is there a doctor in the house?

[falcongrrl]

This is going to be a rambling discourse on current physical symptoms and whether or not I should see a doctor.

I seem to have asthma, though it's self-diagnosed, and therefore suspect. What happens is that whenever I get sick (cold, flu, whatever) I start to wheeze and develop this barking cough. It doesn't seem like bronchitis because (to be graphic) I'm not coughing up green mucousy stuff.

So...I have a friend who also gets asthma in connection with other illness, but other than her I hadn't heard of it before. I researched it on the 'net, and apparently it's fairly common. Sinusitis can be the culprit, as well as just regular run-of-the-mill post-nasal drip and colds or flu.

The reason for all this research is that I think last night I had an asthma attack. I started coughing and I just couldn't stop. I was wheezing and breathless. It was scary. I finally got it to stop by drinking liquids (hot and cold) and relaxing, but it was hard to go to sleep because I was afraid it would happen again.

If I go to the doctor's, I think they'll either give me oral prednisone or some kind of rescue inhaler. I've checked online, and both are considered safe to use while nursing. But if they put me on oral steroids, it will definitely affect my mood. Since I'm finally feeling more stable/sane than I have been in a while (I think being sick fucks with my serotonin levels), I hate to do anything to mess with that.

Equilibrium is a blessing, it really is. Short-lived, usually, in my case, but still a blessing.

Any thoughts from the peanut gallery?

The other question is if I have a secondary infection, in which case I'd also need to go on antibiotics. Which *also* seem to affect my mood.

aaarrrrrgggghhhh.

Or I could just wait it out and do self-help measures. Steam, humidifiers, hot liquids, benadryl...stuff like that.

Any comments from the peanut gallery? Am I nuts not to go directly to the doctor? I just want to make an informed decision, and I think if I go they're just going to give me drugs. Which is fine, good even, if I want to take the drugs. If not, it kind of seems like a waste of time.

Any advice is welcome and appreciated.

A+

Comments

[sythyry.livejournal.com]

Well, you're not in a crisis now. So I'd advise setting up crisis-prevention stuff now. Go to the doctor, get checked out, and (assuming you're right about stuff) get the emergency inhaler. I suspect that maintance drugs aren't going to be the answer -- and you can tell the doc that you don't want them (and won't take them). You should probably be able to bully the doc into not prescribing oral steroids, unless it's a real crisis of some sort for which that it the best answer, in which case you're having a real crisis anyways.

[ladyperegrine.livejournal.com]

Wise words, Zi Ri. :-)

Thanks!

i agree--go see the dr.

[(Anonymous)]

people die from asthma. don't mess around--get the dx and the rescue drugs. your mood probably sucks after a bad attack anyway. ;) and the doc can teach you to recognize danger signs. (beth)