To cry or to be happy?

[Kinnoo]

I was having trouble breathing and severe wheezing for the last ten days. I am coughing and wheezing since May last year. Been through different tests and waiting ct scan results. The brown inhaler didn’t work the last time I tried but since I was using the blue one every three hours I thought to give the brown one a try again. Don’t jinx me but I feel better. I started it since night so it can be too early to say anything but it definitely means it has made me better. Is it asthma that I have or can the beclametosone cure other things too, like allergies? I don’t want to have asthma, I have always been very healthy but this past year has been a roller coaster ride for me. Thanks

[Minushabens]

Hi there. First of all (without jinxing you!) I'm glad you feel a bit better.

The beclomethasone is a long-term drug that helps keep you well through taking it regularly. I don't think it 'cures' allergies as such, but it mitigates the effect of them on your lungs. I think we all understand how you feel about not wanting asthma!

The CT-scan is probably to check that there aren't any other issues going on in there. Hopefully, once you get a clearer picture you can get on the right treatment. Keep taking the preventer inhaler though (unless told otherwise) as that will help keep your symptoms in check.

[Kinnoo in reply to Minushabens]

Haha thank you so much. The jinx part was only a precaution lol as I always tease my husband.

Yes you are right I should not have stopped it at the first place but it didn’t work before yet it is working right now unless it is some other natural remedies I’m trying.

Regarding the effect of beclamethasone on allergies. Yes exactly that’s what I meant but didn’t write it properly. So is there a chance it could be allergies and not asthma?

[Minushabens in reply to Kinnoo]

It's very hard to say what your problem is specifically as most of us here aren't medically qualified. What you need to keep in mind is that the most common form of asthma is what's called atopic; that means that an allergy to something or other is causing you to have breathing difficulties. Many of the common allergies though are really difficult to avoid (dust mites are a major one).

If you were very lucky, could identify a specific allergy & organise your life to avoid it then theoretically I guess you could live drug-free. But sadly, real world asthma isn't like that. If it is asthma, which your response to the preventer suggests is a strong possibility, then you will very likely have both allergies and triggers (cold air, smoke, perfumes are common) that will set you off as well.

I can really sympathise with you trying to find a route through this, but remember that the inhalers are there to help you keep everything under control, stop it deteriorating as you get older & allow you to live a full & active life

[Kinnoo in reply to Minushabens]

Thank you. That’s very reassuring. I hope do find the trigger or whatever allergy I have. How can someone grow an allergy to something at this stage in life? Is it a recurring exposure that makes you less immune or what? I’m 30 and can’t point to anything ever causing such a havoc on my health. I do remember sneezing a lot in presence of those auto air fresheners 😐

[Minushabens in reply to Kinnoo]

That's a very difficult question to answer...by which I mean I don't have a clue really!

There's a reverse scenario in fact that I don't understand. As a child & young adult, I experienced violent allergic reactions to cats. I have avoided them like the plague ever since. Recently, I started a new job as a teacher, but with excluded children in their own houses. These kids don't generally live in particularly amazing circumstances, & one had 3 cats roaming around everywhere. I was desperately worried, but in fact came down with nothing much worse than a bit of a runny nose & itching eyes. I wouldn't have stayed too long, but 20/30 years ago that would have landed me in A&E.

The other factor might be changes to your lungs - things that you were able to remove, you can't now due to damage, airway widening, etc.

As I say, I don't really know, but I hope you get to the bottom of it anyway.

[WheezleSneezle in reply to Kinnoo]

It’s possible to develop allergies as an adult. For instance I was on buprenorphine patches for pain and for years I had no problems and they worked well. Gradually I started getting a bit of redness where the patch was and over the next few months it got more serious and eventually blistered and I couldn’t wear the patches at all.

So then I was put on pills and I got worried people would break into my house as I lived in a bad area. So I asked my pain management specialist if I could try something that nobody with addiction issues would want. He prescribed me patches of a stronger painkiller since I still had breakthrough pain.

I applied the patch for the first time and went into anaphylaxis. So now I can’t ever use any kind of patch and I have to be careful about any adhesive so I tend to stay away from them.