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.
Okay so I have a family history of Asthma. My mom aunt and sister all have pretty bad asthma. I have always had bronchitis but starting I guess 3 years ago it became to change to what I think is asthma. I moved from suburbia to a large smoggy city. I moved into a roach infested apartment. I started waking up in the middle of the night feeling like I couldn\'t breath. I was sick a lot while I lived there. I moved after my year lease was up. I moved into a much cleaner apartment and I was okay for a little while, but it came back worse...Lately I wake up every other night or so wheezing and feeling like I can\'t breath easily. I am coughing a lot and can\'t lay down cause it gets worse. I end up sitting up and coughing and taking benedryl. I have tried taking zyrtec before bed hoping it was just an allergy and by taking allergy meds it would go away. No such luck! The only thing that works is benedryl or my sisters asthma pump! I am worried that Ill go to the doctor and they won\'t diagnose me with asthma cause I wont be symptomatic when I go into the office. Is that how they do it or do they look at family history and self-report of symptoms? I mean if I make the appointment at 3 am haha they can check me out while I am really symptomatic. I mean during the day I get short of breath easily but not necessarily wheezing like I do in the wee hours of the morning...Does this sound like asthma?
You cans tart off with your family doctor if you feel comfortable with them. They can get you started with a treatment plan. Eventually, it is probably best to see a plmonologist though. They are experienced and more up to date (usually) with asthma, it\'s symptoms, testing, and medications.
I wouldn\'t wait any longer to make an appointment though.
Even though you may not feel the tightness, a doctor can generally hear it in your lungs. They will listen to your chest. hear about your symptoms and go from there. Waking in the middle of the night means that if you have asthma then it is out of control.
Good luck and let us know how it goes.
~Robin
If I were you, and I was in *exactly* your situation once in the beginning many years ago, I would go to the Emergency Room when you wake up from your asthma or at any other time that you have any symptoms that cause you to feel that you are in pain, scared, or having shortness of breath.
I would make an appointment with *both* your primary physician *and* a pulmonologist. Asthma kills but it can be managed. Once your docs have ruled out silent female heart attack and other diseases, you can focus clearly on stabilizing your lungs.
I once had only 3 months to live due to the damage air pollution did to my lungs. I found some medicines made things worse, some were mildly helpful, some were life-savers and some were brilliant in healing underlying problems that made my prognosis so poor.
Insist on whichever physician sees you *first* on being tested for Vitamin D deficiency. I just found out a few months ago that I am deficient and no one *ever* tested me in *15 years* of having initially difficult to control asthma. People low in Vitamin D (grad students were mentioned in one study that I read) have increased inflammation, increased auto-immune problems including thyroid disease which I noticed in your profile, increased diagnosis of depression and other mood problems, increased feelings of anxiety and impending doom along with a host of other health complications. The following link changed my life and my health is improving dramatically because I\'m finally getting the help and treatment that I have probably needed for a very long time. It\'s funny and will help reduce anxiety just watching the professor/doctor who is giving the information.
http://www.uvadvantage.org/portals/0/pres/
Please feel free to message me, you *will* get through this, you\'re not over-worrying, it\'s just time to take action. :)
Yes I have a vitamin D deficiency. I am a grad student. And yes you are right I do have an autoimmune disease of the thyroid.
I called a pulmonologist office this morning and was able to get an appointment to go in tomorrow at 2. Thank god!! I can not deal with this another night!! Ill keep you guys up to date!
also if these attacks continue to get bad you should go to the er.
wheezylass