Ceebee,
First of all, I am so sorry about all the recent losses in your family, too many for one family at one time.
I'm glad you got your nebulizer. It definitely sounds like you need a new doctor to treat your asthma. When an asthma patient is bad enough to need a nebulizer, they are going to need Prednisone from time to time, just my personal opinion. I am treated by my allergist who was already treating me for allergies before the asthma came on. I see her once a month for my Xolair injection. When I saw her this past Thursday for my Xolair injection, I had gotten really sick during the night. She treats it aggressively and I can't believe how good I felt by yesterday. Ketek is an antibiotic that works great for my lung infections. I'm tapering off Prednisone now. She also knows that I know when I have bronchitis or when I have an infection and is willing to order what I need over the phone without me having to come in. She knows that by this time, I know when it's time for me to come in and let her to listen to my chest.
I feel very fortunate to have a great doctor who will treat my asthma attacks that get out of my control in her office. She will work with me for three or four hours or whatever it takes to save me from having to go to the ER. I don't know of another doctor in this city who will do that. My worst attacks have always been in the day time, which is unusual. I haven't had an attack that bad since I stopped working last August. Not only was I working in an "environmentally sick" building, but people just aren't nice when you have to miss work because you're sick. We all know what stress does to asthma.
From everything I read, asthma patients treated by allergists seem to do better. Do you have an allergist in your area? If not, at best you need a new primary care physician.
Sorry to ramble.
You and your family are in my prayers,
Carla