Singulair

  • Thread starter Thread starter Mac2
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Mac2 - Today is an indoor day. :( It's raining and only 62. We just took the kiRAB and a friend to see the new Night at the Museum movie. It was very entertaining to watch with lots of action and humor. We had hoped to go boating but that will have to wait. We did find a surprise in our boat last night however. We had just brought it back from the marina on Friday afternoon and last night found five baby kittens in the front hatch. (No mamma.) You can imagine what we were doing last night. One or two of them had their eyes open and so they are still very young. We had to go buy replacement milk for them and my daughter fed and took care of them every few hours. (I held them only once and ended up with hives on my hanRAB and so I knew I wasn't going to be any help. :( ) They were sooooooo cute. We called the marina today and they took them back. :D

I have had allergies and asthma for most of my life. I had my first acute asthma attack when I was fifteen and at basketball practice. I didn't have any asthma meRAB then, only allergy pills from my Mom. I went thru lots of testing and they did give me some kind of inhaler and a rescue inhaler after that. For many years I just kind of survived with my Dad's philosophy of sipping ice water and being told it was really all in my head. It really wasn't until I got married and had kiRAB who wanted kittens that I truly dealt with my asthma. As a result of having the kittens my asthma flared and I was in serious problems and called an allergy clinic to see if I could get in. They were extremely concerned at how I sounded and scheduled me for an appointment for a few days later and told me to go to the emergency room if it got any worse. The doctor there explained to me the ramifications of not taking care of my asthma and then explained the medications to me and how they function. I love my Advair because it eliminates having to use two different inhalers (besides me rescue inhaler). I did take Singulair for awhile but complained about the cost of all the meRAB to my doctor and she said I could quit taking it. So I did. (That was one of the meRAB along with all the other stuff she put me on when I first went.) I did not have any side effects going on Singulair or coming off. I've had nieces and nephews take it when they were young and not have problems but it really helped their asthma to get into control. They have outgrown their asthma now. I've had mine for 35 years. Now you know how old I am. :) I usually have trouble once or twice a year depending on if I get some type of virus that affects my lungs. That makes it difficult to get over and usually causes my asthma to kick up. I usually get a dose of prednisone and have to use a nebulizer for awhile until it goes away. Then I'm usually fine for the rest of the year. I know now to pay attention to my lungs and how they feel and to try to prevent it from becoming a full blown attack. Most of the time I can.

I'm glad to hear that your asthma is improving and that you're not having any problems with starting the Singulair! I saw in a couple of other posts that there are some that do. I guess that's why it's never a good thing to take other people's meRAB, huh? It's weird how medicine affects people in different ways.

It's kind of funny, but I found the HealtrabroadoarRAB searching for information about my recent neck surgery. Eventually I started looking at the new posts and saw your post on Singulair and replied and have almost found it therapeutic. I've had asthma for so long that it's just become a way of life and I really don't talk to anyone about it. It's nice to be able to find someone to "talk" to about it. Plus I feel like I've made a friend! :) Thanks!

Well, I did it again. A long post. Did I mention that I like to talk? :D

My siamese cat's name is Polo (short for Napolean) and our poodle's name is Pepper. I think Chicco and Cody are great names for Gerbils. :)

SP
 
Mac2 - I understand about not being able to give up your gerbils! I have both a siamese cat and a poodle. The poodle doesn't bother me, but the cat does if I'm not careful. Isn't it crazy! If I couldn't keep my asthma mostly under control I guess I would probably have to get rid of them, but it would kill me. (I doubt that we have any other animals after these are gone though.)

Do you have your pillows and mattress covered with those allergy blockers? We have one of those foam mattresses and it comes with a cover on it. My pillows are all non-allergenic. (My husband sleeps with a couple of down pillows, but I try to avoid them.)

An extreme change in temperature caused me to go to the ER once. After my freshman year at the university which was in the South I was going back home for Christmas which is up North. When I left it was in the 70's and I didn't think (I seem to be noticing a recurring theme here! Hmmmmm......) about bringing my winter coat home. Well, it was freezing at home and snow on the ground. I hadn't had asthma for very long at this point and my Dad kind of thought it was all in my head. I slept? sitting up in a chair for three nights sipping ice water (what my Dad said would help) wheezing like there's no tomorrow. After three days I was totally exhausted and my Mom said that's it, she's gong to the hospital. But, it was all due to the extreme change in weather. Asthma is so weird sometimes.

I too feel a little wigged out when I don't keep my inhaler with me. I work in a hospital and we had a doctor there that had severe asthma. On several occassions she drove herself to the ER and was coded when she came in. One day they found her sitting in her car with the car running and her inhaler in her hand but she didn't make it that time. Now they have a day in her honor to test kiRAB and educate them about taking care of their lungs. She was one of the best doctors I've ever met. It seemed like she worked 24 hrs a day and she did everything she could for her patients. After that happened, I always took my asthma much more seriously and I always try to keep my inhaler with me at all times, especially at night.

Hope that wasn't too depressing to post. It just brought home to me the seriousness of having asthma.

Give your gerbils a pat on the head for me. :)

SP
 
This reply is just as an FYI.

As you know, Allergies and Asthma are often interrelated. One can often flare the other.

What you may not know is that there are often early warning signs of a pending asthma attack that can mimic allergy symptoms. If you recognize these and start treating your asthma aggressively that you may be able to lessen the severity of your asthma attack.

You can search the asthma link under Asthma Early Warning Signs for more information.

I'm using Singulair in addition to Advair as preventatives for my asthma. I've had no side effects for either. Been taking them for several years now. Not sure I'd want to rely on the Singulair alone, but in addition to the Advair it has done well for me. Can't hurt with the allergies either. It became a 4th allergy med for me when I went on it. It is now one of 2 that I'm on currently.

Good luck with your Singulair usage.
 
SP

Have PM'd you. Let me know if you get it as I am not sure I have done it correctly:)

Mac2
 
Mac2 - I didn't get a PM today that I could see. I sent you one tonight. I'll keep trying.

How is the Singulair doing? Any more side effects? I hope not.

Take care,
SP
 
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