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Living life to the full on as little medication as possible = Goal

3 Replies

Hi

I have been having weekly visits to the asthma nurse over the past month following a period of difficult to control asthma which necessitated oral steroids. I felt well initially after the course had finished but over the past month i have had consistently lower than normal peak flow results, usually around 60-70% of the norm.

I feel ok but not able to be as active as i would usually be( gym etc) without using my nebuliser first. I have to see my doctor next week and worry about having to be prescribed more medication which i am reluctant to use even although it may help. I expect thats a worry for others, trying to balance the need to achieve the most stable asthma and the adverse impact on the body of increased medication. I realise that compared to others my medication requirements are very low and i have been very fortunate.

I have increased the symbicort but this does not seem to have helped to increase my peak flow significantly.

Can you give me any suggestions of advise/medications my GP may suggest?

Thanks

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3 Replies

Hi pinky,

Have you ever tried Singulair (Montelukast). It made a huge difference to me, and is meant to be good for exercise-induced asthma. Or antihistamines?

I know what you feel like. I recently wrote down how much ventolin I was using, I was totally shocked by it - I'm more out of control than I thought, but I'm reluctant to add more drugs. I'm active, in my early 20s, and going by the 'step' treatment plans, I've only got theophilline before continuous Pred left. But then I guess if I'm going to damage my lungs by not getting it all under control, maybe I should try theo. I think that if I didn't do sport I'd be a lot worse - so I'm scared that if it got too bad to do frequent sport, it would really go downhill. But like you, I'm very aware how lucky I am to have comparatively OK asthma.

Good luck.

you need to decide what's best, being able to live normal life with medication, or reduced meds and a reduced lifestyle. Side effects are a concern, and I mentioned some of them about serevent when i was prescibed it to the asthma nurse, she said that if her child needed, then she would prefer to chance that.

pinky-i don't quite understand how you can feel ok, but not be as active as usual, do you then actually feel slightly symptomatic? talk to your docs, and get that sorted. ideally no meds or very little would be ideal, i have side effects which are a real pain (literally) I could do without, but are better than being short of breath etc.

sorry can't suggest what next, but you sound like you know your asthma, and can monitor it well, so take care until you appt.

Thanks for your replies.

It is typical of me and probably other asthmatics to say I feel "" ok "" and underestimate how i really am. That comment really made me giggle. I am, of course symptomatic, but only slightly honest!! The tight chest is indigestion and the whistling sound is the wind whistling between the gaps in my teeth as i sprint around the local running track!!

Actually to be honest there is that part of my brain that is in denial even after all these years.

Will arrange to see doc this week just to check.

Thanks

x

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