Is my mother Asthma?

[deraty]

My mother is 80 years old. She was taking Asthma meds since long years. But 3 years ago her doctor told her attacks are only in Autmn and she can get meds only that season. However my mother got self confident and exagerrated by never taking asthma meds. Since 3 years ago she did not have asthma attacks. She sometimes wheezed and used sinus rinse. When she wheezed or felt need to take med she took Symbicort very rarely. This med is a maintenance med and not an attack med that she must use everyday but he uses once a month or 2 weeks. Does it mean that she is not asthma because she does not have attacks without meds or is it dangerous. Is there a test than can be conducted when she is fine and diagnosed as asthma or does she need to have an attack to be tested? I suspect she had allergies from meds or something else in the past because asthma can not be cured. 4 years ago she had an attack that was so serious. What can anyone advise me? May be sinus?

[AirIsUnderrated]

Hi! The Symbicort steroid preventer inhaler should be taken every day. It is to stop her from being wheezy and having attacks. She has already had a bad attack and is wheezy without it, so if she does not take it, she is risking having another bad attack. She should follow her doctor's advice and take it when she is told, even when she feels OK.

The trouble with taking a preventer every day is that if it is working correctly, we feel well, so we can be fooled into thinking we don't need it, but actually we do need it.

Symbicort is used for COPD as well as asthma, but we can't tell what she's got by the medication she is taking. She will need to speak to her doctor. Are you in the UK? If you are, you will only be able to speak to her doctor about her health if she is there with you and gives them permission to speak to you, or has written to the doctor to give permission for them to speak to you.

I hope she takes her inhaler as the doctor told her and feels better soon.

[deraty in reply to AirIsUnderrated]

Thank you for the reply.

[ChrissieMons]

Symbicort is an unusual choice when someone feels wheezy - it's more common to reach for the blue rescue inhaler. It may be that she has very mild asthma, but in any event, I should try to persuade her to see her doctor with you. That way the doctor can explain what she needs to do and you can repeat his/her advice when you're both back at home.

[Shaft1952]

Is it symbicort turbohaler, as that is easy but it is duel medication, preventor & emergency medication. The other symbicort is metered doses via a spacer. I rarely need more than maintenance 1 inhaled dose morning & night. But can go up to 12 inhaled doses before you need to seek help from a doctor. Hope this helps. Irene 1952

[deraty in reply to Shaft1952]

I did not know this. Thank you.

[deraty in reply to Shaft1952]

Yes. It is turbo inhaler. One other question I want to ask, is there a way to diagnose Asthma when she is healthy or should there be an asthma attack to diagnose? She uses turbo inhaler very rarely.

[Shaft1952 in reply to deraty]

If people have wheezy episodes a lot of drs will diagnose them with asthma & give inhalers. I very rarely have an attack. & haven't done for over 20yrs. But I was diagnosed over 40yrs ago when i was pregnant. It went after i had my son, but it came back after my 2nd son & never went away completly. Some people only get it seasonally. Hope this helps although you could ask the dr to review it. Cheers irene1952