Asthma just wont go away

Hello, I am a 17 year old from N.Y who was diagnosed with Churgg strauss Syndrome In June of 05

Since june of 2005 i have been wheening off of prednisone...the highest I've been on is 80 mgs.
But asthma is a counterpart of Churgg strauss syndrome....and not to mention I've had ashtma sicne i was Little.
Prednisone had controlled My asthma since the summer of 05 but I CANT be on it forever....the side effects are just too much
So Everytime I get down to a small dose--for the most part it's usually 15mgs.-- My asthma kicks back in full-force...and Im forced to go back up on prednisone. This cycle doesnt seem to end and i feel as if I will NEver be off of prednisone....Im so eager to gett off though because of my newfound insecurites ever since i started the medication. In 2005 i weighed in at 95lbs and now I'm at 135lbs
and i KNOW that for my age that's a healthy weight...but my body has completely changed and what bugs me the most is that i feel healthy but still look sick-- iTS Just too much water weight and i simply want to be off prednisone.
Plus everything that happened since june of 2005 has been Totally Uncontrolable
O AND DID I MENTION I'm a TEENAGER...so this is 10x harder

Well enough jibber-jabber....now to the point. I've Come to a conclusion that the real problem here is my Asthma. I believe that If i cure it or kEEP it down to a minimum I can surely wheen off of prednisone easier and once I am off it I can pass go and collect $200 ( ) So does anyone here have any Ideas for controling my ashtma....natural cures would be helpful as well...or even stories on how You possibly put your asthma into remission would be gladly appreciated.
I have attempted advair....seems to not work for me.
Currently I am on : Prednisone 22.5mgs a day
Cellcept (an immune suppressor) 1500mgs in the morning/1000mgs in the night
Asmanex Inhaler 220 mcg (to i guess prevent the ashtma) 2 Puffs twice a day
Foradil (Bronchial Dialator) 2 inhales twice a day
Bactrum Double Stength 3x a week

Thanks for any Help, advice, and replys
-Melissa

So very sorry you have asthma.
Since you've been on prednisone for such a long time it's very important you ask your doctor that you'd like to start to taper off it. You must not quit the prednisone cold turkey. then ask for maybe some nebulizer treatments(Xopenex) as you taper off the prednisone.
Hate to say it but there really is no cure for asthma you'll just have to figure out how to keep it controlled.
As a teenager that can be even harder because emotions effect asthma too and you'll have to work hard at staying calm while you taper off the prednisone.
Do you see an Asthma /Allergy doctor or just a PCP(primary care Physician) ?
Wishing you the best of luck and keep us informed on the progress!!!
Hope this has helped and yea Asthma sucks

Hi Melissa,
I am 41 and have had Churg-Strauss since I was 24. It was only officially diagnosed 2 yrs ago. It started w/ really bad asthma and sinus polyps. To make a long story short, I ended up in Johns Hopkins Hospital in Jan 2004 where it was fianlly diagnosed. I did the chemo lite thing for about 6 months (cytoxan), but it did not do much. The thing that works best is low dose pred. I was on 5mg/day and advair. I have just lowereed the pred to 2.5mg/day and so far so good. Like you the bad CSS symptoms are under control or in remission and it is the asthma that I have to deal with. I am working king w/ a dr now to lower the pred as much as possible and trying a non steroidal treatment to supplement. I may try xolair or try a luekotriene blocker (singulair) to assist w/ the asthma while maintaining some sort of low dose steroid. This must be done under the care of a Dr who knows what they are doing, because while trying to lower the pred too much can cause the CSS to flare. It is a very delicate balance. It seems you are on a lot of meds and I think it would be to your benefit to see one of the nations top CSS specialist at Johns Hopkins (their vasculitis center) or Dr Wechsler at Brigham and Womens in Boston. Most Dr's don't really have a grasp of the nuances involved w/ CSS. Whatever other info I can provide, let me know.
Greg

Melissa, I have very bad asthma.  It can not be cured but it can be controlled and mine is now very much undercontrol.  I don't know what kind of dr. you are seeing but you need to see a pulmonologist which is a lung specialist.  I've had asthma since I was a child. But it was very mild for many years. Then it got worse as I got older.  This summer my asthma went comletely out of control.  I saw the pulmonologist, had many lung function tests (which are very easy, just breathing into various devices) and he determined I was on the wrong meds.  I only occasionally was on prednisone when symptoms were bad. The dr. put me on a long term inhaler called symbicort and I have albuterol for a rescue inhaler.  I have been breathing freely ever since I went on the symbicort and have only had to use my albuterol a few times when I over exerted myself.  Yes, you should wean off prednisone. It is not a med to stay on for so long as if weakens your immune system among other things and you will be subject to other infections.  If your dr. feels your asthma is severe you might be prescribed a portable nebulizer.  But this is really not the answer.  I have had nebulizer treatments but only at the dr's office.  It is a temporary fix.  You need some type of long term inhaler that will put you symptoms under control and then you can get off the prednisone for good.  The best advice I can give is go see a lung specialist.  This is the best way to determine what treatment plan you should have.  Post again and let us know how you are doing.  I wish you the best, good luck.

Aurora