I have asthma and am on Qvar. My current flair up started on January first at 3:30am, and since I was incarcerated I was not able to get any medication for 4 months later when I was released. Upon being released I was prescribed the Qvar inhaler. That was 3 months ago. Since then my attacks have been easier to deal with, but for some reason alot more frequent. I recently took a week off from work in an attempt to get my symptoms controlled. I was symptom free for the past 4 days, but today I went body surfing and I was a little tight in the chest. Nothing changed until I got home later, where I had a bad attack that lasted for the entire night. I noticed that I only get flare ups when I'm active. Does anyone else have these same issues. I would appreciate any info you could share with me. Thank you.
What do you think?: I have asthma and am... - Living with Asthma
What do you think?
Hi there - it's difficult to say exactly what the issue might be, but it may be that you simply aren't on the right medication regime just yet. Exercise can & does trigger asthma so maybe have a word with your doctor & see if they can try you on something different?
I don't really know how US procedures work, but if you have a productive cough it might also be worth getting a sample tested.
Qvar is not a rescue inhaler but has cortisone to help prevent the broncospasms that asthma brings. I'm on ventolin also, to open up passageways and Qvar for prevention of the tightness and shortness of breath.
It sounds like exercise induced asthma. They may need to change your medication to see which one works the best. Do they have you on a rescue inhaler and a daily medication?
Since you have had fewer flair up the qvar seems to be working , however Talk to your lung doctor, or get one, for you may need more, for, while you were unable to get the medicine , additional lung damage may have occurred and now you may require stronger cortico steroids. Yet you also should have a quick relief medicine, which should be taken before strenuous activities to prevent additional flare-ups. Also excess Humidity can cause flare ups.
All good advice so far, Just96653, but a couple of additional things to consider.
1. Cold can also be a trigger, which might explain part of your reaction.
2. Corticosteroids (what’s in the Qvar and other long-acting inhalers) can take time to reach a effectiveness level. Also, it would be worth talking to the doctor to make certain you are using the right technique with the Qvar. It might help to use a spacer, a kind of chamber you put on the end of the inhaler then you discharge the medicine into the chamber where it mixes with the air and inhale that mixture. It often is easier to inhale that mixture deeper into your lungs from the spacer (it has to do with the propellent and speed of discharge from the canister making it hard to do correctly, or triggering coughing).
3. By any chance, have you had any blood or other allergy tests done? It’s possible in addition to the exercise-induced, you also have a few other triggers - maybe cold, mold (whether from the general environment and in the humid air, or inside clothes, house etc)?
It’s been a while since you wrote, have you improved any?
On the whole, it can take a while (months) to find a drug regime that works for you.
In the meantime, consider substituting some other exercise for the bodysurfing. Get your symptoms under control , THEN reintroduce your fav exercises, like bodysurfing.
Since I last wrote I've had an allergy test done and discovered that I am allergic to cockroaches. I work at a recycling center that is infested with them. I quit smoking. I have had to go to the hospital 2 times since last I wrote. I just finished a 5 day course of Prednisone, and have been on Singulair for 2 weeks. I currently have the flu, but my lungs,although congested, are not giving me as much trouble as before. I only need my nebulizer once every 3 days now. Thanks to you and everyone else on this site, I have much more to work with than before. You help me everyday. I appreciate you. God bless.
See about filing for worker's comp -- and definitely keep up with the no smoking (I'm so proud of you! What a huge accomplishment!). Also start looking for another job -- you can't medicate your way out of constant exposure with these kinds of reactions. I'm glad we've all been able to help. We'll be here, so let us know how it goes. But please, be careful and start looking for something where you won't be around chemicals, dust, cockroaches or other common triggers. Good luck!
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