when I have a mild, allergy/high anxiety induced asthma?  I have not contacted a surgeon yet, I am just wondering if I would be considered a high risk patient? Would there be higher risks of problem with any anestheisa?
213131
Shouldn't be a problem as long as the anesthesiologist knows about it.  You'd need to make sure your asthma is well-controlled beforehand.  If you show up on the surgery date wheezing, they're going to send you home.\n\nDepending on how bad your asthma can get, you might want to consider going to a larger institution vs. a smaller clinic.  For example, if you've had to go to the ER recently for an asthma exacerbation, I would probably rather have you in a hospital OR and not a private office.\n\nYou'll get your best answer by consulting a doctor.
272776
As a moderator for several years of a health-related group, I found that a lot of people complained that their doctors were too rushed to answer their questions thoroughly, or worse yet just kind of pass them off. Many people have many more questions than they feel they can comfortably ask at a single doctor visit, and for many subsequent visits only bring up more questions. With the medical system the way it is today, doctors are rushed, and patients know it. Many times people feel guilty or uncomfortable trying to push for an answer. And there are a lot of doctors out there, whether they mean to be or not, who come across to some of their patients as unapproachable when it comes to asking questions.\n\nIn regards to dosing issues, many times drugs are used "off label" - prescribed for something other than it is approved for (for example, currently autoimmune chronic hives are being treated by some doctors with cyclosporine, an anti-rejection med used in transplant patients), or they are prescribed at higher doses (again, with chronic hives most hivers are prescribed double the usual daily dose of antihistamines, if not more). When people are given a prescription like this, it's natural to seek reassurance that this is the norm and ok, even though it was ordered by their doctors. \n\nI hope that most people who are asking health related questions are taking the information they gain from this site and use that information for further research on the internet, to confirm the information, or to give them ideas of what else to possibly look for....  And also they are hopefully using any info they get here to construct questions to ask their doctors, or to make sensible decisions with their doctors....\n\n(added May 29th) Forgot mention - Another thing I've seen a lot of as a moderator is that there are surprisingly quite a few doctors out there, even specialists, who don't know as much as one would expect. For example, with the chronic hives, there are still doctors out there who insist on doing allergy testing, even though there is plenty of documentation in the medical literature that such testing is not only a waste of time/money (very high incidence of false positive results in chronic hivers), but can be dangerous for quite a few hivers, resulting in anaphylaxis. And we also constantly see people whose doctors only have them on minimal medication, when again there is more than ample documentation that chronic hives usually requires a cocktail of meds often at higher-than-label dosing. So I can definitely understand why people are turning to fellow patients for more information.
605635
Sounds much like an allergic reation .. and yes you can be allergic to it .. in fact humans can be allergic to almost anything.
667408
Everything I know? Oh man, that would take hours no way. I've had it all my life too though, many visits to ER and hospital. Ambulences, nebulizers, peak flow meter, inhaler, oxygen tank. Yup I am an asthmatic all right. Why don't you try a google search under teens + asthma, or adults + asthma, or whatever. It comes up with a lot of info. If you have a SPECIFIC question, I'd be happy to help you with it.
408893
You need to have the Doctor make a written Diagnosis. Ask him if you are considered to be disabled medically, if so;  then go to your Social Security office and apply for disability you can work part time with this if you are able. But at least it would give you the status necessary to receive State health care through Medicaide. You need help now because emphysema may not get worse, but it does not improve enough to feel normal either. So you need to learn to live with certain constraints. Good Luck! I forgot to tell you-- You must go to a Pulmonologist!! They are the only ones qualified to diagnose this! I feel for you, I went in for an inhaler prescription cause I was abusing the over the counter Bronk-aid, like every 2 hrs. I needed it, well- instead I was diagnosed end stage. I use oxygen at night, supposed to 24/7--I take it to the park, started walking, cause you need to keep exercising, I used to exercise obsessively, but last year I couldn't even go to the mail box without being out of breath and it progressed very bad after that, with combivent and albuterol I manage- I am allergic to Advair and Spireva, get hives and breathing gets worse! Dr's. want you to take all this! It's not their body getting the side effects and still the same prognosis! So I do what I can. Hang in! God Bless.
362784
i have asthma too.\nusually people get asthma if their allergic, stress or because of the wheater.\nmine usually because of stress.\nbut now i rare take my medicine cause i swim regularly.\nyou should take exersice regularly and lead a healthy&happy live so you won't get asthma again.
578483
Asthma and the Menstrual Cycle \n\nAlthough they don't know exactly how, researchers suspect that reproductive hormones may play a key role in the experience women have with asthma. \n\nA study conducted at the Medical College of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia of 203 women who came to the emergency room with a severe asthma attack found that more women had the attack around the beginning of their period than at other times in the menstrual cycle. \n\nEmil Skobeloff, M.D., clinical assistant professor of emergency medicine at the William H. Spivey Research Lab at the Medical College of Pennsylvania, who was the lead researcher on the study, suspects that the occurrence of these severe attacks is somehow related to the declining levels of estrogen at that time in a woman's cycle. This would mean that the days surrounding the start of a woman's period--when estrogen levels are dropping--may be the time when women are most susceptible to severe asthma attacks, he says. \n\nDr. Skobeloff first suspected that reproductive hormones might play a key role when he noticed that women are admitted to hospitals more often than men for serious flare-ups of asthma and, after puberty begins, new cases of asthma are more likely in females than in males the same age. In one study, 75 percent of the hospital admissions for asthma were women and 25 percent were men. This is in stark contrast to hospital admission rates for children with asthma. In the childhood years, 65 percent of admissions are boys and 35 percent are girls. \n\nFrom http://www.mothernature.com/Library/Bookshelf/Books/62/9.cfm\n\nA menstrual rhythm has been documented for exacerbations of asthma, which may have important clinical relevance to the patient with severe asthma. We report the case of a 26-year-old patient with menstruation-associated asthma who showed a dramatic response to oral contraceptives. It was noted that falls in peak respiratory flow rate coincided with ovulation. We concluded that oral contraceptive therapy is useful in this particular group of asthmatic patients. \nPatients with menstrual asthma comprise 30 to 40% of menstruating female asthmatics.1 Although the relationship between progesterone or estradiol levels and airway hyperresponsiveness and between the menstrual cycle and airway hyperresponsiveness have been evaluated, no definite relationship has been described between each set of factors.2 3 4 While aldosterone levels may be related to the exacerbation of asthma, the levels measured in our patient during the follicular and luteal phases were not different, and administration of a diuretic agent (furosemide) was ineffective. Adrenocorticosteroid agents or hormone therapy have been used to treat the exacerbation of menstrual asthma. Oral contraceptives have also been used but were ineffective.2 5 \nEffective therapy using high-dose progesterone has been reported, and the response is thought to involve smooth-muscle relaxation and control of microvascular leakage.5 However, the risk of serious side effects potentially limits the use of high doses of progesterone. Because the exacerbation of symptoms coincided with ovulation in our patient, an oral contraceptive was given despite previous negative results.2 This completely eliminated premenstrual exacerbation of asthma. On the basis of clinical features, blood test results, and response to therapy, we speculate that menstrual asthma was due to a rapid fall in the progesterone level during the late luteal phase. Symptomatic exacerbation was observed soon after ovulation and was eliminated by suppression of ovulation. This observation suggests that improvement of asthma was due to the maintenance of stable levels of sex hormones and the disappearance of cyclic changes in these levels by administration of oral contraceptives. We conclude that symptomatic exacerbation of menstruation-associated asthma may be prevented by suppression of ovulation. Oral contraceptives are useful in this particu
491437
Wow I have been to the point where I was on a vent also.  I have to admit I don't take care of my asthma the way I should.  I should take advair and I don't.  I give you all the credit in the world for keeping up with your medicine.  I do know how you feel, no one knows how much stress and anxiety you go though when you can't breath if they don't have respiratory problems.  \n\nI don't know if you live in a large populated area, but do you think it may be your environment??? Might be too much pollution around you.  Also keep a journal of what caused your attacks, write down what you were doing and where.  Keep track of the time of day, what you were doing and maybe you can find a trend  and avoid the situation in the future.  \n\nBy all means if you are depressed over your asthma contact a counselor or your doctor.  If you are stressed that can bring on another attack.  \n\nI too try to keep my sense of humor.  Both of us are here to stay and it will take more than a bad lung or two to keep us down....lol\n\nGood luck!
154364
Generally no because during intubation assuming you are having a general anaesthetic, intubation may be difficult and increase levels of sputum in the lungs puts you more at risk.\n\nSurgery is risky anyway why increase the level of risk when you don't have to.
501349
I haven't had the surgery, but I'm a nurse that work for an ear, nose and throat doctor in surgery and have performed plenty of them. If done correctly, yeah, it should help with breathing and stuffiness....not allergy symptoms though. It's "involved", but not difficult. Usually takes an hour, give or take and you'll be a little black and blue for a week or so. Good Luck!
646553
be careful of allergy medications that you use, even over the counter ones -- especially if they include "anti-histamine" which is number one contraindicated among people with asthma. this dries up your airways, so you think you feel better -- but it can do more harm than good. \n\nmy sister also has asthma -- she was taking over-the-counter benadryl before, but when we found out, we discouraged her from taking it (because of anti-histamine). so she was prescribed singulair -- she says it works. i guess not for you. what specifically triggers your asthma? is it the pollen? dust? pet dander? one thing you can do is avoid those allergens.\n\nif im not mistaken (i kinda forgot) claritin also has some anti-histamine in it. i suggest you speak to your doctor about claritin, also let him/her know that singulair and zyrtec is not really working for you, and if there is anything that he can prescribed that is safe for people with asthma would be great. (a stronger dose maybe). but try not to self medicate. i suggest you speak to your physician first.\n\nanother option is your doctor might prescribe you some corticosteroids to help you manage your allegies. they help you tolerate the allergens that trigger your asthma attack -- but you must take them religiously.
644287
Well....as an ALLERGIST/IMMUNOLOGIST I can tell you no doc worth his/her salt and interested in helping patients MAKES a patient wait, so it's likely as you stated your delay is your elective choice due to insurance issues.  Until then, you are taking OTC meds, some of which have side effects, but not really to a young person's kidneys.  For Benadryl watch for sleep cycle disruptions (you may get easily sedated to GET to sleep but awaken feeling "hung over" due to this!), and sudafed is the opposite -- stimulation, caffeine-like side effects (also therefore NOT a great choice at bedtime!).  For OTC relief until Sept., I'd recommend a non-sedating antihistamine such as Claritin or Alavert for AM use or PM use, with an added Sudafed for congestion if necessary earlier in the day (AM or PM, but NOT bedtime!).  Nasal saline washed 4-8 times a day are wonderful, zero side effects and very cleansing of nasal mucosal tissues, which helps avoid pollens from adhering to them, thus precipitating allergic symptoms!! GOOD LUCK!!! Let me know how you're doing (and where you're at...I'll let you know if your selected Allergist is board-certified!).
417926
If you haven't had an attack in that long, you may be eligible for a waiver. You'll have to make a written statement that you haven't been effected by asthma and such and it's alot of paperwork but worth it. Talk to a recruiter and see if he or she has more information.
328176
It is nice to see a doctor in your nearest hospital or some thing like that.\nBut the syptoms you enlisted are the symptoms of asthma.So you have to see a doctor soon. ok?? thank you.
334010
Hi.  I have been suffering from anxiety disorder since 2000.  It was during a very stressful period in my life.  The panic attack made me feel like I was having a heart attack, which is what I called 911 for.  I felt so crazy when they told me I was only hyperventilating/having a panic attack.  And once you have one panic attack, the fear of another sets you up for multiple attacks.  It was difficult for me for awhile.  I was put on medications and I wasn't really ready at that time for that kind of thing.  Since, i have always been against putting chemicals into my body.  My attacks are not due to a chemical imbalance, so they put me on medications they thought would just calm me and relieve stress.  I fought against the meds, and my attacks increased.  I wasn't sleeping because I thought I was going to die.  I finally just accepted I needed the medication and gave it a try.  After a month I hadn't had any attacks.  Then I began to worry I was being weak because I couldn't maintain normal existence without medication.  But a friend of mine made me look at it a different way.  We wouldn't encourage someone with bipolar syndrome to not take their medication or someone who has seizures to try something outside of what the doctor prescribed.  I'm not sure what your reasons are for trying to get off your meds, but if they work...why would you want to?  Breathing methods have proven quite effective, since you are only hyperventilating.  It demands a great deal of discipline, because you have to change your thinking.  Your mind is registering this as you dying.  You may think you know you are not, but the brain works in mysterious ways.  There are several online sites that help you practice the breathing through the nose like you are smelling a rose technique and expelling out of the mouth like blowing through a straw.  I get most anxious at night, before bed and frankly I don't have the discipline needed to say screw it to my ativan and trying out some breathing excercises.  There are also yahoo groups with people to talk to in every single state.  My email is qween_o_hartz@yahoo.com and you are free to write me anytime you need someone to talk to.  It is very frustrating at times.  People look at it as just in our heads or chemical imbalances, etc.  We all handle stresses differently and panic attacks are our bodies way of dealing with it.  Good luck.  \n\nAna
153248
I applaud you for seeking help!  Please visit this website \n\nhttp://kidshealth.org/teen/question/illness_infection/asthma_mgmt.html\n1.  Are you using any maintenance medications to keep your asthma under control like an inhaled steroid?\n2.  How many times a week do you use your rescue inhaler?\n4.  Do you use a spacer?\n5.  When you are having trouble do you tell someone or do you try to hide it/  DONT HIDE IT TELL SOMEONE!  \n6.  Most importantly have you seen your doctor recently about your asthma?  There should be no reason why your asthma is not under control.  If you use your rescue inhaler more than twice per week it means your asthma is out of control.  Inhaled medications, not smoking, and asthma education are key for you!  Congratulations for taking control at this age!
572434
I' m not sure why at this point someone has not addressed surgery. Is she being followed by a cardiologist? Unless something else is the cause of what sounds to be heart failure, it seems like her regurg. is finally become symptomatic. Has no one approached her about surgery? Has she been told for some reason that she is inoperable? You definetely don't want to jump into surgery if you dont need to. I feel like I need more info to adequately answer your question though. What I would do is direct these questions towards her doctor, preferably a cardiologist. Has she had a heart cath yet?  If not, maybe see if its time. Email me if you find out more or if you have anymore questions. Im a RN in the cardiovascular ICU, I specialize in heart surgery. Good luck to you guys!