Have you had asthma since birth? What medication do you take?

Hello. I am 60 and have it since I was diagnosed probably at age 8 or 9. Back then our family doctor gave my mother liquid theophyllin to give to me. On several occasions my folks took me to the emergency room for shots of something that left me very shaky. I was then given theophyllin tablets to take before exercise , such as a basketball practice, if my asthma was bothering me. In college I was “cool” and took up smoking- I know- and ended up on a proventil inhaler. I now use Advair each night and have the proventil inhaler when needed. I also have a nebulizer that I use when I get that winter flu. I also have sleep apnea. I see a respiratory therapist for the sleep apnea and cpap use and my pcp for the asthma. I have never seen an allergist. I know sulphates bother me, some scents, and sometimes exercise. Long winded but maybe it helps?

Have had it since ~age 2, excema first, followed by asthma. I’m 69.5 yrs old. Multiple Emergency visits, shots of adrenalin that cause the shakes. Was on a ventilator for approx 16 hrs each 3x in 9 months due bronchospasms. You name the asthma med, I was on it- Tedrol tablets, Isoprel inhaler, Ventolin, Albuterol and Advair, etc. Advair(100/50) changed my life! I hardly ever use my rescue inhaler, only if I get a winter cold and have to up the dose to 250/50 for a couple of weeks. Did over 20 yrs of injections to no avail. My allergist/ pulmonologist was fantastic, gave me great advice and we chose my pathway together. Unfortunately, he has passed away, but I go 1x a year for PFTs( pulmonary function tests- determine how well your lungs perform) and check up.

Hello, I am knocking on the door of 70 years old in 2 weeks and have had severe asthma since birth. I have also been taking allergy shots since I was 2 years old, minus about 4 years off to college. I can't live without them. They help my life be more normal. I have struggled most of my life with asthma because the meds were so bad back in the 50's and inhalers did not exist. I believe it was in 1994 that Flovent HFA inhalers became available, and it literally turned my entire life around. After a couple of months, my asthma slowly disappeared, and it stays in control most of the year. If I get the flu, RSV, or even a cold/sinus problems during the spring, I might have a flare-up, but it quickly comes under control again with Claritin D and over-the-counter meds. Unfortunately, our government made some changes to Medicaid, I think in 2022, and the British manufacturer stopped producing Flovent in the United States. I have to get a doctor's prescription faxed to Canada, although I order it from Canada. It is shipped from Guy's Pharmacy in New Zealand. I trust New Zealand but not other countries. It takes about a month to receive it, so I can't get low on my drugs. And it has gotten lost in customs once, and I was down to just 2 days before they found it and delivered. So that is a drawback on this drug. And they call it something a little different, and the dosage is a little different, but I order on the site as Flovent 240 mg. Canada measures their inhalers a little differently than ours - I think ours measures drug dosage from the mouthpiece, and Canada measures from another point, making the measurement 250 instead of 240 mg. My Dr has no problem with me continuing to use Flovent. Matter of fact, he said, "Why change it if it is still working?" I do have to pay about a 100 dollars more for a 3-month supply, but I can't find another drug to replace it either. Even the generic Flovent did not work as well on me as the brand. It is the fillers that I am super sensitive to. The pharmacy will lead you to believe otherwise, but all the docs agree that there is a difference in fillers used in each drug and how each of our bodies metabolizes them. That is why they can use generic drugs, the fillers are all different from one name drug to another, but still use the main ingredient. I also have an old inhaler drug called Ventolin (blue one) that the insurance will no longer pay for, but it still works on me better than the generic rescue inhalers. Hope that this helps. Be well . . .

I am 78 and have a very complicated asthma history. Had it since birth plus eczema. Allergic to grasses, pollen etc. I dont know what I was treated with as a child but I seemed to be ok as a teenager and dont remember having attacks until I married at 19. My husband was in the Navy so the Navy doctors put me on theophylline which helped me immensely.
I was under control unless I got a cold, sinus infection,flu and then it always ended up in my chest.
As years went by I was in and out of ER's and was tried on more medicines that I can even remember. When they became available I was put on singular (montulucast), ventalin inhalers and a few others that the names left my memory.
I had been on advair but I guess insurance says I have to use Wixela which works for me. And then I was told about the injection every 8 weeks called FASENRA. It was a game changer. For 3 years I never got sick and then my 4th cancer in 11 years showed up. Melanoma metastasized stage 4 in my lungs. Of all places and inoperable.
Melanoma doesnt play well with others like chemo or FASENRA. Yes I had to stop fasenta when I went on immunotherapy called Keytruda. For 6 years now I have suffered beyond anything I could ever have imagined. Keytruda has me in remission but I have to be on it indefinitely so that means my suffering is going to be with me forever.
I cant move 10 feet until I cant breath. I have to sit alot which leaves me with no quality of life.
I use my nebulizer 10-12 times a day, coughing constantly. I cant take more than 5mg of prednisone because of Keytruda.
Keytruda has damaged my heart too and now we are checking my kidneys. If I could breath I wouldn't care about any other symptom.
I am still using my asthma medications. I might add that this breathing problem I have is a side effect and doesnt feel like my typical asthma. I periodically have a coughing attack that will bring on my asthma and there is a difference.
My suggestion is to stick with a good pulmonologist.
Sorry for the long post.

@1fancydancer

Thank you so much for your insight: I loved my ADVIR but the generic my health ins now only allows Wixela and yes the fillers are different and they continue to me all is the same Then why does it not work the same! What Pharmacy are you using in Canada as I did look a few and yes I will cost me out of pocket more but like you said your life is important and so is the quality of life !

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@songinmyheart54 you

I have asthma since birth and have developed, over the last 14 years or so, bronchiectasis, NTM, and MAC. The last 3 do cause breathing issues, but you are correct: asthma and these 3 feel different. You might want to mention the difference to your Pulmonologist just to be sure. People later in life with lifelong asthma are prone to develop these other lung conditions.

@1fancydancer

Thank you so much for your info !!!