asthma everyday?

Question

Few months ago, I went to the doctor and he diagnosed me with exercise-induced asthma and gave me an inhaler (the blue one) which I take few minutes before doing a physical activity.

But lately, I've found that I get asthma attacks quite often, even when I'm doing little to no physical activities. For example, I take a really slow walk outdoor in the winter for even just 5 minutes, when I go into a house which has an animal, when I just climb stairs. It's getting really irritating. In those cases, I whizzle when I breathe, gets big headaches, have difficult breathing, get a compression on my chest (like someone pressing on my chest) and I get chest burning also. This is getting really annoying. It does not get better at all overtime. What I do in those case, is that I take the inhaler they prescribed me for my exercise-induced asthma. But the thing is I exceed the dose recommended often. I feel like my asthma is getting out of control. Any help ?

Answer 1

First, I am a Registered Respiratory Therapist with 23 years of experience. Second, you are right. Your asthma is out of control. The best thing you can do for yourself is see the doctor and get started on an inhaled steroid for control. These have been found to be the most effective, and least side-effect producing medications. The biggest problem with asthma is constant, chronic airway inflammation. With time, if not controlled, your airways can become permanently smaller and more difficult to breathe through. Get as much asthma education material and read up on it! You should become an expert at it, so that you understand how to manage it daily, how to deal with exacerbations (flare-ups) and if your doctor knows what he or she is doing! It is possible to feel much better and live a healthy life. Also be careful about advice from people who really don't know what they're talking about. You will get a lot of people telling you to do crazy things, but the steroid inhaler needs to be taken every day (you won't feel any different at the time you take it, but take it anyway) and then use the Albuterol inhaler for flare ups. But if you cannot make it 4 hours between uses of that inhaler, something is wrong. Communicate with your doctor! Read, read, read and be your own best advocate. Happy, healthy breathing to you.

Answer 2

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Answer 3

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Answer 4

The blue inhaler, I'm assuming, is xopenex?

I am on the same medication, along with dozens of others. I have extremely severe asthma due to allergies and exercise, and have more doctors and medications than you can imagine.

1.) My first suggestion is to procure a PEAK FLOW METER. This instrument is inexpensive, (15$ or so) and is very helpful. This instrument is more or less a "thermometer" for your asthma. It will measure your lung capacity before you begin exercise. It can be a helpful tool in deciding whether or not to exercise at all or use your rescue inhaler. I also use mine in the morning to see if I am having a tough day when I wake up. In the case of decreased lung capacity, you may want to use your rescue inhaler first thing in the morning.
2.) You also mentioned a problem with animals. This leads me to believe you also have some allergy problems. You should visit an allergist to get skin/blood testing to see if this is a factor. If you can't do this right away, I would recommend using OVER THE COUNTER CLARITIN. This pill often helps me with my allergies.
3.) It seems all-in-all, your asthma is not being properly controlled. I would suggest talking to your doctor about better medications, or techniques for controlling your asthma. If it is properly controlled, you should not have problems with the activities you mentioned above.

Talk to your doctor ASAP!!

Best of luck!

Answer 5

I used to have asthma REALLY bad, I mean I would wake up 3-4 times per night in the middle of an astma attack and have to take my inhaler (many times exceeding the recommended dose) I then was put on Advair two times per day and I didn't need my inhaler even while doing exercises. My asthma is gone now that I moved out of my parents house (which they both smoke and have a cat) but when i visit I take my advair and I really haven't had to use my inhaler since (though keep your inhaler in hand for emergency use as Advair is for long term maintenance of asthma) ask your doctor what they recommend.

Answer 6

I'll assume you are using this in addition to managing your allergies and asthma with daily stabilizing medication. If not, speak with your primary care physician or pulmonologist about a daily regimen that would reduce the need for albuterol inhaler use. This might include antihistamines (many can be used without the side effect of sleepiness, like Zyrtec or Allegra) or Singulair (which stops the respiratory response to allergens) and/or inhaled steroids (which keep swelling down inside your lungs so you're less likely to have a respiratory response to allergens or other asthma triggers. The Advair diskus is easy to use and contains a bronchodilator (similar to albuterol) as well as a dose of inhaled steroids. Albuterol inhalers used to be the main "treatment" for asthma, but now we know that it's best to manage asthma differently and only use the albuterol inhaler in case of respiratory emergency/distress. Please speak with your physician about a referral to a pulmonolgist where your care can be reviewed and perhaps your treatment modernized and customized to your particular needs. Best to you...

Answer 7

See a specialist, you have more than just exercise-induced asthma. It sounds like it could be caused from allergies as well. You may need to take several trips to be tested since they do start you out usually with one inhaler, if that doesn't help, they may give you another with different meds in it. I have 4 different treatments, 3 are inhalers and then the breathing treatments I take. I didn't have this until I got double pneumonia. Now everything seems to bother me as well. Dust, weeds, cut grass, pet fur, and so on.

Answer 8

You need to get yourself back into your Dr. ASAP and take your inhaler with you. Inhalers can empty pretty quick, have you been testing yours to see if it's empty? Do you know how to do that? Not only does it sound like your asthma is out of control, it might also be an empty inhaler. take the canister out of the case, just the metal part of it. Put it into a glass of water. If it sinks, it's full. if it bobs partially on it's side, it's 1/2 gone if it pops out of the water and is mostly floating,it's empty.

Answer 9

Back to the doctor and get the new pills for your asthma and then you only have to use the inhaler rarely as attacks slow way down and almost stop. Good Luck and I hope it is the type that goes away with time.

Answer 10

You need to see your doctor again to update your condition. There are medications that you can take daily that will lessen the need for inhaler use. Prescriptions like Adavair, and even over the counter pills like Primatene tablets, will help constricted airways on a more constant basis. These things will not eliminate your need for the immediate relief of an inhaler at times, but will make you need it less often. It is dangerous to use an inhaler more than the recommended dosage, because it increases your heart rate and may cause a dependency.