Questions about asthma -- symptoms to look out for and possible death? Please help!?

Question

Hi, I have pretty severe asthma, and right now it's worse than ever because I have a sinus infection too. UGH! Anyway, I'm doing 330 mcg of Flovent twice daily, plus a Xopenex nebulizer treatment every 4 hours (like clockwork). I'm also on Allegra-D and Biaxin (plus Tylenol for fever as needed, and Benadryl because I'm sneezing like crazy and the Allegra-D isn't cutting it). The problem is that even with the asthma medication, I have a terrible asthma cough, I constantly feel short of breath, and I'm wheezing (even immediately after doing a neb treatment). It gets much worse at night when I lay down, so I've slept sitting straight up for 4 days. Regardless, the asthma is getting worse and my doctor's office isn't open on the weekends. I hate going into the hospital a lot, and in the last month alone I've been in there 3 times (twice for asthma, which they gave me steroids for, and once I was admitted for a food poisoning/viral thing)... (continued below)

Sometimes struggling to breathe gets so intense that my neck gets like sucked in to that little divot where your collar bone is. Is this reason enough to go into the hospital or should I wait it out? I'm very reluctant to go in too because I know they'll give me steroids, and I'm still having problems from other steroids I was on 2 months ago (and I went through severe withdrawals). I also want to know, where I'm taking the Benadryl (under my doctor's recommendation) for the sneezing, and it makes me drowsy, would it ever make it so that I would just die in my sleep and not wake up from an asthma attack? When I've taken it over the past few days, I make myself stay away... which is nearly impossible. I'm afraid I'll fall asleep and won't wake up! Is that even possible? Thank you very much for taking the time to read this and hopefully offer some advice!

Answer 1

It sounds like you need to get a new Dr. You should go see an allergist and have a full blown allergy test done to see what you are allergic to. Once they find that out, they can give you allergy shots to get that under control - they have you on way too many different meds that all semi treat the same thing (from the sounds of it, yours is pretty bad that is why I am recommending that) Also do you have a pulmonary specialist or are you going to your primary care physician for you Asthma? If you don't have a pulmonary Dr.....I would get one asap. As far as what you are experiencing right now.....GO TO THE HOSPITAL - it is better to be safe then sorry and you sound like you are in bad shape! If you do have specialist already, I would highly recommend getting a second opinion because it sound like you are on too many meds and you are not even managing your disease so it looks like you need a new course of treatment!

Answer 2

The symptoms you describe parallel mine - I have asthma also. The question you ask, however, is best left to TRAINED medical personnel. Based on this my advice:

1) Call your pulmonary doctor now. If there is a 'hotline' for emergencies get on it right away. Don't wait.

2) IF no response from 1), above, head for the hospital!

Please be sure to tell the med folks everything - thinking that they will remember your case or diagnosis will not help. If you've had trouble with ANY procedures or treatments encountered previously please tell them - there may be alternatives.

I 'waited around' for another ailment to take care of itself last May - I couldn't walk when I was admitted to the hospital and I spent a month there and two months to recover. Don't fool with it! I pray that you have good luck.

Answer 3

you need to get to the ER. no one should have to work at breathing.