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.
Hi I just joined this group (although I have been on DS for a few years now).
About 2 weeks ago I had a massive asthma attack (started to get better and then had another even worse one) and I am still recovering. It's really starting to scare me. I am a lot better then I was. But I still can't really exert myself at all. I have to take my puffers a lot still just to sit still(although not as much as before) and I am going back to work tomorrow and I am scared.
I haven't been in 2 weeks because I haven't been able to breathe. (My job isn't sedentary; it's childcare so I am very busy ALL day). But I can't be off forever...it's only one day then I am off again but it's still worrying me.
So I am very worried about coping at work tomorrow.
But mostly because I am taking so long to recover...I'm scared I am never going to be able to function properly again. My asthma has never been this way.
I have had asthma my whole life. But it's always been pretty mild; I can get out of breathe easy and have days I need my puffers but I have never needed them all the time. I have never had my chest so tight and been that out of breathe I couldn't move and it had never lasted this long. In the past if it was bad it was because I had a chest infection brought on by the flu. Once I got better so did my chest.
I am just scared this will be forever now since it is taking so long and it still feel bad...like I am just on the edge of having a bad attack if I move around too much.
I haven't been able to exercise...do housework or anything that needs doing just in case. Mainly because I think I had the second attack because that day I had tried to do a few things in the house. And I have been trying to take it very easy so I can get to work tomorrow.
Do you think I will be like this all the time now?
Is it normal to take this long to get back to normal after an attack?
Any thoughts or advice?
Thanks :)
About 2 weeks ago I had a massive asthma attack (started to get better and then had another even worse one) and I am still recovering. It's really starting to scare me. I am a lot better then I was. But I still can't really exert myself at all. I have to take my puffers a lot still just to sit still(although not as much as before) and I am going back to work tomorrow and I am scared.
I haven't been in 2 weeks because I haven't been able to breathe. (My job isn't sedentary; it's childcare so I am very busy ALL day). But I can't be off forever...it's only one day then I am off again but it's still worrying me.
So I am very worried about coping at work tomorrow.
But mostly because I am taking so long to recover...I'm scared I am never going to be able to function properly again. My asthma has never been this way.
I have had asthma my whole life. But it's always been pretty mild; I can get out of breathe easy and have days I need my puffers but I have never needed them all the time. I have never had my chest so tight and been that out of breathe I couldn't move and it had never lasted this long. In the past if it was bad it was because I had a chest infection brought on by the flu. Once I got better so did my chest.
I am just scared this will be forever now since it is taking so long and it still feel bad...like I am just on the edge of having a bad attack if I move around too much.
I haven't been able to exercise...do housework or anything that needs doing just in case. Mainly because I think I had the second attack because that day I had tried to do a few things in the house. And I have been trying to take it very easy so I can get to work tomorrow.
Do you think I will be like this all the time now?
Is it normal to take this long to get back to normal after an attack?
Any thoughts or advice?
Thanks :)
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On Saturday, while I was at yard sales with my best friend, my lawn guy texted me that he did my lawn. This costs me $70 every two weeks or so. I don't have great grass so sometimes, he skips. Anyway, I paid him on CashApp when I got home. On Sunday morning, he texted me again, to say goodbye because he was moving. My little thinking cap went on and I thought about how I am healthier...
Have you talked to the doctor who takes care of your asthma about this recent attack? I'm new to asthma (just diagnosed a few months ago as an adult), but have been rabidly researching and in contact with my doctor with questions. From what I've read, asthma can change -- get better or worse over time, and can require change in medications. Do you just use the puffer as needed? Do you take any controller meds?
I recently had a really scary (and long-lasting) attack brought on by a sinus infection. With that, I ended up taking oral Prednisone for about a week, along with my usual Symbicort (and lots of puffs on the rescue inhaler...). The additional oral steroids took a few days to help...but they did.
Do you know what causes your attacks? Any particular triggers besides illness? (I'm still learning...and the list keeps growing...). Are you able to keep away from those triggers?
And child care...I get it. I do homebased early intervention (I travel to homes and childcare settings of infants and toddlers with disabilities.) Little kids are amazing, exhausting people...and they bring their germs with them.
It's good that you're going back slowly. I did the same thing when I returned to work after being off for several weeks with pneumonia (and what turned out to be my "welcome to asthma"). I was exhausted that first day back. But then there was a weekend to lie on the couch like a lump and just breathe.
Truly, if you haven't, I think a call to your doctor is in order. You might need your medication changed.
Good luck at work. I will be sending good thoughts your way...let us know how it goes...AND what the doctor says....
Several years ago, I went through about 2 months in which I couldn't go up about 10 stairs without having an asthma attack. I couldn't manage to do many simple tasks without wheezing and trying to catch my breath. It was horrible! Albuterol inhalers did very little to help me. I was also taking Symbicort, but I needed prednisone for approximately one month. I was fine for a few months, then I needed anither course of prednisone. After that, I got a nebulizer, which has helped me tremendously :)
Are you taking any corticosteroids?
Take it easy at work:)
Like you my asthma has never been this bad. The weather here is what triggered my asthma attack on Dec. 29th. It was in the 30's on the 28th and then the 29th it was 64 raining and humid outside. I went out to go to church and it was a very fast attack as soon as I took a breath in the air and humidity tightened my chest and I was coughing, wheezing etc... ended up in the ER that afternoon.
It is not normal to have an attack last this long.
My suggestion is to call your asthma doctor. Take it easy until you are able to breathe better.
Hope you start feeling better soon.
That said, I would find a pulmonologist to check you out, I'm going to see mine on Friday (I put it off so I didn't have to get off work early, but its time). I can let you know what they say about me, and perhaps it can provide some insight.
Last but not least, what antibiotic did they give you? Sometimes, I notice they will give me a "lower strength" antibiotic, but I will still feel like crap. That is because the infection didn't go away. So, go back and ask for a stronger one! For me, they usually have to give me a penicillin derivative or levaquin to kick the infection in the butt. Z pack's do absolutely nothing for me anymore.
So, no this is not forever, it's"just" a rough patch. They really suck, but eventually they get better. I have felt like crap for weeks wondering what was going on and THEN my asthma is bad for awhile. So, its different each time.
I don't know where you live, but here in So California we are having the winds now and they are so dry and make me so wheezy and short of breath, I can't even go outside. My skin face, ears scalp itches. I cough and cannot breathe until the winds are gone.
Also, when you clean, what kind of cleaning supplies do you use? I have had to switch ALL of my cleaning supplies to vinegar and home made because the harsh chemicals in the other ones would trigger an attack. I use vinegar and water (50/50) for windows and vinegar, the blue dish soap (blanked on the name) and water (305/30%/30%) for the shower and floors.