Wheezing Girl

[geminigirl]

Three nights in a row, three asthma attacks at about the same time...bed time.

Not sure if it's the weather changing or if the drugs need to be adjusted. And I hope it's the first, not the second, because I don't know what else they might put me on.

I'll give it a few more days, and if it's still happening, I'll call them.

In the mean time, at least I have a new prescription for albuterol.

(Have I ever pointed out how much I hate not being able to breathe unless I'm medicated? It makes me grouchy.)

Comments

[entirelysonja.livejournal.com]

:-( I hope it doesn't happen again!

[cyan-blue.livejournal.com]

Hugs and sympathies! Yes, I know about the irritation about having to be medicated to breathe. Breathing is so *basic*, but for us its not. I don't resent the medication so much as I resent the financial burden of the medication - having to pay to breathe - having to carry around something to make sure I breathe - and having to rely on the whims of new docs as to whether they feel like prescribing me what long experience tells me I need. The same meds have worked reliably for years, and I get grouchy when the doc wants to put me on something new, or give me less albuterol refills ("because I shouldn't have to use it if I'm taking this other med").

I've been having more morning attacks... it's increasingly humid here, and like most of the Bay Area, we don't have a/c. Weather changes are a big asthma cause.
Do they ever give you an inhaled steroid to use during worse periods? The albuterol is more for attack-stopping than attack-prevention, though it's used that way too.

Good luck getting through the weather change...

[geminigirl]

I actually resent that I have to take the medication, that if I forget or msis a dose, I can tell. I resent having to think about it. I resent the cost too, and it makes me grateful that I have health insurance that covers my prescriptions. I resent every time I want to go to a play party, or a club that someone has to be responsible for my inhaler...and sometimes if I'm playing I hand it off to someone else because I can't keep track of it.

They try not to put me on inhaled steroids, because they tend to make me cough blood. I usually skip the inhaled steroids and go right for the whole immune system smackdown, with the prednisone, which doesn't make me quite as sick. My daily management routine is serevent twice a day, singulair once a day, zyrtec once a day, and albuterol as needed/whenever I exercise.

I'm glad I'm familiar enough with my own cycle that I know not to go crazy that I'm having more frequent attacks lately...that it's autumn and I know it's likely that this is weather changes, and that spring will bring the same thing, and the humidity of summer too.

request

[palliddreamer.livejournal.com]

Hey, I just wanted to say that I really enjoy your responses on the various communties I've seen you post on. You give great well researched info and thoughtful comments. Would you mind if I added you? I just thought I'd ask. Take care.

Re: request

[geminigirl]

Nope. I'd suggest you read my user info just to get started, but I have no control over who chooses to read my journal...that's why they're public entries. It's about whether you're choosing to let me read the ones you're protecting.

(I will warn you, I'm kind of behind on updating my own friends list...I'll get to it eventually)

Re: request

[palliddreamer.livejournal.com]

*laugh* I can definitely relate to being behind in keeping up with everyone's journal, so no worries there. Thanks.