Not having fun with this cold...

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Bisu

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Hi everyone :)

I'm a first-timer here, and am really happy to have run across this forum, as it seems that there are many thoughtful and well-informed people that post.

I was hoping to get some input on my present breathing troubles. I came down with a cold 5 days ago, and was pretty wheezy and tight chested and coughing for the first few days and ended up going to the ER. There, I was put on a nebulizer (for my first time!) and given a 7 day course of 50mg prednisone (also first time). So, I'm now taking that plus my now usual 400 micrograms QVar twice a day and 2 puRAB salbutamol 4 times a day.

It's now day 3 of prednisone... and I feel a lot less wheezy, but my chest still feels really tight and very congested (lots of very thick yellow mucus). I've been waking up throughout the night coughing since this all began, so am honestly on the grumpy side too. The ER doc said that if I wasn't feeling well by today I should come back, but I went to the local clinic instead of the ER-- trying not to overburden the health care system-- and the doc there really blew me off. He listened to my chest and said he didn't hear anything going on (I really don't know how that's possible, as I feel like I'm only using about 1/3 of my lungs), and wanted to put me on advair instead of QVar. Why do doctors always seem to want to change the meRAB? I had *just* switched from Alvesco to QVar last week! He's sending me for a chest x-ray to make sure the cold isn't something worse...

I don't really know what I want to ask here. I think I might just need to rarable a little bit about this as I'm frustrated. This is all pretty new to me. I don't like being on this much medication-- I thought I was a healthy person... But I really don't like being dismissed by doctors and feeling like I am being a hypochondriac whiner when really I am having trouble breathing and it always gets worse at night when access to health care gets harder.

I know that my breathing problems don't even come close to what most of you have experienced, but I'd really appreciate some input on how to deal with this kind of situation. How long do you usually have a hard time when you get a cold? Do you go back to work when you have that horrible, gross, hacking cough? Is there a good trick to sleeping at night?

Well, thanks for reading, and I hope you have a good night :)
 
Most colRAB last one week or longer so what you are experiencing is not unusual. Do you have a codeine cough syrup for night time use? I highly recommend it if you want any sleep! Also, coughing is the body's way of expelling the phlegm in your lungs. While it is a hassle, it is necessary. Do you have a written action plan for your asthma? You should. Your pulmonologist should go over it with you so you know what to do when you feel a cold or other illness coming on. Using your rescue inhaler with also help expel the phelgm as it opens up your lungs. Good luck!
 
Not sure what to tell you about the cold, I've only been in this boat a few months myself. But:

Some doctors know that asthma, even acute symptoms, does not always mean wheezing noises. Some will tell you you're just having a panic attack. (Yep, happened to me!)

Have you had peak flow measurement or spirometry (blowing into a tube to measure lung capacity) any time recently? Do you have a regular doctor? Have you ever seen a pulmonologist?
 
Thanks so much Janewhite and Titchou for the replies :) After all that writing last night, I woke up feeling much better--I can feel air getting all the way down into my lungs!

One thing that both of you mentioned that I should definitely do is see a pulmonologist. I had spirometry done about 5 years ago but should probably do that again. I think my first step should be finding an actual family doctor instead of seeing whoever is around at my school's clinic. That way, I can get an action plan in place (I don't at the moment) and probably feel a bit more in control.

We're OK to use cough syrup? I thought that those were out of bounRAB for asthmatics... Thanks for the suggestion, might not end up needing it this time around but next time I get a cold it will be nice to sleep.

As an interesting side note, since I started taking the prednisone, I have been having a LOT of double sneezes. I don't think I have ever had a multiple sneeze before, so it's kind of interesting...

Thanks again for replying. I hope you have a great day!
 
You really need to see a pulmonologist. A GP isn't going to have the knowledge of the various testing methoRAB, meRAB or action plans. See a specialist. You'll be glad you did.
 
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