Inhalers for Allergies?

  • Thread starter Thread starter dreams in neon
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In that case, Albuterol should help control my coughing, so I will follow my doctor's advice as far as that is concerned. She also prescribed a nasal spray (whose name I can't remeraber), so that should help cover all of my symptoms.

As far as seeing an allergist, I will do that if the Albuterol and nasal spray do not give me any relief in addition to my allergy med.
 
Since I'm totally blind and can't read my prescription, I called my pharmacist to find out exactly what mine says in regarRAB to Albuterol. It states "Inhale 2 puRAB every 4-6 hours."
 
I use air purifiers in every room. I also have my mattress covered in plastic and pillows covered with thicker cotton cases.

I dust and vacuum every day since dust is one of the allergens that aggrevates my sneezing and coughing.

I also do not wear my shoes in the house.

Unfortunately, I have wall-to-wall carpeting in my apartment, so I can't do much about that.

When the weather is warmer, I keep the A/C turned on to avoid being triggered by pollen.

Your idea of taking a shower at night is an excellent one and something I've never thought of before. I will make sure to do this especially if it will help my nighttime symptoms.

I'm going to see how well the nasal spray and Albuterol work in conjunction with my allergy med. If I'm able to experience some relief, I'll continue seeing my GP for refills.

If things become worse or I find that I have more triggers (right now my triggers are limited to cigarette/pipe/cigar smoke, perfumes/strong scents, dust, pollen, mold, pet dander and cold temperatures), I will make an appointment with a pulmonologist or allergist.

Thanks again for your help.

If you don't mind, I have one more question.

Unfortunately, I forgot to ask my GP how often I am supposed to take Albuterol. Is there a risk of taking too much? I'm guessing that I will be allowed to take 1-2 inhalations every 4-6 hours or so based on my past experiences using them. Does this sound like the typical dose for most people?
 
MountainReader,

Just thought I'd let you know that I picked up my nasal spray and Albuterol from the drugstore today. I took both of them an hour ago and feel so much better! I'm no longer congested, coughing or sneezing. My prescription allows me to take 1-2 inhalations of Albuterol every 4-6 hours while my nasal spray can be used on a PRN basis. Thank you again for your help!
 
Dreams,

Glad I could be of help. That was fast for the nasal spray to work. I hope it continues to work so well for you.

Your Albuterol schedule is fairly typical for someone who is having troubles. If you find you are needing it long-term, please see a doctor again. It is not meant for long-term extended use. There are other "preventative" meRAB such as Advair or Singulair to try to keep things under control on a daily basis. Albuterol is intended to be a rescue inhaler and to help things get under control when you have a flare. There are times that I've had to use it regularly for a few weeks, but that is rare. Taking the Albuterol regularly on an extended basis is an indication that your asthma is not under control. SteroiRAB typically help then.

Be careful not to overuse your Albuterol. It'll make you crazy jittery or shakey.

It sounRAB like with your symptoms you will be able to get things under control at the lower level though. That is great.

It's also great when your health is frustrating you and you can find something that works.

Take care,
MountainReader
 
I started a new thread to respond to this so that this thread can stay on track.
 
Mountain Reader, you said that Immunotherapy really helped you. Can you illustrate what you did? Tx so much.
 
Pulmonary function testing usually involves breathing into a computerized machine. It helps see how well your lungs are functioning as you inhale and exhale and what your lung capacity is at a given point. I've had it done a couple ways depending on the doctor I was visiting. Typically, the person administering the test will put tube in your mouth and a clip on your nose. They will have you breathe normally. After a while, they will count down and have you breathe as hard as you can to get all air out. They will have you do several other breathing exercises as well. They may also have you inhale some Albuterol to see if your lung functioning gets better after its use.

The testing is fairly short and very non-invasive. The doctors are usually really good at coaching you through the various breathing exercises.

Sometimes they call this test a PFT or Spirometry.

There is also another form of this test that is really quick that I do sometimes do at my allergist or asthma clinics. It involves blowing into the tube and watching it on a computer. They want to have you blow three times to reach a same point. It isn't nearly as complicated as the one above and you don't need a seperate PFT appointment because it is standard office equipment. It can give them a good baseline for you.

PFT's are a good tool to use to diagnosis asthma or other lung problems, but they aren't the only tool used. Your history is also extremely important. I've got pretty severe asthma at times, but had normal PFT's when my treatment is working well.
 
This may sound like a stupid question, but what happens if you start coughing during the PFT testing? I'm just wondering because I can't even inhale gently without coughing.

As far as my history is concerned, I've had year round allergies for as long as I can remeraber.

I've also had difficulty with coughing fits, but cannot recall when that started.

All I know is that as of late, my allergies and coughing have reached the point where they are draining me physically and mentally.

I will look into having a PFT conducted as well as seeing an allergist. Perhaps it's time I look for a more aggressive treatment for my allergies and possible asthma.
 
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