Let's talk Allergies and Asthma

[kuksul08]

I have had asthma all my life, with varying degrees of severity and been taking Advair (steroid inhaler) to control it. It's kinda the mild/moderate persistent type. I don't really get attacks or anything, but without meds it creeps in and causes wheezing and shortness of breath.

Recently went for an allergy test. The doctor thinks it's likely my asthma is allergic and might be helped by immunotherapy (allergy shots). I'd REALLY like to get off the inhaler if possible, or reduce the amount I need it. The test showed I have a pretty big reaction to certain local pollens, as well as dust mites, which is pretty common.

Has anyone here gone through the allergy shot thing? It seems like a pretty big time and money investment, with varying results. If it will work, even partly, I'm willing to try it. Sometimes I wish the human body was as easy to fix as a motorcycle... :ride

 

[nbean16]

I had asthma my entire life. Nearly died as a kid. I don't leave the house without an inhaler. I used my inhaler multiple times a week up until two years ago. I stopped drinking milk, lost 15 lbs...I use my inhaler about once every 3 months now. Maybe its a coincidence but it is weird.

 

[kuksul08]

I've heard of that. I guess some people develop a dairy allergy that triggers their asthma. I have developed lactose intolerance to certain dairy products as I've gotten older and stopped drinking milk, but the asthma is unchanged.

 

[kingmoochr]

Wife gets bad allergies and has asthma. We have 2 air purifiers and a bedroom humidifier now. She seems to be doing a lot better. Also, de-allergen your house, theres a lot you can do to prevent dust accumulation. Ymmv.

 

[nbean16]

I've heard of that. I guess some people develop a dairy allergy that triggers their asthma. I have developed lactose intolerance to certain dairy products as I've gotten older and stopped drinking milk, but the asthma is unchanged.

Losing weight also seemed to drastically help my allergies as well. Solving asthma is likely different for everyone and maybe impossible for many. I had allergy tests that showed I'm allergic to everything haha. Shots, pills, nothing helped as much as weight loss.

 

[kuksul08]

Losing weight also seemed to drastically help my allergies as well. Solving asthma is likely different for everyone and maybe impossible for many. I had allergy tests that showed I'm allergic to everything haha. Shots, pills, nothing helped as much as weight loss.

Hmm, I can't do too much weight loss, maybe 10lbs. I could see how that would work, just physically, as far as the lungs go though!

Wife gets bad allergies and has asthma. We have 2 air purifiers and a bedroom humidifier now. She seems to be doing a lot better. Also, de-allergen your house, theres a lot you can do to prevent dust accumulation. Ymmv.

Funny enough I just watched a video that said humidifiers are bad because they promote dust mites. But yeah totally agree. Got rid of the carpet, trying to go to all hard surfaces. Got a new bed, sheets, pillows, etc. Seems to help definitely, but not a complete fix.

 

[Mike95060]

Losing weight also seemed to drastically help my allergies as well. Solving asthma is likely different for everyone and maybe impossible for many. I had allergy tests that showed I'm allergic to everything haha. Shots, pills, nothing helped as much as weight loss.

Same here. I’m down about 17 lbs and using my q-var less. Still need the albuterol for exercise but much less since my cardio has improved.

 

[Mangoat]

Op I was in the same situation you’re in now. Along with the asthm, I experienced flu like symptoms related to my allergies. I used to be on Flovent, qvar, Flonase and Claritin d.

I decided to try the shots. First series would be once a week. Then every 2, then 3 weeks. Now I’m on a maintenance schedule that has me going in for the shot every month.

I haven’t had to use any of the above mentioned meds for the last 3 years. And haven’t experienced any allergies or asthma.

You do have to stay committed to the schedule or risk having to start the series all over.

 

[kingmoochr]

Funny enough I just watched a video that said humidifiers are bad because they promote dust mites. But yeah totally agree. Got rid of the carpet, trying to go to all hard surfaces. Got a new bed, sheets, pillows, etc. Seems to help definitely, but not a complete fix.

Can't say I looked into it, but we are just trying to stave off the dry throat overnight. Pacifica can drop into the teens in humidity in the evening when the wind is blowing. We had a smart one that only ran in the 50-60%s, but it died. Went to an ultrasonic dumb one but we don't turn it that high and don't use it when it's raining. If you don't find yourself waking up with a dry throat, you can probably skip it, but humid air is important for lung function (which is why we aren't all mouth breathers).

 

[RS250 Chester]

I have allergy induced asthma. When I lived on the Central Coast, the air was filled with allergens; since we were surrounded by farms, lots of dust and fertilizers in the air too. I went on a cocktail of meds, all sorts of inhalers, allergy pills and nose sprays. They all worked very well and the cocktail got reduced to just an emergency inhaler and a nose spray like flonase. Flonase helped me a lot.

 

[fast4d]

as I age I find that my allergies are getting worse. last year I started injections and it is much better this year.

at age 50 I was diagnosed with asthma. weezing over night and when exercising. ventilen worked OK but then I Qvar and it stopped all symptoms. I find that I only need to use it during spring time.

as of this year I have not needed it. probably because I now have an autoimmune condition and taking prednisone

 

[sprorchid]

I did immunotherapy for over 7 yrs cuz I'm deathly allergic to basically the entire class or hony bee. Hornets, wasps, yellow jackets...

it works. it's annoying, esp if you have Kaiser cuz they adhere to the protocol like flies to a no pest strip. So if you are late, even a day, they take you back in dosage.

2 shots every 6 weeks, one in each arm, and some idiot in a lab decided to put 3 venoms in one vile, and up till the end, I would get a 2 inch welt at the injection site, like honkin' hive, and it would itch like the you would not believe for up to 4 days. The other shot was just honey bee venom, after a few months the injection didn't even sting.

I do have environmental allergies, but I am not motivated enough to go back and do that every month.

 

[2strokeYardSale]

Life-long allergies and asthma. Been to the ER for the latter. I feel the injections didn't do squat. Neither did daily allergy pills, or Advair or other daily inhalers for breathing. I get exercise-induced asthma and hit the emergency inhaler when needed. It hasn't been bad enough for the ER for years.

 

[gnahc79]

the mrs and one of my kids has allergies and asthma.

OP you should really look into what kinds of food you're eating. Certain foods could be upping your 'allergy tank' in your body. Then environmental stuff appears (dust, spring time stuff) and your allergy tank is past full and lets you know it .

As a kid the mrs had eczema and breathing issues like crazy. Turns out she's crazy allergic to shellfish and other food stuff. Even stuff that did not appear on the allergy test. She did an elimination diet to figure it all out. Now that all of that is cut out...no more eczema, no inhalers, no allergy shots.

 

[mercurial]

I do allergy shots. I live 2 blocks away from my allergist and it still took me several years to ramp up to maintenance dose (once per month.) The problem is the fucking protocols are set in stone so if you are even 1 day too late, they take you back two steps.

Aside from being a major PITA, I have had a very positive experience from taking the shots. My allergies are completely gone, seasonal and otherwise. I think it's a great idea to try to reduce/eliminate your use of corticosteroids.

 

[Holeshot]

I stopped drinking milk, lost 15 lbs...I use my inhaler about once every 3 months now. Maybe its a coincidence but it is weird.

This was significant for me too.

OP: is your asthma worse at night/ before bed? Mine was pretty horrible a few years ago and then I changed my workout program and that's fixed things a lot. Also, inflammation...cut that as much as you can when you can, where you can. IME.

 

[nakedape]

A few things to consider besides what has been posted. If you have central heating/air, get the ducts cleaned professionally. The construction dust that migrated down the register openings tortured me for a year before I finally slept outside, year round, for 3 more years until I went to college. The GF was trippin senior year...

Then I found out I was dehydrated. Dizzy standing up from bed in the morning. "You're just tall" said the MD. Read a book, realized I was not drinking enough water. I was literally passing out from low blood volume and the doc said it was because I was tall. :thumbdown

Your lungs respirate out a full quart of water just breathing. When the body prioritizes water supplies (there is no body water storage, it's always working), peripherals like lungs and limbs are withheld from first. Chronic partial dehydration is the first thing to correct, followed by the environmental stuff.

OP, do you joint issues too? Thinning or compressed vertebral disks? Contrary to common belief, joint capsules aren't "bathed" in fluid to lube them, blood volume PUSHES from underneath the meniscus, for example, continually refreshing cartilage and hydrating it. Drink half your body weight in ounces away from meals minimum for 4-6 weeks and see if things improve.

 

[kuksul08]

Life-long allergies and asthma. Been to the ER for the latter. I feel the injections didn't do squat. Neither did daily allergy pills, or Advair or other daily inhalers for breathing. I get exercise-induced asthma and hit the emergency inhaler when needed. It hasn't been bad enough for the ER for years.

Makes sense that the allergy shots wouldn't do anything to help with the exercise induced asthma, right? My Advair works very well for me. I had tried other options, like Singulair, QVAR, Symbicort. None of these worked as well.

the mrs and one of my kids has allergies and asthma.

OP you should really look into what kinds of food you're eating. Certain foods could be upping your 'allergy tank' in your body. Then environmental stuff appears (dust, spring time stuff) and your allergy tank is past full and lets you know it .

As a kid the mrs had eczema and breathing issues like crazy. Turns out she's crazy allergic to shellfish and other food stuff. Even stuff that did not appear on the allergy test. She did an elimination diet to figure it all out. Now that all of that is cut out...no more eczema, no inhalers, no allergy shots.

Hmm, I don't know what I could be eating to do that. I guess the only way to know would be to live on a strict diet of 1 thing, see if it helps, then slowly introduce new foods. I wouldn't even know where to start though...

I do allergy shots. I live 2 blocks away from my allergist and it still took me several years to ramp up to maintenance dose (once per month.) The problem is the fucking protocols are set in stone so if you are even 1 day too late, they take you back two steps.

Aside from being a major PITA, I have had a very positive experience from taking the shots. My allergies are completely gone, seasonal and otherwise. I think it's a great idea to try to reduce/eliminate your use of corticosteroids.

I'm willing to give it a "shot" if it helps get me off the inhaler. It's such a pain and source of anxiety having to bring it and keep it safe on a trip.

This was significant for me too.

OP: is your asthma worse at night/ before bed? Mine was pretty horrible a few years ago and then I changed my workout program and that's fixed things a lot. Also, inflammation...cut that as much as you can when you can, where you can. IME.

It used to be worse at night. I would wake up in the middle of the night not able to breathe. I wasn't taking any meds and was miserable. I went to the doctor who gave me two doses of albuterol on the nebulizer in the office and started laughing out loud at how amazing it was to breathe again. Ever since then I have had it pretty well controlled using the Advair.

What did you change about your workout program, and what do you mean by inflammation?

 

[kuksul08]

A few things to consider besides what has been posted. If you have central heating/air, get the ducts cleaned professionally. The construction dust that migrated down the register openings tortured me for a year before I finally slept outside, year round, for 3 more years until I went to college. The GF was trippin senior year...

Then I found out I was dehydrated. Dizzy standing up from bed in the morning. "You're just tall" said the MD. Read a book, realized I was not drinking enough water. I was literally passing out from low blood volume and the doc said it was because I was tall. :thumbdown

Your lungs respirate out a full quart of water just breathing. When the body prioritizes water supplies (there is no body water storage, it's always working), peripherals like lungs and limbs are withheld from first. Chronic partial dehydration is the first thing to correct, followed by the environmental stuff.

OP, do you joint issues too? Thinning or compressed vertebral disks? Contrary to common belief, joint capsules aren't "bathed" in fluid to lube them, blood volume PUSHES from underneath the meniscus, for example, continually refreshing cartilage and hydrating it. Drink half your body weight in ounces away from meals minimum for 4-6 weeks and see if things improve.

We don't have central a/c, well we do but don't use it hardly ever. It has a brand new HEPA filter. I also have a HEPA filter for my room where I sleep that runs 24/7 and catches a fair amount of dust.

Interesting about the dehydration thing. I probably don't drink enough water. I have a bad back from injuries, I don't think my joints are inherently weak or painful. It can't hurt to drink some more... I will give this a try, it's free anyway.

 

[2strokeYardSale]

Makes sense that the allergy shots wouldn't do anything to help with the exercise induced asthma, right?

It's not just exercise induced, there are other triggers. Or, when I was a kid there were other triggers.

My brother and I had to sleep outside on the porch of my grandmother's mobile home. We got asthma instantly upon entering. He got it so bad he was hospitalized. I've been in the ER breathing atomized adrenalin or whatever the hell that was.

I rode my dirt bike for over 3 hours yesterday, a lot of exercise (trigger) in the cold (trigger) and I got just a hint of asthma.