Asthma

[Helen]

Ugh! I was diagnosed with asthma a few months back after a persistent cough just got too annoying. DH says the world stops when I cough.

I haven't had a solid nights sleep since July because I have to wake to cough and it's really getting me down. The irony is the children sleep through wonderfully yet I still look knackered because I'm up half the night. My running ability has declined. I ran 4.5 miles on Friday and it took 5 doses to finish. Admittedly we were doing a training run but I hate taking it so much.

I have preventer and reliever inhalers but TBH they just don't seem to do anything. The preventer one I've had about a week and a half.

Anyone had any success relieving asthma symptoms naturally?

 

[~KACI~]

Sorry no experience of natural remedies, do you no what affects it?? EG dust , cats, it could be dust and one thing i would suggest is hoovering your duvet this used to help me.

The cough mite be a temporaly thing and its just aggravated by your asthma, if it persists in a couple of weeks make a appoinment to see your asthma nurse and look at maybe changing medication.

Just don't stop taking your inhaler when you feel fine and make sure you take you carry your reliever at all times

Sorry i don't mean to sound pushy but it is a nasty diesease
x

 

[Helen]

Thanks for replying Kaci.

It's always when I exert myself that I find it triggers so running, pushing the double-buggy about and biking and also disappointingly seems to cause it too.

I might give the duvet vacuuming a go although it's goose feathers so that might be difficult!

I've got to go back in a couple of weeks although the doc said last time that he'd put me on steriods if things weren't better and I really don't fancy that.

I've ordered a book on breathing techniques that are supposed to help and I have a Powerbreathe that I've had for years to help with my running so I'll try getting back into that again.

 

[~KACI~]

Duh after reading your reply i meant to put mattress aswell, I know myself that doubles are a nightmare, for that i would recommend leavin 5-10mins earlier then usual and just taking a slower pace in general with activities, i know you enjoy your exercise but try not to exert yourself so much,

Hope the book helps.

As for steriods they will provide the shortest course of them possible because if you take them for to long your body gets lazy and starts producing less steriods which can make you vunerable to certain things , Because you exercise regular the side affects shouldn't be as bad and i've heard that if you take the steriods in the mornign side affects are again reduced- but i shouldn't be dwelling on it really you mite not even need them, give your preventer a chance to work abit more and when you do feel as if you struggling you reliever will help alot.

I hope it eases soon x

P.S Sorry about the alcohol!! No cure for that i'm afraid-well accept dont drink!! lol x

 

[JayleighAnn]

I suffer with Asthma and I found if I eat or drink too much diary stuff it makes it worse, also when the weather changes (hot-cold & cold-hot) it horrible, I walked up the hill next to my house last night and could hardly breathe.

I've found that my reliever is better than my preventer (I don't use my preventer)

Are you sure your using them properly? My doctor never showed me at first and it took me months of using them wrong for my friend to show me how I should of been using it.

Good luck with the breathing techniques, hope they help x

 

[Helen]

I suffer with Asthma and I found if I eat or drink too much diary stuff it makes it worse,

Interesting that you should say that, the book I'm reading says diary products too. How much have you cut out/down? What have you substituted with?

Are you sure your using them properly? My doctor never showed me at first and it took me months of using them wrong for my friend to show me how I should of been using it.

I'm hoping so, I had a session with the nurse at the doctors practice when they prescribed them. Don't think it's that.

Good luck with the breathing techniques, hope they help x

Thanks, I'm reading as fast as I can for now. A lot of emphasis on breathing through your nose rather than your mouth. Had no idea how bad I was at that till I started to be more conscious of it!

 

[JayleighAnn]

I don't drink milk, I will still have it in cereal, but not a lot (I tried Soya milk for months, but hated it) I try not to eat too much cheese or yoghurt.

I found the best thing, is breath in as deep as you can through your nose, hold it for as long as you can, and your lungs seem to kinda "stretch" and breathing is a bit easier for a while, I mostly use this at night when I'm in bed and too lazy to get out and find a reliever lol

 

[xJG30]

You have to give your inhalers a chance to work.
I've been a severe asthmatic my whole life and supposed to take my inhalers every day twice a day and don't for my own fault.

 

[Caroline]

Is it all wine Helen, it may just be red wine that triggers it. Someone Iwork with has probs with red wine.

I think it must be something to do with eith what makes the grapes black.

My son can't have blackcurrent as that triggers his asthma.

We've also found that he is worse late autumn (poss due to mould spores).

With my DD we had to increase her steroid inhlaer to max dose to get it under control ( q-var 2 puffs 4 times a day). It took 2 weeks at this dose to get it controlled, then we gradually weaned her down to one puff a day.

With my son when he is well he just has one puff a day of the preventer or I will even go every other day, just so he has a low dose circulating in his system. When he is getting a cold or its a bad time of year, we up the dosage to a max of 2 puffs 2times a day.

Was told the other week if he has a bad cold can double the dose for a few days.

Also try to keep house as cool as possible.

Hope you get it sorted hun.

 

[sallymuffin]

As GemLou says give your inhalers a chance to work. I recently had my preventer one changed to a different type as mine wasn't working and it took nearly 4 weeks for it to start to seem to work, now it's a lot better.

I'm affected by a number of things - pollen (I have hayfever as well), some dairy products make it worse like milk but I don't really have it apart from in tea, barley water is really bad for me, so are heat changes - both changes in the seasons and if I go into a really hot dry heated house or a cold damp house etc, another thing that brings it on is (and please don't laugh) laughing which is a huge problem as I seem to laugh a lot hahahaha

I find that making sure I control my breathing speed and breathing through my mouth really helps when exercising and after a couple of weeks it improves greatly.