Question:
I am a 34 year old male recently 'diagnosed' with asthma. . I've had a very low base line wheezing for about a year, with a
couple of flare ups (one caused a visit to the ER).
While at the hospital for surgery, (bilateral endoscopies-
ethmoidectomies and antrostomies) I told the nurse my wheezing was very
bad. Surgery was cancelled and I was referred to a pulmonologist. Two
weeks of Flovent and Serevent have practically eliminated the
symptoms.
I really don't want to be on steroid inhalers twice a day for the rest
of my life.
I am interested in information on the controlling of asthma, either by
diet, alternative meds, regular meds, quercetin, apples what have you.
I also have a 15 year old son who recently came to live here. He has
asthma and uses a 17g Albuterol inhaler on a regular basis (i.e.
daily). This info will be used for him also
Answer:
I fought it for a long time and by not staying with the inhalers I have
been on the inhalers and oral steriods since Thanksgiving. Stick
with the inhalers. If altrentive treatments worked they wouldn't need
snake oil salesman to sell them.
The one thing that may work is to identify and avoid what is causing
your asthma. Depending on what it is that can be easy to do or you
may have to live in a tent on a mountian to get away from the problem.
If it is worse in the winter and better in the spring you may have an
air quality problem in your house. Mold, dustmites, roaches, fire places
rugs can all be a problem. If you have trouble when the vacuum cleaner
is running dust mites and molds are likely problem. If the house
is new outgassing of partical boar, new carpets and what have you
could be all or part of the problem.
If your son didn't have asthma before he moved in I would suspect
indoor air quality. Second I would think about outdoor air quality.
Are you close to a lot of traffic or down wind of something that
is putting out smoke or something.
Are there some places you are better or worse that might give a
clue.
The prognosis for adult onset asthma is not very good. The only
good advice I have recived is stay away from things that bother you
and do what ever it takes to keep it under control. I have looked
for a better answer pretty hard and there isn't one.
Twice a day on an inhaler beats oral steriods and trips to the ER
by a bunch.
