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Suggest Ways To Deal With Asthma Attacks And Alternative Treatment For Rhinitis
Posted on
Mon, 3 Nov 2014
Medically reviewed by
Ask A Doctor - 24x7 Medical Review Team
Mon, 3 Nov 2014
Answered on
Sat, 29 Nov 2014
Last reviewed on
Question : HI.
My name is XXXX and live in London for the past 14 years.. I am 45 years old female, 89 kg in weight and 1.65 m height. I am not very physically active- I walk for 40 minutes every day. I have suffered with asthma since I was 4 years old. As a child the attacks were very often and very severe. As I grew up my attacks become more seldom and not so severe. In the past few years I used to use the Ventolin inhaler once a month or even once every few months. In the past year my attacks are more often- I use the inhaler every week, few times a week. IN the last week or so my asthma is very severe, sometimes I use the Ventolin 10 times a day. I was supposed to use the brown inhaler but I was not very good and I forgot to use it when I was feeling fine. In the last week I started using it 4 times a day- morning and evening. The breathing got better but not perfect. I also have a pain in the check, specially when I breathe in. My back also hurts for the past 6 months ( in the lungs area) but the GP said my lungs sound ok and they cant hear any wheezing, which they said is good. Other problem I have, in the last week or so is that after I eat I breathe with great difficulty. I think I suffer with oesophageal reflux (I have been diagnosed with it 20 years ago but I have not taken any medication until this year when my GP gave me Lansoprazole 15 mg). He gave me these medicines as I was complaining for my stomach getting double in size every time I was eating. I should take one of these pills in the morning, before meals,. Again, I was not very good in taking it as I did not see any results in the past. I will start taking it again tomorrow and see if I can notice any change. Other problem I have is that I suffer with rhinitis. I am dependent on xylometazoline- I use the spray up to 10 times a day. I used to take the children dose but now this does not seem to work so I am using adult dose: 0.1%. As my breathing through my nose is not perfect this affects my breathing through my lungs as well. One specialist for ear and nose said that the only solution is to stop taking the spray and maybe in one month I will see the results. I just do not like breathing through my mouth, I cant sleep if I cannot breath through my nose.
My questions are:
1. How can I improve my asthma attacks. Is there any treatment for it so that attacks don't come back ? Why do I have pain in the chest when I breath in? MY GP said she could not hear anything wrong with my lungs and she did not want to send me for a x-ray as I had one done in March this year and everything was ok.
Is there any alternative treatment such as ayurvedic treatment. What foods should I eat and what foods to avoid for asthma?
2. Do you think is there any connection between the reflux and my difficulty in breathing? What do you suggest I should do?
3. Is there any alternative treatment for my rhinitis?
Please suggest a ear and nose specialist from this website if you think I should write to one of them?
Many thanks and look forward to hearing from you
Best regards
XXXX
My name is XXXX and live in London for the past 14 years.. I am 45 years old female, 89 kg in weight and 1.65 m height. I am not very physically active- I walk for 40 minutes every day. I have suffered with asthma since I was 4 years old. As a child the attacks were very often and very severe. As I grew up my attacks become more seldom and not so severe. In the past few years I used to use the Ventolin inhaler once a month or even once every few months. In the past year my attacks are more often- I use the inhaler every week, few times a week. IN the last week or so my asthma is very severe, sometimes I use the Ventolin 10 times a day. I was supposed to use the brown inhaler but I was not very good and I forgot to use it when I was feeling fine. In the last week I started using it 4 times a day- morning and evening. The breathing got better but not perfect. I also have a pain in the check, specially when I breathe in. My back also hurts for the past 6 months ( in the lungs area) but the GP said my lungs sound ok and they cant hear any wheezing, which they said is good. Other problem I have, in the last week or so is that after I eat I breathe with great difficulty. I think I suffer with oesophageal reflux (I have been diagnosed with it 20 years ago but I have not taken any medication until this year when my GP gave me Lansoprazole 15 mg). He gave me these medicines as I was complaining for my stomach getting double in size every time I was eating. I should take one of these pills in the morning, before meals,. Again, I was not very good in taking it as I did not see any results in the past. I will start taking it again tomorrow and see if I can notice any change. Other problem I have is that I suffer with rhinitis. I am dependent on xylometazoline- I use the spray up to 10 times a day. I used to take the children dose but now this does not seem to work so I am using adult dose: 0.1%. As my breathing through my nose is not perfect this affects my breathing through my lungs as well. One specialist for ear and nose said that the only solution is to stop taking the spray and maybe in one month I will see the results. I just do not like breathing through my mouth, I cant sleep if I cannot breath through my nose.
My questions are:
1. How can I improve my asthma attacks. Is there any treatment for it so that attacks don't come back ? Why do I have pain in the chest when I breath in? MY GP said she could not hear anything wrong with my lungs and she did not want to send me for a x-ray as I had one done in March this year and everything was ok.
Is there any alternative treatment such as ayurvedic treatment. What foods should I eat and what foods to avoid for asthma?
2. Do you think is there any connection between the reflux and my difficulty in breathing? What do you suggest I should do?
3. Is there any alternative treatment for my rhinitis?
Please suggest a ear and nose specialist from this website if you think I should write to one of them?
Many thanks and look forward to hearing from you
Best regards
XXXX
Brief Answer:
hello luliana.
Detailed Answer:
Hi luliana, thanks for your direct query. I have gone through your case history. Thanks for the detailed history.
In my opinion you are having Allergic airway disease. It is newer term and signifies one airway one disease. So same allergen is responsible for your nose and lung condition. And we need to treat both simultaneously.
Answer to your first question.
Asthma needs control and control achieves only with regularity in medicine. So you need to continue drugs even if you are fine. Ventorlin is plain salbutamol which is short acting beta 2 agonist. Action lasts only for 2-3 hours. And clenile is beclometasone which is less potent inhaled steroid. Better to start combination of long acting beta 2 agonist (LABA) With long acting Inhaled CorticoSteroid (ICS). Its action lasts for 12-13 hours so only twice daily dosing is needed. Along with this you should take combination of anti allergic and anti histamine daily at night. This will give you better control of asthma.
Infection is the most common cause for asthma attack so better to take pulmonary vaccines like pneumococcal and h.influenza for prevention of infection.
And chest pain may be due to muscular cause only as you are having coughing and breathlessness. These make forceful contraction of muscles and cause pain.
Try to identify allergen like dust, pollens,fumes, food etc and if possible complete avoidance of it is needed for better control. Food allergy is different from patient to patient. But better to avoid sour food.
I am not prefering any ayurvedic medicines for asthma so I am not commenting on that.
Answer to your second question.
Yes, there is a strong connection between reflux disease and asthma. So to achieve good control of asthma, you need to control your reflux disease. Try to follow these for better control of reflux disease.
Avoid hot and spicy food.
Avoid stress and anxiety.
Avoid large meals, instead take frequent small meals.
Take proton pump inhibitors regularly.
Go for walk after meals.
Keep 2-3 pillows under head during sleep.
Answer to your third question.
And for rhinitis I advice you to stop xylometazoline spray and start long acting steroid (fluticasone) containing spray. As it is the treatment of choice for this.
The combination of antiallergic and antihistamines will also helps you in rhinitis.
Again identification of allergen and if possible complete avoidance is needed for better control of rhinitis also.
Hope I have solved your query. I will be happy to help you further. Wish you good health. Thanks.
hello luliana.
Detailed Answer:
Hi luliana, thanks for your direct query. I have gone through your case history. Thanks for the detailed history.
In my opinion you are having Allergic airway disease. It is newer term and signifies one airway one disease. So same allergen is responsible for your nose and lung condition. And we need to treat both simultaneously.
Answer to your first question.
Asthma needs control and control achieves only with regularity in medicine. So you need to continue drugs even if you are fine. Ventorlin is plain salbutamol which is short acting beta 2 agonist. Action lasts only for 2-3 hours. And clenile is beclometasone which is less potent inhaled steroid. Better to start combination of long acting beta 2 agonist (LABA) With long acting Inhaled CorticoSteroid (ICS). Its action lasts for 12-13 hours so only twice daily dosing is needed. Along with this you should take combination of anti allergic and anti histamine daily at night. This will give you better control of asthma.
Infection is the most common cause for asthma attack so better to take pulmonary vaccines like pneumococcal and h.influenza for prevention of infection.
And chest pain may be due to muscular cause only as you are having coughing and breathlessness. These make forceful contraction of muscles and cause pain.
Try to identify allergen like dust, pollens,fumes, food etc and if possible complete avoidance of it is needed for better control. Food allergy is different from patient to patient. But better to avoid sour food.
I am not prefering any ayurvedic medicines for asthma so I am not commenting on that.
Answer to your second question.
Yes, there is a strong connection between reflux disease and asthma. So to achieve good control of asthma, you need to control your reflux disease. Try to follow these for better control of reflux disease.
Avoid hot and spicy food.
Avoid stress and anxiety.
Avoid large meals, instead take frequent small meals.
Take proton pump inhibitors regularly.
Go for walk after meals.
Keep 2-3 pillows under head during sleep.
Answer to your third question.
And for rhinitis I advice you to stop xylometazoline spray and start long acting steroid (fluticasone) containing spray. As it is the treatment of choice for this.
The combination of antiallergic and antihistamines will also helps you in rhinitis.
Again identification of allergen and if possible complete avoidance is needed for better control of rhinitis also.
Hope I have solved your query. I will be happy to help you further. Wish you good health. Thanks.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Bhagyalaxmi Nalaparaju
Thanks a lot Mr. Bhavsar,
I will take this printout to my GP and keep you informed
Best Regards
XXXX
I will take this printout to my GP and keep you informed
Best Regards
XXXX
Brief Answer:
hello dear.
Detailed Answer:
Hi luliana, thanks for your reply.
Hope I have solved your queries. If you are not having further queries than please close the conversation and rate my answer.
And do let me know your progress.
Wishing you great health.
Thanks.
hello dear.
Detailed Answer:
Hi luliana, thanks for your reply.
Hope I have solved your queries. If you are not having further queries than please close the conversation and rate my answer.
And do let me know your progress.
Wishing you great health.
Thanks.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Bhagyalaxmi Nalaparaju
Hi,
I wanted to ask more questions. Can I do this if the discussion closes?
Many thanks
Best regards
XXXX
I wanted to ask more questions. Can I do this if the discussion closes?
Many thanks
Best regards
XXXX
Brief Answer:
hello dear.
Detailed Answer:
Hi luliana, great to recieve this encouraging reply.
Yes you can ask me anytime anything by selecting direct question to me.
I will be happy to help you.
If you are not having further queries for now, I request you to close the conversation and rate the answer. This will be positive credit for me. Wish you good health. Thanks.
hello dear.
Detailed Answer:
Hi luliana, great to recieve this encouraging reply.
Yes you can ask me anytime anything by selecting direct question to me.
I will be happy to help you.
If you are not having further queries for now, I request you to close the conversation and rate the answer. This will be positive credit for me. Wish you good health. Thanks.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Vinay Bhardwaj
Dear Mr. XXXXXXX
I went to see my GP and he briefly read your comments. He kept the same treatment for my asthma and gave me Nasonex 50 micrograms for my nose. I did not quite understand what you suggested for my asthma. Did you suggest to change both the Ventolin and the Clenil Modulite inhalers?
With regards to antiallergic and antihistamines, what are the name of the drugs I can buy? can I get them over the counter? Would they affect my blood pressure as at present my blood pressure is quite high: sometimes is 160/100. I am having my heart checked by a cardiologist next week.
As for acid reflux he gave me Omeprazole- do you think is ok for people with high blood pressure and possible heart problems? I did not start taking it I am waiting to hear what the cardiologist is saying.
Many thanks and have a nice weekend
best Regards
XXXX
I went to see my GP and he briefly read your comments. He kept the same treatment for my asthma and gave me Nasonex 50 micrograms for my nose. I did not quite understand what you suggested for my asthma. Did you suggest to change both the Ventolin and the Clenil Modulite inhalers?
With regards to antiallergic and antihistamines, what are the name of the drugs I can buy? can I get them over the counter? Would they affect my blood pressure as at present my blood pressure is quite high: sometimes is 160/100. I am having my heart checked by a cardiologist next week.
As for acid reflux he gave me Omeprazole- do you think is ok for people with high blood pressure and possible heart problems? I did not start taking it I am waiting to hear what the cardiologist is saying.
Many thanks and have a nice weekend
best Regards
XXXX
Brief Answer:
consult pulmonologist.
Detailed Answer:
Hello dear, thanks for your reply.
Ventotlin contains levosalbutamol and it is short acting beta 2 agonost. Clinil modulite contains beclomethasone which is less potent steroid. So better to change this and start long acting beta 2 agonist (LABA) and more potent inhaled corticosteroids (ICS). This will give you more control. Consult pulmonologist for this.
Nasonex is having mometasone which is potent steroid. So it is better than xylometazoline. So start nasonex.
ALLEGRA M is having Fexofenadine 180 mg and montelukast 10 mg. Fexofenadine is antihistamine and montelukast is anti allergic. I am not sure whether it is available over the counter or not.
No need to worry for blood pressure as these drugs have no effects on blood pressure.
And omeprazole is proton pump inhibitor and good drug for reflux disease. But you need to follow other things I have mentioned in previous answer simultaneously for better control of reflux.
Hope I have solved your query. If you are not having further queries than please rate the answer and close the conversation. Wish you good health. Thanks.
consult pulmonologist.
Detailed Answer:
Hello dear, thanks for your reply.
Ventotlin contains levosalbutamol and it is short acting beta 2 agonost. Clinil modulite contains beclomethasone which is less potent steroid. So better to change this and start long acting beta 2 agonist (LABA) and more potent inhaled corticosteroids (ICS). This will give you more control. Consult pulmonologist for this.
Nasonex is having mometasone which is potent steroid. So it is better than xylometazoline. So start nasonex.
ALLEGRA M is having Fexofenadine 180 mg and montelukast 10 mg. Fexofenadine is antihistamine and montelukast is anti allergic. I am not sure whether it is available over the counter or not.
No need to worry for blood pressure as these drugs have no effects on blood pressure.
And omeprazole is proton pump inhibitor and good drug for reflux disease. But you need to follow other things I have mentioned in previous answer simultaneously for better control of reflux.
Hope I have solved your query. If you are not having further queries than please rate the answer and close the conversation. Wish you good health. Thanks.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Raju A.T
Answered by
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