Hi,

This is going to be a little long. Bare with me.

I was born asthmatic. I would have asthma attacks all the way until the age of 12 or something like that. They were pretty bad and my mom would sit with me and the nebulizer until I felt better. It always felt like I was dying. However, it stopped happening as I grew older.

Fast forward, COVID hit, I am around 27. I got COVID before the vaccines. While I had COVID I struggled to breathe but x rays came back normal, even though it felt like I could never have a full breathe. This was CONSTANT. 24/7. It felt different than asthma. After I recovered, the breathing issue never went away. In fact, it got worse one time and I couldn’t breathe properly at all for a year after that. Then, it got slightly better and it stayed the same for another two years. At this point I thought something was really wrong with me. Doctors were telling me it was just anxiety but this had never happened to me despite having anxiety before. Other doctors told me it was asthma just because I told them I had asthma when I was younger. No one has wanted to do MRI or CT Scans. A pulmonologist did some breathing tests and they came out fine, so he just told me it was probably Asthma. When I got prescribed different medications, they never helped and my breathing issue has never gone away.

In the present, it’s the best it’s been since COVID, but is till struggle a lot. Inhalers now can help me but this would mean I would need inhalers every day for the rest of my life without even knowing if this is actually asthma or if there’s something worse happening to my lungs. I’m having a hard time trusting doctors when they haven’t even really looked into scans of my lungs. I get pains in my chest in very specific areas, I can’t breathe well whenever I lay down. I’m always coughing (not an insane amount), and I feel like I can never sleep properly and always fatigued.

I. AM. MISERABLE. It makes me really want to kill myself living like this.

When I was younger, an asthma attack would happen and when it was gone I was able to breathe like a normal person. Now, this is constantly there and never goes away. What is happening?

I don’t know what to do or if I should just say fuck it and use the inhalers. I’m also scared of using inhalers because my grandma had asthma and apparently because she used inhalers all her life her heart was atrophied by the time she died. The doctors told my mom it was because of the constant use steroids. Not sure how true that is, but it’s scared me. But at the same time, it’s so horrible not being able to breathe and always feeling like I have an elephant sitting on my chest. I am only 30 years old and I feel like my body is falling apart and that I will die young.

Is it asthma? Should I advocate for myself more? Should I take the inhalers even if they don’t really take it away? Am I fucked?

Sorry for the long post and thank you for reading.

34F. I’ve had asthma all my life, mostly allergy-induced but also exercise-induced. I recently was shortly hospitalized for shallow breathing with wheezing and put on an IV drip of something steroidal yesterday, and again today. I was also given two different inhalers and an anti-histamine, plus some more steroids in case I can’t come in for an IV on some days.

The doctor said the 好酸球 (eosinophil) and IgE numbers were super high, but I was wondering if that’s only compared to Japanese people. I’m of Irish descent. I also may have psoriasis which is an auto-immune condition.

I’ve never tested for these numbers before and I’d like to know what others’ numbers here are. Thanks.

Hi I have an order to do this test. Just wondering if it is a scary test to do? I had to cancel the test yesterday bc I was suffering with migraines, high BP, and anxiety due to them telling me to quit my BP med that is a beta blocker. I couldn't handle my headache so my primary doctor ordered a diff BP med so my BP doesn't get high. The drive to the hosp to do the test is 45 min away..

Anyways, should I have a driver for this test? I have history of anxieties... I like to prepare myself.

Thanks, Amy

Now that we are getting into sick season, I wanted to ask how you all deal with the chest mucus? It seems that even a minor head cold will almost always develop into a nasty, mucus-ey cough with the inevitable wheezing.

Any tips or recommended OTC meds for shortening this bout of symptoms or at least making it less painful? I usually just overdose on hot tea and soups.

Is anyone on disability for their asthma?

I take my first dose in office tomorrow, for severe eoe and severe asthma and I’m absolutely terrified. I also have severe food allergies that keep me on a set list of about 10 safe foods. I’m terrified I’m going to have an anaphylactic reaction to it, to the point where I might cancel my appointment, but my asthma and eoe is slowly killing me currently so something needs to change.

Someone please tell I’m that I’m going to be fine and this is just my anxiety being as anxiety does. I’ve been having panic attacks all week.

Hi! I’ve been having issues for a while and got diagnosed with asthma. My doctor prescribed Breo and a rescue inhaler. I also have cardiac issues. Tachycardia and palpitations. I take Metoprolol daily. Anyone have any issues with the Brea or Albuterol mixing with the metoprolol? I also take 100 mg amitriptyline if anyone has any input with that one as well. Thanks!

I have a really bad flair ups when the seasons change, so fall and spring and the worst for me. I’ve been taking my Albuterol Sulfate Inhaler and I was given Prednisone, it helped briefly but I’m back to non stop coughing again, I can’t sleep at night, my throat hurts from coughing so much. Any help from my fellow CVA friends is so appreciated!

I’m a 22yr old female and I’ve been struggling with asthma for as long as I can remember. Unfortunately I picked up vaping a few years back and I can’t seem to kick it. I’ve tried the patch, gum all that fun stuff. My doc won’t give me medicine to help me quit (forgot the name of it) bc of my mental health history. I know I need to quit I just don’t know how… any advice?

Hi! I had my 1st visit to a pulmonology clinic today with a lung function test. Diagnosis is severe asthma due to inflammation. I am being prescribed Trelegy for a month as it is required by insurance. It is expected to help, but not completely.

I know absolutely nothing about biologics. I would like to know what someone thinks who has used this.

I've recently been prescribed Breztri as a maintenance inhaler and it's been giving me the most hoarse voice known to man. I sound like a twelve year old boy. Like a failed rock or metal musician. Like a chain-smoker (ironic ik). HOWEVER, I can breathe. So, do I just accept my losses and get used to it or am I royally messing something up here?

I am out of my inhaler and i have had my respule vials but they are about 20times stronger in dose. If i only wanted to take a few drops of it in a nebulizer can i take it?

The title basically explains it all. I've had a few hospital-level exacerbations, so I'm decently familiar with Atrovent. It feels like I'm inhaling bug spray when I take it: it burns, I cough, and it actually feels like it's triggering my asthma?

At first I thought it was just a bad batch, but the more I've experienced it (at different hospitals, too), the more I'm realizing that it just doesn't work.

I'm thinking it's a solvent or propellant in it, but I don't know. Has anyone else had a similar experience or am I just an odd duck?

Hi everyone!! I am here posting as a girlfriend of an asthmatic, whose allergies and asthma interferes with his daily life,especially his sleep at night. For Christmas I’m considering purchasing an air purifier in hopes of providing some relief. What would you recommend when looking for one?(I should note we are both college students so space and wallet friendly options are important). What have been your experiences with air purifiers?

Also any advice related to asthma is warmly welcomed. Thank you!!

I have been struggling with asthma for all my life but lately the situation is worse than ever, and the healthcare system here in the Netherlands hasn't been able to provide the help I need.

I'm feeling desperate and willing to pay out-of-pocket to find a long-term solution. I want to consult a top specialist who can ensure every possible option is explored and no stone is left unturned.

If anyone has recommendations or advice on how to go about this, I’d be incredibly grateful. Thank you!

My 3 year old son is struggling with an upper respiratory infection. Illness always triggers his asthma and nights have been pretty brutal. He had an asthma attack in bed last evening and his inhaler wasn’t doing a thing for him. I got him to the ER where he got a 72 hour dose of dexamethasone, but he is still really having a hard time. Is there anything else I can do to help him out? We are heading home from vacation today and I plan on using his humidifier. We’ve been raising the head of his mattress already.

So, about 4 months ago, I stared being treated for exercise induced asthma with Montelukast and Albuterol. I also have an allergic component to my asthma and am getting re-tested for specific allergies in January.

What concerns me is that my GP tells me it's "perfectly safe and normal" to take Albuterol 5-7 times a day, 4-5 days a week. While I feel it gives me relief, it's definitely not been keeping my asthma under control.

Today, I'm about to see my GP for cold symptoms, particularly excessive mucus secretion (which I already deal with on a daily basis). What are some things I can say to convince her that I should probably have a prescription for preventative meds?

Maybe 10byears ago I went to my GP for a general physical, and was told I have exercise induced asthma. Left with steroid inhaler, rescue inhaler, and told to take Flonase for allergies. I did all the things until the prescription ran out, and never bothered again. Once I moved from a dry climate to a humid one, it was a non issue. I am starting to have issues again, and wonder what my new doctor will do? Another test where I exhale in the tube thing? I'd like to avoid steroid inhalers. Are they necessary? Can I just use the rescue inhaler before I exercise?

Since it's not a major problem (like, I have chest tightness and congestion for a few hours) maybe I don't even need to do anything?

I have allergy induced asthma and bounce between using my rescue inhaler and my nebulizer but what I'm really wondering is what's better to use as a preventative?

I wake up multiple times a night wheezing and usually just use my rescue inhaler because it's quick and easy. But I'm wondering now if it would be a better preventative to use my nebulizer before bed? Would it keep me from waking up wheezing throughout the night?

I have very well controlled asthma, without having to use an asthma control medication for about 2 to 3 years now and only having had to use my rescue inhaler maybe 2 to 3 times in that time frame. I am going on a medical mission trip in less than 2 weeks to Costa Rica and our group is planning an excursion to the hot springs and volcano tour. Thoughts? I am terrified in a way because my nephew had to be hospitalized and later air lifted back from Hawaii after nearly dying because he didn't give consideration to the volcanoes and potential impact on his asthma. So I initially told the group that I didn't want to risk a flare and opted not to do the excursion with them. Not really all that excited about the volcano aspect anyhow. However I would really love to do the hot springs. I'm wondering if anyone has experience and recommendations on how to do a volcano tour and keep the asthma flare up at bay. Like maybe wearing an K95N mask and using my rescue inhaler an 30 minutes to an hour prior to arrival as a preventative, and doubling up on my allergy meds (safe to do with the one I use) or just not risk it because the risk is too significant? Thanks in advance for any input you might have.

Hello everyone,

I’d like your honest opinion about my situation. I live in Australia, and back in December 2022, I experienced severe breathing difficulties — it felt like I was gasping for air constantly, as if a heavy rock was pressing on my chest. I went to a doctor, who diagnosed me with asthma, possibly seasonal, and prescribed a preventive inhaler.

Using the inhaler provided immense relief and made me realize how challenging asthma can be for people. The doctor advised me to keep using the inhaler regularly. Around that time, I was also smoking a lot of weed, but I quit entirely after the diagnosis. Since then, I’ve rarely used the inhaler (with just one exception) and haven’t experienced any symptoms through three allergy seasons.

Now, I don’t have wheezing or other common asthma symptoms, but I’m concerned that since i have stopped using inhaler from past 3 years, my condition might worsen as I age. I’ve consulted several doctors, but their responses feel vague and non-committal. Do I still have asthma, or could this have been a temporary condition? Should I be worried about long-term risks if I’m not using the inhaler?

So im on oxygen for allergic asthma. My IGE level is 5000… I’vee been on Dupixent for a few months and it’s helped my oxygen levels go from dipping into the low 80s with my pulse oximeter after a few minuets off my oxygen to now consistently staying in the above 90 range with my pulse oximeter check without my oxygen. However when it gets close to my next dose with my pulse ox has been dipping back down to 80s… has anyone else hag their allergic asthma symptoms come back around the time for their next Dupixent dose? My doses are every 2 weeks.

As the title suggest and the many post I done (15m) these past few days were hell due to me using my inhaler two times a day. During these day I felt mucus in my throat and I don't know if it's giving me asthma since I'm no expert but if it is what can I do to make it go away I already tried the steam method yet nothing any advice helps just for me stopping using my inhaler two times a day ;(

I’m recovering from Pneumonia and they gave me budesonide formoteral and it’s my second day taking it. Both days I’ve had a really bad cough and then I start tasting the taste of the symbicort when I’m coughing (even hours later) and it’s enough to make me vomit. I make sure to rinse with water multiple times and I brush my teeth afterwards taking it. Anyone have a similar experience?

Hi! I'm new to the sub and just kinda wanna just rant about my asthma to people who are likely to understand. (Td;lr: I thought I've had really bad allergies my whole life, only to find out it's literally all just the asthma my biological father made me believe I didn't have)

For context, I was diagnosed with asthma when I was in elementary school due to have pneumonia twice within 6 months. The doctor's told my mom that the trauma from the pneumonia is what caused it. (I was in 2nd grade and have no idea if this is how people can get it, my pediatrician had also confirmed what the ER doctors had told her). Fast forward a couple years, and I move in with my biological father and his new wife. They take me to a doctor after a year and have me taken off of every single medication I was on for my asthma, including rescue inhalers. His wife is a phlebotomist and convinced I didn't have asthma and was just attention seeking. I grew up learning how to mitigate an asthma attack with breathing techniques and just suffering through it because they "were just anxiety and panic attacks".

Now, as and adult, I'm having to teach myself everything about my asthma. Couple years ago I found out that asthma can create a really thick, sticky mucus that is part of the breathing impediment. Just a couple weeks ago, I learned that the "allergies" I've suffered with my whole life, may have never been allergies.. I had stopped taking Montelukast (generic singulair) because I'd been taking it for allergies and recently came into a financial situation where I couldn't always afford it. Well, I had an asthma attack lasting for probably a week before it was so bad I went to a urgent care for a breathing treatment. (Inhaler wasn't working and I was starting to go into a full blown panic attack). They gave a script of the montelukast to get me through til I could get home to a PCP (been outta town with my mom).

Since restarting the montelukast, I haven't needed my daily OTC allergy medicine. My whole world flipped upside down guys. Like, Im really struggling with coming to terms with this whole situation. There's a very high likelihood that I've never really struggled with allergies and have always had a mild form of asthma. My biological father's side of the family has had several members pass because of asthma, which just feels like a slap in the face. His sister died because of asthma, but he let his not-a-doctor wife convince him I'm not an asthmatic and just over reacting to my allergies.

I'm sorry it's such a long post, but I really needed to vent it out to people who might understand. It's been weighing heavy on me and thank you to anyone that read this. I'm just going through a really weird time not needing 8 boxes of tissues ever couple weeks or allergy medicine daily.

Hi all, I'm a new member but have been lurking for a few months as I was diagnosed with asthma last year as an adult, and I suspect it's the cough variant kind. Similar to many, whenever I get a simple cold or virus, it resolves in a few days, but then I get a cough which, then it becomes weeks of coughing fits and wheezing, especially at night. I have a controller inhaler (aadvair diskus), and I use an albuterol inhaler/nebulizer as well as needed. Usually at some point (after about a week of coughing), I go to the dr, and they prescribe a course of oral steroids (medrol dose pack), which does the trick. The problem is, I had a little kid so have been getting frequent colds, and taking oral steroids after each time has so many side effects. This year I have had three bouts (for which I took three 1-week courses of steroids, Jan, Aug, Oct). I got another cold in November and I didn't want to take another course of steroids so soon after the last in October so I have been trying to wait it out.. my symptoms seem to be generally resolving, but I still have occasional coughing fits during the day, and really bad ones at night. From reading reddit, it seems most people take the steroids and that fixes things... but does anyone have good experiences with waiting it out? Or is it best to just take the steroids as soon as possible to avoid damaging the lungs from repeated coughing...? Any advice is welcome and appreciated!!

Title says it all, I've tried researching my spirometry results and I don't understand them. I can't tell if my results are normal or abnormal, and if I should be worried about having asthma. My doctor said they weren't sure if they could diagnose it based on this test alone, as well as me not really having typical symptoms. I have chrinic anxiety and feeling like I'm not breathing, however I use a pulse oximeter which always shows my blood oxygen as 97 or above. I have an inhaler I have for as needed, but I don't reaply ever use it. I also have little energy and it's gotten a lot worse over the course of this year.

TL;DR: How do I interpret these results

Hi I know someone out there has this problem too. When the temp drops it's pretty common for the cold air to cause an asthma and/or vocal cord dysfunction attack. I would really appreciate some suggestions! I have several specialist appointments this month that are really important so I have to go outside. I'm disabled so a family member always drives me and has the car warmed up. It's probably 20ft that I actually have to be outside. I wear a KN95 mask and it helps a bit to warm the air before I breathe in. I've tried additional layers like scarves which doesn't really help. I've been pulling my hoodie up over my mask which has helped a bit. I think I'm going to try cupping my hands over my mask while holding a hand warmer. I always do nebulizer treatments right before I head out. I can deal with either asthma or vocal cord attacks but both are really difficult to treat. I am on a lot of treatments like daily inhalers, prn nebs, zileuton, H1 and H2 blockers, mast cell stabilizers, xolair injections, ect. I can't normally do vocal cord exercises because they increase my chest pain. My ENT basically said to do them if i can but said if they are causing excruciating pain to not continue them. I say that only because I've tried to get my asthma and VCD under control...and it hasn't been going well lol. Thanks for reading❤