I was 15 years old when I first got diagnosed with asthma. I went into the pediatrician's office, and I had a very low peak flow reading. I was wheezing and had been in gym class where I was running. I was told I had exercise induced asthma. Later on in the year, I was so unable to catch my breath when having an attack and passed out on the bathroom floor at school and didn't even remember how I got there when I came out of it. I took my inhaler as it was happening before I fell, and it must have kicked in. They took me back to the pediatrician's office and started me on asthma medications. Singulair and Pulmicort were the ones I was put on, but the Pulmicort caused me bad problems along with a great increase in getting cavities, and it was hard for me to inhale enough of the powder. It takes several treatments sometimes to stop my attacks because come to find out later on, unusually, I am allergic to most steroids, and most of them actually make it WORSE. I am also an immunocomprimised person who can't seem to get rid of infections or heal very easily. Years later, after continuing the Singulair and the as-needed albuterol treatments and Cromolyn treatments, I was fine until I was about 19 or 20 years old.
I was going to another doctor then, and I went in while I was having trouble. I was given a pulmonary function test because I was wheezing throughout the day and had a blood oxygen reading in the 80's. He told me that should be 95% or higher. My pulmonary function test was very low, and he thought I might have COPD because of it being so low. I was started on Spiriva and given more albuterol. I got the chest X-rays, and I didn't have COPD but a really bad asthma attack. I was told that my attacks are so severe that I should avoid any triggers completely, and my medications were adjusted as needed over the years.When I was 25, I ran into more trouble.
I went into an immediate care center and was having trouble breathing with a sudden attack. No one there would recognize me or even acknowledge me because there was such a long line. I was needing care, and I couldn't speak to get anyone's attention, so I walked outside. I had done my inhaler multiple times (2 times didn't work, and I've been told in the past that I either take more than 2 or die from lack of oxygen since I'm on all I can take). All I remember is going to the door and opening it, and when I woke up, I was flopped over both the passenger and the driver's seat of my car with some strange woman shaking me screaming, "are you okay?!" I was barely able to speak because I was so hoarse. I was approached by a couple going inside, and they were told I just had an asthma attack. I went inside with them, and they told the receptionist. I was brought back immediately, given a breathing treatment, got an antibiotic shot, and put on Medrol, which caused me to throw up violently for the next ten days. I had been told I had bad bronchitis and that asthma patients can have small colds that develop into that quickly. Ever since, I had developed bronchitis and pleurisy from every cold I got. I have to go on antibiotics all the time for that. I have tried all of the corticosteroid preventative medications, and they are either ineffective for me, or in most cases, I'm severely allergic and my hard-to-stop attacks come on shortly after taking them. I also, as I mentioned, have an already weak immune system as well as many other health conditions I suffer with on a daily basis. They haven't been able to figure out why I get sick so much, or why I heal unusually slowly, and they've run every test you can think of. I just found out I have Rheumatoid Arthritis recently, and that hit me hard. Most of the medications for that cause immunocompromised patients to have even lower immunities (my immune system would basically become useless with them). I am taking what I can for it now, but it seems to be getting really bad. Now, there are sub-zero temperatures, and I have to worry about catching a cold while not to mention hurting really bad, which equals more trouble for me. I just wish I didn't have to worry about asthma on top of all this.