Open Question: Severe Chronic Asthma, Any Help?
I have had severe chronic asthma for as long as I can remember. I use about 5 different inhalers daily, am taking 2 preventative oral pills, and am having to take breathing machine/nebulizer treatments up to 8 times a day at home. I used to be hospitalized so often that the doctor recommended I just buy my own nebulizer…this has prevented hundreds of hospitializations. I cannot sleep more than 2 hours at a time without waking up coughing, struggling to breathe, and/or sinus congestion. This occurs EVERY DAY. I don’t know if I have ever gotten “a full night’s sleep” in my life. I am not exaggerating. All of this medication and suffering is wearing me out. I am about at the end of my “rope”. My allergist thought I should try Xolair, but I cannot afford it, the drug company won’t help me, and my insurance will not cover it. I want to know if anyone out there has suffered like this. What has helped you? Anything? I am feeling very depressed and suicidal. I have tried almost every medication possible, but would be willing to try something again if it has really made a difference in your asthma. I really need help. My husband and I even moved out of the country to a location that was “ideal” for asthma and allergies…this did not help. I don’t know what else to do. I am on so much medication I can’t even work. It gives me stomach aches and head aches, makes me very very jittery, and makes me irritable. I can’t do it anymore. I don’t know what else to do…neither do the doctors (except tell me to try Xolair with an out of pocket cost of $2000/mo! I would need 2 shots because my asthma is so severe). Anyway….I really appreciate your help!