us
Close main menu
×
Home
Health Conditions
All Conditions
Allergies
Alzheimer's Disease
Anxiety & Panic Disorders
Arthritis
Breast Cancer
Chronic Illness
Crohn's Disease
Depression
Diabetes
Fibromyalgia
GERD & Acid Reflux
Irritable Bowel Syndrome
Lupus
Lyme Disease
Migraine Headache
Multiple Sclerosis
Prostate Cancer
Ulcerative Colitis
Support Forums
All Forums
Anxiety & Panic Disorders
Bipolar Disorder
Breast Cancer
Chronic Pain
Crohn's Disease
Depression
Diabetes
Fibromyalgia
GERD & Acid Reflux
Hepatitis
Irritable Bowel Syndrome
Lupus
Lyme Disease
Multiple Sclerosis
Ostomies
Prostate Cancer
Rheumatoid Arthritis
Ulcerative Colitis
Log In
Join Us
Join Us
☰
Forum Home
|
Forum Rules
|
Moderators
|
Active Topics
|
Help
|
Log In
new to forum
Support Forums
>
Allergies
✚ New Topic
✚ Reply
❬ ❬ Previous Thread
|
Next Thread ❭ ❭
mom2alexnabbie
New Member
Joined : Jan 2010
Posts : 13
Posted 1/14/2010 8:01 AM (GMT -7)
Hi my name is Tricia...I am 34 year old mother of 2. I was "diagnosed" with asthma 3 years ago. I have had bad control ever since. I have also been hospitalized 3 times since then. I have been on "every" asthma med, pretty much. My pulmunlogist has sent me to another hospital 3 hours away and they are sure I DON'T have asthma, so they have scheduled a methocholine challenge for the 25th of January (this is the 2nd time it has been scheduled, due to getting "bad" every time I come off my meds). The new doctor was so sure I don't have asthma that he took me off my theophyline, vospire, zyflo, advair..he let me stay on zrytec, flonase, calcium, vit D, nexium, predinisone, and my duoneb. Well 5 days off my medicine and I was in the hospital. They ended up just putting me back on Advair, and still keeping me off the other meds. This was not good enough for him to prove I have asthma, he still wants the methocholine challenge. I was suppose to get it done the 11th of Jan but 3 days off Advair and I had to go back on a higher dose of steroids again. I am back down to my daily steroids today, but on Monday have to come off the Advair again for the test. FYI they are sure I also have an underlying lung disease that is has yet to be diagnosed. Any suggestions... I have had "allergies and sinus problems my whole life", but was sent to an allergist a few months ago and tested negative for everything they checked me for??
Sorry it seems so long...let me know if you need to need more
Thanks
Tricia
Red_34
Forum Moderator
Joined : Apr 2004
Posts : 23581
Posted 1/15/2010 6:37 AM (GMT -7)
Hi Tricia, welcome to Healingwell. Have you ever or do you smoke? Why is this doc so sure you don't have asthma??? How much more evidence does he need before he's convinced??? If it looks like a duck, quacks like a duck, then it must be a duck.........
couchtater
Elite Member
Joined : Jul 2009
Posts : 14475
Posted 1/15/2010 5:57 PM (GMT -7)
Do you have GERD? Sometimes GERD can affect your lungs by acid overflowing into your lungs causing asthma problems. That's what was happening to me.
Joy
mom2alexnabbie
New Member
Joined : Jan 2010
Posts : 13
Posted 1/15/2010 7:56 PM (GMT -7)
Yes I have smoked off and on...but haven't for 6 months or so. Also I don't believe I have GERD, but they treat me for it anyways with Nexium. BTW as I said in the previous post I am suppose to come off the Advair on Monday. Well I ended up seeing my pulmunologist yesterday since I had just come off a burst and tamper and was tight and wheezy again. Well he did a PFT and it had went from 76% 3 weeks ago to 59%, he also decided to do some more labs. He is checking for ABPA, sacodosis, lupus, and my IGe level? He also did a CT since I haven't had one since 2006 and my chest xray he did yesterday was "foggy". He also said he was wondering about
Churgg Strauss...I know they are grasping at straws, but hope they figure it out soon.
Thanks for your responses.
Tricia
mom2alexnabbie
New Member
Joined : Jan 2010
Posts : 13
Posted 1/20/2010 10:01 AM (GMT -7)
ok Well I had my follow up and it didn't show any specifics. My CT was unchanged from 2006, great news. The labs that were back didn't show anything. The doctor gave me the ok to come of Advair on Monday, well Tuesday I couldn't breath and ended up going back to see pulmy. They upped my steroids and restarted Advair. Also I they put me on oxygen at home. And I am now waiting for my pulmy from the University to call and see what to do about
the methocholine challenge that was scheduled on Monday..
Tricia
puddycat
New Member
Joined : Jan 2010
Posts : 16
Posted 1/20/2010 5:15 PM (GMT -7)
Tricia... Welcome and wow, I'm so sorry for all your discomfort. I have nothing as severe as you so won't even go into it but just wanted you to know this is a great place and you will find support and maybe even someone with your symptoms if you look hard enough. Have you ever been diagnosed with anxiety or stress? This can severely add to any other symptoms you might be having. Worth asking dr. about
.
Take care and best of luck in getting control. I find that relaxation tapes help when I am going thru a bad day... try it, it can't hurt!
Puddycat
mom2alexnabbie
New Member
Joined : Jan 2010
Posts : 13
Posted 1/20/2010 5:46 PM (GMT -7)
Thank you so much! I probably do have stress being a divorced mom of 2 and a daughter with her own medical issues that took 7 years to diagnose. I have great support of family and friends!! and think my stress is handled well, but I can ask them about
it, next appointment.
Tricia
mom2alexnabbie
New Member
Joined : Jan 2010
Posts : 13
Posted 1/21/2010 7:51 PM (GMT -7)
I went to see pulmy today. They took me off work for the weekend. I can use my oxygen as needed now and every night at bedtime. My local doctor call my university doctor and they did decide that I have severe asthma and most likely an undetermined lung disease. They put me back on zyflo and are going to work on insurance getting me approved for xolair. We will see if that helps. They are also keeping me on 40 mg steroids for awhile...
Tricia
Mom of Asthma Teen
New Member
Joined : Jan 2010
Posts : 4
Posted 1/25/2010 9:21 AM (GMT -7)
Tricia - I'm new to this forum and I hope you find answers; never give up looking! My 14 yr old daughter is a severe persistent asthmatic for past 6 years (first diagnosed at age 3). She cannot be off her rescue meds and takes them several times every day; she can't breathe without them. She had to take the Methacholine test and even WITH the meds (Flovent, Pulmicort, X
openex, Atrovent) she had a severe reaction to the Methacholine. Tech gave her half the usual amountof drug and only had nebulizer on for 45 seconds (which is less than half the time). It may not be necessary for you to stop your meds before this test if your asthma is severe -- ask your doctor. Good luck.
Mary
venicehill
New Member
Joined : Jan 2010
Posts : 2
Posted 1/29/2010 4:56 PM (GMT -7)
Hi, I am new to this forum. My doctor wanted me to get a methacholine challenge (all other asthma/skin tests have come back negative), but I don't know how much it costs...does anyone know? I have insurance, but would have to pay the 20%.
Mom of Asthma Teen
New Member
Joined : Jan 2010
Posts : 4
Posted 1/29/2010 5:38 PM (GMT -7)
You can call your doctor to find out cost and billing codes for insurance company, then call your insurance provider. They should be able to tell you what you'll have to pay. So much depends on in-network, out-of-network, allowable charge, etc. The Methacholine challenge is supposed to be a definitive test for asthma -- this should tell you the answer. Good luck!
venicehill
New Member
Joined : Jan 2010
Posts : 2
Posted 1/30/2010 12:28 PM (GMT -7)
Thanks for the info...good advise!
Jessibrown
Regular Member
Joined : Jul 2009
Posts : 60
Posted 2/17/2010 11:28 PM (GMT -7)
Hey Tricia,
Welcome to the Forum and I'm sorry to hear about
your condition. I am suffering from asthma for last 2 years and it's a terrible disease anyone could have on this earth. I started taking advair a little over a week ago and I didn't like it at all. It made me feel dizzy and I have anxiety disorder with panic attacks so when I heard about
advair causing sudden death in some asthmatics it made me very nervous. My doctor gave me singular and I don't start it until tonight. Is anyone else taking singular? Just wanting to know if others have taken advair or singular and what side effects it gave them.
couchtater
Elite Member
Joined : Jul 2009
Posts : 14475
Posted 2/18/2010 6:01 PM (GMT -7)
I take Advair and have no problems with it.
Joy
Angeni
New Member
Joined : Missing Key Value : en-US, 577 2010
Posts : 14
Posted 2/19/2010 4:32 AM (GMT -7)
Hey Jessi,
My friends used to take Advair and they don't have problems with it.
Angeni
mom2alexnabbie
New Member
Joined : Jan 2010
Posts : 13
Posted 2/19/2010 8:24 PM (GMT -7)
I took singular for along time without any problems, they have me on Zyflo CR now (which is stronger? than singular) I also take advair 500/50 and never had problems with it. The sudden deaths reported with Advair, I think caused by people who during an attacks thought if they took more advair it would help them......ADVAIR is NOT a fast acting inhaler and should not be used during an asthma attack...
Tricia
Jessibrown
Regular Member
Joined : Jul 2009
Posts : 60
Posted 2/21/2010 11:50 PM (GMT -7)
Hey All,
Thank you so much for the info. Now I think I can take advair without much worries.
Jessi
Angeni
New Member
Joined : Missing Key Value : en-US, 577 2010
Posts : 14
Posted 2/26/2010 1:40 AM (GMT -7)
Hey All,
My 4 year kid has been suffering from asthma and every year we end up in the hospital with something that has been complicated by asthma. We have attended the asthma clinic and learned ways to prevent attacks, what triggers attacks etc. I thought I was on top of the asthma until our emergency visit and then I started thinking there was probably a lot more to learn than I knew. This is such a terrible thing for anyone to have, especially children. I have started researching on asthma so that I can learn more about
it which will be helpful for my kid and also for people suffering from asthma. Share your tips and suggestions related to Asthma.
✚ New Topic
✚ Reply