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Here's to Your Health:  Asthma, allergy. or something else?  |
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prariehawk
True Blue Farmgirl
2914 Posts
Cindy
2914 Posts |
 Posted - Feb 24 2017 : 04:56:03 AM
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I have been very sick the past few days, coughing and coughing,I had bronchitis earlier this year and took antibiotics for it, when i went to Urgent Care on Wednesday, the dr. said my bronchitis was clearing up but my asthma was out of control. He wrote four prescriptions, which cost a small fortune, and I've improved slightly, but not very much. I haven't been able to work and I plan to call my regular dr. today and tell her I want to see an ENT specialist. I had thought of doing this a long time ago, but then I got better. Sometimes I wonder if I have some kind of food allergy, since my throat will close up for no reason, and I feel like I will pass out, and then I start coughing, which forces air back into my lungs, but people around me freak out when it happens. they think I'm choking and want to thump me on the back, and I will hold up my hand to stop them (since I can't speak when this is happening)and I am afraid they will knock me down if they thump me, cause I'm feeling light-headed from not being able to breathe. I have read that allergies and asthma can often overlap, and the symptoms of food allergies sometimes resemble asthma. From December of 2015 to December of 2016, I had almost no issues, then i caught a cold in December and have been sick ever since then. This is not fun. I'm not sure what is going on and I need a specialist to find out. I often feel like I can't swallow and my throat has been feeling weird for a long time. Don't quite know how to describe it--except that something ain't right. I work at a hospital and people who have witnessed one of these episodes always think I should go to the ER. But I quickly recover and then I'm fine, like nothing happened. So what good would it do to go to the ER, except run me up a huge bill? I tell them, unless I actually pass out, please don't worry. If I pass out, then worry! But I've never passed out, just get very dizzy and light-headed, and cough like I'm dying, then I feel fine. Anyone have any ideas on what could be going on? I caught that cold the second week of December and have not been able to recover. This is starting to worry me!
Cindy
"Come by the hills to the land where fancy is free; And stand where the peaks meet the sky and the rocks reach the sea.Where the rivers run clear and the bracken is gold in the sun. and cares of tomorrow must wait till this day is done"--Loreena McKennit
"In many ways, you don't just live in the country, it lives inside you"--Ellen Eilers
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sherone_13
True Blue Farmgirl
2460 Posts
Sherone
Evanston
WY
USA
2460 Posts |
Posted - Feb 24 2017 : 08:19:16 AM
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As a long time sufferer of Allergic induced Asthma, I think I can weigh in on this subject. For me, regular run of the mill asthma causes a heaviness in the chest more than a throat closing sensation. When it is Food Allergic Induced Asthma, there can be many first symptoms, such as throat closing off, throat itching, intestinal upset, power diarrhea, rashes, and sweating. If I were you, I would ask your primary care provider to recommend an allergy specialist to do some tests on you. The only other way to find out if it's a food allergy is by a process of elimination, which is a long and difficult endeavor. You basically eliminate everything from your diet except rice from your diet for one week. Then you add one ingredient per week back to your diet. If you have an adverse reaction, you know what you are allergic to. This is how they did it before they could figure it out with blood tests. It's less expensive, but rough on you nutritiously. You will have to weigh out the costs. Either way, I would see your primary care doc again....just in case. The lungs are very complicated critters.
Sherone
Farmgirl Sister #93
My Blog
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Women are angels. When someone breaks our wings, we just jump on our broomsticks and fly! We are flexible that way! |
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prariehawk
True Blue Farmgirl
2914 Posts
Cindy
2914 Posts |
Posted - Feb 24 2017 : 10:18:50 PM
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Sherone--thank you. i went to the dr. today and saw the P.A. I have an appt. in March to see an ENT specicialist. The reason I think it is a food allergic induced asthma reaction is because I have noticed, for quite a while, that anytime I eat corn chips (not very often), I get a sandy/gritty feeling in my throat and I cough. I always thought it was because of the salt in the chips. But I found out just in the past two days (found out the hard way) that that sandy/gritty feeling is something else completely. Also, I can eat potato chips to my heart's content and have no problems at all. I also drink too much soda (which contains corn syrup) so I am beginning to suspect I am allergic to corn. I have also known for years that if i eat too much of anything containing corn, I get a severe stomach ache. So I am going to try to cut all corn out of my diet and see what happens. Aside from the chips and soda, I really do eat a pretty healthy diet. People make fun of me (in a kind way) cause I snack on wasabi seaweed and other "weird" foods. I also got a steroid shot today that is supposed to help. I'm still couging some, but not as much as i was. Earlier this week i went for at least 24 hours with no sleep cause i would cough whenever i tried to lay down. I am also taking an allergy pill cause the weather her (warm, near 80, then cold, near 30 the next day) is driving me (and the plants) nuts. Things are blooming that normally don't bloom till april. S i plan to eat carefully this weekend and drink lots of water. And rest. all this coughing wears me out.
Cindy
"Come by the hills to the land where fancy is free; And stand where the peaks meet the sky and the rocks reach the sea.Where the rivers run clear and the bracken is gold in the sun. and cares of tomorrow must wait till this day is done"--Loreena McKennit
"In many ways, you don't just live in the country, it lives inside you"--Ellen Eilers
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sherone_13
True Blue Farmgirl
2460 Posts
Sherone
Evanston
WY
USA
2460 Posts |
Posted - Feb 25 2017 : 06:40:53 AM
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Sounds like you are on the right track. I try to stay away from the steroids. Not because they don't work. It's because I turn into this crazy homicidial hormonal mess when I am on them. I have "aged out of a lot of my food allergies. Hopefully that will happen for you. I still have severe reactions to peanuts, mangos and melons. Severe as in Someone get me to the hospital fast severe
Sherone
Farmgirl Sister #93
My Blog
www.annapearlsattic.blogspot.com
My Etsy
www.etsy.com/shop/annapearlsattic
My Avon
www.youravon.com/sheronetaylor
Women are angels. When someone breaks our wings, we just jump on our broomsticks and fly! We are flexible that way! |
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hudsonsinaf
True Blue Farmgirl
3162 Posts
Shannon
Rozet
Wyoming
USA
3162 Posts |
Posted - Feb 25 2017 : 09:10:46 AM
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Cindy - definitely praying for you!!!! If you are interested in it, Life Extension has a blood test for food allergies. My insurance didn't cover it, o I had to pay out of pocket, but it was so worth it, because I would never had figured out what I was allergic to!!! All milk products, green beans, kidney beans, and pumpkins!!!
Sherone - are you allergic to poison ivy??? I ask because my 3 yo is terribly allergic to mangoes, and come to find out, it is in the same family as poison ivy!!! We have been told if she comes in contact with it, we will probably need to get her to the hospital immediately!
~ Shannon, Sister # 5349
Farmgirl of the Month - January 2016
http://hudson-everydayblessings.blogspot.com/ |
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prariehawk
True Blue Farmgirl
2914 Posts
Cindy
2914 Posts |
Posted - Feb 25 2017 : 6:37:00 PM
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Shannon--thanks, I have insurance and the dr. I plan to see should test for allergies. I saw an ENT dr. back in the mid 1990's when I had a bad sinus infection and the first thing he did was test for allergies. At that time, I didn't have any. But I live near St. Louis, and the saying is, if you live here long enough, you will become allergic to something! I also never had asthma until seven years ago, when I was hospitalized for pneumonia, and my dr. told me I would have respiratory issues after that. I have had pneumonia twice since then, have developed asthma, and have bronchitis as least once a year now.
Sherone--I have not had to go to an ER yet, but I work at ahospital, and it seems like the times I have had reactions are usually at work. so I tell people. as long as I don't pass out, I' m OK. If I passout, then call the EMT's!
Cindy
"Come by the hills to the land where fancy is free; And stand where the peaks meet the sky and the rocks reach the sea.Where the rivers run clear and the bracken is gold in the sun. and cares of tomorrow must wait till this day is done"--Loreena McKennit
"In many ways, you don't just live in the country, it lives inside you"--Ellen Eilers
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sherone_13
True Blue Farmgirl
2460 Posts
Sherone
Evanston
WY
USA
2460 Posts |
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prariehawk
True Blue Farmgirl
2914 Posts
Cindy
2914 Posts |
Posted - Feb 25 2017 : 10:03:25 PM
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Shannon--I looked up Life Extension and the cost for a test is reasonable. they are also nearby and I think my insurance might pay for it. But even if it doesn't, I thin I can afford it. Thank you for the information!
Cindy
"Come by the hills to the land where fancy is free; And stand where the peaks meet the sky and the rocks reach the sea.Where the rivers run clear and the bracken is gold in the sun. and cares of tomorrow must wait till this day is done"--Loreena McKennit
"In many ways, you don't just live in the country, it lives inside you"--Ellen Eilers
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prariehawk
True Blue Farmgirl
2914 Posts
Cindy
2914 Posts |
Posted - Mar 28 2017 : 03:11:35 AM
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I see the allergy doctor tomorrow. I have discovered I have a very bad reaction to cilantro, and maybe oregano as well. I've been eating a lot of quinoa and lentils, which I happen to love, so at least I can eat healthy and enjoy it. I haven't taken any antihistamines in over two weeks, as they can interfere with the allergy testing. I have been eating much healthier than usual, but I've been pretty sick as well, found out a little over a week ago that I had pneumonia, and after a third round of antibiotics (Levaquin---be very careful when taking it. It can mess up your sleep very badly) I am doing a lot better, but I saw the P.A. yesterday and she wanted to prescribe a steroid. I said no. They make my voice hoarse, and it makes me wonder what else they do. Have been drinking lots of kefir, eating fruits and vegetables, and have lost some weight. Surprisingly, I have been craving meat. I usually stick to a mostly vegetarian diet. I haven't had any processed foods or even fast food, have only eaten at two restaurants where I know they serve fresh food without lots of preservatives. So at least my diet has improved. If nothing else good comes out of this, I have finally learned to be a lot more selective about what I eat. Tomorrow should be interesting.
cindy
"Come by the hills to the land where fancy is free; And stand where the peaks meet the sky and the rocks reach the sea.Where the rivers run clear and the bracken is gold in the sun. and cares of tomorrow must wait till this day is done"--Loreena McKennit
"In many ways, you don't just live in the country, it lives inside you"--Ellen Eilers
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MaryJanesNiece
True Blue Farmgirl
6693 Posts
Krista
Utah
USA
6693 Posts |
Posted - Mar 28 2017 : 12:46:57 PM
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Good luck tomorrow, Cindy. I hope it will be helpful.
Krista |
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Here's to Your Health: Asthma, allergy. or something else? |
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Asthma, allergy. or something else?
