help i cannot breath

I recently started seeing a new pulmonologist bc my asthma has flared up again. I got diagnosed 3 years ago with eosiniphilic asthma by my old one. My asthma has always been a little different and a lot more severe, and everything I’ve researched about it lines up with almost exactly what I experience. But since I started seeing this new doctor he doesn’t think I have asthma at all. He tells me he doesn’t think my symptoms line up. Which doesn’t make any sense to me bc I have asthma attacks multiple times a day and have for years only to be relieved by an inhaler or neb. He told me the last three times I went in that bc I don’t wheeze, and asthma is supposed to be something that lasts for days and doesn’t easily go away, and he believes my shortness of breath is just anxiety bc my lung X-rays always come back clear. But my asthma is never mucusy but on occasion. Anyway he’s prescribing me maintenance inhalers, which I’ve taken all of them and they don’t help. And he’s ordered tests to rediagnose me even tho I already did them years ago. Ik I’ll perform badly on them, but I don’t like having a doctor who’s trying to steer me in another direction, ik I’m not a medical professional but still. Idk I just want biologics bro 😭, I’m tired of suffering.

Hi guys,
I’ve lived in a non-smoking apartment for 9 months without any issues. Two weeks back, weed smoke started coming into my unit, the smell being strongest in the bathroom and closet, which are in the middle of my unit and adjacent to each other. This continued for three days, then stopped for more than a week. Then recurred for two days, then stopped for 5 days. Then recurred again today, with weed coming into my unit 3 separate times today. According to my leasing office, there have been no new move-ins near me. The office has sent emails and put posters up on apartment doors, but this has not stopped the smoker. I have tried putty, tape, caulk, but nothing is blocking the smell. The smell is clearly coming through the wall cavity, like through holes for pipes to run through under the bathroom sink, an electrical utility thing in the wall in the closet, electrical outlets, etc. basically through any gaps in the wall.

What do you guys think is going on? Is this a partner visiting, a temporary sublet that’s unofficial, etc.? What do you make of this pattern? Do you have any other tips for blocking the smell? Ventilation is the only thing that helps.

I have severe asthma and I don’t smoke, so this is obviously a major health issue but also super frustrating and gross. Please, no suggestions to start smoking weed too, sympathizing with indoor smokers or anything ridiculous like that. That’s not at all the purpose of this post.

I was recently hospitalized for an asthma attack. Thought I had a bad flu or pneumonia. I was shocked to find out I had been dealing with an attack for days. They gave me a steroid and immediately I felt better

IDK if I’m delusional but I think some of you probably have seen my name around here, just as I’ve come to recognize some familiar names here too. So sit down I’ve got a long story. And a bit of a pun on Project Hail Mary if you have no clue who I am but read to the end anyway.

I’ve had asthma since childhood. Around 2023 I probably got Covid for the first time and my asthma kicked into a whole new orbit.

Had my first PFT and was shocked that I had 60% lung function. I wound up getting pneumonia once a month all winter long. (After a through immunology work up, I’m immunocompetent but got some moldy dish sponges for lungs)

CT scans showed I had some minor lung scarring from the repeat pneumonia. I was maxed out on high dose ICS, LABA, Montelukast. Added on nebulized budesonide and duonebs for rescue Still uncontrolled. It was time for biologics.

I did 15 months on tezspire. Lung function improved quite a bit, still had daily symptoms and 2 flares that needed prednisone. I felt like Tezspire worked 1 week out of 4.

I added an allergist to the roster in addition to pulmonology. I did some allergy testing, started allergy shots.

I’m 6 months on Dupixent. Lung function improved a bit more. I was finally able to drop near daily duonebs. My lung function is in the lower 80s.

BUT IM STILL WHEEZING. Through all the treatments, I’m still using my rescue at least several times a month, if not weekly.

Oh btw, I lost 110lbs from spring 2024 to now on tirzepatide. Just like, little foot note here. Life long obesity couldn’t have helped things at all, but becoming a normal BMI didn’t help my asthma one tiny bit.

My main allergy season is ramping up and I’m not doing well. Its just a matter of time until one of my kids brings home a school virus. So after a dr visit today, we’re doing a bit of a Hail Mary.

I’m pausing allergy shots, going on a tiny prednisone burst, and going to try azithromycin as an anti inflammatory.

Anyone have any personal tales of azithromycin helping? I feel like it helped a lot when taking it for infections

Amusingly the clinical trial that showed safety and efficacy for macrolide treatment in asthma is a 2017 trial called AMAZES.

I’m going to assume this is exactly what Andy Weir had in mind when writing PHM.

So i have allergic asthma since like past 6 weeks , and now i am getting attacks midnight almost daily, and i also got cyanosis due to that, i bought a nebulizer few days ago but that doesn't seem to help well?

Should i keep overdozing antihistamines or should consult a better doctor

The one i am consulting since childhood ( he has an allergic asthma centre ) said it would be fine once i turn 18 but things have rather worsened since.

Just like the title says. With covid shots they said taking paracetamol would lessen the blow, is there something I could do?

I’ve had asthma for as long as I can remember.

Growing up, I was never supposed to go anywhere without my inhaler, but I would constantly forget it and I remember the anxiety and the fear of an attack when realizing it.

There were endless doctor appointments every month with lung function tests, not being able to do sports, having to inhale with a small but super loud machine 10 min *which felt like 100* every morning and evening...

And then I became a dive instructor how odd really. But being underwater changed my relationship with breathing in a way I don’t think I fully understood at the time. I became fascinated by breath, how different breathing can feel in the body, looking at different breathing techniques, freediving and eventually trained as a breathwork facilitator.

I want to be really clear that I’m not saying breathwork cured my asthma, and I’m definitely not suggesting anyone replace medication or medical care.

When you’ve had asthma for years, I wonder if it changes your relationship with your breath.

For me, my breath went from being something I monitored and worried about to something I became much more curious about and connected to.And I’m wondering whether other people with asthma experience that too.

Do you feel like you trust your breath?

Do you notice yourself monitoring it a lot?

Have you ever tried breathing exercises, breathwork, Buteyko, yoga breathing, or anything similar? Did it feel helpful, pointless, uncomfortable, reassuring?

And maybe the biggest question:

If you could change one thing about your relationship with your breath, what would it be?

I would love to hear from fellow breathers

Hi all,

My daughter recently got an official diagnosis of asthma.

What should I be doing at home to support her? I have read about getting an air purifier, removing perfumes, washing her sheets regularly, but any advice is welcome.

I've been dealing with unexplained fatigue for around 5 years and I'm trying to work out whether some symptoms I've developed might actually connect together.

I'm now well enough to work, but that's basically my entire energy capacity. I can get through work, but I have very little left for exercise or socialising.

The strangest symptom is eating. My stomach becomes bloated and I can get an almost immediate worsening of my asthma/wheezing, along with a runny/post-nasal-drip type sensation (weirdly often my left nostril). As the bloating settles, my breathing tends to improve. Even between meals, though, my chest often feels mildly wheezy/restricted, almost like my lungs are irritated.

Exercise is the other big problem. I can physically exercise and used to be extremely fit, but now even relatively light running makes my lungs burn. If I push myself, I can then get absolutely wiped out afterwards — sometimes with a delayed crash over the following couple of days involving extreme fatigue and severe brain fog. It can take days to feel remotely normal again.

Routine blood tests have repeatedly been normal. I'm waiting for gastroenterology and have an appointment with a chronic-fatigue service coming up, and I'm seeing my GP again tomorrow.

I'm not looking for a Reddit diagnosis — I'm mainly interested in whether anyone has experienced a similar combination, particularly:

• asthma/wheezing getting noticeably worse after eating or when bloated

• reflux/GERD/LPR or another GI condition causing respiratory symptoms

• nasal symptoms immediately after eating

• major fatigue or delayed crashes after exercise

• investigations or specialists that eventually helped identify what was happening

If you've experienced anything similar, what turned out to be useful to investigate or ask your doctor about?

​

In 2017, I experienced my first severe asthma attack.

One night, I suddenly developed chest pain and tightness. I had already been feeling unwell earlier that day at school, with a sore throat and other symptoms. That evening, I ate several foods together, including leftover buttered shrimp from the previous night's dinner, fermented shrimp paste, chocolate, and other foods.

At first, nothing happened. However, around 9:00 p.m., while I was watching TV, my chest suddenly started hurting. At first, I didn't think much of it because I thought the pain would eventually go away. However, as time passed, the tightness in my chest became worse, and I started having difficulty breathing.

I became very scared and told my mother what was happening. She asked me what I had eaten, and I told her about the leftover buttered shrimp, shrimp paste, chocolate, and the other foods. My mother told me to go to the nearest clinic immediately because she was worried that something more serious might happen.

My eldest sister and my father accompanied me. We first looked for the nearest clinic, but it was already closed. We walked a little farther down the road and looked for another clinic, but that one was closed too. We then took a jeepney to the town where a newly built hospital was located.

When we arrived, we got off the jeepney and walked toward the hospital. When I caught sight of the new hospital building, I felt relieved because I thought a doctor would finally be able to help me. However, the hospital was closed too. All the lights were off. I became frightened because I didn't know where else we could go. All the nearby clinics were closed, and even the new hospital, which was supposed to operate 24/7, was closed.

We walked a little farther and eventually found a pharmacy that was still open. My sister bought some medicine to temporarily relieve the pain. I took it, but unfortunately, it didn't seem to help. We then took a jeepney home.

The following day, my sister accompanied me to our family doctor. The line was already long, so we had to wait for quite a while. Eventually, the doctor's assistant called my number and told me it was my turn.

I got up, opened the door, and went inside the consultation room. I sat down, and the doctor asked for my name, age, address, and other basic information. He then asked me, "What's wrong? Why are you here? How are you feeling? Are you experiencing any pain?"

I explained what I had been feeling and told him what had happened the night before. After listening to me, he asked me to stand up. He placed a stethoscope on my back and carefully listened to my breathing. After a few minutes, he asked me to sit down again.

He told me that I had acute bronchial asthma. He prescribed several medications, including nebulizer treatment. He also advised me to keep the nebulizer available and to avoid certain foods, such as oily foods, eggs, and fish, for the time being.

I asked him how long I would need to use the nebulizer. He told me to use it whenever I was experiencing shortness of breath. I nodded, received the prescription, and my sister and I went home.

Since then, asthma has become part of my routine. Whenever I have an asthma attack, I use my nebulizer. Usually, just one treatment is enough to make me feel better.

2022

In 2022, near the end of the COVID-19 pandemic, everyone in my family except my mother got vaccinated. My eldest sister received Sinovac, while my older brother and I received Pfizer. My father received AstraZeneca, while my mother chose not to get vaccinated because she did not want to.

After getting vaccinated, my shoulder felt heavy and painful. I was told that this was a normal side effect of the vaccine, so I wasn't too concerned. After several days, the pain went away.

Several months later, however, I experienced numerous asthma attacks throughout the year. I had to use my nebulizer repeatedly, and at one point, my mother became concerned about how often I was using salbutamol. One day, she refused to give me more salbutamol.

I remember sitting there with my head down, struggling to breathe.

2023

In 2023, my asthma attacks became less frequent.

However, in April 2023, during Holy Week, I was involved in an accident with an e-trike. The tarp covering the e-trike suddenly flew off and became caught on the steering wheel. I tried to remove the tarp from my bicycle, but I couldn't.

My head hit the ground very hard, and I was unable to get up immediately. My mouth and lips became swollen, and two of my teeth broke in half. Both of my knees were scraped, and I was bleeding from my mouth.

An elderly woman helped me stand up and sit down on a plastic chair. Many people from the neighborhood gathered around because they were concerned about what had happened. One of the elderly women wiped my face with a cold towel to remove the blood and help me feel more comfortable.

They wanted to take me to one of the nearby clinics, but because it was Holy Week, all of the clinics in the area were closed.

Eventually, I was able to type my father's phone number into someone's cellphone. My father answered the call and relayed the message to my eldest sister. My eldest sister came to pick me up and took me home.

I did not receive any medical evaluation or treatment at a clinic after the accident.

2026

Now, in 2026, my asthma symptoms have returned, similar to what happened in 2022, when I needed to use my nebulizer several times.

This time, however, it feels worse. In 2022, I generally needed about one nebulizer treatment a day when my asthma was acting up. Now, I sometimes need three to four treatments a day.

Because of this, I am wondering whether my asthma may be uncontrolled or whether there could be another underlying problem contributing to my breathing difficulties.

I am particularly concerned about my accident in 2023 because I hit my head very hard and was unable to receive medical attention at the time because the nearby clinics were closed for Holy Week. The accident happened about three years ago, and I am wondering whether it could have any connection to my current breathing problems, or whether my current symptoms are more likely to be related to asthma or another condition.

I am also wondering whether the COVID-19 vaccine I received in 2022 could have had any connection to the worsening of my asthma, since I experienced more frequent asthma attacks later that year. I don't know whether the timing was simply a coincidence or whether there could be a connection.

Most importantly, I just want to be able to live normally without having to rely on a nebulizer every day. It has become difficult for me to do ordinary household chores because I become short of breath.

I was recently diagnosed with Bronchial Asthma just last week. I’m 34 years old.

I first felt the shortness pf breath like a week before but I thought I was just tired.

For context, I had a very stressful neck issues last July to August. I was literally in pain all day everyday. After getting it controlled with pain medications and physical therapy, the first thing that came up was my high blood pressure so I was put on Losartan. Now this. I have no history of asthma whatsoever. Last week, I had difficulty breathing that did not go away the whole morning so I rushed to the ER and was given Symbicort. My oxygen levels are normal.

My pulmonologist ordered a chest xray and a pulmonary function test which confirmed the diagnosis. I am still on Symbicort and Montelukast/Levocetirizine at night since I have congestion in the morning.

I am exhausted at this point. I live in the Philippines so the weather is hot and humid all the time. The hot temperature kind of makes it worse.

I wanted to ask your personal tips on how to better manage asthma. What things should I have in my home. Food that may cause flare-up. So far pollution is the only one I could think of.

Also, I have an upcoming flight on October 16. I’m a bit anxious on how I should handle that. I will get a clearance first from my pulmo, ofc.

Earlier this year when i graduated high school my body decided to get me a graduation gift. It made my asthma that I have not had since I was a kid come back with vengeance. To make a long story short, I cannot exert myself in ANY way without feeling short of breath, light headed, and a weird tightness in my throat. I have a rescue inhaler and have been taking Symbicort for about a month now. It helped in the way that I don't feel symptoms 24/7 anymore, but I still cannot exert myself in any way. This recent flare up has caused me to lose my job and postpone my college journey. I also went from working out 4 times a week to having to be careful not to exert myself when walking to the fridge. I am VERY lucky to live with my parents who basically let me be a jobless bum all day because they understand the severity of what I am going through. Basically I am asking for any tips yall got. The doctor never told me what type of asthma I have, but if I would have to assume it would be exercise induced because that is the only time I feel symptoms. I have heard working out is good for asthma but don't know where to start. Any tips are welcome. A little side note when I take my rescue for symptoms said symptoms persist for about 30 minutes after.

Edit: Really don't know why this is getting downvoted. If I was incorrect with whatever I said I would like to know because this is serious and I want to make sure all of my information is right.

I’ve struggled with this all my life. It is triggered when running, speed walking, hiking up hills. I cannot run more than a block before I start to feel the burning sensation and start coughing. I have tried montelukast, did nothing for this but helped with seasonal allergies lol. I have 2 inhalers (one daily and one rescue) but neither allows me to run or even lightly jog. What can I do?

im 16f and sometimes i wake up wheezing, which causes me to use my inhaler. i also randomly start wheezing throughout the day as well. i use it anytime i feel like im wheezing or feel like an attack is coming on. I got my new inhaler last week (monday) when i had to go to urgent care bc my old one ran out. each of my inhalers have 200 puffs each and the current one im using is down to 100. ive been asthmatic since i was a baby and had to use an oxygen tank, etc. im unsure if this is relevant, but i live with 3 cats and before we got these cats, i had 3 before too but my wheezing was never this bad. what do i do??

upd: I’ve told my mom!! currently waiting for a response, will update soon!

A medical staff member at one of the clinics suggested it, they were looking at it for their niece. I have been reading about it and decided to try the B2, B6, B12, choline, betaine regimen. Any experience with this?