Anyone got any recommendations to manage flare ups without using steroids.
Managing flare ups without steroids - Lung Conditions C...
Managing flare ups without steroids
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Dipsey
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Hi Dipsey interesting question. I have got a flare up and know the Dr. will probably give me steroids. For some reason I'm apprehensive about them. Hope you find the answer and feel better soon.
Thanks. Had the first flare up in just under 2 years. No infection so don't know the cause. Steroids made me feel horrible and would rather not use them in future if I can help it.
I am the same with steroids Dipsey and can only say what I personally do.
To keep my immune system as high as poss I take lots of extra Vits, drink plenty, Manuka Honey. Recently my GP told me to double my Seretide from 250 to 500 morning and night (in summer I take 125). Normally I take a maintenance dose of Carbocystiene (Mucodyne) of 2 capsules morn and night, I up it to 3 x daily when nec like now!
For present exacerbation another GP told me to take blue inhaler 4 times a day, I think this is particularly
helping along with the Carbocystiene.
The most important for me is to keep infection at bay because once I have one then it has taken months in the past.
I have an infection right now (1st for 7 months) & started Azithromycin 20 days ago. Had to ditch the steroids, felt so ill with heart racing which I will tell doc next time I go in.
It'll be interesting to see what other replies you get to your good question. Many don't realise you can get exacerbation without infection though having said that it's hard to tell the difference.
ooo, to get a good answer to your question it might be an idea to call the helpline? .......... PS warm welcome to this site 
Peeg I am very interested in your statement saying 'Many don't realise you can get exacerbation without infection though having said that it's hard to tell the difference.'
I did not know this, can you explain further?
Hiya, I'm repeating what I learnt at PR recently. There were 3 experts present during a talk. one a respiratory nurse was giving the talk, one was the head PR tutor Helen and one was Helen's boss (or a respiratory doc) doing some sort quality/content control judging Helen.
After the talk there were questions & the talk ended up around when to take rescue med steroids & ABs. The respiratory nurse was wishy washy to say the least and seemed eager to move on.
The tutor asked permission to make a point which was, that there were 2 kinds of exacerbation, the infection one when antibiotics are the 1st port of call - followed by pred if necessary & the non infection one when steroids are the 1st point of call. She stressed that seeing a GP to confirm at earliest opportunity.
She got a pat on the back from the boss woman for pointing it out.
I hadn't known before either which explains why, on more than one occasion I've gone to doc thinking I had an infection & being surprised when told I hadn't.
Hope you get the gist & sorry to ramble, I'm not well 
(Poor me moan moan)
in reply to peege
Its the same for me I only take steroid tablet when the doctor asks that I do this and when one week of the anti biotics have not changed my symptoms breathing coughing temperature..
Because the two kinds of exacerbation can be at the same time inside our lungs the cause is hard to know who else knows how we feel better than us the reason we are trusted with rescue packs.
peege in reply to
Yeah, it's hard to know though when you're still wearing L plates, P
In 2012 I had a really bad infection and am now able to recognise whether I have an infection or not. If I'm sob and tired but feel ok I know it's not infection if I feel unwell then it is
There have been a few discussions about steroid use recently. Perhaps it would help you to do a search (box top right. Put in BLF steroids or it will search all HU sites). I personally don't use them any more because of the side effects.
in reply to Toci
Can I ask what measures reduce inflammation without steroids as the side effects are worrying.
Toci in reply to
All I can do is follow what is right for me millstone. I had the worst of the side effects, life-threatening, so could not use them any more. That said, I don't seem to miss them and recover just the same from infections using only antibiotics. I do not have exacerbations at other times, except for a few minutes, as described below, following coming into contact with strong cleaning odours, air fresheners, etc. when going into the fresh air relieves my breathing immediately.
Hi
Non infection exacerberation are caused by a trigger.
My main trigger is anxiety .
Also prolong air pollution from strong cleaning products or air fresheners.
Also low sats.
I don't use any medication, I normally just stand at a slightly opened window until I can fetch my breathing under controll can take up to a hour quiet scary!
When I mentioned this to my practise nurse she advised using a hand held fan.
The hospital consultant did not show any concerns. She did offer a morphine based drug for my anxiety which I declined, like my driving to much.
Instead I was given Citalopram which I rarely take,
The secret for recovering from a non infection exacerberation is keeping calm, more so for people around you, if other people panic this will make you panic more, making your breathing worse.
I had a attack on my first day at pulmonary rehablitation , while waiting for the respitory nurse, a staff member sat in front of and went through a visual breathing aid.
"Breath in slowly" raising upturned palms. ' breath out slowly" lowering down turned palms. This calmed me down quite quickly.
Which I now use any time it feel queasy.
I had an exacerbation that lasted for a couple of weeks and am thinking it might have been caused by dust from the building renovation going on at work. I resorted to getting steroids in the end but don't like the side effects so looking for an alternative for another time
Ah that might explain it.
Once you've got dodgey lungs they can't take that sort of thing.
I got really really bad after a Victorian brick wall was taken down between a bedroom & a bathroom. There had been a leak in the wall so all the old mortar was sopping in places though most was dry. I'd had a dehumidifier on for weeks.
When I got back from work I found the chap had not opened either window, all the internal doors were open! To top that he'd taken it upon himself to clean each & every brick - in the bedroom!!
Every centimetre of my home was absolutely covered, it was chokingly awful. Took months to get over that if not years. Now I run a mile if anything like that's going on & cover my nose & mouth. Xx
Here were I live at the dust the pollen the change in the weather just about anything these days gives me a flare up I would love to be off of prednisone steroids cuz my other three inhalers I take already have steroids in them I have bruising everywhere I look like I'm some kind of drug addict on my arms my hands my legs my feet with all the bruising and it looks like blood blisters sometimes I'm over them but I believe I have to take them cuz my lung specialist will not let me go without but if somebody else has a reason that I can tell my doctor that might help me I sure will say something to her and see if it helps to get off of them everyone feel better and have a great weekend
Betsy Rose
in reply to stone-UK
Hi that's very helpfull. My asthma is due to constant anxiety I think ,like today ,it's been awfull
moneal in reply to
Anxiety seems to be one of our biggest enemies, I used hypnotism, which changed my life, things that used to trigger anxiety attacks have almost disappeared and the remainder are now controllable. You can download it from the net or buy a disk, play it several times as it seems silly to start with, but I found that suddenly I was using it to control my breathing without thinking about it.
I am in the process of cutting down on steroids from 40mg a day for two years, the first reduction was done under the care of my consultant while in hospital for two weeks. This enabled them to check nothing was going wrong, since then I have been reducing slowly 1mg at a time, I have noticed that my chest is sore and I need pain killers also I seem to have become sensitive to air fresheners and de-odorants.
Steroids are dangerous things, never play around with them. As you do reduce them be prepared for some bad days as the body returns to normal and NEVER, EVER reduce them without a guide from your doctor, you could end dead.
POSITIVE POINTS normally a new infection strikes as soon as the antib's finish this has not happened, I feel although my lungs are clearer, I cough up less rubbish. Just need to get some exercise after two years of not being able to hardly being able to move it is a bit of a shock to the system.
I've noticed that aggrevation, rather than anxiety can be a trigger....whereas I used to have a few (or more) words with telephone sales chaps with strange asian accents, and the odd arguement within the family, as is normal, to my disappointment I find I can no longer enjoy these hobbies anymore.....they always win, cos I run out of breath,,,,,,,,which gives me even more aggrevation....! Also, the slightest whiff of scent, arosols of any type, and I suspect some forms of air pollution. Anxiety comes much lower on my list, cos I guess I,m not so much worried about the Emphsymia, as I am annoyed about all the things it will not let me do anymore......I mean, I'm only 70, which I'm told is only middle aged............
in reply to mike44
lung.ca/diseases-maladies/c... click on the link,hope it helps,
I'm only the "carer" of a sufferer from COPD for the last 12 years - originally given "up to 5 years"!
She took Prednisolone for 7 of those years - up to 40mg per day - weaning off them 2 or 3 times. She then moved over to Azathioprine plus Acetylcysteine, and has recently come off the Azathioprine under supervision from her consultant. After 3 months - so far, so good! In the event of a major flare-up, she self-medicates on Augmentin antibiotics.
She is convinced that the side-effects of all these medications are often counterproductive, but acknowledges that the benefits are often needed to dig the patient out of the depths that COPD can take you into.
Her regime is good food, vitamin tablets, plenty of sleep, avoid all friends & relatives with colds plus regular exercise (yoga plus Breathe Easy sponsored keep fit). Obviously keep away from tobacco smoke & vehicle fumes too, and if you can get away for some winter sunshine - good luck!
It seems to work for her.
Happy New Year
Has any one heard of ...inhaling Hydrogen peroxide? there is a site where some sufferers have benefited from this form of remedy There is a sit you can go to ..... http:earthclinic.com /remedies/hydrogen_ peroxide_inhalation.html .....have a look anyway good luck let me know what you think
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