do people with bad strong asthma have to have a mask over thre face that pumps medicine wen they sleep?

Question

my girlfriend has bad strong asthma and she can only blow 2 out of 10 candles out - so i am wondering if she would to have this machine that pumps medicine through a mask into her nose and mouth wen she sleeps

Answer 1

I live with an asthmatic and I work with respiratory patients in a hospital. (I'm NOT a nurse or therapist, so these are mostly observations) Some patients receive treatments with different medications by small volume nebulizer, which is sometimes administered with a mask over the face, but the treatments generally last 5-10 minutes and then the mask is removed. What you are describing sounds like a CPAP or Bi PAP Machine, which a patient wears when they sleep. It can have a full face mask that covers the mouth and nose, or just a nasal mask for the nose. These machines don't administer medication, but provide positive air pressure to maintain the airway of a person with sleep apnea.

The key to Asthma control is a good doctor who specializes in diseases of the lungs, called a Pulmonologist. A complete pulmonary work up and review of any and all medications being taken, and what triggers symptoms and attacks. A person doesn't have to SUFFER with Asthma, but can LIVE with it.

Check out www.webmd.com and search "Asthma"

Answer 2

Your question is a bit vague. The most used machine is a c-pap or by-pap(may be spelling it wrong) That is commonly used for sleeping disorders or lung disease rather than asthma. Asthmatics are generally controlled by oral medications or steroid inhaler-alot of times both along with nebulizer treatments which do not last more than 15 minutes per treatment. My son has Chronic Asthma and has had a continuous of albuterol (twice)but this is montitored by the intensive care unit and never given at home. The only other thing that may be common as far as a mask while she sleeps would be oxygen..not medication. There isn't anything that I know of that would be used at home to pump asthma medications through the night. Good Luck.

Answer 3

2

Answer 4

Ok, before you take a drastic step, I'd review her medicine with her doctors. I have pretty bad asthma and I have learned through friends only certain medicines work with certain people. This mask idea may not even work for her! There are lots of great asthma medicines out there that don't require a breathing mask at night. A simple pill could seriously help! It's good to see that you're so concerned about you girlfriend though!

Answer 5

occasionally my son has to use an oxygen machine with a water container to keep the air moist when is asthma is at its worst.Other than that a nebulizer machine does then job but that is only for 5-10 min every 3 hours