What is Asthma
Asthma is a disease of the human respiratory system where the airways narrow, often in response to a "trigger" such as exposure to an allergen, cold air, exercise, or emotional str...
Join Now
|
frustrated with trouble controlling asthma
|
Watch this |
| View More Posts Ignore |
First, I will give you a brief history. I was diagnosed with asthma a couple of months ago. I was originally put on advair and given proair to use as needed. After 2 wks, I wasn’t feeling any better so I went back and then switched my advair for symbocort and also put me on accolate. On the new meds I started feeling better with in days and was starting to begin to feel “normal” again. Then after about three weeks I developed severe muscle pain all the time. So after a couple days my primary care sent me to ER and they couldn’t find anything wrong, so they gave me muscle relaxers. After a week of pain, I went to my lung doctor and he said it was probably one of my meds so he would take me off them one at a time to see if it got better. So he put me back on the advair and took me off the symbocort.
Good news is I have been off the symbocort for only a few days and the muscle cramps are much much better. (I’m not even having to take the muscle relaxors any more). The problem is my asthma. It is no longer under control. I’m feeling the chest pressure again as bad as ever and I am wondering if they will ever get this all sorted out. I feel like I am back to square one (starting over on trying to control this). Has anyone ever went through this and did they finally get it all sorted out? Any advise or support would be greatly appreciated. Posted on 07/04/09, 05:07 pm |
| 8 Replies | Add Your Reply |
| View More Posts Ignore |
I use 1 puff of Symbicort 160/4.5 at 6am and 6pm. I have fewer muscle cramps with this Symbicort dosage than I did doing 2 puffs every 12 hours of the lower dose. I have found that I can control the foot and leg cramps by adding a vitamin+mineral supplement to my diet. I tend to get cramps on days I do not drink enough water but half of a 4 oz Gatorade seems to stop the cramps for sleeping. My Asthma is considered brittle and severe....Symbicort is my only hope before moving to an invasive technique for control. I also use Combivent as my relief inhaler as opposed to ProAir. This combination works for me. Symbicort & Combivent inhalers are extremely expensive but affordable if ordered online through Canada.
Do you have a prescription to control allergies ? I became over sensitive to many things for months and months following a severe attack. Wishing you luck with your situation, and remember .... keep your confidence. 
|
|
|
|
||
| View More Posts Ignore |
I suffer from leg pain and cramps too and NEVER equated it to Advair. Wow. You've given me something to think about. Ohana, wondering what vitamin and mineral supplement you take? I'm also intrigued by the Gatorade before bed. I will try this because now I've had an outbreak of plantar fasciitis and although they are 2 different conditions, I cannot get the thought out of my mind that they are related. Thinking specifically that my leg cramps and foot cramps cause repeated injury to the plantar fascia. Hmm. Well, my theory only. Meanwhile, I'm not doing well with exercise due to the pain and that further complicates both my asthma, my sleep and the whole 9 yards. Thanks for listening!
|
|
|
|
||
| View More Posts Ignore |
Yeah the advair doesn't affect me that way it was the Symbicort that did it. I was taking two puffs of the Symbocort 160/4.5.
I take Alavert over the counter. This controls my allergies. Thanks for your responses. Wish I would have came on here and gotten these suggestions before the doctor changed my meds. do your ribs sometimes hurt after a really bad attack?
|
|
|
|
||
| View More Posts Ignore |
Yes, my ribs hurt when I cough hard and repeatedly. I take Zyrec for my allergies and its over the counter, too. Also take Singulair (this has a new warning that it may cause psych problems but don't think I can blame my moodiness on it!!!).
Hang in there. Glad you found us now. It really helps to talk to others, doesn't it?
|
|
|
|
||
| View More Posts Ignore |
I found the way to keep control of the asthma while minimizing the muscle cramps is to take 1500mg calcium, 2000 mg vit. D, and Potassium. I also make sure I get enough iron. I don't know why it works, but it does. Advair is a cortisone drug, so it is going to affect you with side effects similar to any cortisone drug - although usually less is absorbed directly from the inhalers than if you take an oral pill.
|
|
|
|
||
| View More Posts Ignore |
Thank you for the suggestions I am going to try vitamins. The weird thing is that the doctor didnt have any of these suggestions.
|
|
|
|
||
| View More Posts Ignore |
MSM24,
Thanks for introducing muscle cramping. I attributed the muscle cramping to my workouts. They have increased since I was diagnosed w/ Asthma, almost 2 yrs ago. I take Symbicort, 160/4.5 twice a day and never attributed it to the meds. Hope you stabelize soon. As I've been learning, it is a complete trial and error path. Also I think those w/ Asthma will have more ideas, suggestions of what supplemental practices/tools will be helpful along the way. My triggers are ever changing and evolving so I've picked up a bigger tool box! Positive vibes your way, Luv2bike
|
|
|
|
||
| View More Posts Ignore |
I use the RiteAid brand central-Vite because it has lots of minerals too. Vit D3 is needed for our bodies to use calcium properly. I read a warning about too much Vit D causing vascular problems, so keep things balanced and in moderation.
|
|
|
|
||
| Add Your Reply |
