Wheezing, Asthma, Only Prednisone helps sleep

I finally slept ok last night but had to take asthma medication. I've been wheezing for 10 weeks now and have asthma with an FEV1 of 72. since prednisone has side effects is there something else I could take instead? it seems that my narrow airways are affecting my sleep
I think I have some obstruction when I exhale? I have exhalation for less than a second and then I start wheezing. I don't know what it is, I've tried everything air filter, vit D

You need to see a Dr. They can Prescribe Albuterol that you take via a Nebulizer. Or an Inhaled Steroid Puffer that you can take or perhaps a longer acting Inhaler like Advair or Symicort.

As a note, Prednisone does not work as a fast acting treatment for Asthma. Albuterol does and so do the Inhaled Steroid Puffers.

I am going to respond once and only once regarding self medicating asthma patients who refuse to either follow a doctor's advice or see a doctor for uncontrolled asthma problems.

I worked with a doctor in an Urgent Care facility many years ago and a 42 year old woman presented herself with acute asthma symptoms. She had been self medicating and not following up with her physician. We learned this from her family members BECAUSE..within 5 minutes of presenting herself with her problem and despite our getting her immediately back to the crash cart room...she died. Respiratory failure. It was very ugly.

Asthma is NOT something to be willy nilly self treating. It can and will kill you even under the best of circumstances. A dear friend of mine lost his 12 year old daughter to respiratory failure due to asthma and she was in a hospital.

sickwithapnea17 wrote:I finally slept ok last night but had to take 50mg of prednisone. I've been wheezing for 10 weeks now and have asthma with an FEV1 of 72. since prednisone has side effects is there something else I could take instead? it seems that my narrow airways are affecting my sleep
I think I have some obstruction when I exhale? I have exhalation for less than a second and then I start wheezing. I don't know what it is, I've tried everything air filter, vit D

Once again where is yor doctor and if you are seeing one what has he prescribed? Prednisone is not sleeping aid and 50 mg is a whopping dose- I think you may be mixed up.
This is the last time I will respond to you as you refuse to take advice and persist in being your own physician at which you are failing miserably. We have heard this same information in thread after thread.
I wish you good luck .

WE ARE NOT DOCTORS!!!!!!! Stop asking us medical questions...go see a DOCTOR!!!!!!!

Pugsy wrote:I am going to respond once and only once regarding self medicating asthma patients who refuse to either follow a doctor's advice or see a doctor for uncontrolled asthma problems.

I worked with a doctor in an Urgent Care facility many years ago and a 42 year old woman presented herself with acute asthma symptoms. She had been self medicating and not following up with her physician. We learned this from her family members BECAUSE..within 5 minutes of presenting herself with her problem and despite our getting her immediately back to the crash cart room...she died. Respiratory failure. It was very ugly.

Asthma is NOT something to be willy nilly self treating. It can and will kill you even under the best of circumstances. A dear friend of mine lost his 12 year old daughter to respiratory failure due to asthma and she was in a hospital.

Pugsy, I hope that you didn't think that I was advocating not seeing a Dr. I think that I started off saying that they needed to see a DR. and lastly that Prednisone wasn't really a good option.

EDIT: I should have been more clear at the end that the Advair and Symbicort are not fast acting.

I have tried advair 500, dulera, symbicort, albuterol, atrovent and they don't stop my wheezing and sleep problems. not even prednisone does and I've read of other asthmatics who take it at this dose for 5 days

my lung function is going down on my PFT tests- I'm worried I may have airway remodeling and am going to end up with a fixed obstruction for life

sickwithapnea17 wrote:I have tried advair 500, dulera, symbicort, albuterol, atrovent and they don't stop my wheezing and sleep problems. not even prednisone does and I've read of other asthmatics who take it at this dose for 5 days

my lung function is going down on my PFT tests- I'm worried I may have airway remodeling and am going to end up with a fixed obstruction for life

It sounds like you have issues beyond the scope of CPAP issues. You should see a Pulmonologist get a CT Scan in addition to your PFT and get a proper DX.

I get the feeling that this OP has been PMing many if us to seek medical advice even when she is repeatedly told that these are MEDICAL questions that should be discussed with her physician, not with strangers on the Internet.

Is it time to ask Johnny to put a stop to this???

sickwithapnea17 wrote:I finally slept ok last night but had to take 50mg of prednisone. I've been wheezing for 10 weeks now and have asthma with an FEV1 of 72. since prednisone has side effects is there something else I could take instead? it seems that my narrow airways are affecting my sleep
I think I have some obstruction when I exhale? I have exhalation for less than a second and then I start wheezing. I don't know what it is, I've tried everything air filter, vit D

I've been in your shoes. Are you on a controller medicine? Do you keep an emergency inhaler ready? Is the asthma only occuring when on cpap? There is a hypoallergenic filter that someone was talking about and I'd thought of getting. Also do you clean out your mask and hose regularly. I had to clean mine before I even used it cause i could, for some reason, smell baby powder and that bothered my asthma.

Well, when I responded beforehand, I didn't realize what was happening. 50 mg is a huge dose. After I was in the icu with out of control asthma, they didn't send me home with that much predisone and they sent me home on a dosage with weaning instructions. I know it can be rough. Everytime I got down to every other day on 20 mg, I began having horrible, horrible asthma attacks. When my current doctor prescribes prednisone when my allergies and asthma get squirrely, he starts on 40 mg for TWO days only. Then quickly on done the scale. Overuse of steroids have multiple bad side affects not the least of which is weight gain which doesn't do anything but make your asthma and sleep apnea worse.

You need to be in regular consultation with a pulmonologist, not your family doctor. I go to my family doctor now because my asthma is under good control. If it weren't HE would refer me to a pulmonoligist. You are playing with fire using a forum as a way to get relief from your symptoms.

sickwithapnea17 wrote:I have tried advair 500, dulera, symbicort, albuterol, atrovent and they don't stop my wheezing and sleep problems. not even prednisone does and I've read of other asthmatics who take it at this dose for 5 days

my lung function is going down on my PFT tests- I'm worried I may have airway remodeling and am going to end up with a fixed obstruction for life

I did an oops. I should have said have you seen your doc about the following medications. I don't even know how she gets the medications or that this is a chronic behavior for her. I assumed if she tried anything I suggested, she'd have to go to the doctors. Legally, doctors can't prescribe anything for more than 6 months. And a lot of times, I'll call for a new prescription for one of my medications and my doctor will ask me to come in every so often just so he can make sure I'm doing okay. Self-medicating for asthma is just plain crazy.

Pugsy wrote:I am going to respond once and only once regarding self medicating asthma patients who refuse to either follow a doctor's advice or see a doctor for uncontrolled asthma problems.

I worked with a doctor in an Urgent Care facility many years ago and a 42 year old woman presented herself with acute asthma symptoms. She had been self medicating and not following up with her physician. We learned this from her family members BECAUSE..within 5 minutes of presenting herself with her problem and despite our getting her immediately back to the crash cart room...she died. Respiratory failure. It was very ugly.

Asthma is NOT something to be willy nilly self treating. It can and will kill you even under the best of circumstances. A dear friend of mine lost his 12 year old daughter to respiratory failure due to asthma and she was in a hospital.

I don't understand, I read about asthmatics at FEV1 in the 90s but I'm always at about 70 and can't increase it?

cpaptex wrote:Pugsy, I hope that you didn't think that I was advocating not seeing a Dr. I think that I started off saying that they needed to see a DR. and lastly that Prednisone wasn't really a good option.

No, no. I knew what you meant. My response was directly entirely at Sleepwithapnea17 and no one else.
The asthma discussion with OP has been discussed before many times (ad nauseam) along with all sorts of other self diagnosis/self treat off the wall crap. He/she either doesn't listen by choice, is yanking our chains for attention or is just plain stupid.

If any of you newbies are maybe thinking I am a being awfully harsh...take the time to read OP numerous other posts. Make up your own mind. There is a reason that most of the veteran forum members have stopped posting responses to this person.

Quite honestly, I think yanking our chains for grins but on the off chance really needing help...this isn't the place for someone who cannot or will not follow the simplest basic suggestions. All are ignored. Either that or someone is really sick and not physically.... No matter which, this forum can't help this type of person.

You should be under the REGULAR care of a pulmonologist, not a once in, once out visit.

sickwithapnea17 wrote:I've been to see a pulmonologist, but I had these headaches and a little fainting when I would wean lower than 30mg/day. anyway I guess I'll wean down especially since I'm having surgery in a few days
I've tried combivent and xopenex and albuterol on the nebulizer but they don't cure the wheezing. Even spiriva doesn't help my FEV1 but maybe it's a good drug

I don't understand, I read about asthmatics at FEV1 in the 90s but I'm always at about 70 and can't increase it?