Asthma people

[jeaniebueller]

How do you know if you should seek additional treatment or if you are using your rescue inhaler too often? This cold virus is kicking my ass. I usually get 1-2 colds like this a year that flare up my asthma and cause me to ramp up my albuterol use. I have used it 2 or 3 times already today and anticipate using it one more time this evening (normally I don't use it at all in any given day or only use it before I run). I have had a few bad coughing spells but I am not sure if its the cold virus or a real asthma attack (if that makes sense). Also FWIW, I have this debate every time I get a cold like this and then I usually start to improve. I asked my allergy/asthma doctor at my appointment last month how often is safe to use the inhaler and he basically said to use it as often as I need but to call if I felt like it was getting worse. I never had issues like this when I was young. Its another reason why getting older sucks and I am kind of fearing for the future.

[vmars]

I would call. Whenever I used to get a cold it would turn into bronchitis and I would need to do breathing treatments, etc.

[mrssandro]

Good question. I don't know what if there has been an environmental change but my Asthma has been out of control lately. I plan to make an appointment soon so I can get some Advair and maybe some stronger allergy meds. I haven't had asthma like this in years.

[tommygirl03]

If you need it more often than the dosage, then there's a problem. So if you can take it every 4 hours, but need it again in 3, you have a problem. At least that is what my primary doctor has said.

[dottyblue]

Going from zero use to 5+ times a day would be enough for me to call the doctor. It's not going to hurt you to keep using the rescue inhaler, but at 5 times a day, it's not effectively managing your asthma any longer. You probably need something more. Feel better!

[rootbeerfloat]

If the albuterol provides you relief, but you are using it more frequently (like 4x/day vs 0-1), that's OK.

Do you just take albuterol as needed? Or are you on a daily controller med (eg Advair, Pulmicort, Flovent)?

If I get a cold, I sometimes up the dosage of my daily med for a few days. The pedi also recommended we do this for DD.

[Deleted]

Ugh I am in the middle/toward the end of an asthma attack myself.

For me, I have had asthma 30+ years and I know that when I start needing albuterol every 4 hours, it is time to bump up my Advair, call the doctor, and get on Prednisone.

I just finished a round of Pred and I still have a disgusting cough.

Hope you feel better soon

[dulcemariamar]

I guess I would have to know what asthma meds you take on a daily basis. When I have a cold I usually take the emergency inhaler in the morning and 2-3 hours before bed. But I also use the peek flow meter to check because there are times when I think I need the emergency inhaler but it is not always the case.

[winemaker06]

I saw this mentioned at least one, but my doctor wants me to know my normal peak flow meter results and call her if it gets below a certain level (I forget what though, whoops).
I'm also supposed to call if I use my rescue inhaler more than a couple of times in a day twice in a week.

[jeaniebueller]

Oct 1, 2015 15:16:17 GMT -5 rootbeerfloat said:

If the albuterol provides you relief, but you are using it more frequently (like 4x/day vs 0-1), that's OK.

Do you just take albuterol as needed? Or are you on a daily controller med (eg Advair, Pulmicort, Flovent)?

If I get a cold, I sometimes up the dosage of my daily med for a few days. The pedi also recommended we do this for DD.

I just use it as needed. Like I said, normally I don't use it at all or before exercise. It's the cold virus that makes it needed.

I am not prescribed anything else except the abuterol to manage my asthma.

[awkwardpenguin]

I'd call the nurse line. My doc wants to see me for rescue inhaler use more than twice a week, but is okay with me taking it every four hours when I'm sick.