Good luck with Terries son. Alleriges are not fun! I have bad allergies & they say I am allergic to all sorts of stuff...

BuffaloGal--what a tremendous mom. I'm adding you and your son to my prayer list. What Todd said (about God sending you as his mother).

RB, you're still on my list, but I'm glad to hear you're in better spirits after such a scary episode.

Todd, you're still on my list, too, even though I don't really know you and it makes you feel "hinky."

Pam, Hinky is cool! TRUST me on this one.

*Don't want to walk or talk about Jesus, I just want to see his face.

**from the 'Stones' Exile on Mainstreet.....<img src="http://www.arlo.net/ubb/smilies/wink.gif" width=15 height=15>

Terri- Has anyone turned you on to the organization called Allergy and Asthma Network, Mothers of Asthmatics? It's located in Fairfax, VA. They offer support, info, newsletter, website -- loads of help. (I'm asthmatic as are 3 out of 5 of my kids.) They are at www.aanma.org
Sometimes the anxiety over my youngest asthmatic gets so overwhemling that I go to the website just to feel that connection with other moms (and dads) who understand.

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by anna:

Terri- Has anyone turned you on to the organization called Allergy and Asthma Network, Mothers of Asthmatics? It's located in Fairfax, VA. They offer support, info, newsletter, website -- loads of help. (I'm asthmatic as are 3 out of 5 of my kids.) They are at www.aanma.org
Sometimes the anxiety over my youngest asthmatic gets so overwhemling that I go to the website just to feel that connection with other moms (and dads) who understand.<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

Thanks for the referral. I just took a very short tour and am very impressed with the layout of the site. It almost makes asthma "fun". I also sent the link to my husband and sister, and to my 2 teenagers. Together we can all manage Michael.

Again, thanks for sharing this invaluable resource!

Terrie

I'm happy to let you know about AANMA. I know that horrible feeling you get when you hear your kid struggling to breathe. We moms (and dads too) gotta stick together.

changing the name of this thread to Asmatic's annonomous/////<img src="http://www.arlo.net/ubb/smilies/smile.gif" width=15 height=15>

had a 3 in the morning AA...not a good time. I'm reading and exploring new drs. I'm all for the OXYGEN therapy....but get differant views. I'm down to one NEBULIZER treatment with the dependance of ventolin (or Combivent) inhalant's for when not near my nebulizer....Which works so much better, but the puffeers at night don't wake people up.

MAY BE I should take up yodeling!?
any Pete Seeger fans in the house?

RB, Have the docs got you on anything to prevent the attacks? An inhaled steroid or something? Have you tried Advair -- a new inhaler with Serevent and Flovent in one cute little purple discus? Better living thru pharmacology, I always say?

Normally I would agree with this Anna! Better living with Pharmaceuticals that's for real! I just have a hard time with certain medicines!

Call it being medication sensitive, or having allergy's to certain meds...I can count on one hand (well maybe two) medications I can take...There are dozens I can't. I cannot take steroids!!! I'm quite sure I'm allergic to cortesone??? ASHTMA CORT almost killed me...The allergic reactions were terrible....And I can't see where it helped ME (I realize millions of people are helped by Asthmacort everyday!)none the less I cannot take it! Along with the other steroids. After about 3 days of treatment I'm ready to kill, and see veins in my teeth...

My Asthma is under controll at this time. My attack the other nite could have been prevented...A non-steroid puffer will tame my breathing...I freaked not being able to find them! And had to do a 3 a.m. Nebulizer treatment.....Last night I waited till 2:30 and did the treatment. If it means staying up late, I guess that's a new part of my life. (not to mention putting the damn loud machine in a differant location in the house). When your watching TV not a problem, just turn up the volume...When at 3am your bound to wake people up! I get NO sympathey at home! They all think I think I'm dying ( don't think I am, at the rate they believe) but look up Famous Asthmatics.....Beetovan died from the disease, along with allot of other famous people...Back then the meds wern't out there (and I believe it was thought (back then) smoking good for your health!? One famous conductor was remembered for his loud puffing sounds, when the music would stop for a sec...People thought him funny, the puffer, untill later that yr. the disease claimed his life....

I'm not out of the woods, as I realize I have a long road ahead of me! I'm lucky I get so much relief from the Albuteral and Ipratropium Bromide...(tell me this isn't a steroid)? My DR assured me it wasn't...Anyway those are two that help. The feeling after an attack. I can only compare it to a truck driving over your chest. The pain is unbearable at times... I usually get along with 3-6 grains a day! Klonopin (having to take to offset seizure activity) helps reasure me, that no side effects will be likely...(Biggest side effect from Albuteral or any of the inhalents is having a seizure)

*Being epileptic, worries me. Thank-God for Klonopin! Thanks for the interest Anna!!!

**maybe God wants Asthma in the fore-front!
I beat this at age 16, but am afraid without moving to better weather (some famous guy moved out of NYC to warmer parts unknown and got great relief) and lived a long life. So if ya see me in Fla. next yr. I'm there for the dry heat! Maybe Arizona??? As I hear Fla has a bad rainey season?

Look up the famous people with Asthma...It really put the interest in it for me!!!

*Todd might laugh, but am highly allergic to Morphine! And whatever it is they give Heroine addicts...so nuthin stonger than Codeine for Rob...And I try NOT to take it. More so lately than ever!!! Altho a #4 or two really do help the pain, and helps keep me awake!!! Leaving it to wear off, as I don't want to suppress my cough any more than I have to...Learning to cough again....

***and I blew a 420...(highest I've ever blown for the airflow thing) I just wish it would stay there....I'm sapposed to be blowing a 500 at least....Sue blows a 650 with NO problem....Boys don't have any problem blowing the thing past 650....I'm still working on it....Wish me luck!!!

Hope there's help to the folks who have more difficult cases. Even a slight asthma attack is very real, and can cause allot of other symtoms...(panic attacks ect)

Stay drug free but use em if you need to!!!

Sorry for the book!

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by anna:

RB, Have the docs got you on anything to prevent the attacks? An inhaled steroid or something? Have you tried Advair -- a new inhaler with Serevent and Flovent in one cute little purple discus? Better living thru pharmacology, I always say?<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

Advair is fabulous, the ONLY drug that really does prevent the onset of attacks. Michael has done really well with it. The one time he "broke thru" was when he had some viral infection, warm winter, damp and, I guess, molds. Even his stay in the hospital was much shorter this time!

RB, I'm sorry to be nosey. I just worry about the asthmatics. My mother-in-law used to describe the feeling an asthmatic gets as "oxygen hungry". I thought that was a great description.
I'm feeling bad that you're having such a miserable time. I am looking at my copy of Allergy and Asthma Health from a couple of months ago. It says that ipratropium bromide (Atrovent) is a bronchodilator which I'm assuming is non-steroidal. But I got no MD after my name, so take it with a grain of salt, hell the whole shaker.
I looked up non-steroidal anti-inflammatory meds which would work on the airway inflammation. These wouldn't help once the wheezing and breathing problems start as they aren't rescue drugs, but they might help prevent the inflammation. They are cromolyn sodium (Intal) and nedocromil sodium (Tilade). I wish I had a scanner so I could email you this. However, I'm sure your docs have tried all this stuff. Asthma can be so frustrating.
420 sounds pretty good to me. I just did my son's peak flow and got a 480 and I'm doing great today. 650??!! Show-offs <img src="http://www.arlo.net/ubb/smilies/smile.gif" width=15 height=15>
Hang in there!!!

Thanks Anna for your support! I still get NO respect around here. Glad to see I get a little around 'The Ol Blunder Board'! It's very refreshing.

*everyone with asthma is differant! I highly suggest you go with your gut. I do. Like previously suggested, I know I'd be in Prison if left to take steroids...I'd surely cop a manslaughter charge...(just what they do to ME)! Thank-God (this is a subject about God right)lol... that millions ARE helped each and every day by these drugs!

:To me describing an asthma attack.....The truck running over the chest feeling is what I get now.

***All I can say when I had juevenile Asthma, it felf as if my lungs were itching inside, and if I could have reached inside my body, I probly would have scratched my lungs out!!! The terrible itching is mostly what I remember...Not to metion not being able to breath...BUT the Benadryll stopped the itching (fast acting the Elixer) and my mom was a nurse, and it was her advice...Just drink it out of the bottle, You don't have time for teaspoons,,,,alhto I don't recomend that at home. The large dose often calmed me, with a mild sedation....

I can NO longer take Benadryll. It's one of the drug I can no longer tolerate....(wracks my kidneys) and think I developed an allergy to it??? If that's possible...I'm a Dr. I'm just practicing without a licence!!!