Severe Asthma triggered by chest cold or dogs? Posted: 12-24-07 12:16pm
Hello,
When I was 10 years old, I was tested and
diagnosed with allergies to dogs, cats,
dust mites, mold, grass, etc. I was put
on antihistamines short term, and never
had a problem, even though my parents had
multiple dogs. I do have asthma attacks
around cats, however.
I have always lived with multiple dogs; I
am now 43 years old. We have five dogs
now, all very low allergen, ranging from
Shih-Tzus to Yorkies to Poodles. About
three weeks ago, my husband brought home a
horrible chest cold, and I got it. I got
over the cold, but have been left with
wheezing, shortness of breath, chest
tightness, and coughing. I wound up in
the E.R. last weekend, and they treated me
with steroids and breathing treatments.
My family doc has me on a nebulizer with
Duoneb and Albuterol, and is weaning me
off the Prednisone. I also am on Advair
500 and a rescue inhaler. My peak flows
are coming back up, with my being able to
blow near a 450 in the midafternoon.
We have tried to work on cleaning the
house and have installed air cleaners in
every room.
My question is, could this asthma flare
have been triggered by the chest cold, but
is lingering because of the dogs we have?
Is it possible for me to have suddenly
developed a sensitivity to our dogs, or
has the threshold of animal dander in our
house reached such a high point that my
asthma just went crazy? I'm praying it's
not the dogs; we love them so much.
Any advice is appreciated, and Happy
Holidays!
|
MandMs
Extremely EHEALTHy
Joined: 26 Jan 2007 Posts: 2080 Location: Strumica, Macedonia
Thanks: 36
Thanked:11
Posted: 12-28-07 02:47am
Viruses that cause the common cold, are
the most common cause of an asthma attack.
Viral infections cause 80% of asthma
attacks in children and 60% in adults with
asthma.
People with asthma may also experience
asthma attacks while they have flu.
There is no specific treatment for virus
induced asthma, and steroid treatments are
only partially effective against them.
Are you still taking Prednisone?
How is your breathing now?
|
kellysmum
New User, Becoming EHEALTHy
Joined: 24 Dec 2007 Posts: 9 Location: ,
Rescue Inhaler Posted: 12-28-07 11:17am
Thanks for your reply. Yes, I have a
rescue inhaler, but I try not to use it
except in dire circumstances. My family
doc has me using the nebulizer as my first
line of defense, with the rescue inhaler
only there for true, true emergencies.
Maybe I should be relying on it more
often? I thought that twice a month was
supposed to be the limit on its use. Can
someone advise?
|
Jules
Supporter
Joined: 19 Aug 2006 Posts: 3752 Location: Merrie Englande, UK
Thanks: 75
Thanked:65
Posted: 12-28-07 11:42am
The Salbutamol (rescue) inhaler needs to
be used as often as you need it. I once
used it 15 times in one day - I then had
to go to the hospital because it obviously
wasn't working for me. If you are having
an asthma attack then you MUST use it!
It could be that your preventor inhaler is
not strong enough to cope with the added
pressure of the chest cold. My doctor has
advised me to double up on my dose when I
am ill with a chest cold because my lungs
require extra support. Sometimes I need
to take a 5 day course of Prednisolone
(steroids) too if I am really bad.
|
Jules
Supporter
Joined: 19 Aug 2006 Posts: 3752 Location: Merrie Englande, UK
Thanks: 75
Thanked:65
Posted: 12-28-07 11:44am
Oh and with regards to your original
question, you can develop an allergy to
something at any time, even things you've
previously been fine with. Dogs are a
common allergy, I have it too. If I go
near a wet dog I inevitably end up
wheezing.
|
wickedwanda
Experienced User , Rather EHEALTHy
Joined: 18 Mar 2006 Posts: 108 Location: Alberta.
Re: Severe Asthma Triggered By Chest Cold Or Dogs? Posted: 01-02-08 00:17am
kellysmum
wrote:
Hello,
When I was 10 years old, I was tested and
diagnosed with allergies to dogs, cats,
dust mites, mold, grass, etc. I was put
on antihistamines short term, and never
had a problem, even though my parents had
multiple dogs. I do have asthma attacks
around cats, however.
I have always lived with multiple dogs; I
am now 43 years old. We have five dogs
now, all very low allergen, ranging from
Shih-Tzus to Yorkies to Poodles. About
three weeks ago, my husband brought home a
horrible chest cold, and I got it. I got
over the cold, but have been left with
wheezing, shortness of breath, chest
tightness, and coughing. I wound up in
the E.R. last weekend, and they treated me
with steroids and breathing treatments.
My family doc has me on a nebulizer with
Duoneb and Albuterol, and is weaning me
off the Prednisone. I also am on Advair
500 and a rescue inhaler. My peak flows
are coming back up, with my being able to
blow near a 450 in the midafternoon.
We have tried to work on cleaning the
house and have installed air cleaners in
every room.
My question is, could this asthma flare
have been triggered by the chest cold, but
is lingering because of the dogs we have?
Is it possible for me to have suddenly
developed a sensitivity to our dogs, or
has the threshold of animal dander in our
house reached such a high point that my
asthma just went crazy? I'm praying it's
not the dogs; we love them so much.
Any advice is appreciated, and Happy
Holidays!
Hello there,
Yes yes and yes.
with that said i would like to say that if
u keep your dogs well groomed, bathed 1
every 2 weeks the dander is not that bad.
I will not get rid of my dogs, my
specialists always ask that ? and i say
DON'T EVEN GO THERE, they are my babies
and they aren't going any where! I may not
live as long, but i will be happy with my
dogs Poodles.
So i compromise and i have a very
minimilist bedroom, no fancy material,
teddy bears, and animals. I have a hepa
filter in the bedroom so when i come home
from the hospital,( my peak flows when i
come home are 225). I have the cleanest
environment i can.
It sounds to me as though your lungs have
been weakened abit by the cold. When you
come off prednisone, or solumedrol, you
will literally feel breathless and tired,
it is best on the days of cut back of any
steriod that you stay away form over
excertion & triggars, or you may feel
really tight and you can die from asthma,
so you should always use your rescue
inhaler, as you need it and use it
properly, don't suck into fast, its a
waste and doesn't work.. If you are
feeling up and down that is normal from
prednisone, your body is trying to
adjust.. learn your triggars, keep track
of them in a diary, it sounds like a pain
in the butt, but it can literally save
your life.. those diarys can talk for you
in a crisis situation, keep track of
triggers, exercise, weather, work, meds,
diet, and anything odd that happens within
your body.. Thats what we old timers call
being proactive about your asthma health..
Seek immediate help, if you notice pain in
chest, blue lips, or u can't deep breathe
go to ER NOW.. keep a list in your purse
of all your medications that you take,
this is much easier in crisis and the
nurses love it. bring all pertant medical
information to the ER. Oh and if u haven't
noticed, prednisone can make us moody and
irritabal at the littlest sign of noise,
so familys need to know that and give us a
little room, drink as much water as
possible to get the steriods out!
God Bless ww
Good luck and god bless ww
|
kellysmum
New User, Becoming EHEALTHy
Joined: 24 Dec 2007 Posts: 9 Location: ,
Had Allergy Tests Done-only Mildly Allergic to Dogs (yea!) Posted: 01-02-08 12:30pm
Thanks for the well wishes. I had
extensive allergy testing done this
morning, and it turns out I'm only very
mildly allergic to dogs. My big triggers
are mold and dust mites and, of course,
cats. The allergist said he wouldn't
worry about our five dogs as being
triggers for my asthma. He said we should
concentrate on finding the mold in our
home and doing something about the dust
mites. I'm just so relieved and so
grateful to God that the dogs are not my
problem. Now all I need to do is put on
one of those breathing masks and start
tackling the clutter in our home.
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wickedwanda
Experienced User , Rather EHEALTHy
Joined: 18 Mar 2006 Posts: 108 Location: Alberta.
Get Ready For a Yard Sale! Posted: 01-02-08 13:03pm
Hi Kellys mum,
Cats are a big issue with asthma, try and
keep them out of your "clean" room,
usually the bedroom.. With the dust mites,
once a week i strip everything and wash in
scallding hot water and vacum the bed, be
hind it, under it ect.. If you can get one
room really clean and try and keep the
pets clean.. u should feel better.. My
lungs are failing me now and i will
proably have to go in for iv treatment
(solumedrol, is the same as prednisone,
just 5 times more powerfull)my doctors and
i call it a tune up! I know i have
problems with mold coming from the drains
in the basement, so i pour bleach down
them to lessen the spores, not the best
for the envioronment, but you gotta do
what you gotta do! It may be worth getting
a professional to look at your house,
because mold is very hidden.. What room
bothers you most? Start there good luck
ww
P.S have a huge yard sale, price high and
make sure stuff is clean and you can make
some serious money, I made 5 grand when we
de-cluttered. Pack everything in boxes
that say yard sale, they are super popular
here good luck
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bambang
New User, Becoming EHEALTHy
Joined: 04 Jan 2008 Posts: 3 Location: ,
Posted: 01-07-08 00:03am
I agree with "wickedwanda" and in your
case may be the both of them are the
factor
CMII sorry about my english
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wickedwanda
Experienced User , Rather EHEALTHy
Joined: 18 Mar 2006 Posts: 108 Location: Alberta.
Posted: 01-07-08 00:46am
bambang
wrote:
I agree with "wickedwanda"
and in your case may be the both of them
are the factor
CMII sorry about my english
she is doing
great and de-cluttering yee haw ww
|
CarolDiane
Supporter
Joined: 23 Sep 2007 Posts: 2390 Location: ,
Thanks: 111
Thanked:156
Posted: 01-09-08 07:34am
Mine are caused by both chest cold and
animal dander. Amongst other things like
mold, dust etc.
|
wickedwanda
Experienced User , Rather EHEALTHy
Joined: 18 Mar 2006 Posts: 108 Location: Alberta.
Often the Case With Adult Asthma Posted: 01-09-08 12:16pm
Hey guys, yes chest colds and the flu,
bronchitis ect, any time you get sick your
lungs weeken, so if you go home to a house
that has triggers, u can be in for a
longer recovery time. If u are sick with
sever asthma and have animals, keep them
out of the bedroom, groom them more often
and vacum. Try not to have to many animals
as they make the issues worse. Wear masks
when cleaning, vacum all beds, wash
floors,walls, nooks and crannies, wash all
bedding hot water at least 1 every 2
weeks, i do mine 1 a week. I also have a
small hepa filter in my bedroom. You need
to pay attention to your lungs and be
aware of what may be triggering u, doctors
can;t help if you don;t pay attention to
your own body! Keep a diary, peak flow,
weather.. and if your asthma is bad seek
out a ASTHMA DOCTOR only, family doctor
will over medicate you and you will get
chest pains from to much drugs that may
not be working all the best.. Hows Tampa,
i haven't been there in 25 years, Busche
Garden Rocks!! all the best ww
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MandMs
Extremely EHEALTHy
Joined: 26 Jan 2007 Posts: 2080 Location: Strumica, Macedonia
Thanks: 36
Thanked:11
Hi, kellysmum! Posted: 01-16-08 05:01am
You said that when you were 10 years old
you were diagnosed with allergy to dogs
and an allergy can't be outgrown.
As a adult, allergy patient still has a
tendency to have allergic symptoms,
although they may become less noticeable
with maturity.
The onset of an allergy (dogs allergy) can
be sudden or gradual (exposed to the
substance more than once) and symptoms
often develop after an unusual stress to
the immune system, such as following a
severe viral infection.
How do you feel know?
Are you still experiencing breathing
problems?
I know i have
problems with mold coming from the drains
in the basement, so i pour bleach down
them to lessen the spores, not the best
for the envioronment, but you gotta do
what you gotta do! It may be worth getting
a professional to look at your house,
because mold is very hidden.. What room
bothers you most? Start there good luck
ww
ww