Treating the asthma

[pegkerr]

This is the first day I've used the inhaler (Advair for asthma). Up until now, I've only had to use it during the spring pollen season, and since it was the wrong time of year and the whole thing started with an acute virus, it took me a while to twig to the fact that once the virus was resolved, my system was then coping with a reoccurrence of my asthma. But when I started considering it, I realized that the symptoms were exactly the same as they were when the spring asthma was at its worst: incessant, non-productive coughing, and the sensation that the inside of my lungs were coated with a thin layer of rubber cement.

Anyway, using the inhaler seems to have more or less stopped the coughing for the first time in five weeks. I didn't cough at all during sparring class tonight (although I did get a bit winded and had to quit early). It's a definite improvement.

It's also the first day in weeks that I haven't had to make a pot of tea to stop the coughing in order to sleep. I'm very pleased and relieved.

Edited to add: Yep, and (TMI) I am rinsing and spitting after using the inhaler, to avoid thrush.

Comments

[nmalfoy.livejournal.com]

Watch out about taking it right before bed. The one I have (Ventolin) actually gives me a bit of an adrenaline rush. I'm not sure if yours will. Try it about 2 hours before.

I'm so glad you're finally getting some relief!

Glad you are not coughing

[mizzlaurajean.livejournal.com]

At the first sign of a cold I start up on both my inhalers. Seems to help a tremendous amount.

And I sometimes use it before I do anything exercise related even a fast pasced walk if I feel I'm going to be short of breath from the get go. And I have very mild asthma.

[origamilady.livejournal.com]

advair should be fine just before bed. . . . .

it's an inhaled steroid, tastes rather horrid but god does it do the trick.
I take advair year round 2 times a day (when I first wake up and right before bed). The main thing with inhaled steroids is to make sure to wash out your mouth after you take it, my mom gargles - I usually just drink a quarter cup of water and Im fine, if you don't you're inviting a case of ?Thrush? -never had it just remember vaguely from what my mom told me eons ago.

The thing about advair is that it is a slow acting drug -it needs time to build up in your system- in order to work properly.

[lindelea1.livejournal.com]

Hurrah! Glad to hear there's relief.

I agree with this comment; the doc who gave me the inhaler strictly warned me to rinse my mouth well after using the inhaler to avoid thrush.

Having had thrush in the past (complete misery) I would second the advice.

[pegkerr.livejournal.com]

Yep, I knew that and so I've been rinsing immediately after using the inhaler.

[kijjohnson.livejournal.com]

Excellent! I'm glad for you.

[nickel234.livejournal.com]

Wow, I identify with this!

I can go so long and then think that I must be getting a cold. Then I realize that the cold is over and it must be my lungs hating on me. My Albuterol Inhaler saves the day once my brain remembers that I have Asthma.

And my symptoms are the same as yours, which I've never really found from others.

[darth-kittius.livejournal.com]

Same here... and I *always* forget about the inhaler (also Albuterol) for the first few days. Then I realize -- OH YEAH... I have asthma, that's my problem.... *facepalm*

[nickel234.livejournal.com]

EXACTLY!

[pameladean]

I'm so glad the coughing has abated.

P.

[fairestcat]

Advair is, according to pretty much every asthmatic I know, pretty much a miracle drug. I know that I essentially split my asthma into two categories, before Advair and after Advair and the difference between the two periods is pretty much night and day. The trick with Advair actually is to remember why you still need it. It's so effective that you'll more than likely have little or no asthma symptoms at all while taking it regularly, which of course is why it's so easy to lapse and stop taking it entirely.

But yeah. Advair = Made of Awesome.

[cathschaffstump.livejournal.com]

Yup. Advair. Nothing like it after that 3 week bronchal crud.

Catherine

[peacockharpy.livejournal.com]

I salute you with my own inhaler. Cheers! (And hurrah for no more cough!)

As an aside, I was told by my doctor that to soothe a throat that's been harshed by coughing, the best thing is drinking warm apple juice or apple cider. It really does help.

[mayakda.livejournal.com]

I'm glad it's helping with the cough!

My 10yo was on Advair a couple of years ago. Worked great. Dr forgot to tell us to that she's supposed to gargle and spit after inhaling until the follow-up visit. Luckily, no harm done.

Maybe you have cough-variant asthma? Has your doctor suggested a fast-acting inhaler also (e.g. albuterol) for sudden coughing attacks?

[pegkerr.livejournal.com]

Yeah, I've used Albuterol in the past, too, but it doesn't work for me as well as the Advair.

[eal.livejournal.com]

I do an Advair/Singulair combo with an albuterol chaser :).

Seriously, Advair twice a day, every day. Singulair every evening and albuterol as needed.

Without that combination, I can't breathe. With that combination, I'm a reasonably breathing (most of the time) Marcie.

Advair is truly my miracle (and yeah, rinse and spit, every time).