How I beat Asthma and changed my lifestyle

I actually did it. I'd say I beat it by about 80% Sometimes 90%.

I tried EVERYTHING, and I finally came to the conclusion that asthma is a complicated and an every-individual is different type of disease. You can't just get the textbook definition and go by that. It is different for everyone, and it also has to do with overall general lung health as well (including your overall health aside from the lungs, weight, spiritual/mental health,..etc, it all ties in and ends up effecting your respiratory health) The more sick you are, the more mentally sick/physically sick etc, or if you're fighting an infection, the lungs are more likely to be inflamed, or produce an inflammatory response, which will only worsen asthma, or be sore enough to flare up the asthma repeatedly, meaning you'll never get rid of it, which is why asthma is often thought of as a long-term, disease you'll never get rid of, which I believe is A LIE. I believe that it is reversible to a degree, much more so than the "it's treatable" line they give you.

The bronchospasms have a lot to do with general health as well. A lot of it has to do with your own health, and all the doctors that say that asthma perhaps is because of an overactive immune system,..that's false. An over-active immune response in the lungs yes, to the triggers/pollutants/dander, etc,..but it's a lot more than that. The problem is, all the asthma medications, many of them have immuno-suppressing properties which may make recovery from ANY respiratory illness worse and longer, especially if you already have a low immune system as is.

I've discovered that I feel better without any of the meds or as least amount as possible, and only take them as needed, even the stuff that they tell you to take daily. The daily maintenance meds I try to do every other day, or every few other days, and just take as least amount as possible, and then looked into natural care, improved my diet significantly, watched where I hung out, I don't smoke, drink, or do drugs, and I got my anxiety levels under control, and to a minimum. I developed a positive attitude.

I also take lots of supplements: Quercetain/Bromelain and N-acetyl-cysteine for natural inflammation reducing abilities, Clear Lungs formula from the vitamin shoppe, an immune system and mushroom formula for immune enhancing abilities, I don't drink milk anymore or eat dairy at all, cut it out 100%,(made a huge impact); I stick to soy milk when needed, which doesn't seem to be giving me problems; i take fish oils, I exercise, drink multivitamins, and get my flu/pneumonia shot every year; I try to eat natural/organic, and have a healthy diet, making sure all my electrolyte levels are great too.

All of the above + avoiding triggers + careful health/hygeine with the RIGHT asthma medications....SIGNIFICANTLY reduced my need for medications including emergency medications, significantly reduced my ER visits/hospitalizations, completely stopped severe asthma episodes (need for injections/etc), and also got rid of that seemingly never going away heaviness in my chest symptom of asthma.

The prescription meds/OTC medc that I take are as follows: (and I do NOT take them daily, because that's just for the maximum effects, and I don't need them anymore daily. My pulmonologist was even happy and surprised that I beat it to a huge degree,

Zyrtec anti-histamine (works for me better than others including Claritin, and works better than even the prescription Xyzol particularly because it does not sedate me). I take this maybe once a week, twice sometimes.

Astelin nasal spray (also an antihistamine spray, and I only take it as needed, most of the time on the days I'm not on zyrtec. Works well.

Singulair (this is a given, anti-leukotrene), but you DO NOT have to take it DAILY. that's just for maximum effects.

Nasonex (steroid spray); If you can handle the stimulant-like side effects, this one is great for preventing inflammation in the nose

Spiriva; (opens up the lung airways); also used for COPD patients. This one is stronger than atrovent, only need one dose a day, and take it as needed. Great way to open your lungs to introduce other meds there, relaxes smooth muscle.

Symbicort (the magic maintenance drug); For me at least, works better than advair, and I don't even have to take it every day.

The emergency meds: XopenEX (my #1 choice, works great); ALBUTEROL (my #2 choice, too many side effects but if you can handle the jitteriness, works better in a sense than xopenex); PREDNISONE PILLS (10 mg each),.....absolutely the BEST for asthma, but it's a last ditch effort.

VERY IMPORTANT: Have a nebulizer handy, and if you don't make sure to take ALL OF YOUR INHALERS with a SPACER...the spacer is VERY VERY important because it gets the maximum and most efficient delivery, and actually reduces side effects.

I've done all of the above, and if you can do that too, and have access to all of these drugs/herbals, etc, and are willing to change your lifestyle around,
I'm no doctor, and I'm not saying it's 100% going to work for everybody,
but I'm absolutely positive, your asthma will get better. Maybe not as good as mine at 80-90% gone, and sometimes I feel it entirely gone,...but it might mean the difference between lots of ER visits, to perhaps one, or none, and might get your life back.
A lot of it has to do with general health, stress, taking the right drugs, giving your lungs time to heal.
Asthma is very often a complication or a secondary-third type of thing that pops up, from something that's more important going wrong such as poor health, weak lung health, etc

Oftentimes when people say, oh I've just got asthma...it's probably not that. You may have been born with it because of a genetic predisposition, etc, but if you don't treat the underlying problems such as perhaps poor diet, not the best of health etc,...then you'll always have to deal with the asthma as a response.

Anywas, any other stories or advice?

I'm a positive story so yay!

I really hope some of you share some of your stories of encouragement because this IS beatable! It really is. I mean in some cases it won't and what not but...we don't have to let it get to us. I'm convinced that some of us here CAN beat it 100% others maybe 50%, and others even less but...I'm sure that if you at least do some of what I did...there's no WAY...no WAYYYYY that it won't improve at least a tad. It has to..you're doing everything right. It has no choice but to subside.

Puffy, I agree with much of what you have said.  However, looking at your post you do take many meds even though you don't take them every day.  The one med that really does lower your immune system is a steroid, like prednisone.  I do not agree with you that you can beat asthma. I saw my pulmonologist recently and told him I was breathing very freely and not using my albuterol, except for once.  I take symbicort as you do and this is an amazing med.  It has helped me tremdously and I am breathing freely every day.  I take 2 puffs in the AM and 1 in PM but sometimes only the morning dose. I asked my dr. when I would be cured and he said asthma is not cured, only can be very well controlled.  And at this point I am 100% controlled.  I have had asthma since childhood and it has only gotten worse as I have gotten older. I do everything I can to avoid the triggers that set off the asthma.  All hypo allgergenic bedding & dust mite covers, use an air purifier and humidifier.  However, if I should get a bad cold or bronchitis I may get some bad asthma, but then I have my albuterol.  I live in a very big city and I have one of the best pulmonologists so I do believe him when he tells me this is treatable and controlled, not cured. Hope you don't take offense at my opinion, I just don't want others to not get their proper care and meds if that is what is required.  And I see my internist regularly too so I would say one can do very well with asthma if they take good care of their over all health. I wish you all the best and hope that you continue to feel good.

Aurora

Hi Java, If you have asthma it is not going to go away. But you can get it 100% under control. It is not good to use a rescue inhaler every day like albuterol. What you need is a long term daily inhaler, one that will control your symptoms and let you breathe freely. You would have to discuss this with your lung specialist. My dr. put me on symbicort. My asthma was totally out of control this summer. I was using my albuterol every day 2 puffs, 4 X a day. When I saw my new pulmonologist and he put me on the symbicort it changed my life. I breathe freely now and as time has gone on I have reduced my dose down. At first I was on 2 puffs in the AM and PM. Now I take 2 AM puffs and sometimes 1 PM puff, but often don't need the evening one. When you get under control it is often best to use the lowest dose that will benefit you. I also have an air purifier in my bedroom(not an ozone one) and I have all hypo-allgergenic bedding and dust mite covers. Also, be sure to change your furnace filters every month. The 3 month filters do not really last 3 months, and the 1 month ones are very inexpensive and work well. Got this info from the company that services my furnace. It is good that you are getting off the prednisone. Corticostroids weaken your immune system which subjects you to getting more respiratory infections. I don't believe asthma can be controlled without some meds. You may not need as many as you have now, you just really need the right ones. Trying to control it naturally is not going to work. When you can't get enough air in your lungs you are depriving your other organs of the oxygen they need and this can make you sick. I have had asthma since childhood and it has only gotten worse since I am older now. But that doesn't mean you should give up. Talk to your dr. again about your meds because I went from barely being able to breathe this summer to breathing very freely now. I hope this helps you and I would be glad to answer any other questions you may have. Take good care of yourself.

Aurora