I'm 30 w/ severe asthma - I take Advair, Zyflo, Zrytec, Sprivia, Prednisone, Albuterol/Atrovent (DuoNeb), Allergy Shots (weekly) Ativan and I am waiting on my first injection of Xolair. In the last 2yrs, I have been in ICU & CCU for extended periods. I have now been placed on Oxygen Therapy at home for good. I also have tracheal stenosis b/c of having a trachae when I was 2; this does NOT help my asthma. If the Xolair shot does not work, my asthma and pulmo doctors both say I will have to continue on Prednisone for the rest of my life. I DO NOT like what the steroids do to my body, but the only way to have my airways open is to be on Prednisone. Is there any other meds I should know about that will help?
- Resources
Severe Asthma
1/25/08 12:57am
Hi Amandag5991,
You don't say what you are allergic to. Is it molds, animal dander, dust and that kind of stuff? Or do you have allergies to foods? It
sounds like you are on alot of medicine. I had really bad asthma as a kid and was not treated for it until after I was old enough to move out on my own. Alot of mine was attributed to damage to my lungs from working uncovered with cleaning chemicals. It took about 10 years, but with a combination of Theodur and regular nebulizer treatments and cortisone inhalers got me to the point where I am now where I only have to take albuterol on demand.
I did some looking around here and you might want to try these links to see if there some information that might help you.
You can check the medications you are taking here in the medicine's database. There might be treatments that would be good for you that you are not using now or might not even know about. You can read up on treatments here. This information is great if you need help asking the right questions for your doctor.
Sloane Miller is a resident expert here on the asthma site. Not only is she a licensed psychotherapeutic social worker, she is an asthma sufferer herself. You can read more about Sloane here and read her shareposts here.
I hope some of this helps. Stay in touch and let us know how you are doing!
Vicki M
7/23/09 1:06pm
Lets see. I just got out of micu for another astma attack.
Here is my med list daily:
Singular 10mg
aciphex (if you have reflux u will keep having attacks, get it under control)
symbicourt 160/4.5 2 puffs twice daily
xopenex/atrovent neb q6h
clarinex
nasonex
prednisone
I am always able to come off prednisone with a SLOW taper. but the allergies gotta be under control and you MUST get ANY reflux under control if youa re going to win against your asthma.
Have you also been checked for hypothyroidism? this can also reek havok on your respiroatory system.
I also started taking magnesium daily. Your lungs use it up rapidly, and it's a smooth muscle relaxer, and seems to help.
let me know if you need any more help~
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I too have severe asthm/copd. I had steroid treatment for 4 years and was finally able to get off them with a dose of methotrexate. (i would crash each time I was taken off)
I think we all need to find what works for us. In my case I finally ended up with advair, theophylline, claritin, xopenex, atrovent, and pulmocort, the last three in my neb.
To this day, I go to the doctor and right away they want to put me on steroids and I absolutely refuse them. I felt worst on them aside from the changes they put my body thru.
I was told I would need oxygen if things dont improve, but even that I am trying to postpone as much as possible.
I know what you must be going thru and my prayers are with you.