r/Asthma

The title says it all. I'm taking Singulair and allegra regularly to control my asthma. The meds are really working good for the primary purpose. But I'm having some serious side effects. Anxiety is killing me. I'm waking up from bad dreams. I'm losing my temperament very easily. So I'm planning to switch from Singulair to another med. So, I need to know which medications work best for you? And do you take antihistamines along with asthma controller meds?

Been in a super bad flare up for like 3-4 days now. Last night I almost went to the er after my rescue inhaler didn’t work and my nebulizer almost didn’t help. Today I feel like I have the flu. I keep throwing up, my stomach is a wreck, the cells in my body feel tired. I’ve never had physical symptoms like this that aren’t just respiratory symptoms. Is there anything besides laying down like a sick Victorian child that will help? The only thing the has helped was literally sitting in the 0f freezer at my job till I coudlwnt stand the cold anymore. I’ve had asthma for over 20 years and never felt like this

I used my inhaler after working outside. While walking my dog, I became hoarse. Still that way. Sustained hoarseness is new for me. I can breathe fine after using my inhaler two hours ago, though I may need to use my neutralizer soon.

Anyone else deal with this?

i’m 16 f, my grandmother ill refer to as smoker one is 62 f, my dad who ill refer to as smoker 2 is 40. smoker 1 quit smoking and took up vaping for a while, but recently she started smoking cigarettes again and im constantly having asthma attacks. worst part is they’re SO often (every few day) i cant go to the doctor every single time they happen. the smoking issue is more so about smoker 1 then smoker 2. she smokes all the time and we were in the truck earlier she was smoking a cigarette i started having trouble breathing again and asked her to put it out to which she replied “we’re almoast home” and then said i should’ve brought my inhaler. i usually do i keep an inhaler in my purse, an inhaler in my room, and an inhaler in HER purse. she didn’t have the inhaler and i didnt have my purse with me since i didnt think we’d go very many places it wouldnt be an issue. is it really that hard to just put the cigarette out? by the time i got home i could barely breathe and had to rush to my room to get my inhaler. what do i do? is their any life hacks to use when stuff like this happens?

Hi all,

I’ve been training road cycling seriously for ~1.5 years. My current FTP is 383W at 96 kg (36 y/o, 201 cm), so on paper my fitness looks solid.

However, I’ve had bronchial asthma since childhood (FEV1/FVC = 69%), and I’m starting to suspect it affects my performance more than I thought. I’m on Symbicort 320 daily.

Recently, I noticed something interesting in Garmin Connect — the ability to compare workouts with friends. I started looking at respiratory rate (RR), and the differences surprised me:

When riding with less-trained friends, my RR is often 30–50% higher than theirs at similar efforts

After short hard efforts (e.g., attacking a segment), their RR drops quickly, while mine stays elevated for a long time.

During hard efforts, I often “hit a wall” at ~170 bpm HR and ~50 brpm — breathing feels maxed out and my legs suddenly lose power.

What’s confusing is that:

My estimated HR max seems lower than expected for my age.

Despite structured training (with a coach), good nutrition, and sleep, I often feel excessive fatigue in my legs and struggle to complete sessions as prescribed

TSS doesn’t seem to reflect how fatigued I actually feel.

I recently came across the idea that asthma may increase the metabolic cost of breathing, which could explain higher fatigue and slower recovery — even if traditional metrics don’t show it.

My coach doesn’t consider respiratory rate a useful metric, but from what I’m reading, it might actually be quite important — especially in my case.

Questions:

Do any of you track respiratory rate trends in training? Have you found it useful?

Has anyone with asthma noticed similar patterns (high RR, slow recovery, early fatigue)?

Do you use RR in real-time pacing or just for post-ride analysis?

Has anyone tried devices like Tymewear? Is it meaningfully better than standard chest straps (I use Polar H10)?

I’d really appreciate hearing from people with similar experiences, especially asthmatic cyclists or coaches who take breathing metrics into account.

I have historically had very mild asthma (only needing albuterol a few times a year), but then after I’ve been sick with a virus, I’ll need to add in a maintenance inhaler for a few months (typically Symbicort paired with Atrovent, or Breztri). A few times, I have needed a short course of oral prednisone.

I had surgery in January and got a post-op upper respiratory infection. That seemed to flare things up, and I went back on Breztri shortly after.

I had Flu A (H3N2) at the end of February, and it absolutely took me out. I was hospitalized for 5 days. I’ve needed multiple courses of IM & IV steroids. Have been on oral prednisone since early March.

Current regimen is Dupixent, Breztri, Atrovent, Xopenex (I’ve been in a POTS flare too and unable to tolerate albuterol anymore). I’ve been on Dupixent since 2021 (originally for eczema). I’m also on 20 mg a day of prednisone (was up to 40 mg a day at one point). We are adding in compounded oral ketotifen this week. I take mucinex as needed to help with mucus plugging.

I have never in my life had my asthma so out of control. I’m consistently using Xopenex every 4 hours during the day. I’m desperate for relief! Those of you with severe/complicated asthma, what things have you tried? What has helped? Bonus points if you have POTS or primary immunodeficiency (I have Hypogammaglobulinemia; on IVIG).

I am unable to tolerate singulair—it gives me severe anxiety and nightmares. Wondering if anyone here has tried Zyflo and had success? Anyone tried cromolyn sodium or theophylline and if so what was your experience like?? Anyone tried nebulized glutathione?

Pulmonology is considering switching me to Xolair after we get my IgE level back. Any and all suggestions welcome!! I have a functional medicine doctor too, so not at all opposed to untraditional/homeopathic things either.

TLDR: major asthma flare, steroid-dependent & still struggling.

I was hospitalized for 10 days, on March 15. Had a sudden flare from my allergies had to tell my mom that I needed to go to the hospital as I wasn't able to breathe anymore and my rescue inhaler was not working.

I woke up at the hospital in the 20th of March. I can't remember anything besides telling my mom to bring be to the hospital. I still can't believe I was in a coma under mechanical assisted ventilation for 5 days. My doctor continued to monitor me for 5 more days and was discharged.

I am feeling much better now and currently taking Trelegy Ellipta. For disclosure, I used to vape before this insident, which was a huge mistake and will never do it again.

Just wanted to share my story. I hope you guys always stay healthy.

Hi, idk if this kind of post is allowed here but I’d like some insight/comfort?/etc. from people who are asthmatic and/or use inhalers regularly.

I recently began having some unusual breathing symptoms including shortness of breath, mild chest congestion, easily getting winded, discomfort in chest when breathing, difficulty breathing when lying down, sleep disturbances, bloody nose, etc. and for the record, no one in my family has history of asthma or breathing issues. I have never experienced these symptoms before now.

I went to a doctor and, to my dismay, was completely asymptomatic at the visit so he couldn’t detect anything abnormal about my breathing. But he did prescribe me an inhaler to use if symptoms come back as sort of a diagnostic tool; he said if it’s some kind of asthma then the inhaler should work and we can look into that diagnosis. But if the inhaler doesn’t really work then we can pursue other diagnoses.

Since then I’ve only really had symptoms at night and in the morning after waking up. I haven’t had a decent uninterrupted 8-hour sleep in days. I’m not coughing myself awake, I’m just… uncomfortable? Anyways the plan tonight is to use my inhaler before bed to see if it helps with overnight symptoms.

But I’ve never used an albuterol inhaler before, and I’m nervous. It feels weird to take one before I’m feeling anything. I read that it’s a stimulant and might keep me awake, so I should take it 1 hour before bed.

Idk, does anyone have any advice for me? I don’t know what’s going on with my lungs or what to think about this whole situation. And I’m nervous to take a new med I’ve never tried before, especially an inhaled one.

I have brittle asthma and frequent ambulances and a&e trips, I’m on a load of medications including biological injections every two months, and I also have multiple other respiratory issues… basically my lungs are about as useful as a chocolate teapot.

Last night I was blue lighted into a&e (not my usual hospital- I was out and got wheezy so they had to take me to the closest hospital), and I got met with “Asthma attacks are usually just anxiety, calm down and you’ll be fine” and “just stop hyperventilating”, both from the same ED consultant, and all while I was on 5L oxygen because on room air my sats were 84%, and you could hear my wheeze from two bays down.

Basically, does anyone have any good advice on what to say to doctors that are adamant that asthma is some myth and that it must be anxiety?

Hey everyone! Do you live in Dallas, Texas, aged 18-65 who have moderate to severe asthma that is not well controlled? You can be part of our study at UT Southwestern Medical Center.

Who’s eligible?

Adults 18-65 with persistent asthma

On medium to high dose inhaled steroids + LABA

Had 3+ severe asthma flare-ups in the past year

Clinically stable with no recent worsening

English or Spanish speakers

If you think you can be eligible please call us at 214-645-6950 OR email us at pne@utsouthwestern.edu for more information.

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Hi all! I've posted here a few times in the past but I'm now learning that what I'm experiencing may be silent asthma. I never wheeze, but my chest gets tight and I get really bad aor hunger. It's constant. 24/7. Sometimes more tolerable but it feels like it's getting worse. I take my inhaler which fixes the tightness but I still have the air hunger. It feels like my breathing through my nose is too clear or not really hitting the receptors that make me feel resistance if that makes sense? I tend to hyperventilate as well and my ENT said I have some sinus inflammation which could be contributing but the air hunger is the main issue. I'm starting Arnuity 200mcg soon and following up with my pulmonologist a few weeks after I start it but my at home peak flow always shows I'm around 80% of my predicted or slightly below on bad days. I can't feel my breathing sometimes which freaks me out and I never know when it's an emergency because every time I've gone to the ER or urgent care they say "your o2 is fine and your lungs are clear no wheezing so you're fine, can take prednisone ig if you want.." but I can't even take it due to severe reactions from it in the past (really high sugar, BP, severe tachycardia, numbness in my hands and face and severe sweating). I also struggle with somatic breathing OCD which idk if thats also contributing? I can't afford therapy as I'm on medicaid right now and no one near me will take it and the specialists for OCD around me are very rare. Any one have any insight? The best way I can describe my breathing is it feels like hanging my head out of a window of a fast moving car sometimes.

I don’t really know what to say. I thought it was my last day here. Once I got in the ambulance they hooked me up to a bunch of stuff. Saved me. Anxiety through the roof about having it again. Embarrassed. First time being took out on a stretcher. Only 23

My pulmonologist and allergist both say that I have asthma. My baseline blood oxygen levels are usually between 92 to 94 throughout the day. Sometimes 95 if I'm just sitting down but they are usually low when being active. I'm currently on biologics and inhaled steroids but I lose control of my asthma daily. What is everyone else's blood oxygen levels usually when they are not having an attack?

I'm having a first bout of allergy induced asthma. Asthma is terrifying 😯 I had no idea this is how you all feel and I'm so sorry you all have to deal with this. I've spent weeks working in my yard, I have seasonal hayfever. I worked out a few days ago on the treadmill and went into a full blown asthma attack. Currently on steroids and an inhaler for it. How long does this take to recover from? Will I need to avoid outside or exercise for the foreseeable future? I'm scared it's going to continue or I'll make it worse. Any advice would be greatly appreciated.