Cutting down on asthma medicine
How do you know if you need to change your asthma medicine?
I recently visited Asthma Doc, for my own checkup actually-I'm usually there with the kids.
I hadn't been in for a while for a checkup. Asthma Doc was checking on how often I use my inhaler every week (I don't use it very much.)
He also did the Exhaled Nitric Oxide (FENO) test on me. It was pretty simple, just breathing into a little machine that measure the amount of Nitric Oxide in my body. Asthma Doc said Nitric oxide is made when there's swelling or inflammation.
My number was great, you should be between 5-25 and I was right in that range. So Asthma Doc cut down my daily medication.
That's one of those things that you need to watch. Sometimes you may need to take more controller or maintenance medication every day, if your symptoms seem to be worse.
If you are using your inhaler more than twice a week, if you are wheezing and coughing-especially at night.
Sometimes you can cut down on your medicine if you don't have any of those symptoms. I was able to cut down my medications this time.
You can also get stuck in a rut with what medication you take, so make sure you are having regular checkups and watching your symptoms. You may need to take more, or cut back on what you are taking.
Just one more thing to watch when you have asthma.
It's a good idea to have regular checkups with your doctor.
We are in every 6 weeks right now. This past week with all the wind and pollen Alorah is up to 2 nebs/day. Her peakflows were down into low-yellow and she has been in the 88-90% range (pre-neb) with her pulse-ox. To say I've been on edge is an understatement. She seems to be rebounding (thanks to aggressive AAP) without steroids. Her personality has been so unlike her :( She cries at the slightest thing or she is aggressive OR because of her inability to go outdoors she is hyper. It's been awful. We tried to lower her Symbicort in Jan, her asthma told us off right-quick with an almost immediate major attack. I remember back to when she was little. We would go off her controller meds from May-September. I miss that :(
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