for Maureen B

I saw your post and would like to know more about what to take for the asthma.  This is getting scary now with my asthma. I will be 50 in a few months and would like to have more of a quality of life and get the asthma under control or get rid of it.  However, I took antibiotics for many many years. I was sick as a child pretty much and then as a young wife and mother.  Had my tonsils out when I was 26, the doctor thought that would rid me of infections.  Then every month I was getting sick a week before my period and had to get antibiotic.  then at age 30 I was told I had asthma. along with the pulmonary doc telling me I was a depressed woman because the anxiety caused my shortness of breath. So why then did he give me meds for asthma  My husband was furious. I was not depressed.  My grandmother had adult asthma and my dad had emphezema which could have been from smoking till he was near 40 and he worked with some chemical washes for concrete. Not quite sure. My sister has sarcodoisitis (spelling).  I had 4 sinus surgeries 1991-200. nothing took it away. But was on antibiotics every month and strong decongestants.  I was to the point of having to have an IV port put in.  I went to an herbal man and that helped for a bit.  But in the last year and a half my health has gotten worse, I now have an autoimmune disease which they don't know which one it is yet. 

   I feel if I can get the asthma problem cured then maybe other things would  go away.  I read up on sinues and asthma and one of the things that is involved with these two things it yeast.  But the inhalers will cause yeast problems too.  I have major problems with my throat and have been pushed back and forth between ENT and the gastro doc. I have esophogitis but not one seems to want to do anything about it. I had an endoscope done and the doc said he doesn't need to see me back at all. Now why wouldn't a doc give meds for it.  I am thinking that it could be yeast from the inhalers that is causing this since I have been on them for almost 20 years.  I did join your group am looking forward to that.

    But I would like to know your experience.  I am desperate to get rid of this stuff or at least the asthma if I can.  I will get the MSM and try it to see if that helps.

any input you can give I will greatly appreicate.  my meds aren't helping with my asthma right now. I do a liquid treatment and it doesn't last as long as it did before. I tried a new one which doesn't give the heart racing, but it doesn't help the breathing.  I have had to get a handicap tag and I really don't want it. But can't park so far away in a parking lot that is up hill.  People really look at you terrible with parking in the handicap space.  I have a new understanding of people who have them.  Except for the people who have the handicap tags that get out of their cars with a cigarette in their hands or mouth. 

I was glad to see something to check into for getting rid of asthma. I am hoping for new found information for my doctor.

Blessings

Deb 

Chartreux, thanks for sharing.  I saw a pulmonary doc last summer and all he wanted to do is a sleep apnea test. He felt all my problems are from that. He only did a lung function test after he saying he wanted me to have a sleep test done.  I went in because my shortness of breath was getting worse and I have a hoarse voice and feel like I have a sore swollen throat all the time.  The ENT looked down and saw there was some inflamation at my voice box and he felt it was from acid reflux.  So I went to the gastro doc and he did a barium swollow test, he felt the problem with my throat wasn't from the reflux.  So along with the shortness of breath, which I can't exhurt myself because of causing an asthma attack, I also have weak muscles in my torso, legs and arms. I then went to the allergy doc. he did the scratch tests and I am allergic to a few things.  Nothing that I didn't know before.  He did a series of unusual tests and I had to get two immunizations, one of which was the pneumonia shot and the other a HIBB vaccine. I was low in these antigens he said.  I then went to a rheumetologist. Had blood work done and was positive for Lupus.  So after the shots took hold I went on plaquenil which they use for lupus.  I had diahrrea pretty bad for two months, and in the mean time the family doc asked if I was happy with the rheumy, I said no. he doesn't talk to me about what is going on and what he is doing, so I changed to another one in the practice.  She isn't doing anything and I have been seeing her since April. the shortness of breath is gradually getting worse and the throat is bad too.  I have no clue who to go to for all this and the family doctor doesn't seem to want to walk through this with me meaning watching over my care.  He gives meds when I call and need them. But I am finding out that doctors don't seem to want to manage someone's care anymore and direct them to who you should go to for a particular thing.   I am angry today only because I loose work because of this and don't know what to do about my medical condition.  I have cramping in my back and chest in the chest most all the time.  I was searching hershey medical for a doctor who may work with the lungs and the immune part.   Trouble is ya have to wait so long to get in with the doctors.  But I am so very tired of wasting time and money with the doctors around here who uneducated in the mor difficult cases. 

   I have had pain in the left side of my chest for years now. I was told it's muscluar, then why so short of breath.  My family doc said with my family history of heart problems he isn't ruling out that, but he never set up an appt. to get things checked out. I had two stress tests done in the last three years and he said if I come in one more time with chest pain he is sending me for a cath. Well I did and he passed it off as muscular, but then in the next sentence he said that he doesn't trust the cardio doc who reads the stress tests. he had a patient who went for one and the heart doc said it was fine and the guy died that night from a heart attack.  He had another lady who went for one and it was supposed to be fine and two weeks later she had a heart attack, but lived. Why do we have to pay these freakin doctors if they dont' want to manage our care.  I am sorry, it's that kind of day where I am short of breath, hurt and feel like someone punched my in the throat.

    Strange though, the muscle weakness and throat and shortness of breath all came about since I had my gallbladder out three years ago.   

Thank you again for sharing.  I am just venting.

Deb

Thank you again.  I get afriad to go to another docotor, I am tired of spending the money and and wasting my time.  But I can't go on like this. today was the worst is ever was with my chest and  throat. Sadly the family doctor told me a couple of time that I need a breast reduction.  My husband disagreed and not because of his own personal opinion.  I have asked to go for pulmonary therapy and both the pulmonary doc and family doc said no. Not sure why,  I see old people going for cardiac and pulmonary therapy. If they leave old people, why not someone who is younger and still is working.  Sometmes I think they doctors really have something against middle age women.  But then I have dealt with this all my life so far.  One can't help being sick. I read on womans post on the lupus forum and I felt so bad for her I sat here and cried for her.  It's so sad when we are made to feel like such a horrid creature by the doctors and nurses.  I also cried while reading her post because I had a doctor tell me the same thing. I will give you a script for the pain meds this time, but you have to ween yourself off.  Well I told him right in front of other patients, since he said this to me in front of them.  that other woman said how horrible it is to have your life in the hands of a doctor who treats you like she was treated.   I even tried going to the ER back in the spring and the doctor in there felt I wasn't worthy of treatment.  although an email from someone I knew at the hospital told me she wished I would have came the day before only because this doctor wasn't in there and I would have been treated medically.  I was left go home with a fever, severe diahrrea and pain all over.  And I refused to pay our $50 co-pay to the hospital, they knew the situation with this doctor, they had previous complaints, so they called the office of where he was out of and said they no longer want him on their schedule for the ER.  I hope it's true.  The male nurse who took my vitals that day, kept saying he was sorry. I said it's not your fault, he was so very nice and caring. 

  Well this isn't making things better.  I just have to make the decision to call and set up that appt. with the doc in Hershey.  My husband doesn't have interest in my health. He cares, but doesnt' go along for appt. or anything.  I said to him once that I need him along, sometimes male doctors will be more apt to help when the husband is along. Don't know why.

Thanks again. I appreciate you concern. I am hoping one day soon to reply on here and the lupus forum and have good news like some do.  I just have to keep the faith and pray God will either give me a peace about this or help me find a doctor who will either cure it though Him or get the right treatment.

Blessings
Deb

I have a pain management doctor that is abrupt with me and I have to rely on him because I need the pain meds (just diagnosed with Osteoarthritis). So I sent him a thank you note and I hope it shocks the hell out of him! I guess some doctor just don't get it, maybe someday they will be where we are today with someone being rude and abrupt to them!!!
That's how I like to look at it.
Try to keep positive though all that your dealing with and my thoughs and prayers will go out to you.
Keep us posted with updates and take care.

Thanks Chartreux,   It's Sunday and am missing church and I should be there for this service. I have been intricat in getting a mission group together and we have the organization there this morning and then I was to over see a meal.  Sadly my husband is filling in for me.    I was so excited to go hear about this group.  I had to sit and cry, but have to remember that crying hurts my chest and throat more and makes things swell more.     Just angers me so very much how doctors play with our lives.  I may write a letter to my family doc and tell him if he doesn't want to walk through this with me, I will have to move on.  He is the one who writes a scrip out for my pain meds when I need it.  I hate to leave him, he is nice, but isn't taking me serious.   I am also afraid of my insurance stopping payment for these things since I have no DX for anything but asthma and that is still not conclusive according to the asthma allergy doc last week.  He wants me to do a mexorthorate or something to that affect, to make sure I have asthma.  However, it could cause  a severe asthma attack and makes more complications.  I would have to go off my inhalers except for the albuterol and the solution.  Which right now nothing is helping much.  I am out of breath pretty much of the time. But it doesn't feel like my asthma.   I feel it's an infection or something.

strawb-  thanks for the suggestions of the books.  I know about the cancer yeast diet.  I have no energy to try to change that right now, However I know I should.  But to cook the way I should just isn't easy.  I usually make decent meals, meaning I cook from scratch 90% of the time.  It's just when we have an acitivty that we go for the quick things.   I do not eat red meat, we have cut out white potatoes and I know all the other stuff to cut out.  Just don't have the energy to plan meals and cook them and make salads the way I should.    I have talked to the family doc about getting tested for the yeast. I know the GYN a few years ago put me on some meds for yeast and I did start feeling better. But went right back to this down hil spiral.    I just want to get to the bottom of why my chest feels like a vise grip or someone stepping on it.

thanks again.  But I think if my husband would go with me to the rheumy or the family doc and say hey, we want to get to the bottom of this, We are tired of her feeling like this.