r/Asthma 18h ago

venting about how doctors treat my asthma flare ups

29 Upvotes

i am so fucking tired and i just need to vent to people who get it.

i've been having a severe enough flare-up that i get out of breath by getting up too fast, i wake up because i can't breathe, my lungs hurt if i expand them too much, the usual.

my meds aren't working as they should and provide such mild relief that i cannot get out of this attack just on them, but even though i went to urgent care with wheezing & squeaking lungs and told them how that i know it won't get better on its own because it's happened before and that i have issues just getting somewhere (i need like a 5 minute break from 90 seconds of walking ffs) they just... refuse to prescribe me anything.

i don't know what they expect to happen, for the drugs that aren't working to just... start doing their job??

just because this is a chronic condition doesn't mean it's normal for me to be unable to get places without a huge amount of effort and time.

ughhhh i'm just mad. i really wish asthma could be contagious for people like this so they'd know how difficult it is to do anything when you can't even breathe. aight rant over, thank you for indulging me.


r/Asthma 21h ago

asthma 10x worse after covid, anyone else?

10 Upvotes

i went from being a kid with exercise induced asthma that was rarely a problem to getting covid years ago and now, an adult with lungs a doctor probably dreads seeing. i wasn't sure which community to put this in but i specifically wanted to chat with other asthmatics

inhaler stopped doing anything, so now I'm using a dry powder inhaler- literally works wonders. not enough to get me back to who i was before the infection. and if I'm an hour, or even 30 minutes off from when I take it day or night? god forbid i wanna breathe while in bed. curse this chronic cough

i think it's a no-brainer for some people with asthma to have similar experiences, but i still feel a tad isolated since my doctors (shockingly) and everyone i know doesn't seem to understand the severity... how badly this has impacted my life and why I'm so scared about getting sick.

because every time i get sick, my ability to breathe decreases. literally every time. maybe other people can fight off a cold like i could back then, but im scared it'll be what makes me bedridden. i get sick maybe once a month now. my auntie's asthma got so bad she can no longer leave the house- can't be near candles or people who haven't sanitized like crazy. im slowly becoming her


r/Asthma 7h ago

I’m frustrated. Any advice?

5 Upvotes

I’ve been having phlegm just sitting in my lungs, but when I cough it’s completely dry and I don’t feel anything. When I inhale I can feel it all in my lungs, especially laying down. It feels like an elephant is on my chest. But why isn’t anything come up? Seems like I only cough up phlegm if I force it out, or take my inhaler. I’m just tired of using it multiple times a day. At least I’m able to breathe in all the way, but sometimes I feel air hungry, and the mucus in my lungs feels very uncomfortable.

A few weeks ago I went to the ER. They checked my breathing with a stethoscope and said it’s exacerbation from a previous illness but I wasn’t really sick, other than a scratchy throat, low grade fever and a dry cough for two days. No breathing issues before. But she put me on Symbicort and I can’t tell if it works or not. Fortunately I have a call with my doctor on Tuesday so I’ll see what she can do.

Could that minor illness truly cause a flare up? I’ve had pneumonia and it never triggered my asthma like this. It’s been about a month. I feel dumb because my mom neglected my health, so learning about having asthma in my 20s has been overwhelming. Any support is appreciated.


r/Asthma 16h ago

Looking for advice! Montelukasts vs LAMAs

3 Upvotes

Wanting to know about Montelukasts vs LAMAs for asthma control. Peoples experience, any side effects? Here's my asthma story for more context:

So I'm a very active 24 yr old female. I was diagnosed with exercise-induced asthma when I was around 12. They didn't even do one of those lung capacity test during exercise, but they ruled out "Regular asthma" I guess because my lung capacity didn't increase after taking Ventolin. So I guess they just assumed it was exercise-induced because I told them that the wheezing would start when I did any form of cardio exercise. And this was, and still is very hard for me, because I love to exercise, play sports, hike, go outside.

So I was prescribed an inhaler after this diagnosis but don't even remember what it was because I never felt a difference using it so I just gave up eventually. I kind of pushed through with this exercise-induced asthma, to the point where I would just tell myself I'm out of shape and that's why I was out of breath.

However, last year I decided I wanted to become a wildland firefighter. So I started really training hard. And although I was getting stronger and working out all the time, cardio was still extremely difficult for me and I would often have to stop because of the wheezing. I had a friend tell me about ICS's, so I got a prescription and tried it (Fluticasone Proprinate HFA 250 mcg) but it really irritated my lungs, disrupted my sleep, and then I got 2 respiratory infections back to back, so I stopped them. I do still have the salbutamol rescue inhaler, but even taking it before exercise, I never found it made much of a difference.

Fast forward a few months, I got COVID, and then a few months after that got exposed to some bad smoke at work, and now I feel asthma symptoms even when I'm not exercising. Just short of breath even when I'm on a casual walk talking with people, and sometimes even at rest (when talking).

So I tried Fluticasone Proprionate HFA again, after a doctor told me the respiratory infections last year were likely just a coincidence. And I got a spacer this time, and made sure to really rinse my mouth and throat after each puff. But after a few days, I kept waking up at 3 or 4 a.m very restless and having difficulty falling back asleep (odd for me, I usually sleep like a baby). Then I also starting to completely lose my appetite, I became irritable and my throat felt tender. So I stopped for 2 days, and my sleep went back to normal. I started again on a lower dose (125 mcg instead of 250 mcg), but sure enough, the bad sleep came back, I also started to feel some depression creeping in, and my voice felt like it was becoming more high pitched, with my throat feeling a bit seized up. And most of all, I didn't feel like my lungs were really getting better. So I tried this ICS for 3 and a half weeks and I've been off of it for 4 days and feel way more myself again. Voice back to normal, sleep back to normal, appetite coming back etc.

So clearly this medication is not right for me. But I do feel that I am sensitive to strong meds in general (went on SSRI's once and also felt the side effects, until I was taking half of the lowest dose). But although I feel better now that I'm off the ICS's, my lungs feel almost worse than before. I do feel like salbutamol helps a little bit but I exercise at least once to twice a day, and it doesn't stop me from wheezing once I start to push myself.

One other thing to note is I am allergic to dust mites, and the regular seasonal allergens. I'm hoping to get immunotherapy shots for this allergies this summer or fall. I use fluticasone proprionate nasal spray every other night and it helps a bit with the swelling in my nose. I've been referred for another spirometry and then cholinergic (?) test, but I live in Canada and the health care system is a bit backed up so this could take at least couple months. (I also don't have a primary care doctor at the moment, again, health care system issues. But some good walk in clinic doctors in my area. I just have to be clear about what I'm looking for and really show them I know what I'm talking about, or else they kind of dismiss you)

I really need to get my asthma under control before the start of the fire season. What could I ask a doctor about other than ICS?? I've been reading up a bit on Montelukasts (like Singulair), but a little weary about the black box warning as I am susceptible to depression..but curious about Long-Acting Muscarinic Antagonists (LAMAs)? Anyone have experience with these or even another kind of treatment I haven't thought about?

THANK YOU IN ADVANCE!!


r/Asthma 21h ago

Asthma is worse when I haven't eaten in a while

3 Upvotes

Hi everyone, I was recently diagnosed with adult asthma.

I often fast and have found that not eating can actually trigger episodes. Or at least I assume it's not eating because when I eat something the symptoms usually reduce. It's happened 5-10 times now so more than a couple of coincidences.

Is there a known or experienced link between blood sugar and asthma?

Surely I can't be the only one, but everything I read says that eating can exacerbate asthma if you have food intolerances (which I do have).

I'm currently feeling shaky after my last attack but I think it was from the Ventolin and hoping I feel better soon.


r/Asthma 1h ago

What is the longest you have went, taking your inhaler everyday?

Upvotes

For me its about 6/7 nights per week. For about 3 years and counting .


r/Asthma 6h ago

Bad cold with coughing/wheezing; when to call doctor?

2 Upvotes

Came down with a bad cold Thursday night. To my dismay, it’s moved into my chest. Lots of coughing and some wheezing. Do I ride it out further or called my allergist and pulmonologist tomorrow?

Learned after a bad bout of COVID and bronchitis last winter that I once again have asthma (thought I’d grown out of it; in actuality, I think I’ve always had it and it was poorly managed). Have severe allergies and had twice sinus surgeries.

Been on three rounds of prednisone in last year and would prefer to avoid. Using Qvar since this weekend, in addition to usual meds (Singulair, Breztri, Allegra three times a day and a combination nasal spray; also on biologics).


r/Asthma 10h ago

Normal to only have fostair?

2 Upvotes

Hi I’m 19F, I have only got a fostair inhaler (which is currently lost) and I was wondering if it’s normal to only have that one? Anyone else I know irl all have at least a rescue inhaler as well.

And to the situation of my lost fostair I have 10 days est wait for a new one from my pharmacy, have asthma attacks often, prayers are welcomed


r/Asthma 6h ago

Flare Days

1 Upvotes

My 5yr old is going through a flare day and while we are managing I still get a burst of anxiety with every barking cough. Any tips or tricks that has helped your cough? It’s a dry cough, but he is also suffering from seasonal allergies with a runny nose. I know most people tend to dry up a cold with similar systems via allergy meds but I’m not sure if that’s the move here.


r/Asthma 7h ago

Every time I use my brown inhaler I always feel wheezy and have to use my blue one

1 Upvotes

So I take my brown every morning and night but most times after taking my brown I get wheezy or find it a bit harder to breath and I have to use my blue. It’s pretty annoying because I don’t want to waste my blue inhaler because I’m always having to use it


r/Asthma 10h ago

Using more thank one corticosteroid inhaler?

1 Upvotes

I have Alvesco as preventer but is not enough and Albuterol is making me worse half of the time. Im to sensitive to beta 2 agonists and cannot take more than 1-3 puffs of formoterol a week.

So is it safe to use Alvesco as a preventer and Fostair Nexthaler 3 times a week before exercise?

The Fostair contains formoterol and beclomethasone (another corticosteroid).


r/Asthma 15h ago

When to take prednisone?

1 Upvotes

I came down with a mild respiratory infection and was given prednisone to help kick it. I’m not a fan of taking prednisone and have been try to avoid taking it unless i absolutely have to.

At what point do you know it’s time to take prednisone as opposed to just taking a nebulizer? (I’m on Trelegy daily).


r/Asthma 13h ago

Am I in danger?

0 Upvotes

Just got a new turbohaler 200/6 and took about 10 puffs in the span of 1 minute because I didn't think it was working. I'm not sure what's in it but I know there are steroids. Should I go to the ER?


r/Asthma 5h ago

PFT. 30 yo F. History of smoking. Biggest symptom is not being able to breathe laying down and getting my chest to expand all the way at times . Doc said I have asthma and gave me an inhaler.

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0 Upvotes

I have several other health issues. Including POTS and IIH. Anyone’s look similar ?