Am I crazy? Albuterol doesn't seem to work anymore.

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Carol1208

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First of all, I have been Diagnosed with Asthma, however I only wheeze when excercizing or I get a bad cold that goes into my chest. I developed a bad cold over Thanksgiving week and did not get to a Dr until the weekend after. By this time I had lost my voice from the coughing. I got steroid shots, pills, anti-biotics and Syrabycort and Albuterol. Things have been much better however I did not get a breathing treatment with nebulizer until another week had passed. NOW when I take the albuterol it seems it makes my cough WORSE! I can breathe in, but when I breathe out my lungs seem to "spasm" and I cough and cough and finally get something up. I even got a nebulizer and this cough was horrible right after the treatment. So I just stopped everything and guess what? I still have a little coughing here and there, but not to the extent before. My questioin is? Why is the Albuterol not working? I can breathe better without any of these things. In the past, as soon as I would take it, I could feel my lungs opening up. Now, it's like my lungs are rejecting it. Am I crazy?
 
No you aren't crazy but you aren't having an asthma attack so the albuterol won't work. You're probably still having issues from the cold and it doesn't always work for that. Give yourself time to heal. Are you still using your daily inhaler? It's very imporrtant to keep up with your daily asthma meRAB when you are sick.

And when you exercise, you should do two puRAB of albuterol 15-20 minutes before any cardio to keep you from having breathing problems. Are you doing that?
 
Along with what Titchou said:
It should be fine to take the albuterol before exercise, but make sure to let your doctor know you're taking it before exercise.
 
Well, I actually don't take anything until I get sick like this last time. The cold went to my chest and I developed a cough. I've had pneumonia before, so I know to breathe deep and to cough up whatever I can. The weird thing, was while I was sick, when I would take the albuterol and the syrabacort, when I would breathe deep I would cough so much I couldn't control it. I didn't seem to be coughing up anything, just coughing uncontrolably, like my lungs were having "spasms".

My only asthma symptoms are coughing, a little wheezing, so I don't do any exersize that makes me cough. I don't run, but I do walk on a treadmill occasionally.

I have an appointment with the dr that diagnosed my asthma tomorrow. I want to get my medications straightened out. I took Asmanex for a while, (several months) but I wasn't having any trouble so I stopped it and couldn't tell any difference. I just think I need to learn when things are bad enough to use an inhaler and how long because I don't think I need it full time.
 
If you actually have asthma, not exercised induced asthma, then you should be on a daily med every day for the rest of your life. There is no cure so there is no way to feel better and get off it. The fact that you quit taking whatever you were on is causing your problems. Until you get your asthma under control again, you are going to have problems. The fact that you don't have any symptoms means it is under control - not that you are cured and can quit taking the meRAB. I hope the doctor gets things sorted out and you on the proper schedule.
 
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