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Long-Haul Covid and Asthma Diagnosis (anyone)?
I was horribly sick for a several months last year (Nov, Dec and into Jan) with severe Covid-like symptoms. My PCP would not see me in person because of the Covid symptoms and only offered pep talks through video chat … so I suffered through it all at home. Finally got to a pulmo in Jan and after testing he immediately diagnosed me with moderate persistent asthma (I am 57).
Fast forward to today and I am doing much better. Still working with pulmo group and through addition testing they have ruled out COPD, Bronchiectasis, lung cancer, ILD’s, etc. And my current spirometry results show “stunning” improvement per my pulmo. So he remains adamant in his asthma diagnosis.
Now he agrees that I likely had severe Covid late last year and the asthma is my gift that keeps on giving from Covid. He also says that at this point it really doesn’t matter what triggered my asthma (Covid or whatever) because my lungs are fundamentally fine and suggests that it’s pointless to dwell on what might have caused this. Anyway, my asthma is seemingly improving, very slowly, over time … I have a few good days, and then a bad one where my chest tightens-up, breathing feels labored, and I produce sticky, white phlegm (annoying and tiring). Has anyone else received an asthma diagnosis post-Covid, and if so … do you see it improving over time?
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Hello Everyone, I am new here and glad to find a group people who may understand me. 52, female. I got COVID in July, 2022. (So regret to go to CA for my son's tournament) Three days high fever and very bad throat pain. Then I felt better and just like a common cold symptom. However, three weeks later, heart beat increased and I felt shortness of breath. My SPO2 was around 95. Since then I started to use Symbicort 80/4.5 irregularly, on and off for two months. (A Pulmonologist prescribed for me .)The symptoms are easy flare up if I caught a cold or stressful with my life. I went to a POST COVID program and the doctor there gave me Trelegy 200. Have you ever tried this one? I feel it is too strong especially I haven't used a higher dose Symbicort yet. If I use Trelegy which is the highest level inhaler for Asthma, what can I use if the symptom get worse down the road?
I’ve been dealing with this too since August 2022 following a mild case of covid. (Detailed story in ‘post covid phlegm or mucous in throat, somethin like that !).
CHEW GUM! It is my savior! Keeps me swallowing and therefore less mucous. I’ve read to try and avoid coughing. Makes sense that it encourages more. Sugar free gum is likely best; my fave is Extra- Polar Ice - blue package. I do not like the green one, Spearmint I think. I get the big 35 stick packages and go through 5/6 pieces daily. Definitely helps after eating for like an hour or two. And my gum wrapper chain is nearly 3 feet long in less than 2 months! It will grow until I’m done with this crud (Xmas tree garland lol!) Also, I purchased an alkalizing water filtration pitcher and drink about 1.5-2 liters daily. This in addition to Symbicort 160/4.5, 2puffs, twice daily, albuterol as needed (practically never).
May the Gum be with you. God I hope this ends for all of us!
I find that using Symbicort as prescribed helps a lot. I am on 160/4.5, 2 puffs, twice daily. After about 5 weeks I felt improvement and messed around with single puffs and missed days and started feeling the symptoms again so went back to the prescribed plan. But I still thought (hoped) hmm maybe I can start getting of it so I messaged my pulmonologist about it. Was told to cut it in half, 1 puff twice daily. Nope, after about 3-4 days I felt distress and resumed the regular dosage. Frustrating for sure but consistency works. Only thing is I’m sooo hoarse! Any advice from anyone out there about that?
I have the same hoarseness problem, especially at work after a couple hours talking. Never had that problem before Covid Pneumonia and post Covid lung scarring (still waiting for definitive diagnosis 6 months after getting Covid then pneumonia but being treated like I have asthma, diagnosed as "small airway disease", which isn't a medical diagnosis.
Hi .. I've asthma I was put on many inhalers from hospital and GP nothing would work heavy on chest couldn't breathe horrible feeling... Long story done all the tests... Then I was sent to long COVID clinic they put me on enerzair breezehaler after a week or two I could walk a good distance... But can't put myself under pressure as systoms come back...so I just take my time doing things
Hello, I would like to know whether you have recovered from the asthma that afflicted you after recovering from Corona
First round of Covid in October 2020 and again in August of 2021 left me with emphysema (CT scan to diagnose) and asthma. Advair twice a day, rescue inhaler and the occasional breathing treatment as needed. No lung issues before Covid. Hear and humidity are tough but slowly improving.
A side effect of inhaled steroids is hoarse voice. If possible, see if there is an inhaled steroid which may be in a different form, which may help with the hoarseness. There are many available. Also, if you use a powder inhaler vs HFA inhaler, you may notice a difference. Inhaled steroids are recommended to keep the lung inflammation decreased and consistent. Everyone is different, but the basic premise is the same. Symbicort is a combo steroid med - maybe changing to a single med steroid inhaler will be helpful. Good luck.
(I speak as a fellow asthmatic and asthma educator).
Do you know if there is any inhaler that works that the steroid is cortisone? I have tried a few and it raises my blood pressure or gives me a rash. I'm am now just doing albuterol but that is every 4 hours.
Hi SMD,
I hope this note finds you feeling better. I offer this advice not as a health care professional, but as a fellow asthmatic and asthma educator. (I am asthmatic since I was a child, but it has gotten worse as I have gotten older.) If you are young enough to still get your period, it could also be premenstrual asthma which is related to your hormones. Please consult with your provider for the best possible care. With that being said, just using albuterol every 4 hours is not good - as it does not help the inflammation in the lungs to improve - it is a rescue medication and could cause the elevated BP and increased pulse rate. There are many steroid inhalers or combination inhalers - and I have a pic attached for you. I have been using Budesonide nebulizer - every 12 hours. No matter which steroid inhaler you use, please remember to do good mouth care so you don't develop a fungal infection in your mouth. There is also a 12 hour albuterol nebulizer - Brovana - Arformeterol - which can be helpful. I know how difficult it is to constantly do nebulizers - making sure they are not too close together. Unfortunately, you may need to try different steroid inhalers - powder vs HFA - to see which is best for you. This can be costly as well - so ask your provider for samples if possible. If you are new on this asthma journey, it may be too soon to consider biologic medications (Dupixent, Xolair, etc.) There is also an old medication - Theophylline - which is a bronchodilator - and not a steroid. This is a possibility - but blood work needs to be done to make sure you are in the normal blood range for this medication and not toxic. Please consider raising the head of your bed with blocks or with large blankets under the top of your mattress. If you use many pillows, you may develop a pain in your neck.
Please feel free to write back and let me know how you are doing. Good luck.
Pam