Asthma Support Group
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 stress. This airway narrowing causes symptoms such as wheezing, shortness of breath, chest tightness, and coughing, which respond to bronchodilators.
Hello, I'm new here and have been lurking for a little while now, wondering when would be the right time to introduce myself.
So here goes, I'm Mckenzie, female, 4 years old, from Canada.
I have been diagnosed with asthma since the age of 14, and to this day I have used inhalers of every kind.
Sure some days are fine, but most of the time I have a hard time breathing.
I had chemo for one year in 2004 to 2005, waited for the medicine to get out of my system exactly one year before starting a new job for Bell.ca as a customer service agent.
The place was beautiful, all bran new, but they had carpet from wall to wall, so maybe this is what triggered my asthma to go from bad to worst, I really wonder.
So 9 months into this new job I started to be very sick, had a hard time just walking to my station or the washroom, when I finally decided to get checked.
By the time I got my appointment (5 weeks later), I was litterally burnt out.
My doctor put me on sick leave, and started prescribing new inhalers, and that's when the lung x-rays started.
The first one, my PCP's office called me to ask me to come in for my results, so I did he then asked me how my pneumonia was, I replied to him, I didn't know I had one, since I had been feeling like this for months, actually almost 6 months.
So he then prescribed me some steroids for 6 days, and told me to go for another lung x-ray, I still had somekind of film on my lungs, so he gave me this new inhaler, again, and asked me to go for another x-ray in a couple of weeks, I didn't hear anything else, until his receptionist called to let me know that my doctor had yet another requisition for another lung xray.
So again I went a week ago, and got a call yesterday he want to see me tuesday, which is a first cause it takes forever to get an appointment with him, like 6 to 8 weeks, so I will know hopefully on tuesday what's going on with my lungs.
I guess I decided to share this with all of you, since you all know how hard asthma can be on a person.
So thanks for letting me vent today.
Take care, and may you all have a free breathing weekend.
Mckenzie One day at the time
So here goes, I'm Mckenzie, female, 4 years old, from Canada.
I have been diagnosed with asthma since the age of 14, and to this day I have used inhalers of every kind.
Sure some days are fine, but most of the time I have a hard time breathing.
I had chemo for one year in 2004 to 2005, waited for the medicine to get out of my system exactly one year before starting a new job for Bell.ca as a customer service agent.
The place was beautiful, all bran new, but they had carpet from wall to wall, so maybe this is what triggered my asthma to go from bad to worst, I really wonder.
So 9 months into this new job I started to be very sick, had a hard time just walking to my station or the washroom, when I finally decided to get checked.
By the time I got my appointment (5 weeks later), I was litterally burnt out.
My doctor put me on sick leave, and started prescribing new inhalers, and that's when the lung x-rays started.
The first one, my PCP's office called me to ask me to come in for my results, so I did he then asked me how my pneumonia was, I replied to him, I didn't know I had one, since I had been feeling like this for months, actually almost 6 months.
So he then prescribed me some steroids for 6 days, and told me to go for another lung x-ray, I still had somekind of film on my lungs, so he gave me this new inhaler, again, and asked me to go for another x-ray in a couple of weeks, I didn't hear anything else, until his receptionist called to let me know that my doctor had yet another requisition for another lung xray.
So again I went a week ago, and got a call yesterday he want to see me tuesday, which is a first cause it takes forever to get an appointment with him, like 6 to 8 weeks, so I will know hopefully on tuesday what's going on with my lungs.
I guess I decided to share this with all of you, since you all know how hard asthma can be on a person.
So thanks for letting me vent today.
Take care, and may you all have a free breathing weekend.
Mckenzie One day at the time
I'm sorry you have been so sick. Maybe your doctor has a better idea of what's going on now and can get you some relief. I hope so.
p.s. On a personal note I would like to thank you for the helpful info you and BeckyR gave me during my hepatitis scare.
Good luck at the doctor's appointment. Feel better,
tom
Get a referral to a pulmonologist. This doctor is not communicating properly with you abd it doesn't sound like you're being properly treated. You need to see a specialist.
Case in point, 6 days of steroids is a joke - you need need to be on this a couple of weeks in order for it to do anything. You should also be on inhaled corticosteroids (Advair,Asmanex, Pulmicort).
Pneumonia can take a long time to clear and may require hospitalization and IV antibiotics and steroids. I had pneumonia from Valentine's through St. Patrick's Day this year and wound up hospitalized for 5 days to clear it. Inhalers alone will not clear this up.
Write this site on Tuesday and share what happens. But while you're there, demand a referral - enough playing around with this doctor.
I've been to my PCP today for the results of my third and fourth lung x-ray, and also to discuss what to do for my sciatica nerve.
For the lung issue; Dr.Gagnee says their is major damage to my left lung, but since it's results from a regular lung xray, he cannot tell if their are spots of cancer on it, so he's sending me to get a CT scan for a closer look.
He is transfering my case and all of files from the last 12 months of my lung problems, to a Pulmonologist in Ottawa.
So the ct scan will be done at the Hawkesbury Hospital, and I need to go for a lung test which will determine the strenght of my lungs.
This is going to be done at the chief of staff of doctors in Hawkesbury, the special machine is in his office.
He prescribed me a new powder inhaler stronger than the last one he had prescribed in November 06.
Next my sciatica nerve; since november 06, the pain had started at the hip only, in february I told him the pain was affecting my lower back when I was standing still, and today I told him that the pain from the sciatca nerve was from my left foot right up to the back.
He has prescribed me a additional pill, and is sending me for a scan for all my left side spine, leg ect.... My next appointment with him will be in June the 13th, so by that time he should have the results with him for the sciatica nerve anyway.
As for the other results of my lungs, the specialist will deal with giving my results, I guess.....
Let the waiting games begin...
Mckenzie One day at the time
You're right. It is really frustrating dealing with the medical community. Lots of hurry up and wait and very little info. I've been blessed in that I haven't had to deal with them much until just recently. In less than a year though I've had a bellyful. I guess that's why we're called patients because that's how we're expected to be. Good luck and feel better.
Tom