PLEASE HELP!!

I am a 19-year-old girl.  All my life I have had difficulties with asthma, but it wasn't until the past 5 years that it has begun to get really bad.  My doctor recently told me that my asthma is what qualifies as severe persistent.  In the past two years alone I have had to go to the ER at least 50 times, at least 30 of which were by ambulance in severe distress(lights and sirens on and all that fun stuff) and I was admitted to the hospital at least 15 of those times usually staying at least 3 days.  I am on Advair 500/5 two times a day, singulair, allegra, veramyst two times a day, protonix two times a day, prednisone 20mg, and duo nebs (albuterol sulfate 3mg and ipratropium bromide o.5mg) every 6 hours increased to every 4 or every 2 hours as needed.  I also have an MDI and epipen that I use as needed.  The epipen is for anaphylactic shock due to bee stings, campfire smoke, and unknown food allergies.  I am so sick of feeling like my chest is going to cave in because I can't breathe or having the jitters and ridiculously bad leg cramps because of the albuterol.  A friend I know recently suggested that I try grape seed extract because it helped her son get completely off all of his asthma medications.  I started the grapeseed extract about a month ago, and so far I have seen no change.  If there is ANY other suggestions that you have I would greatly appreciate it.  I have recently had to withdraw from my college because of the severity of my asthma.  I am so over this  I am so tired of not being able to do the things I love to do.  two years ago I was either rollerblading 15 miles every day or riding my bike 50 miles every day, and now I can't do either.  PLEASE HELP!!!!

mkaye, Welcome to HealingWell.  You are really having a tough time with your asthma.  Are you treated by an allergist?  I would suggest that you talk to your physician about Xolair.  It is a monthly injection for severe asthmatics.  I have been taking it for about five years.  It costs around $10,000 per year, but insurance companies will gladly pay for it instead of all those ER visits.

I am almost 57 years old and have had asthma for six years, it came on with a vengeance.  I have had only one ER visit.  I will say, when I was still working, most of my asthma attacks that got out of my control were during the day and my allergist was willing to spend hours working with me in her office to keep me from having to go to the ER.  She's the best.

I always make sure I take my controller medications.  I don't leave home without taking my portable nebulizer, a bottle of water and an epi pen with me.  It is very cold here now, so I don't go out without covering my mouth and nose.  If it is below 20 degrees, I don't go out at all, per my doctor's orders.

I hope you will talk to your physician about Xolair and consider getting a second opinion. That is my unprofessional opinion.

Keep us posted.

Take care!

Carla

Kate, I would like to welcome you to HealingWell.  I noticed on another post that you are only 13.  You have really learned to manage your asthma well, that's what it takes.  You must be like me and don't like ER's or being in the hospital.  No fun at all.  Please keep posting as I think we can learn a lot from you.

Hugs!

Carla

Hi mkaye...I am wondering if you received any allergy shots. Those worked wonders for me though it did take a very long time...about 15 years. Also I try to live in a dust free environment since I am very allergic to dust. Use hot water for clothing washes and hot drying cycle.

I know it is hard to accept this problem but you are doing the best you can. Maybe you should be seeing more specialists to fine tune your medications...sounds like an awful lot of stuff.

Best of luck to you.