Hi Kimberly,
Bronchodilators are not the same as preventive meds such as Flovent, QVAR, Pulmicort, etc. Advair does have a bronchodilator component called Serevent but Advair has been on the "black box list" for awhile and was in danger of being taken off the market.
Shortness of breath is a very pervasive symptom of asthma -- even the cough variant type. You don't mention that as one of your symptoms.
I have also done tons of research and I know the frustration of not getting any really definitive answers.
I understand that GERD can be present without "heartburn" symptoms. That might be something to consider.
Hope you're feeling better todsay.
Ditab

Thanks for the additional info, DITAB. I know when I was first diagnosed 7 years ago, it took a few months to get my cough under control with both Flovent and Serevent, with albuterol as my rescue inhaler (but never needed it). I haven't used either inhaler since.

I have kept things under control for the last several years with Allegra-D and Singulair, but no inhaler of any sort.

The only time I'm ever short of breath is when I have a really huge coughing jag or laugh a lot - in both cases I have a more difficult time catching my breath. But it's never anything like what I think of when I think asthma.

I do occasionally have very slight wheezing and some chest tightness, but again, the symptoms are so light, I don't break out the albuterol.

I think I'll spend some more time looking at GERD before my appointment tomorrow.

Thanks again,
Kimberly

[QUOTE=kimberlyrkb;3039977]Thanks for the additional info, DITAB. I know when I was first diagnosed 7 years ago, it took a few months to get my cough under control with both Flovent and Serevent, with albuterol as my rescue inhaler (but never needed it). I haven't used either inhaler since.

I have kept things under control for the last several years with Allegra-D and Singulair, but no inhaler of any sort.

The only time I'm ever short of breath is when I have a really huge coughing jag or laugh a lot - in both cases I have a more difficult time catching my breath. But it's never anything like what I think of when I think asthma.

I do occasionally have very slight wheezing and some chest tightness, but again, the symptoms are so light, I don't break out the albuterol.

I think I'll spend some more time looking at GERD before my appointment tomorrow.

Thanks again,
Kimberly

Hello Kimberly and all,

My granddaughter has this kind of asthma also. Her doctor calls her a cougher. She has been on prednisone off and on for almost a year and a half, but the small airway constriction is still there. She's on just about EVERY medication you can name (flovent, foradil, singulair/10 mg., nasonex, allegra/180 mg., xopenex, and a new decongestant that I can't remember the name of, allergy shots, mucinex/when needed), along with constant rounds of antibiotics. Like you all, her asthma only acts up when she catches an upper respiratory (cold, flu) and it goes into sinusitus. We've been fighting this for almost 2 years now. She's been taking so much prednisone that she now has adrenal insufficiency. However, we did find out that she has developed new allergies (dog, mold/alternaria, and gerbil). Since NOTHING seems to help anymore, we (her doctor and I) have decided to start Xolair shots. I pray this will help. If not, then we'll stop these shots and change her allergy serum to include dog, tear up the carpet, and get the ducts cleaned. Have any of you tried theophylline(sp?). If so, what were your experiences? Thanks.