Asthma Update!
Posted , 4 users are following.
Hey, so I went to the doctor 2 days ago. It was an afternoon and in the afternoons I'm better, as in I don't get so much shortness of breath.
He listened to my lungs said no infection (which is good). At first, from what he listened he thought I didn't have asthma. However, I had a spirometry and the numbers weren't normal. After the spirometry he put me in a glass box, no air getting in and I had to do something similar. That showed even more details. He then was sure I have asthma. Moderate asthma. Not mild. He prescribed me with fostair and I said I've been recently prescribed with fostair for a common virus which he found stupid. I saw someone commenting that fostair won't really help , and I'm not sure what to do next. He said do fostair 2 puffs every morning and night for a month and come back. He doesn't know if it's allergic or not. I'm not sure If I do it right though, as it persists and every morning, even after the puffs I feel drained and out of breath and I have to breathe really fast to catch my breath which worries me. I've read that asthma can cause fatigue. Is this true ??
Could I be having asthma all these years building up? I moved to a new town due to university, in November. The climate here is not convenient at all. Winters are really cold and humid and summers are really really hot and humid too. Spring so far is bad too, so much pollen on the air! Since I moved it seems like I got bad sinuses too ( not diagnosed, but I felt like it in winter.) Could that trigger my asthma too? As it was building up all these years?
For now, I'm gonna stick with the prescription but I'm sure that if I went to the doctor in the morning, the numbers would be so much worse. He took my oxygen which was normal, 98% so I get enough oxygen. I still don't get where that fatigue is coming from and it worries me.
2 likes, 17 replies
Needhelp_asap
Posted
Another weird thing that happens, is that I only get wheezing If I do a certain move. I showed this to the doctor and he was surprised. He said, no wheezing otherwise? I said no, unless I don't get it. I could cause the wheezing to happen with this move, since I can remember. Isn't that weird?
Aschm32186 Needhelp_asap
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Needhelp_asap Aschm32186
Posted
I'm sorry, what do you mean by egies?
Aschm32186 Needhelp_asap
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Needhelp_asap Aschm32186
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Ah it's fine! I really don't know. To be honest, this is getting to me, I don't like feeling tired, I used to be so energetic and go to the gym right before this!
green881 Needhelp_asap
Posted
I know that asthma can be frustrating and a bit scary the first few times you have an attack. I'm sorry I hope you can get on a path to good treatment.
Now that your asthma has been confirmed, which I strongly suspected a few days ago, you need to get educated. It takes time and some effort there is no getting around that. The one question I have is this: Were you ever prescribed Ventolin or similar (contains sulbutamol known as albuterol in the US but the same thing). Any time in your life? It used to come in a blue canister but it can nowadays be red or yellow. Proair or Proventil are the exact same thing.
Fostair is long acting you will need to take it for 7-14 days to feel the effects and you should not discontinue use suddenly. The reason I ask about Ventolin is that directly from Fostair website "Fostair should not be used as the first treatment for asthma." In my humble and non-medically certified opinion your first course of action should be Ventolin (or generic) as rescue inhaler combined with beclomethasone (brand name Qvar). the Qvar will be 2 puffs morning and evening and you will need to dilligently take it for 2 weeks until the need for Ventolin comes down.
Maybe try to talk to a nurse that themselves have asthma or another doctor. It's natural to be anxious and confused about this. But you have a right to know and understand the treatments. Google Ventolin there is tons of info on it before you go back. If you are new to this make sure you are using the inhaler correctly - a medical professional should have you practice using it in front of them the first time, and recheck the second time. Read the instruction booklet carefully.
To me it sounds like you have pollen and possibly other allergies combined with EIA, just like me. Welcome to the club. The move and change in climate and the seasonal nature all point to that.
Needhelp_asap green881
Posted
I really hope I can get the best treatment eventually.
No, I haven't been prescribed anything for asthma before just the fostair inhaler back in February which was weird cause I just had a virus with coughing.
Oh god, so I have to wait for 7-14 days, this is hell on earth already. Ugh. Seems liek we're having the same problem so next time I go to the doctor I'll propose that. I'm gonna wait for a month as he said though and see what happens. It's just frustrating though.
I will search on some videos on how to use it too. Thank you so much for your kind and informative replies.
Needhelp_asap green881
Posted
Also, I read it can cause fatigue. Is this true? I think everything is hitting me at once, asthma, allergies and I'm a few days before my time of month which might contribute to fatigue and sleepiness.
green881 Needhelp_asap
Posted
Hmmm. The more I hear of your story I am starting to get frustrated. And you are the one experiencing more of it than me right now!
You must be in the UK since I don't think Fostair is approved in the US yet. The labelling seems to imply you can use it as a rescue inhaler when you get an attack. But the medications are all long acting so I don't get that. Did your doc give you that specific instruction (to use it to releave an attack)? Did it work?
Ventolin (salbutamol ak albuterol) works very quickly 5-30 seconds. If I were in your shoes I would call the doctor back and ask specifically for reasons why this was not prescribed. Tell him Fostair is not working for you. But definitely keep on taking it twice a day until you get your hands on the substitute. (Since Fostair contains beclomethasone that is not good to stop suddenly)
Actually I heard that you don't need a prescription for Ventolin in the UK. Maybe all your docs assumed you were already using it? I would still call doc but if you can't get a clear answer go for it. Pick up a cheap peak flow meter while you are at it - even here those don't need a script.
Clearly breathing soon you will be (Yoda's ashtma regimin).
green881 Needhelp_asap
Posted
Hey Needhelp,
I actually wrote a couple of paragraphs to your post above this. But it got snagged by moderator and I can't get it back. Probably because i put a link to a newspaper in it (Daily Mail go figure).
Botttom line answer in one sentence: Go to Boots and buy Ventolin over the counter. We cannot get it without prescription in the US. Apparently you just have to fill out questionnaire. Talk to the pharmacist and tell him all your meds.
As for this post, I don't know about asthma and fatigure. Not my direct experience. I have read that asthma can be triggered or aggravated by high emotional stress and hormones. And when you are having an attack it is stressful so try to breath slowly and remaing calm. It kind of feeds on itself. That's why exercise, sleep, good weight all help. But for me if I walk into a dusty curtain I'm going to wheeze no matter all that.
Get that Ventolin. Good luck.
Needhelp_asap green881
Posted
I'm in Greece, I don't think I can get it without prescription either but I'll look into it.
I'm an anxious person indeed, I have health anxiety too so this is even harder. Ugh. These days, I just can't exercise, I'll get back to it as soon as I start feeling better. This city I moved in, only trouble caused me. Lol. Also, I get tachycardia when I'm out of breath, I guess that's normal too.
Thank you very much , best of luck to you too!
green881 Needhelp_asap
Posted
Hopefully this will make you feel better and more confident. I think you should be able to get back to exercise. Listen to your body. Warm up first. If you start to wheeze, stop take 1 puff albuterol and wait 15 minutes and then when clear away you go. Or like I said in the other post 1 puff 5 or 10 minutes before start.
Needhelp_asap green881
Posted
Lucky because it's beautiful. As far as economy is concerned...that's another issue. Haha. I'm not in the countryside, I will go tomorrow probably and buy it. Can I use this and fostair too?
I did exercise today, it was ok, it's cause I went in the afternoon. In the morning, I just can't!
green881 Needhelp_asap
Posted
According to its website (and based on what I know about what is in it) yes you can take Fostair as maintenance therapy and use a separate sulbutamol rescue inhaler. If I were in your shoes (which I almost am) I would take the max dose Fostair (read the label) which should be two puffs morning and night, try to spread them roughly 12 hours apart. When you are wheezing take salbutamol (up to 2 puffs in 4 hrs) as needed.
Keep taking the Fostair, your symptoms may improve rapidly and it's tempting to stop but you should not stop suddenly. Let your salbutamol use drop to less than 3 a week (or zero) and then consider gradual decline.
Needhelp_asap green881
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Thank you!
Needhelp_asap
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However, I do have side effects that aren't pleasant. I'm thinking of decreasing my dose.
I get tired, my vision gets weird, i have trembling in my hands,tachycardia and I don't want to have a fungal infection. I think it's affecting my stomach too.
green881 Needhelp_asap
Posted
Is your doctor in Greece or UK? If it was me I'd call back and ask them to switch you to Qvar and Ventolin (salbutamol/albuterol generic). For me switches like this can usually be handled over the phone. But you do need to keep taking it.
Fostair contains two things: A corticosteroid (beclomethasone) - same thing that's in Qvar. That's the key item and it's the same thing as Qvar. The second one is a long acting beta agonist formoterol. That is similar effect to salbutamol. Both formoterol and salbutamol can make you a little jumpy maybe shakes and elevated heart rate, just like a couple shots of espresso. Difference is formoterol stays in your system a long time (hence long acting) whereas salbutamol clears out mostly after 15 minutes or so.
I think you may be better off on Qvar and Salbutamol. But don't stop you have to get under control you don't want a major attack. If Qvar not available locally substitute Flovent (fluticasone generic).
I've never tried Fostair because it's not US approved but it doesn't seem to have the best online reputation :-( I've tried pretty much everything else.
Stay positive you will get better soon.