Asthmatics - do you remove your mask?

I have asthma, normally well controlled. I've got pneumonia at the moment and using the inhaler A LOT at night this week. In 14 years I don't remember ever having to use my rescue inhaler at night while on CPAP. I've had to grab for it at night all week, sometimes without enough breath to remove my mask. That got me to wondering how others with asthma deal with this.

Thanks,
Jen

Are you taking care of yourself at home?
Would you recommend this to someone you care about?
Have you seen the doctor? This a scary thing to face alone.

Hi Froggy,

To answer your questions, my hubby is helping. No I wouldn't recommend him as anyone's nurse. And yes I have seen a Dr. I don't remember ever sleeping with an inhaler in my hand, so I'm going to call the Dr again in the morning. I do think the antibiotics, steroids and cough pills & syrup are not strong enough tonight.

Thanks for your concern, I'll let you know what Dr says/does.

Jen

That sounds better; but if you wake up with too much distress, do not hesitate to go to the ER.
Pneumonia is bad enough without asthma--even for a youngster like you.

I will go to the ER if it gets much worse. Thanks for remembering I am 53 years young.

Jen

Please go to the ER if you continue having problems. I also have asthma. Needing to use your rescue inhaler too frequently is a red flag that it's not enough to handle your current asthma problems. Asthma attacks are serious and you already have have pneumonia. You might need a round of steroids to help you through this period.

It won't help you right now, but consider asking your asthma doctor to prescribe a nebulizer (and medicine for it) to have on hand for when your asthma gets really bad. Most DMEs that carry CPAP machines also handle nebulizers.

Do you have a peak flow meter? If not, please consider getting one and finding out your green/yellow/red values from your doctor. I know I need to go to the ER if I get in my red zone.

Delta4 wrote:Please go to the ER if you continue having problems. I also have asthma. Needing to use your rescue inhaler too frequently is a red flag that it's not enough to handle your current asthma problems. Asthma attacks are serious and you already have have pneumonia. You might need a round of steroids to help you through this period.

I agree. I have asthma, but rarely need to use my rescue inhaler. The rare times that I do are usually do to a combination of triggers such as an allergic reaction and very cold dry air at the same time.

Several years ago, I went to an event hall that had previously flooded several months earlier. It looks fine. It smelled fine, but I could feel my breathing getting worse during the few hours it took to set up my vendor space. Over the weekend, I used my inhaler, which did help, but it had been so long since I needed an inhaler, that it was 6 months past its expiration and clearly not full strength any more. On Monday, I called my doctor, and she insisted on a visit to her office. I was annoyed, but went in. Turns out I was also experienced an irregular heartbeat. I got my rescue inhaler, along with another inhaler (can't remember the name, but she only prescribes it when my asthma is acting up), and some medication for the irregular heartbeat. I had time off work and several followups due to that.

In the summer of 2012, I started having coughing that would last a couple weeks, take a break, then 6 weeks, take a break, then 2 weeks, etc. It too *me* several months to figure out that the pattern was caused by longer trips in the van that had previously experienced a chemical spill. Once that was determined, she switched the liquid cough medication to a pill that helped my cough better, and I was given a second inhaler that helps my asthma. I only use that one when I feel that cough starting to come back. I can now get rid of that cough almost immediately after feeling it start. I use the special inhaler twice a day for a couple days, and the cough pills. I only use the rescue inhaler if I feel a real asthma attack.

I have been using cpap since April 30 2012. I have had one asthma attack during the night since then. I felt myself gasping for air in the full face mask, took off the mask, still gasping, oh, asthma attack. Use inhaler. Off to a bathroom break and back to bed, with mask back on.

Like I said, I rarely have problems because I know my triggers and can usually avoid them, or at least avoid the combinations that set me off. I try to prevent problems before they start. A couple nights ago, I had to take down decorations at work that have been up for several years. I knew they would be dusty, so I covered the counters with garbage bags to prevent the dust getting on stuff. I got up on the stepladder, started the first section, and saw the dust. Duh, I am highly allergic to dust. I got back down, took an allergy pill, and used an ointment on my nose that is really good at preventing allergic reactions (not sure how it works, seems like BS, but does work). I went back and did the whole project with lots of dust, and never had to sneeze once.

If I get to a location and feel a change in my breathing or a cough starts, I use my medication immediately. I carry it all with me, just so that I never have to use it. I also have a 24 hour nurse line that I can call if I have a question about whether to go in, or if I am traveling and need to find out where i can go. I have it programmed in my phone. I never want to wait until I get bad again.

Hi,
Maybe you should be on Symbicort. Talk with your doctor about it.
All the best to you.

Delta4 wrote:Please go to the ER if you continue having problems. I also have asthma. Needing to use your rescue inhaler too frequently is a red flag that it's not enough to handle your current asthma problems. Asthma attacks are serious and you already have have pneumonia. You might need a round of steroids to help you through this period.

It won't help you right now, but consider asking your asthma doctor to prescribe a nebulizer (and medicine for it) to have on hand for when your asthma gets really bad. Most DMEs that carry CPAP machines also handle nebulizers.

Do you have a peak flow meter? If not, please consider getting one and finding out your green/yellow/red values from your doctor. I know I need to go to the ER if I get in my red zone.

I'm on steroids, but I think I may need a higher dose. Thanks for the nebulizer suggestion, I'll call my allergist on Mon if I'm still like this. I keep thinking its Thur not Fri (well Sat now) my hubbys work schedule throwing me off, he was off Mon due to the weather.

I'm probably gonna make til Mon, I'm awake but using rescue inhaler less.

Jen

zoocrewphoto wrote:

Delta4 wrote:Please go to the ER if you continue having problems. I also have asthma. Needing to use your rescue inhaler too frequently is a red flag that it's not enough to handle your current asthma problems. Asthma attacks are serious and you already have have pneumonia. You might need a round of steroids to help you through this period.

I agree. I have asthma, but rarely need to use my rescue inhaler. The rare times that I do are usually do to a combination of triggers such as an allergic reaction and very cold dry air at the same time.

Several years ago, I went to an event hall that had previously flooded several months earlier. It looks fine. It smelled fine, but I could feel my breathing getting worse during the few hours it took to set up my vendor space. Over the weekend, I used my inhaler, which did help, but it had been so long since I needed an inhaler, that it was 6 months past its expiration and clearly not full strength any more. On Monday, I called my doctor, and she insisted on a visit to her office. I was annoyed, but went in. Turns out I was also experienced an irregular heartbeat. I got my rescue inhaler, along with another inhaler (can't remember the name, but she only prescribes it when my asthma is acting up), and some medication for the irregular heartbeat. I had time off work and several followups due to that.

In the summer of 2012, I started having coughing that would last a couple weeks, take a break, then 6 weeks, take a break, then 2 weeks, etc. It too *me* several months to figure out that the pattern was caused by longer trips in the van that had previously experienced a chemical spill. Once that was determined, she switched the liquid cough medication to a pill that helped my cough better, and I was given a second inhaler that helps my asthma. I only use that one when I feel that cough starting to come back. I can now get rid of that cough almost immediately after feeling it start. I use the special inhaler twice a day for a couple days, and the cough pills. I only use the rescue inhaler if I feel a real asthma attack.

I have been using cpap since April 30 2012. I have had one asthma attack during the night since then. I felt myself gasping for air in the full face mask, took off the mask, still gasping, oh, asthma attack. Use inhaler. Off to a bathroom break and back to bed, with mask back on.

Like I said, I rarely have problems because I know my triggers and can usually avoid them, or at least avoid the combinations that set me off. I try to prevent problems before they start. A couple nights ago, I had to take down decorations at work that have been up for several years. I knew they would be dusty, so I covered the counters with garbage bags to prevent the dust getting on stuff. I got up on the stepladder, started the first section, and saw the dust. Duh, I am highly allergic to dust. I got back down, took an allergy pill, and used an ointment on my nose that is really good at preventing allergic reactions (not sure how it works, seems like BS, but does work). I went back and did the whole project with lots of dust, and never had to sneeze once.

If I get to a location and feel a change in my breathing or a cough starts, I use my medication immediately. I carry it all with me, just so that I never have to use it. I also have a 24 hour nurse line that I can call if I have a question about whether to go in, or if I am traveling and need to find out where i can go. I have it programmed in my phone. I never want to wait until I get bad again.

Excellent suggestions about prevention. I'm going to check, but I think our ins has a nurse line, if so I may use in am.

Thanks for your help, I've found using inhaler with my nasal pillow mask works better if I hold my finger over the exhale port while I inhale. Seems meds stay in my airway better like that. Funny the things you feel may work when you are stuck in this situation.

Thanks, (cough, cough, wheeze, wheeze),
Jen

I too have asthma, and am on 3 inhalers, 2 morning and night plus my rescue inhaler. I was told to head to the ER if this combo was not working for ANY reason. I had to go once and they put me on oxygen for a couple of hours and told me to come back immediately if I had another attack. I suggest you get yourself to the ER now ... you do know your are not supposed to take your rescue inhaler too many times in a day don't you, mine says 2 puffs six times a day....... GO NOW.

Thanks Nan I made it thru the night OK. Yes I know about the # times per day, mine is 8 but I went way over the last few days. Today is much better, I got more steroids from the drugstore 'doc in a box' so hopefully I'm on the mend.

What I wound up doing was just using inhaler while mask was on and plugged my 'outlet' hole for a few seconds to give my 'inhale' from the inhaler an extra push of air from my CPAP. Seemed to work OK, but I really should have gone to ER. I was playing a little close to the edge.

Thanks for the advice, next time I think I'll listen a little better & go to the ER.

Jen

I'm glad you're doing better and appreciate you letting us know. Take care of yourself.