11th October 2006
Hi Anne, and all!
I am a 42 yo guy, asthma as a child, went away with puberty, came back in '88 with a vengance when the US Army sent me to Planet Ord, CA. 50 Deg. and foggy at dawn when you are out running around is not good for anyone, and many people who'd never had asthma before developed it there also. I have had several bacterial infections in my lungs, the first five years ago, requiring a 5 day hospital stay and IV Rocephin as well as other antibiotics and antivirals. The recurring episodes have been treated with prednisone and/ or IV Rocephin. As a result of the first hospital stay, I have scarring on the left major bronchi, which results in my left lung vritually "shutting down" , it feels like no air is getting through, though I blow reasonable PFV's (250's -300's. My normal is 375-400, should be more!) The only way I can feel air go in and out of the left lung when this happens is to tip my head way up and to the right, as if looking at something straight up over my left side. The doctors at my hospital look at my like I'm crazy when I say this, and they say when they listen or look at X-rays, "you're breathing just fine", even though it feels like I'm having an asthma attack when I'm not. I do have chronic sinusitus, and yes, I know this is one of if not the major cause of the crap running down into my lungs. It just seems like it 'shuts off' the left one. Also having periodontal issues is definitely a contributing factor. I have lost several teeth and have recurring infections in the sockets. I also have virtually non-exsisent Dental coverage, (not to mention HATING going to the denitst; I almost lost rank and pay in the Army for failing to show up to my exit exam three times; the threat of counting me AWOL finally got me there.) After reading the laryngopharingeal reflux topic with my wife last night, I recognize that I probably have that going on too, though not to her scale. (She is having a gas meter stuck up her nose next week...!:eek: )
The hospital in our town seems to only treat symptoms, and never examine the underlying causes; The PA even told me once when I was in for a sinus iinfection and told him (again) about my left lung, "Well we just do triage here, get you your meds and get you going again.) [Sound like some Company Doctor for some sweatshop factory or mine in the 30's!!!] There is one doctor there that actually will listen to me, but she is the busiest one there, her waiting list is never less than a month, and she rarely does ON-Call anymore. But even she has tried to dissude me from going to a specialist or somewhere else-it's almost as if they are watching me die and recording the data!!!! [insert tinfoil hat smilie here]
Their usual 'solution' to my asthamatic episodes, bacterial infections or sinusitis is; Prednisone (The PA does a 'fast Blast' , 8x5mg the first day, 7x5mg. the second....) and or one of the following; Amoxicillin, Zithromax, Levaquin, or more lately, Keflex or Doxycyclene. I am prescribed Advair 500/50, but can't afford it or the Combivent regularly, so I stretch it out with Primatine.
On the prednisone and antibiotic, I get better in a week or so, but have recurring episodes sometimes right in the next couple weeks or like now, not for about two months.
I appreciate any suggestions, please bear in mind I do not have ANY money; Half the time I can't afford the co-pay, yet we are way (officially) above indegency.
I don't know if these come into play, but I also have gout (hereditary, mostly controlled by diet, use colchisine and/ or indocin for attacks) and arthritis in my knees(Skiing in HS) and LH from an industrial accident. Usually Aleve takes the edge off, but I've noticed when prescribed Vicodin for other things, these pains also went away. I am leery of asking for an Rx for it, however, because I don't think they'd take that seriously, either.
I am a 42 yo guy, asthma as a child, went away with puberty, came back in '88 with a vengance when the US Army sent me to Planet Ord, CA. 50 Deg. and foggy at dawn when you are out running around is not good for anyone, and many people who'd never had asthma before developed it there also. I have had several bacterial infections in my lungs, the first five years ago, requiring a 5 day hospital stay and IV Rocephin as well as other antibiotics and antivirals. The recurring episodes have been treated with prednisone and/ or IV Rocephin. As a result of the first hospital stay, I have scarring on the left major bronchi, which results in my left lung vritually "shutting down" , it feels like no air is getting through, though I blow reasonable PFV's (250's -300's. My normal is 375-400, should be more!) The only way I can feel air go in and out of the left lung when this happens is to tip my head way up and to the right, as if looking at something straight up over my left side. The doctors at my hospital look at my like I'm crazy when I say this, and they say when they listen or look at X-rays, "you're breathing just fine", even though it feels like I'm having an asthma attack when I'm not. I do have chronic sinusitus, and yes, I know this is one of if not the major cause of the crap running down into my lungs. It just seems like it 'shuts off' the left one. Also having periodontal issues is definitely a contributing factor. I have lost several teeth and have recurring infections in the sockets. I also have virtually non-exsisent Dental coverage, (not to mention HATING going to the denitst; I almost lost rank and pay in the Army for failing to show up to my exit exam three times; the threat of counting me AWOL finally got me there.) After reading the laryngopharingeal reflux topic with my wife last night, I recognize that I probably have that going on too, though not to her scale. (She is having a gas meter stuck up her nose next week...!:eek: )
The hospital in our town seems to only treat symptoms, and never examine the underlying causes; The PA even told me once when I was in for a sinus iinfection and told him (again) about my left lung, "Well we just do triage here, get you your meds and get you going again.) [Sound like some Company Doctor for some sweatshop factory or mine in the 30's!!!] There is one doctor there that actually will listen to me, but she is the busiest one there, her waiting list is never less than a month, and she rarely does ON-Call anymore. But even she has tried to dissude me from going to a specialist or somewhere else-it's almost as if they are watching me die and recording the data!!!! [insert tinfoil hat smilie here]
Their usual 'solution' to my asthamatic episodes, bacterial infections or sinusitis is; Prednisone (The PA does a 'fast Blast' , 8x5mg the first day, 7x5mg. the second....) and or one of the following; Amoxicillin, Zithromax, Levaquin, or more lately, Keflex or Doxycyclene. I am prescribed Advair 500/50, but can't afford it or the Combivent regularly, so I stretch it out with Primatine.
On the prednisone and antibiotic, I get better in a week or so, but have recurring episodes sometimes right in the next couple weeks or like now, not for about two months.
I appreciate any suggestions, please bear in mind I do not have ANY money; Half the time I can't afford the co-pay, yet we are way (officially) above indegency.
I don't know if these come into play, but I also have gout (hereditary, mostly controlled by diet, use colchisine and/ or indocin for attacks) and arthritis in my knees(Skiing in HS) and LH from an industrial accident. Usually Aleve takes the edge off, but I've noticed when prescribed Vicodin for other things, these pains also went away. I am leery of asking for an Rx for it, however, because I don't think they'd take that seriously, either.