Posted 5/14/2013 6:55 PM (GMT -7)
I forgot how terrible I feel when I get sick at the beginning of summer with the beginnings of pneumonia. I guess I should say that I am new to this forum... not healingwell, just this forum. I am not, however, new to asthma. I was diagnosed as an infant/toddler and am now an upperclassman in college.
Starting my freshman year in high school, I started getting bronchitis and pneumonia a handful of times a year. Then, I was put on Qvar and I had 2 magical years without it. Usually I am a very good patient; but, I stopped taking my Qvar and only went to albuterol as needed. I went to my PCP this past Thursday and things were GREAT. She said that we could do watchful waiting and I could stay off of my Qvar if I thought things were going well. I had no reason to believe otherwise because I hadn't used my albuterol in a good while and hadn't had ANY allergy issues. Well... come Saturday morning, I totally ate my own words because my asthma was attacking me head-on. I should have NEVER stopped taking my Qvar. No pneumonia as of yet... but, have y'all gotten to where you go from literally being fine to being dog sick the next day? I started prednisone today and am hoping that it will help... the only down-side is that I cannot sleep.
There isn't any real point to this post... I just feel like I'm struggling badly and nobody understands. My mom just got re-married and I am in town for a week to help her move. She keeps asking me to go up and down three flights of stairs to get boxes and move this and that. I'm short of breath just walking... not to mention I'm coughing up gunk like crazy, feverish, and exhausted. I'm practically going insane! Can anybody relate?!?!
If there is anything you can get out of this post... I hope it would be this: Don't stop your long-term asthma control medicines. You might not feel like you need them anymore; but, it takes stopping them to realize just how horrible life is without them. It might take months to get to be considered 'poorly managed,' but, it's for real. I guess I should've realized that when I was on prednisone the last two times earlier on in the semester for mild bronchitis.
Thanks, y'all!
Jade