New Gal on the Block

[FearNot]

Hi everyone. I'm looking forward to getting to know you. I've had asthma a long time, I think. It's usually mild, but last year wildfire smoke put me in the emergency room. I'm having a bad flare up due to the same thing. I know next to nothing about asthma and would appreciate advice on how to reverse this fare up. Albuterol gives me extra heartbeats, so I don't like using it. A naturopathic doctor I found who herself has asthma gave me lobelia dops instead. They seem to be working, but this isn't easy. I also sent off for a particulate mask for asthma.

My husband and I are realizing that for me to be more functional, a move to the coast is in order. We can't do that until he retires. which is a few years off. Meanwhile, I need to learn to shelter in place. How do you cope with the disruption of asthma? I'd love to know.

[Carakraft]

It is so nice to hear your story FearNot. Welcome to your Living with Asthma community. The unfortunate wildfires and smoke are putting so many people at risk...

Glad to hear you are looking for a mask to help.

Other resources which might help are

allergyasthmanetwork.org/ed...

Please keep us posted and be safe.

Cara

[FearNot in reply to Carakraft]

Thanks, Cara, for the welcome. That website is just what I've been looking for.

[Putnam Asthma Captain]

I am hoping to live on the Florida coast also. Now living in the Hudson Valley, not a good place for asthmatics. Anyway, some tips. Two strong cups of coffee in the morning and some Vitamix green drinks throughout the day. Walk as much as you can. Use your daily inhaler. Keep weight down.

[FearNot in reply to Putnam]

You can get some of the benefits now by purchasing a salt crystal lamp. Salt is a natural ionizer. I read that people who work in salt mines have no respiratory ailments.

Thanks for the tips! Morning coffee helps clean the pipes and makes life wonderful all around. What do you put in your green drinks?

I actually don't have a maintenance inhaler, being averse to pharmaceuticals. Instead, I use an old-time herbal remedy under the advice of my naturopathic doctor, an asthma mask for cooking and going outdoors, and an air cleaner in my bedroom at night. I also have an air conditioner but need to figure out how to better filter the air it puts out.

[Idahogirl68]

Hi New Gal, I feel your pain and concern on this subject. The smoke last summer and this summer got to me too. It has been a struggle this year. I had to use my nebulizer for the first time in 26 years. It was discouraging but one has to breathe. I would really visit the coast before moving there. I was told by a doctor in San Diego after living for a year in Oregon that the ocean breezes bring in different allergens that can affect you. I lived in Monterey and the same thing here something in the breeze. Please visit where you would like to live on the coast. It is damp there too. Check out your local pollen counts. Along with the smoke this year the grasses went wild for 8 weeks from July to mid August. Know the inhalers can be a friend or foe with their side effects. I have recently run into allergists and pulmonologist who spend 5 minutes with you during an appointment and then could care less about your concerns, only to give you another inhaler to use. Read, read read about asthma a lot of times it is allergies and not asthma. Good Luck and keep writing in, I think this correspondence with others help all of us to network. I am praying for snow! LOL!

[FearNot in reply to Idahogirl68]

Snow! Now there's a nice thought. Thanks for the encouragement. I'm sorry you're suffering too. Cooler weather and rain are coming!

There's a direct and obvious correlation between wildfire smoke and my asthma. I do have a sensitivity to grass pollen, though. I'm sure the high levels haven't helped.

Spending time at the coast always helps me. We went just inland to the Columbia shore during the worst of the smoke. My family took a hike, and they all left me behind, I was walking so slowly. I had to keep stopping to cough, and that finally cleared out the gunk. I picked up speed after that and felt wonderful. It's amazing what a little exercise and sea air did for me. I'm sorry it doesn't help you as much.

[Hidden]

Even people with mild asthma can have life-threatening exaserbations.

[FearNot in reply to Hidden]

True, as I have unfortunately discovered. It's easy to let your guard down sometimes.