spoke too soon...another flare

Well, spoke to soon. This last flare was a result of a cold. I thought I was doing good, the cold had come and gone..but the asthma was only just beginning!! I tried to manage my asthma symptoms with nebs as needed and managed to keep my peak flows in my green zone per my new regimen with my new doctor. I was doing ok, even thought myself this was a very, very minor cold, I have managed to dodge the bullet...this is the summer weather, which for me is better with my asthma. Well, Sunday night, went to bed and actually woke up Monday morning (because of my asthma) coughing continuously, chest hurting really bad and my lungs tightening up everywhere. I was even suprised myself when I took my peak flows and my numbers were hovering around upper 50 to 60% personal best, but my FEV 1 numbers were showing 58% obstruction...uh oh...not so good. Immediately did a neb treatment and it helped open me up some...called the doctors office when they opened left message. Heard back and started prednisone I have at home and less than an hour later, my numbers were doing much better at least in the yellow zone and not trying to go to the red zone, which is where I was headed earlier in the morning. Thankfully I was able to avoid an ER trip, because I know that's where I would have been heading had I ignored my body and my symptoms. A few days later, and I'm doing much better. Cough still there, but at least it's productive and I'm down to just a nebs every 6 hours and tapering down the prednisone. Overall feeling much better.....or is it just the steroids and meds giving me all this energy :).

Asthma doing better

Well, since I last posted my asthma is doing better. I had switched doctors about a month ago and he ordered a PFT test for me. It had been several years since my last one. I was expecting it to be much worse, but surprisingly, I was doing awesome. I think in part because he had increased my maintenance dose of Symbicort and I had noticed my breathing doing better just from that. My FEV1 was 78% premedication and 84% post. So normal breathing. It only showed that I had mild obstruction and the pulmonologist was very glad to see that. I think if it had showed moderate or severe, despite being on high dose ICS, he would have added a small dose of prednisone to my daily regimen...at least that's my guess. He even said that he thought my numbers would have been a lot worse. The only thing that was below normal was my FEF 25-75% numbers which were 34%. He basically told me that it confirmed that I had some obstruction going on, but that was about it...not to worry about those numbers too much. My gas exchange was great and my lung volumes were near normal...so he said with all that considered, I was doing great!! Anyway, some good news to report. Here's to starting off a new "school year" with great breathing. My 3 year old starts preschool for the first time next Tuesday. Yeah, she's so excited and I am for her as well....she needs friends to play with.

Been doing ok...I've been trying my hardest to follow the advice of my new pulmo and only do treatments when inhaler just isn't enough to stop the tightness. I guess he didn't like me doing them everyday :(! I've also noticed not doing the nebs, my PF's have dropped a lot, my baseline isn't as high as it used to be and I haven't hit my personal best PF in a long, long time!! It's been hard because the neb treatments I have, contain generic Atrovent and I'm beginning to think that I need that to maintain a level of control (in addition to the max dose of symbicort, rhinocort and singulair I'm already on)...where I'm not constantly using my nebs. The albuterol inhaler, just doesn't stop the tightness feeling all of the time, or the persistant, constant, cough and congestion I continually have. At least the nebs by me a lot more time. So, we'll see next month when I go in for my PFT testing how my lungs are doing and what the results look like. Hoping they are no worse for the wear compared with six years ago when I last did PFT testing.

Been awhile...

Not much else going on here...have battled a couple of flare ups..latest one at the end of June...still have cough from it. Otherwise, changed pulmonary docs..this one seems to be more aggressive with treatments. Needed somebody closer to home. Go in August for full PFT testing...haven't had one done in about 6 years...well overdue!! I'm hoping the results aren't any worse than my last round of PFT testing, but I'm not holding out much hope because of having had so many flares in the last couple of years. Interesting note though my doc said that asthma severeity can come in waves where in your 20's it will get worse, then better, again in your 30's, and finally in your 60's....oh joy. I guess I have one more round to go since I'm in my 30's. Oh well....such is life.

Off to a great Memorial Day Weekend

Well, asthma has been cooperating with me these last few days...earlier in the week, had a few dips in PF's, but I bumped up my neb treatments and seemed to have made the difference. Doing better now, PF's in the green zone, occassional chest tightness, especially when outside a lot, so take the occassional albuterol inhaler and back to normal...my normal at least :). Enjoying the long weekend with the family, it's already been super busy and it's only late Saturday night. Have a 3 yr old birthday party to attend with my daughter and a graduation party tomorrow evening for a family member, then a BBQ on Monday, so I'm feeling pretty confident that my lungs will be doing great for me this weekend. Yeah, and it's been like 97F on Friday and 94F on Saturday...tomorrow I think is more of the same. It's going to be a loooooong summer and it's only MAY!

Another Tuesday

PF's are in low 60% range, so took a neb treatment and feeling much better...popped my numbers up. Feeling better now...although, now I have a toddler fussing at me...so got to go. I need to put one of those quick updates on breathing stats on my blog...I'll have to figure that out later.

Been relatively calm lately

Haven't posted in a while, mostly because not much going on with the asthma. It's been relatively quiet, peak flows have been in lower green zone for about a couple of weeks now and haven't had to take any breathing treatments. Yes, the occassional inhaler when I feel chest tightness, but at least no nebs. It's nice that we are finally in "summer" here in Texas. My asthma does much better when the temps hit above 80 and stay there even at night only dips to the upper 70's.

Yellow zone again

Back in the yellow zone this morning, peak flow dropped to about 60%, so taking a neb treatment and it's already opening me up and some congestion is loosening...ugh!!!

Back in the Green Zone Again

Well, sorry for the delayed update, but the good news is.....I'm finally OVER the flare and cold and back in the green zone at 88%...haven't seen that peak flow in a good month or so. Off all prednisone and back down to my maintainance medicine requirements...yippee! I'm glad to be breathing easier, and NOT coughing all of the time. I know my husband is glad I'm not coughing all of the time and feeling better. Over the last several years he has gotten a crash course in dealing with a severe asthmatic and in reading me better. I can be a very stubborn asthmatic sometimes! I'm one of those poor perceivers, but doing my peak flow several times a day has helped me out tremendously.

I've got the stories from college that scared my roomates have to death, although I didn't know it until afterwards, when they told me. I was that asthmatic that slept with their inhaler by their pillow, never left home without it...because I didn't take my maintenance meds like I should have and thought they didn't work on me...go figure! Now that I have a child and understand the stressors, I can't imagine what my Mom felt when I was away at college and she could audibly hear me wheezing on the other end of the phone and then asking me "did you take your meds"...to which my answer sometimes was "yes, I think so"...obviously NOT. It took me a severe asthma attack during Christmas break and having doctors get in my face and lecture me about the consequences of not taking care of my asthma, which had landed me in that state, before I took it seriously.

Status Quo

Well, I feel better than the other days as far as the head congestion goes. Although, it's been harder for me to get an accurate peak flow because everytime I blow into the meter, I start coughing and can't get an accurate reading. The readings I have gotten are in my 70% range, even on prednisone. So, taking a treatment now, hopefully that will pop my numbers back up. I think I just got hit with a whammy of a respiratory infection that my daughter had several weeks back and the extremely high pollen levels, windy and lower humidity we have been having here in Texas (yes, i'm an asthmatic that actually does better in humidity). Overall though, my energy level is improving and I have been able to sleep better at night, not coughing all hours of the night...and now my cough is more of a productive cough instead of the tight, wheezy cough. So all in all, I know I'm on the upward track. Probably dealing with another week or so of coughing, oh well, pretty use to it by now. Takes a month or so to fully get over an attack, if you don't end up in a rebound attack. Anybody else take as long?? or longer??

Doing Better -- Peak flows on upper trend

Well, doing better I've tapered down to 30 mg prednisone and my peak flows are trending to upper yellow zone and lower green zone; so, back on the upward path. Still have a lot of head congestion and more of a cough from post nasal drip, but I can totally handle that!! I at least feel MUCH, MUCH better. I'm SO, SO glad I got started on the meds and caught the flare before it got really bad. My peak flows for me are a big key in how I'm doing. I don't always perceive how bad my breathing is. So, I check them frequently. Took me many years of stubborness, but finally figured that part out!!

Having another Flare

Just got back from my pulmo and my asthma's flaring up a little from weather (allergens) and minor viral repiratory illness. So, I'm back on prednisone (40 mg taper to 10 over a week) to keep my peak flows from nose diving too much. They've been down in the 60% range and having to take neb treatments to keep them up into the 70% range; but last night and this morning neb treatments weren't popping my numbers up enough, so he's being aggressive and giving me the prednisone. It's pretty much the way I have to be treated when having flare's. My asthma doesn't seem to respond to just added nebs or upping my symbicort. I for whatever reason don't wheeze that much (although I did a lot as a kid), mine is more of chest tightness, short of breath, a TON of tight coughing and sometimes difficulty speaking. My doc is super great...I can get into him really quickly if needed (like today) and he's really aggressive in treating me...we've been down the "not treated aggressively" route times before only for me to end up in the local ER over the weekends or back in his office sicker than before. So he knows now how to handle me. It's great to have a good patient relationship with a doctor!! Anybody else feel the same way??

Back to Reality

I knew the ride of great asthma was not going to last too long......I'm really hoping I'm NOT coming down with the same cold my daughter had/still has. I was out of town when she had a fever while she was with her grandparents. By the time my husband and I got back, she had been fever free for over a day; but, started the typical post nasal drip cough. She thankfully has a great set of lungs and has the typical cough that produces normal amounts of congestion and mostly just a cough from post nasal drip. However, today I've noticed that my peak flow's are slightly down and they had been awesome over the last 2 weeks. That and I've had an "occasional" cough here and there and overall just a sense that my asthma is trying to act up. Any of ya'll get that "feeling"?? Where you know you are not feeling at best, but it's not quite that bad yet. So, we'll see where it goes from here. I'm REALLY hoping it's just allergies and I've avoided her cold, we'll see. It is hard to keep from getting germs when you do have a toddler in the house. It's inevitable!!! Wouldn't trade it in the world though...my daughter is worth all the colds and breathing problems I have!!!!

Back from Vacation

Just got back from a long vacation. Had a blast and my asthma did really well...thankfully. Even better, no hassles from security about my nebulizer....they usually have asked me a bunch of questions, but none this time. We'll see how I hold out now that I'm back because while my husband and I were gone my daughter developed a slight cold. She's feeling much better (my parents watched her while we were gone..they are awesome grandparents for doing that even while she had a fever and all...she was in great hands!)...hopefully I won't develop the same thing and neither will they.

Green Zoning!!

Well, woke up in the green zone this morning...that's been a while since that's happened...probably the rain calming down the pollens in the air. Yea!!! Off to my daughter's ballet class. Hope everybody is having a good Friday.

Nebulizer dilemma??

Hi fellow asthmatics and asthma parents...ok, which nebuilizer do you find works best? My current compressor nebulizer is about 20 years old...yes, it still works, but it is rather large, noisy and just not very practical for me a 30 something Mom of a 2 almost 3 year old. I did break down and buy the Omron MicroAir Mesh type of nebuilizer, but it just takes WAY too long to take a treatment...around 30 min....I don't have 30 minutes to be attached to this thing. I love that it is extremely quiet, lightweight and very portable. I can throw it in my bag and go....but the con of taking 30 min to take a treatment is making me not use it anymore. So, my next step is to get another compressor style nebulizer. I need one that is extremely portable, fast treatment times (10 min or less), quiet and small, some sort of rechargeable battery would be fantastic. It's hard to get everything done as a Mom when you are attached to tubing next to your plug in nebuilizer, my daughter KNOWS this and tries to make the most of it when "Mommy's attached to her medicine". There are a lot out there and if any of ya'll have found one you like, love, or hate, please let me know your thoughts.

Tuesday Morning

Yellow zoning again...woke 68% of my personal best. Taking another neb treatment...feeling much better already. Kinda commical...taking a breathing treatment while making chocolate chip pancakes for my 2 1/2 year old daughter. Hey, you gotta multitask when you have children!!

Busy Weekend

Well, these last several days have been crazy busy for me. Had a couple of events going on, one outside. My asthma did really well. Took a pre-outside neb treatment (i take a neb combo of ipatromium and albuterol), and allergy meds and I did really well. Next morning a little tight, but not too bad. Pretty much been in my mid to upper yellow zone these last several mornings, heck, most of the month. I'm pretty used to it. I think mainly until allergy season passes and it's summertime, these are how my days will be. Definitely doing much better than last year. Last year by this time...I had been in and out of the ER's about 3 times (in about 4 months) by now and had to be on IV solumedrol to stop the attacks. So, in comparison, this year seems to be doing much better. ..no ER trips so far!!! My pulmo and I changed my treatment plan last spring and we are more aggressive now. I know my family is greatful, especially my 2 almost 3 year old. It's pretty sad that my own daughter knows "mommy's cough", when I'm back visiting my doc and she's in the waiting area with her grandma. Hope this year's allergy season isn't too rough for everybody! I'm just greatful my daughter isn't showing any signs of asthma...she's got a good set of lungs!!!

Yucky allergy season!

Woke up earlier than I'd like to by my 2 year old wanting to watch cartoons. Oh well, up for the day. Once up and about, realized I'm a little tight in the chest, after I got my child situated, took a peak flow measurement....yellow zone. Normally happens to me in the mornings (especially since it's full blown allergy season) and I get it back up to green zone once the day gets going. I'll take a neb treatment and then I'll be back to feeling better. I don't know about everybody else, but I can always tell when my pf's will be down because not only do I get chest tightness, but many times I'll get a headache as well, that and I feel like I'm constantly clearing my throat from the congestion. As soon as I take a treatment, it all goes away...interesting about the headache going away.

Questions for fellow asthma bloggers??

Hello out there! I've seen several cool peak flow meter gadgets on other websites, where do you find those and how do you customize them to your red, yellow and green zones?? Please help. I'm very new to blogging and would very much like to customize my page.

why I'm writing a blog

After months and months of reading other's stories about their daily lives with asthma, I have decided to start my own blog. Mostly to share experiences of having had asthma since I was a young child, as an adolsecent and into my young adulthood and I'm now in my 30's and it's still there and has progressively gotten worse. Also I feel this will better help me keep track of my symptoms and make note of how I'm doing...so here it goes!