SparkPoints: (32,889)
Fitness Minutes: (36,230)
Posts: 1,999
5/15/10 8:18 A

Welcome to the team!

SparkPoints: (43,482)
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Posts: 6,146
5/12/10 12:14 P

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5/11/10 9:58 A

Thanks for the welcome!

The doctor seems to think my trouble this year was triggered by the higher pollen counts, then compounded by my asthma getting out of control at a time that one of my children had a virus. I had previously had a "viral" trigger - during my worst asthma time period, every time one of my kids caught a cold, it meant bronchitis for me. So this time it all came together as a perfect storm to get my asthma really rolling again. Unfortunately, it also seems that something in my office building is triggering me. Yesterday, I had 3 asthma attacks while at work - I spent the whole day puffing my inhaler. As soon as I walked in the door today, I started coughing. Maybe the cleaning chemicals? Maybe the ventilation? Who knows.

I'm hoping that this 12-day course of prednisone finally knocks the inflammation out and I can get off those steroids - but I'll still have the daily dose of steroids from the Advair, too. I can already see my face getting rounder.

I do have a membership to our sports complex through our HOA and once my lungs are cleared, I guess I'll have to start running on the treadmill. It's unfortunate, I really prefer outdoor running (the treadmill is too mindless, I like to commune with nature when I run) and it's not quite equivalent to train for races on a treadmill. My knees will probably like me more, though.

Thank you for the suggestion of saline spray and eye-drops - I'm going to try those.

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Posts: 2,102
5/11/10 7:22 A

Welcome to the team! I am sorry to hear that you are having such a hard time, especially before your wedding. It sounds like you need your medicine now to clear everything up. Hopefully, you will be off of it before the wedding. In the mean time, is there a place where you can use a treadmill for indoor running?
I too have adult onset asthma and am taking Advair 250/50, Singular and ProAir. This fall I was on prednisone and antibiotics for almost 2 months after a vacation when I was outdoors. My doctor has told me to stay indoors this spring with the windows always closed at home. It is tough at times but bronchitis is worse. I use the indoor fitness center at work.
Have you read the SparkPeople seasonal allergy articles? They have good tips.
I always take a shower after being outside to clean off the pollen and use a nasal saline spray or rinse and eyedrops.
Take care of yourself now so you won't be coughing down the aisle!

Pounds lost: 52.0

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SparkPoints: (194,189)
Fitness Minutes: (112,182)
Posts: 18,354
5/10/10 5:41 P

Maybe the walking route is for you until you are regulated,, the newsaper will give daily pollen conts too so you can prepare for your runs.. puffieness is not wanted for the wedding, but neither are falling face down in your wedding cake or ambulance rides in a wedding dress,, hmm, gotta weigh your options there...

194,189 SparkPoints

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5/10/10 2:13 P

Welcome to the team and glad to have you. This could be just something that happens during the spring and the rest of the time you might do great. I know for me the spring is a killer on my allergies and this year I am struggling more with exercising than I have ever. I have been taking allergy shots now for almost two years and that has also helped me out so much as well. I wish you all the best and hope you find some answers.

current weight: 246.0

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5/10/10 12:25 P

Hi there, nice to meet everyone. I wish I wasn't having to join the team, but with my asthma recently going out of control, I could definitely use the support. With being a runner, I especially am longing to get this under control - I haven't ran in 3 weeks and I miss it terribly!

A bit of history: I was diagnosed with adult-onset asthma in 2004 when I had a severe asthma attack - so bad that I barely made it from my bathroom to bedroom without collapsing - and that was my first attack. Between 2004 and 2006, my asthma was seriously out of control. I had bronchitis 8 months out of 12. I was taking Advair 250/50, Singulair, and using a generic CFC Albuterol rescue inhaler. At times, we dabbled with oral albuterol as part of my maintenance plan. I used a nebulizer to give myself breathing treatments, sometimes back-to-back. When it would flare badly, I lived on antibiotics (penicillin-based), Prednisone, and Spiriva.

Then I moved and it all went away. I was able to stop almost all of the meds - I just carried a rescue inhaler and took OTC allergy meds.

I thought I'd kicked it.

Fast forward to 3 weeks ago. I was training for an upcoming 5k and I run on a bike path/trail that is lined with trees. I've always used my inhaler before I ran, and I carry it with me. Saturday's run, I coughed a bit afterwards and seemed to have some lung congestion. Monday's run, I coughed more and had more congestion. Strange: I'd never had an asthma attack after a run, ever. Then the wheezing started to trickle in. By Thursday, I was running a fever and my chest felt heavy. I knew those symptoms - hello bronchitis.

At my initial visit, my peak flow was at 40% and my pulse-ox was 93. Of course, that meant a breathing treatment. We discussed my asthma and I got a renewed prescription for ProAir HFA (add me to the list of people who miss the CFC-released Albuterol), along with a 5-day (60-40-50-30-20-10) taper of Prednisone and a Z-pack. At my follow-up, I reported less lung congestion and coughing, but my peak flow was only at 80% - so I got another 5-day taper of Prednisone (30-20-20-20-10). I felt great for about 3 days after finishing that taper.

But this past Thursday, I had a new symptom - my lungs were crackling, especially when I coughed. My mucus started to change color again, and a low-grade temperature sneaked in. Friday, I went back to the doctor's and saw a different doctor in the practice who said, "Clearly, your asthma isn't under control and since this sounds like it was triggered by pollen during your runs, I'd say your allergies aren't controlled, either." She also thought I needed a dirtier antibiotic - Z-packs won't fix it for me, and she thought I needed a longer, slower-tapering course of Prednisone (60-60-60, 40-40-40, 20-20-20, 10-10-10).

And I'm back on the cocktail.

I sadly welcomed Advair back into my medicine cabinet - starting at 100/50 in hopes that a low dose will work. The doctor said I can try using Claritin, if I take it daily instead of as-needed - but really recommended I give Zyrtec a try instead. However, if OTC allergy meds aren't doing it, she's written a script of Singular for me. And I still have the ProAir HFA.

I confess: I'm worried about the side-effects of the steroids - I know they make me puffy. I cite them as the cause of my weight-gain between 2004 & 2006. I'm especially worried because I'm getting married on July 10th and DON'T want the puffiness for the wedding. I'm less worried about the black box warning on the Advair - as I understand it, the risk is in taking Salmeterol as a stand-alone, so that is off-set by having the fluticasone in it. But mostly, I hate the fact that I'm back on maintenance meds - I don't like dumping all this crap in my body.

However, I also want to get back to running - I miss how it makes me feel. I swear, with the exception of those last 2 runs, that my lungs always feel BETTER afterwards - like I have increased pulmonary function. And I love the endorphins and the serotonin boost that it gives me.

I just hope that the meds don't run counter-productive to my weight loss goals. Ugh.

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