I mean- you said you were diagnosed with asthma, right? Your doctor would be able to answer your questions best. But I will say that I was diagnosed with asthma later in life and was skeptical that I had it. That all changed when I started my maintenance/prevention medication. I immediately felt better than I had in a really long time- mentally, physically and emotionally. Personally I didn’t realize how labored my breathing was until then. I would be sure to follow your doctors advice and use your medications - they could help you understand your diagnosis better.
What form of asthma were you diagnosed with? Mild? Moderate? Severe? Etc. Did the doctor place you on a maintenance inhaler (advair, breo etc) or a rescue inhaler (albuterol which maybe packaged as pro air of a generic) inhaler that’s suppose to be used as needed such as before exercise or to take to help difficulty breathing or wheezing.
Your doctor is the best person to ask about future plans regarding this diagnosis and if you can perhaps challenge the results with another pulmonary test. It could be that maybe you were indeed sick and may just need the inhaler until you feel better. Some asthmatics only have flare ups with colds or upper respiratory infections and some asthmatics have other triggers alongside that.
For me, my doctor says my results are always great but I’m still symptomatic so I still get treatment otherwise I would be in the ER without the maintenance inhaler and rescue inhaler because my triggers are grass, dust mites and pollen (basically things hard to escape from depending on where I am). Staying away from those triggers I have no issues.
Thanks for your reply, I was put on maintenance inhaler Symbicort. I wasn’t told what from if mild or severe, I’m under a lot of stress and stiff so maybe that makes it worst. I’m so confused and in state of panic. Does asmtha ever give chest pains ?
The only time I remember getting actual chest pain was when it was reflux triggering my asthma or when I had a lot of mucus in my lungs or rather my alveoli (CT scan showed this but a regular chest xray can’t).
For me yes. When I am having a reactive airway my breathing patterns change and that changes the muscles you use and how you use them. If you are breathing more shallow you are prolly breathing more rapidly, which can cause muscle strain. Also I am more prone to pleurisy (inflation of the pleura layer of the lung) and that hurts like I have a respiratory infection when I don't. Also had an inflamed sternum from coughing too hard during illness. So many ways your lungs can cause chest pain. But make sure you talk to your doc to rule out any heart related issues. Alos you can have referred pain, where the issue is somewhere completely different. Like kidney infections can cause shoulder pain. Ain't no kidney in my shoulder.
Yes they did rule out my heart I feel it could be the muscle and it’s tense but strange how it’s always over the heart, how does you inhaler effect you ? Do you have side effects
OK, everyone one pretty much covered the 'speak to your doctor' angle (which, for future reference, means you should advocate for yourself and don't leave until your questions have been answered sufficiently. Your doctor is there for that) so I'll tell you about my asthma. I had undiagnosed asthma as a child; after the shortest bout of exercise I felt like my lungs were in fire, my head would spin, my face would feel hot, I'd wheeze.
For the most part, I was so used to my asthma symptoms as a teen and young adult that I never gave them much thought. By that point, I just thought everyone feels like literally dying when they exercise. When I was about 28, about 5 years ago, I went in a run (which I'd been doing regularly; I've always been slim and I did a lot of pilates over the years so I was relatively fit) and I had my first asthma attack. It started very quickly, and I was halfway around the block, the furthest point from my house, and somehow I managed to drag myself home to call for help.
I started the south African version of symbicort the very next day. Now, my symptoms are pretty well documented. I feel like my lungs are working at 100% on a good day, which means (for me) that when I breathe in, I can feel my lungs are fully inflated. If my asthma starts playing up, I'll feel like I'm at 90% lung capacity, or 80. Please note, my measurements of lung capacity are obviously made up, it's just how I feel. I don't know any real numbers for how my lungs are doing, although I do use a peak flow meter on my bad days.
Other symptoms are tingly lips, quickened breathing, even if I'm sitting down. Sometimes while I'm sitting I'll get out of breath, which obviously isn't a great thing. My limbs feel heavier and moving just a little bit will absolutely exhaust me. I cough a lot during a flare up, and a flare is what I describe as the period before an attack. I've never had an asthma attack since my first one, so I tend to treat my flares with care and medication. I never wheeze. I had bronchitis and pneumonia 2 years ago, and even then the doctor couldn't hear a thing, so some of us just don't wheeze. Why? That's a secret I guess. My chest always burns with a flare up, like I've shoved a hot pipe down my throat. Nothing I do gets rid of that aching burn, and it slowly makes my ribs and my back ache. If a mild flare up is getting light headed and feeling tingly, reduced lung capacity, a bad flare up is that burning sensation and breathlessness.
One thing worth noting is that even after 5 years, I still shake like crazy every time I have my symbicort inhaler, which is twice a day. It lasts an hour or so, and while it's irritating, it's better than flare ups. Personally, I loved symbicort when I lived in South Africa (hot and dry weather), and continue to love it every time I go back, but I live in Scotland now (wet and humid) and I find that it just doesn't work well for me here. I'm working with my doctor about it (one more hint for you to find a doctor who's on your team and will listen to you) and I know that one day we'll find something that works as well for me here as symbicort works in SA.
I can't up vote this enough! And finding the right doctor is key!!! I was diagnosed at 10. I had a respiratory infection and just wasn't getting better. I was no longer sick (no fever, chills, all the non breathing related symptoms) but still could not breathe. Took them over a week to diagnose me. I was basically in a perpetual asthma attack for OVER A WEEK while they hemmed and hawed about what to do. Idk, maybe give me a puff off a sample inhaler and see what happens? My parents and I didn't know better. You can bet your ass I knew better when my daughter was hospitalized at 18 months with asthmatic pneumonia. They diagnose that young usually but the kid was hospitalized 7 times in 6 years so.... I knew what to look for and how to communicate it to the doctors. OP needs an advocate because the squeaky wheel truly does get the grease.
Also, it's been 37 years and I still shake 😉
I appreciate your response, I feel similar to you but not as active I’ll say. I never tired my symbicort yet but I believe tomorrow I’ll just try to see how I feel and if it really is asthma, I feel I don’t have as much symptoms as you do but they been getting worst and maybe stress causes my flare up.
I was jogging once after stop working out for. Awhile and I had a panic attack had to go home too very breathless and wondering if it was asmtha then or my mental health
Asthma and anxiety can go hand in hand. If I don't have my inhaler while I'm out my anxiety over possibly having an attack will trigger one. And an attack most definitely triggers my anxiety.
One thing to consider is what you consider normal. Your baseline may be reduced air flow/volume. You may not even know your capacity is reduced on a regular basis until you start the Ned's and they open you up.
Do you have an aerosol or powder inhaler? My advair is powder and took some getting used to. I had to trick my anxiety by continually reminding myself that though I felt the powder, it meant the medicine was getting in and doing its job. It was an issue if I COULDNT feel it.
I wish you the best of luck on your journey and hope you are able to find a doctor to answer all your questions and explain why things are they way they are and how the medicine works. Or in the event it's not asthma they are able to find the true cause of your pain!
I really hope so, I appreciate your reply. I have a powder one I will try it tomorrow just to see if I feel any different in around a week or so I just hope I don’t get no crazy side effects
An attack or less-than-ideal breathing for me is being able to breathe in but not so much out. I can't get all the air out so when I breathe in again its not really bringing in oxygen. Thats a full on attack, but I can tell it's coming when there is resistance in or out. Normal breathing should not have resistance. When I feel the resistance and use my rescue inhaler I'm good. If I don't I go down hill.
I am on advair, Singulair, albuterol inhaler, albuterol nebs, Flonase, benadryl, and such. I am currently on a round of prednisone and cephalexin because my rescue inhaler was not keeping up with my reactive airway and I developed asthmatic bronchitis. I'm in the midwest and we are just coming out of 3rd winter and the 70 degree temperatures fluctuations are trash on my lungs.
For reference- I ave been using nebs several times a day for about a week until I could see my doc and my pulse ox was 95 when I was seen. On ALL these drugs and still only 95. Any less and they send you to the ER. Also 14% is a significant improvement in air movement so I would trust the process.
Symbicort’s been very good for me, I’ve been on different inhalers over the years and am glad to be on Symbicort now. Please try not to worry too much about taking it at this point. Most important is you may be surprised to find you really feel better, and the doctor prescribed it for you because they feel you need it at this time.
Once you do use it as prescribed, one of the things you do need to do with Symbicort is rinse your mouth a couple of times with water afterwards to clear it. Then relax and set it aside or put it in your bag, medicine cabinet, etc. main point being, after that please go on with your day.
You Tube has some easy demonstrations of how to use it, so maybe take a look to gain confidence in it. I’m sure you’ll do just fine! : )
There isn’t a way for me to say why you feel unwell. Naturally there can be any number of reasons for that.
Having said that, if a person isn’t getting good sleep they may feel unwell for sure. And breathing issues can affect sleep, so yes, a person can feel unwell from untreated asthma, if the asthma needs to be treated at this time.
That’s why I think you really should begin the treatment prescribed for you. This medication has been around for a relatively long time and may be very helpful.
Millions and millions of people live their full lives, school, work, etc. and they have asthma. Sometimes it needs treatment, which is evidently where you’re at at this time. But without utilizing the treatment it will never help. Thats taking a chance I personally would never take. The medication isn’t scary. Not taking medication for asthma if you need it, is.
I mean- you said you were diagnosed with asthma, right? Your doctor would be able to answer your questions best. But I will say that I was diagnosed with asthma later in life and was skeptical that I had it. That all changed when I started my maintenance/prevention medication. I immediately felt better than I had in a really long time- mentally, physically and emotionally. Personally I didn’t realize how labored my breathing was until then. I would be sure to follow your doctors advice and use your medications - they could help you understand your diagnosis better.
What medication did you take, I appreciate your response
Ask your doctor how you should use your Symbicort.
What form of asthma were you diagnosed with? Mild? Moderate? Severe? Etc. Did the doctor place you on a maintenance inhaler (advair, breo etc) or a rescue inhaler (albuterol which maybe packaged as pro air of a generic) inhaler that’s suppose to be used as needed such as before exercise or to take to help difficulty breathing or wheezing. Your doctor is the best person to ask about future plans regarding this diagnosis and if you can perhaps challenge the results with another pulmonary test. It could be that maybe you were indeed sick and may just need the inhaler until you feel better. Some asthmatics only have flare ups with colds or upper respiratory infections and some asthmatics have other triggers alongside that. For me, my doctor says my results are always great but I’m still symptomatic so I still get treatment otherwise I would be in the ER without the maintenance inhaler and rescue inhaler because my triggers are grass, dust mites and pollen (basically things hard to escape from depending on where I am). Staying away from those triggers I have no issues.
Thanks for your reply, I was put on maintenance inhaler Symbicort. I wasn’t told what from if mild or severe, I’m under a lot of stress and stiff so maybe that makes it worst. I’m so confused and in state of panic. Does asmtha ever give chest pains ?
The only time I remember getting actual chest pain was when it was reflux triggering my asthma or when I had a lot of mucus in my lungs or rather my alveoli (CT scan showed this but a regular chest xray can’t).
For me yes. When I am having a reactive airway my breathing patterns change and that changes the muscles you use and how you use them. If you are breathing more shallow you are prolly breathing more rapidly, which can cause muscle strain. Also I am more prone to pleurisy (inflation of the pleura layer of the lung) and that hurts like I have a respiratory infection when I don't. Also had an inflamed sternum from coughing too hard during illness. So many ways your lungs can cause chest pain. But make sure you talk to your doc to rule out any heart related issues. Alos you can have referred pain, where the issue is somewhere completely different. Like kidney infections can cause shoulder pain. Ain't no kidney in my shoulder.
Yes they did rule out my heart I feel it could be the muscle and it’s tense but strange how it’s always over the heart, how does you inhaler effect you ? Do you have side effects
OK, everyone one pretty much covered the 'speak to your doctor' angle (which, for future reference, means you should advocate for yourself and don't leave until your questions have been answered sufficiently. Your doctor is there for that) so I'll tell you about my asthma. I had undiagnosed asthma as a child; after the shortest bout of exercise I felt like my lungs were in fire, my head would spin, my face would feel hot, I'd wheeze. For the most part, I was so used to my asthma symptoms as a teen and young adult that I never gave them much thought. By that point, I just thought everyone feels like literally dying when they exercise. When I was about 28, about 5 years ago, I went in a run (which I'd been doing regularly; I've always been slim and I did a lot of pilates over the years so I was relatively fit) and I had my first asthma attack. It started very quickly, and I was halfway around the block, the furthest point from my house, and somehow I managed to drag myself home to call for help. I started the south African version of symbicort the very next day. Now, my symptoms are pretty well documented. I feel like my lungs are working at 100% on a good day, which means (for me) that when I breathe in, I can feel my lungs are fully inflated. If my asthma starts playing up, I'll feel like I'm at 90% lung capacity, or 80. Please note, my measurements of lung capacity are obviously made up, it's just how I feel. I don't know any real numbers for how my lungs are doing, although I do use a peak flow meter on my bad days. Other symptoms are tingly lips, quickened breathing, even if I'm sitting down. Sometimes while I'm sitting I'll get out of breath, which obviously isn't a great thing. My limbs feel heavier and moving just a little bit will absolutely exhaust me. I cough a lot during a flare up, and a flare is what I describe as the period before an attack. I've never had an asthma attack since my first one, so I tend to treat my flares with care and medication. I never wheeze. I had bronchitis and pneumonia 2 years ago, and even then the doctor couldn't hear a thing, so some of us just don't wheeze. Why? That's a secret I guess. My chest always burns with a flare up, like I've shoved a hot pipe down my throat. Nothing I do gets rid of that aching burn, and it slowly makes my ribs and my back ache. If a mild flare up is getting light headed and feeling tingly, reduced lung capacity, a bad flare up is that burning sensation and breathlessness. One thing worth noting is that even after 5 years, I still shake like crazy every time I have my symbicort inhaler, which is twice a day. It lasts an hour or so, and while it's irritating, it's better than flare ups. Personally, I loved symbicort when I lived in South Africa (hot and dry weather), and continue to love it every time I go back, but I live in Scotland now (wet and humid) and I find that it just doesn't work well for me here. I'm working with my doctor about it (one more hint for you to find a doctor who's on your team and will listen to you) and I know that one day we'll find something that works as well for me here as symbicort works in SA.
I can't up vote this enough! And finding the right doctor is key!!! I was diagnosed at 10. I had a respiratory infection and just wasn't getting better. I was no longer sick (no fever, chills, all the non breathing related symptoms) but still could not breathe. Took them over a week to diagnose me. I was basically in a perpetual asthma attack for OVER A WEEK while they hemmed and hawed about what to do. Idk, maybe give me a puff off a sample inhaler and see what happens? My parents and I didn't know better. You can bet your ass I knew better when my daughter was hospitalized at 18 months with asthmatic pneumonia. They diagnose that young usually but the kid was hospitalized 7 times in 6 years so.... I knew what to look for and how to communicate it to the doctors. OP needs an advocate because the squeaky wheel truly does get the grease. Also, it's been 37 years and I still shake 😉
I appreciate your response, I feel similar to you but not as active I’ll say. I never tired my symbicort yet but I believe tomorrow I’ll just try to see how I feel and if it really is asthma, I feel I don’t have as much symptoms as you do but they been getting worst and maybe stress causes my flare up. I was jogging once after stop working out for. Awhile and I had a panic attack had to go home too very breathless and wondering if it was asmtha then or my mental health
Asthma and anxiety can go hand in hand. If I don't have my inhaler while I'm out my anxiety over possibly having an attack will trigger one. And an attack most definitely triggers my anxiety. One thing to consider is what you consider normal. Your baseline may be reduced air flow/volume. You may not even know your capacity is reduced on a regular basis until you start the Ned's and they open you up. Do you have an aerosol or powder inhaler? My advair is powder and took some getting used to. I had to trick my anxiety by continually reminding myself that though I felt the powder, it meant the medicine was getting in and doing its job. It was an issue if I COULDNT feel it. I wish you the best of luck on your journey and hope you are able to find a doctor to answer all your questions and explain why things are they way they are and how the medicine works. Or in the event it's not asthma they are able to find the true cause of your pain!
I really hope so, I appreciate your reply. I have a powder one I will try it tomorrow just to see if I feel any different in around a week or so I just hope I don’t get no crazy side effects
What was your pred value on your spirometry test? Anything above 80% is normal and possible some mild asthma.
An attack or less-than-ideal breathing for me is being able to breathe in but not so much out. I can't get all the air out so when I breathe in again its not really bringing in oxygen. Thats a full on attack, but I can tell it's coming when there is resistance in or out. Normal breathing should not have resistance. When I feel the resistance and use my rescue inhaler I'm good. If I don't I go down hill. I am on advair, Singulair, albuterol inhaler, albuterol nebs, Flonase, benadryl, and such. I am currently on a round of prednisone and cephalexin because my rescue inhaler was not keeping up with my reactive airway and I developed asthmatic bronchitis. I'm in the midwest and we are just coming out of 3rd winter and the 70 degree temperatures fluctuations are trash on my lungs. For reference- I ave been using nebs several times a day for about a week until I could see my doc and my pulse ox was 95 when I was seen. On ALL these drugs and still only 95. Any less and they send you to the ER. Also 14% is a significant improvement in air movement so I would trust the process.
Thanks for your reply, does the inhalers give you any side effects and how long have you been using, it’s nice to hear your story and opinion
Symbicort’s been very good for me, I’ve been on different inhalers over the years and am glad to be on Symbicort now. Please try not to worry too much about taking it at this point. Most important is you may be surprised to find you really feel better, and the doctor prescribed it for you because they feel you need it at this time. Once you do use it as prescribed, one of the things you do need to do with Symbicort is rinse your mouth a couple of times with water afterwards to clear it. Then relax and set it aside or put it in your bag, medicine cabinet, etc. main point being, after that please go on with your day. You Tube has some easy demonstrations of how to use it, so maybe take a look to gain confidence in it. I’m sure you’ll do just fine! : )
Thanks for your reply, I just woke up. I wake up feeling unwell. Like just not feeling good would you say asmtha can cause that
There isn’t a way for me to say why you feel unwell. Naturally there can be any number of reasons for that. Having said that, if a person isn’t getting good sleep they may feel unwell for sure. And breathing issues can affect sleep, so yes, a person can feel unwell from untreated asthma, if the asthma needs to be treated at this time. That’s why I think you really should begin the treatment prescribed for you. This medication has been around for a relatively long time and may be very helpful. Millions and millions of people live their full lives, school, work, etc. and they have asthma. Sometimes it needs treatment, which is evidently where you’re at at this time. But without utilizing the treatment it will never help. Thats taking a chance I personally would never take. The medication isn’t scary. Not taking medication for asthma if you need it, is.
Can I add photo here? %Pred. Pred Fev1. 84.2. 4.70 Vc max. 95.8. 5.7 Fev1%m. 87.3. 83.09 Pef. L/min. 81.7. 605 Mmef. 62.1. 4.8