Let me just add that I am in NO way suggesting that you go off of your current treatment program. Just info on possible complementary therapies you could look into.

babynoz said:

I don't know how similar it is but both of my sons had bad cases of asthma. Anything would set them off, from exertion to season changes. They were both on theopylline and albuterol, I removed the carpeting, banned smoking around them, tried home remedies, etc., but nothing made much difference.

Then I took them to a Chinese herbalist who gave me some godawful concoction to brew at home. After about 6 months of treatment their syptoms improved to the point where the flair ups only occurred about twice a year instead of twice a month and were much milder than before. They were both able to play sports after the treatment.

They are both adults now. My 23yr old hasn't had an episode in 3 years and his older brother hasn't had one in the last 10 years, but that could be because they've outgrown it.

If you think it may help, call them...maybe they could refer you to someone in your area.

Po Seng Tong

Dr. Ching

NMB, Fl.

In Puerto Rico there is a special slug that excretes a natural substance that cures asthma. They boil those slugs and you drink that water. If I was in PR I wouldn't have asthma.

The herbalists know some serious asthma cures.

paintedlady said:

babynoz said:

I don't know how similar it is but both of my sons had bad cases of asthma. Anything would set them off, from exertion to season changes. They were both on theopylline and albuterol, I removed the carpeting, banned smoking around them, tried home remedies, etc., but nothing made much difference.

Then I took them to a Chinese herbalist who gave me some godawful concoction to brew at home. After about 6 months of treatment their syptoms improved to the point where the flair ups only occurred about twice a year instead of twice a month and were much milder than before. They were both able to play sports after the treatment.

They are both adults now. My 23yr old hasn't had an episode in 3 years and his older brother hasn't had one in the last 10 years, but that could be because they've outgrown it.

If you think it may help, call them...maybe they could refer you to someone in your area.

Po Seng Tong

Dr. Ching

NMB, Fl.

In Puerto Rico there is a special slug that excretes a natural substance that cures asthma. They boil those slugs and you drink that water. If I was in PR I wouldn't have asthma.

The herbalists know some serious asthma cures.

At each visit they gave me 3 large bags of stuff to boil for tea. It looked like a bunch of twigs, leaves, beans and shoe leather, (slugs too for all I know) and smelled positively hideous,

For the first time my boys were able to play sports without getting winded and inviting an attack. My youngest, (the athletic one) played team basketball and football from 5th to 11th grade after the treatment. Before that he had been hospitalized 3 times before the age of 10.

babynoz said:

I don't know how similar it is but both of my sons had bad cases of asthma. Anything would set them off, from exertion to season changes. They were both on theopylline and albuterol, I removed the carpeting, banned smoking around them, tried home remedies, etc., but nothing made much difference.

Then I took them to a Chinese herbalist who gave me some godawful concoction to brew at home. After about 6 months of treatment their syptoms improved to the point where the flair ups only occurred about twice a year instead of twice a month and were much milder than before. They were both able to play sports after the treatment.

They are both adults now. My 23yr old hasn't had an episode in 3 years and his older brother hasn't had one in the last 10 years, but that could be because they've outgrown it.

If you think it may help, call them...maybe they could refer you to someone in your area.

Po Seng Tong

Dr. Ching

NMB, Fl.

I just looked them up, and they're only about a 5 hour drive from me.

paintedlady said:

Oh! I learned for me... it you can't sit up for more than ten minutes without feeling sore in your back then that means your lungs are in trouble... ya need to take medicine.

I rebound slowly, it takes me like 3 days to feel right again after an attck... it feels like I got a cold or something. So people that know me always think that I am always sick with a cold.

Are you on a steroid like Flovent, or Advair?

These help because the albuterol/proventil doesn't work too well at keeping you feeling good. It only opens you up temporarily. So controller meds are a must. Espcially if you are around triggers like

burning scented candles, smokers, dogs, cats, too much pollen from any plant, down pillows, carpeting, extreme heat (bad air quality outdoors), strong fragrances etc.

I can't do shit like, vacumn, sweep, dust, cut grass, etc. unless I'm drugged up. Then I'm good and can do that stuff with no issues after.

Yeah, I take Symbicort twice a day, that's got two steroids in it.

PunkMistress said:

babynoz said:

I don't know how similar it is but both of my sons had bad cases of asthma. Anything would set them off, from exertion to season changes. They were both on theopylline and albuterol, I removed the carpeting, banned smoking around them, tried home remedies, etc., but nothing made much difference.

Then I took them to a Chinese herbalist who gave me some godawful concoction to brew at home. After about 6 months of treatment their syptoms improved to the point where the flair ups only occurred about twice a year instead of twice a month and were much milder than before. They were both able to play sports after the treatment.

They are both adults now. My 23yr old hasn't had an episode in 3 years and his older brother hasn't had one in the last 10 years, but that could be because they've outgrown it.

If you think it may help, call them...maybe they could refer you to someone in your area.

Po Seng Tong

Dr. Ching

NMB, Fl.

I just looked them up, and they're only about a 5 hour drive from me.

Yeah? I keep forgetting what part of FL you guys are in...call them up and ask a bazillion questions first.

paintedlady said:

babynoz said:

I don't know how similar it is but both of my sons had bad cases of asthma. Anything would set them off, from exertion to season changes. They were both on theopylline and albuterol, I removed the carpeting, banned smoking around them, tried home remedies, etc., but nothing made much difference.

Then I took them to a Chinese herbalist who gave me some godawful concoction to brew at home. After about 6 months of treatment their syptoms improved to the point where the flair ups only occurred about twice a year instead of twice a month and were much milder than before. They were both able to play sports after the treatment.

They are both adults now. My 23yr old hasn't had an episode in 3 years and his older brother hasn't had one in the last 10 years, but that could be because they've outgrown it.

If you think it may help, call them...maybe they could refer you to someone in your area.

Po Seng Tong

Dr. Ching

NMB, Fl.

In Puerto Rico there is a special slug that excretes a natural substance that cures asthma. They boil those slugs and you drink that water. If I was in PR I wouldn't have asthma.

The herbalists know some serious asthma cures.

In Ghana they boil turtles to make a soup to cure asthma.

KoolEaze said:

paintedlady said:

In Puerto Rico there is a special slug that excretes a natural substance that cures asthma. They boil those slugs and you drink that water. If I was in PR I wouldn't have asthma.

The herbalists know some serious asthma cures.

In Ghana they boil turtles to make a soup to cure asthma.

Interesting.

reading this thread is letting me know that I need to go back on my meds. since I haven't been coughing I haven't been taking my asthma meds just my allegra. But I have all the symptoms, body aches, extreme lethargy, circles under the eyes, pains in the chest occassionally. So back to the inhalers and singular I go.

I used to have terrible muscle cramps in my lower extremities when I was on Advair. Once I was off of that it stopped. My allergist said he had a few patients who complained of that when on certain steriods. Maybe check that out, it could be that the levels of the meds are high in your blood stream in addition to the lactic acid build up in your legs.

I have learned a lot from this thread. I have had asthma all my life but was not diagnosed until age 40, so I am new to all this.

Thanks

I was diagnosed at the age of 16.... it has been hard for me and only recently i have had it under control.

Do they have Seretide in the states???? This is what has helped me the most.

I get horrible muscular pain the in lower back... i know what you mean, maybe everyone is different....i don't know i'm not a doc.

Other things that i have done that have helped are - floor boards, no carpet at home, never ever wear flannelet pj's or use flannelet sheets, reduce dairy, and exercises...

especially walking, it is so good and helps control breathing patterns....initially you have to start at a steady pace, and for the first time in ages i am now able to jog without having an asthma attack.

Good luck Erin, i know what you r going through

Butterfli and chocolatehandles: So I'm not crazy!

Eliminating dairy is so, so hard.

I've never heard of Seretide.

PunkMistress said:

Butterfli and chocolatehandles: So I'm not crazy!

Eliminating dairy is so, so hard.

I've never heard of Seretide.

No you r not crazy.... i once asked my doc about the pains, she did not know either

Well maybe you can reduce the dairy...

Seretide could have another name in the States????

[img:$uid]http://i596.photobucket.com/albums/tt50/chocolatehandles/images-1.jpg[/img:$uid]

PunkMistress said:

Butterfli and chocolatehandles: So I'm not crazy!

Eliminating dairy is so, so hard.

I've never heard of Seretide.

i don't drink cows milk any more but haven't been able to eliminate dairy altogether yet. I still have my animals and people have told me that once I get rid of my pets I will feel better. Not getting rid of my boys though, but thinking of not replacing them when they go to the bridge either

I need to do so much better in the exercising department. I used to get so sick everytime I would start a gym routine though. I need to start again.

chocolatehandles said:

PunkMistress said:

Butterfli and chocolatehandles: So I'm not crazy!

Eliminating dairy is so, so hard.

I've never heard of Seretide.

No you r not crazy.... i once asked my doc about the pains, she did not know either

Well maybe you can reduce the dairy...

Seretide could have another name in the States????

[img:$uid]http://i596.photobucket.com/albums/tt50/chocolatehandles/images-1.jpg[/img:$uid]

that's advair in the states

PunkMistress said:

Butterfli and chocolatehandles: So I'm not crazy!

Eliminating dairy is so, so hard.

I've never heard of Seretide.

Lactaid milk.

yogurt is fine... I think

cheese is another story

[Edited 7/25/10 18:35pm]

I'm not aware of all the herbal remedies, but I wonder if you take any dietary supplements on a regular basis?

I've had allergy issues all of my life, and along with that came eczema and dermatitis. I took some corticosteroids for my eczema, which would help for a while but it always came back harder than ever. I also had a lot of food sensitivities to dairy and acidic foods.

Then I was reading about how I might have bacteria and mold (fungus) issues in my digestive tract. It suggested that one should load up on fish oil (or anything with a lot of omega-3 fatty acids) plus some probiotics and some cinnamon (which acts as an anti-fungal and anti-bacterial agent). I started doing that, and a lot of my allergy issues went away. I still have an occasional allery attack, but my eczema is all but nearly gone and I can eat dairy again. Having said that, I still need to focus on eating healthy foods and cutting out processed junk and fried foods.

Some holistic therapists say that taking magnesium citrate supplements really helps with asthma, allergies, and other conditions.