Trouble getting asthma under full control

I am glad that your current medication is having the desired effect, generally.
I suggest that you ask your pulmonologist for an inhaler with albuterol to break up the phlegm nd relieve the associated negative symptoms.
It may be that you will use it three of four times a day.
The are a number of machines for this purpose, that main difference being the difference in the rate of the discernment of the drug.
Good luck.

A device to help you "huff" up the phlegm is available. My instructions are to blow three light puffs and then three hard ones into device. After that you should cough, which hopefully dislodges the "yuck." Repeat three times is what I am told.

@mrbill and @spudmato- What devices can you suggest to @otter2154? I am fortunate that I don't have asthma but I do have a lot of mucus. One thing that really helps is drinking more water than you are used to to help dilute it. I know, I know I've said this a million times. But it's true, it helps.

I'm very glad that prednisone has helped you that much! With that much Mucinex and prednisone are you able to sleep at all?

Merry

Stunningly ... I sleep quite well most nights theses days! The Prednisone made for some very colorful and crazy dreams though.

@otter2154- You are one lucky person! lol. Are you drinking enough water do you think?

I need to drink more. When I was in the office every day pre-Covid, I drank water continuously throughout the day ... LOTS of water in total I imagine. Working from home for the last year ... not so much ... and this could be a factor in the increased/sticky phlegm. I’m making a conscious effort to begin drinking more.

There are several devices on the market. It seems they all do the same thing. The one I have is made by D R Burton. It has PEP (also VPEP) on the device. Respiratory therapist told me, when I was in rehab, they sometimes used to have to hit you on the side and back to loosen up phlegm. That was before this device came along. I was given one by therapist in rehab, then another by therapist in hospital, then another by Pulmonary physician at clinic. Don't know if you need script to get one. If you do get one be sure and ask therapist what setting to use. If need be I can post a picture.

Wish I could get some colorful dreams along with my Prednisone. Oh well.

The machine (breath in the mist w/medication) for the albuterol is furnished at no cost if you are on Medicare; it works, but is a bit slow (15 minutes per session).
I purchased an Omicron portable for about $100; it is faster (more power, easier to clean, and convenient.

I've talked to so many doctors, I welcome input from people living with asthma.I a 54 y.o. I've had it my whole life. Was not a big issue other than every doctor told my parents not to smoke around me, and they completely ignored that. Few ER visits as a child and lots of resentment, but about it.I've struggled more with asthma as an adult. Have gotten allergy shots for 30 years. Have had a maintenance inhaler, rescue inhaler and nebulizer forever. My allergist does regular pulmonary function tests. Of course, never when I am not feeling well; only on good days. But life was livable.In the past two years, my asthma has exacerbated beyond anything I could imagine. You name it, over the years I've been on every inhaler. About two years ago, I added Dupixent to the regimen, as we saw me going down a slippery slope. I was having surprise asthma attacks where I had no idea the trigger.So for two years or more, I have been on Trelegy, Dupixent, Singulair, Mucinex, Albuterol inhaler, Albuterol nebulizer or Levalbuterol if I can get it and many rounds of prednisone. Things would go well for a bit and then I'd get taken down for like a week or more by severe shortness of breath. Couldn't take a deep breath, couldn't yawn. Got out of breath carrying a laundry basket. Little to no cough. No phlegm or coughing up any junk. Just super tight breathing. Pulse oxygen mid 90sThen last November admitted to hospital for 12 days. Chest xray was clear. Started me on anti-viral, anti-fungal and anti-biotics with steady intravenous steroids. Round the clock DuoNeb and MucoMist. Second day in did a CT with contrast. Both lungs partially collapsed and a black spot that took two more days to diagnose as a bacterial infection of something I inhaled (stenotrophomonas maltophilia). I'm told healthy people inhale this all the time and the body kicks it out.After being released from hospital, got about six weeks before my next bout of shortness of breath. Like, I cannot breathe. Lost 20 pounds over two months because you cannot eat if you cannot breathe. I chose trying to breathe over eating.Switched me to hydrocortisone instead of prednisone and in February, switched me to Tezspire from the Dupixent because Dupixent was not the miracle drug for me that it has been for some. Switched from Trelegy to Breztri just to try something new.Daily Albuterol or Levalbuterol nebulizer, Breztri, mucinex, singulair, fomoterol nebulizer (sp?), albuterol inhaler about every two hours, oral steroid and Tezspire monthly. Recently started taking Mullein tincture to see if it helps.No dairy. No gluten.Back in the hospital in April for two days because I couldn't breathe.I have two pulmonologists and an allergist. All three say, "You're a mystery." All feel they have tried everything. I don't doubt it, but I'm getting really tired of feeling like this. Was just up all last night because around 8pm I felt the tightness come over me.I've had moments of just wanting to give up and stop trying so hard to breathe. But I'm not ready to do that to my family. But I am exhausted and not flattered by being called a mystery.Clean house, hard floors, air purifiers, no scents, recently sanitized air ducts, allergy skin test clear but for crab and some grass I never heard of.Is there a test I haven't had? A medication I haven't tried? Anyone have any suggestions?If you have read this far, thank you for that.