Isn’t It Ironic?
Thursday, February 28, 2008 at 09:25am
I went to the doctor the other day, and she diagnosed me with allergy-induced asthma. Can you believe that shit? I’m coming up on one full year smoke-free and it ends up being allergies that attack my lungs. Ain’t that a kick in the crotch? She’s put me on this stuff, along with an inhaler I’m supposed to use before working out. Understand that this is very mild; it’s just enough to be annoying. Anyone have a similar experience? Any thoughts/advice?
Susie on Thursday, February 28, 2008 at 10:01 am
Ugh. Well, I’m glad you went to the doctor. Sorry about the asthma and all, though…
Tony on Thursday, February 28, 2008 at 11:13 am
For the first year of giving up smoking i felt unwell most of the time.This included my Asthma actually getting worse.Be patient, it should settle down eventually & your Asthma might well go.
Best Wishes
tony.
freakgirl on Thursday, February 28, 2008 at 11:26 am
Good to hear. Congrats on quitting!
Rona on Thursday, February 28, 2008 at 11:33 am
I’ve had asthma most of my life, and used to have a note for gym where I could “self-limit”, since mine was exercise induced, mostly. I used to use Proventil before exercising, playing in the cold (cold air makes your air passages constrict), etc, but never had an attack. I don’t know how much the inhaler ever helped, though.
I still have it, and when I get a cold my lungs are my weak spot. Are you supposed to take Singular every day?
freakgirl on Thursday, February 28, 2008 at 11:37 am
Yep, every day. Which I hate. But I guess I will just see how my allergies are doing and adjust accordingly. I’m just having trouble getting a deep breath. It’s not constant.
Rona on Thursday, February 28, 2008 at 11:41 am
Please tell me you didn’t go to Dr. Kroll…
heather on Thursday, February 28, 2008 at 1:12 pm
No asthma advice, but I also quit smoking this year and am now suffering through my 2nd major sinus infection since December. In all the years I smoked, I NEVER had a sinus infection. Not one.
freakgirl on Thursday, February 28, 2008 at 1:23 pm
I swear, smoking PROTECTED us!
Rona, Dr. Kroll?
Lee on Thursday, February 28, 2008 at 3:07 pm
I’m chiming in on the quitting/getting more sick than I ever had been as a smoker. I raise you 3 sinus infections and a pleurisy.
Greater Czarina on Thursday, February 28, 2008 at 3:24 pm
I’ve had mild asthma my whole life, only diagnosed when I was in my early 20’s. I used to cough all the freaking time. I sometimes still need a nebulizer (and I have used Singulair - it did a good job) when I get a cold or cough, because once something triggers it, I go into paroxysms of coughing that nothing else can stop.
I also have to limit my aerobic exercise — pushing past a certain limit causes me to experience everything from inability to catch my breath to, in the extreme migraines, dizziness, and irregular heartbeat.
Speaking of which, I wonder if there’s a connection between your migraines and this? Hmmmmm.
Anyway, it’s a bummer. Sorry!
freakgirl on Thursday, February 28, 2008 at 3:38 pm
Lee, that’s crazy. Luckily, I haven’t gotten very sick at all the past year. Just a couple random colds. Since I quit smoking I upped my exercise a bit and I try to nip any colds in the bud with Airborne and sleep. So far, so good.
GC, it’s rare that I cough, which is good. It’s mostly just not being able to breathe deeply. I don’t think I have to worry about overdoing it during my aerobic exercise
I haven’t had a migraine in quite a long time. KNOCK ON WOOD, ALL OF YOU.
Doreen on Thursday, February 28, 2008 at 3:42 pm
De-lurking to say that I’m a respiratory therapist that also has asthma. Singulair is a really good medication for the long-term control/treatment of asthma. It is way better to keep asthma symptoms under control, then to try and get them under control once they get going. It sometimes becomes like a snowball going down hill, and can get very frightening.
Good luck, and let me know if I can help you.
Lee on Thursday, February 28, 2008 at 3:53 pm
even with the sicklies, it beats having to smoke, right? I don’t miss it…much.
freakgirl on Thursday, February 28, 2008 at 5:10 pm
Doreen, welcome! I did want to know - does Singulair immediately go into your system, or does it need a few days to build up? Because I started taking it Tuesday night, but I’m still feeling constricted.
Lee, I miss it but I miss it less each day. I’m thankful not to be tied to the cigs anymore, but some days I just want to smoke until I pass out. However, I’ve learned that I can just acknowledge the feeling and then let it go.
Bianca on Thursday, February 28, 2008 at 8:33 pm
I got something similar. I’ve never had asthma before but all of a sudden developed a mild case of a couple years ago. I had to use an inhaler (Advair) twice a day and eventually it just went away. Very odd.
Also weird is that I haven’t smoked in about 3 months now and I ended up with a bronchial infection around Christmas time. Really? This is what I get for NOT smoking?
freakgirl on Thursday, February 28, 2008 at 9:38 pm
See? Smoking really is good for you.
Doreen on Thursday, February 28, 2008 at 9:44 pm
Yep - it does take some time to “do it’s thing”. Give it a week or two. I will not bore you with the physiologic details, but it decreases the chronic swelling in your airways. That does not happen overnight. So, give it some time to work.
Did the dr. give you some sort of “rescue” inhaler to use, like albuterol? That should help get you over the sort term “tightness”. If he didn’t that is certainly something to ask him/her for….
Glad that you’re not smoking any more
freakgirl on Thursday, February 28, 2008 at 9:50 pm
I do have an inhaler. The doctor told me not to use it as a crutch…I’ve been using it about twice a day.
I’m glad I’m not smoking too, really, even with all the jokes I make to the contrary.
Melonie on Friday, February 29, 2008 at 1:43 am
My son uses Singulair and Albuterol nebulizer treatments every 4 hours on his serious asthma attacks.
I hate cold weather for him cause it makes him wheeze something awful. Summertime is the best season for him.
I have had to treat him alot lately since he gets out for school on cool mornings.
He has been on Singulair for 1 year now and I have seen an improvement.
On really,really cold school mornings he simply skips school because of all the hospital stays for pneumonia. Thank goodness his school understands.
ken on Friday, February 29, 2008 at 7:51 am
Well my asthma symptons went down a lot after quitiing cigarettes (January 1st) but I still use Albuterol (the old-skool CFC kind) and Asmanex.
Prior to quitting, I needed my Albuterol several times a day, now I go for days w/o it. As for the Asmanex, I don’t know if it works or not, I just take it.
Good luck.
Doreen on Friday, February 29, 2008 at 10:31 am
You’re not going to get “addicted” to the albuterol, so as long as you are not using it more than every 4 hours you’ll be fine. Don’t be afraid to use it till the singulair starts to kick in. It sucks to not be able to breathe. Also a good idea to get the flu shot every fall. The flu can really make your asthma symptoms worse.
cin on Friday, February 29, 2008 at 4:00 pm
hey freaksis-no fun at all for you. Yet, another reason to move from cold NJ to sunny FL! xoxo
freakgirl on Friday, February 29, 2008 at 4:47 pm
Oooh, perhaps I can book a trip to Florida and write it off as “for health reasons.”
Whatever gains I make allergy-wise will be lost due to mosquito bites, though.