Monday, November 11, 2013

The Sickies

I remember how this started all too well. It was Saturday May 4th. I woke up feeling “funny”. Not unusually funny but I just knew I was getting sick. I was super congested, slightly runny nose and downright exhausted.
I continued about my day having bouts of feeling “okay” but I didn’t even hold my Godson for fear of getting him sick. However, by Monday night I had gotten progressively worse. So much so I had gotten to the point of resorting to taking my prescription strength Motrin for the pain in my throat. Within a few hours I would feel like ‘myself’ again even if that only lasted a few hours. Then just as the sore throat stated to ease up I began having coughing attacks. Horrible coughing attacks. Finally after a near meltdown at work- I found an allergist and sent out an SOS signal.

I was so happy that there wasn’t a long wait to get an appointment. Honestly, I had waited so long I’m not sure how much I could take. The allergist did a very thorough initial exam and I thought I knew what the outcome would be.

You see, I’ve been down this road before.
About 3 years ago I finally got the nerve to go see an allergist for my symptoms. Growing up I’ve always had seasonal allergies that were sometime so severe it ended in nose bleeds… fun stuff, right?! During the course of my treatment (which required a ton of medication) I got pregnant and then stopped it all. Although some of the meds are deemed safe during pregnancy I wasn’t taking any chances .

So, here I am back in a different allergists office getting yet another scratch test (not fun at all), yet another breathing treatment, get more steroids, and then BOOM.

Doc: “You’ve got severe asthma… has anyone ever diagnosed you before?!”
Me: Excuse me?! I have what?
Doc: “So, I take it no one has ever diagnosed you before.

Me: FLOORED.

What the What?! Asthma?? Really though?!

I had never even really heard of adult on set asthma until I got my own diagnosis.

This actually rattled me a little though because doesn't having asthma require a lifestyle change?! But I like my lifestyle (for the most part). I had begun to excersice, eat better, and was losing a little bit of weight and now your telling me that my allergy triggers will cause me to have trouble breathing?

It gets worse...

Two weeks later I was back in the office for a follow-up to see if my attacks had stopped and I was able to breathe better. The nurse practitioner was in the midst of recommending allergy immunotherapy and noticed that one of the allergens (that is normally tested) was left of the 'you are allergic to this' list. So she decided to administer another allergy test for grass right there so that if I am in fact allergic to it then it needs to be included in the immunotherapy sessions. Well then....

I couldn't breathe. Not more than 20 seconds after I got the scratch test there was a tickle in my throat. All sorts of madness ensued. Dangerous type of madness. Madness that ended in my husband coming to pick me up and walking around with an EpiPen. Not cool allergies, not cool.


I've always been a little skeptical of this allergy epidemic but now to be included in it is disheartening. I don't have any food allergies (knock on wood) but to be allergic to every day substances- especially substances you can't get rid of (ie: dust) kind of alarms me. I had only been at my new job 2 months when this started so I was concerned about the time away from work this would take considering I didn't have much vacation time. AND- I think this was actually pregnancy induced asthma. Only I have no baby to show for this. It sucks.

So now to combat all this, I am up to 3 pills, two pumps, 2 nasal sprays a day.. and an EpiPen just in case. I'm not exactly sure how I am able to keep up with it all.

So for the past couple of months I have been working with doctors to find the right combination of meds to keep the asthma beast from unleashing itself and wrecking havoc on my lungs. It's a work in progress because last month I was diagnosed with bronchitis. At the same time I had laryngitis and couldn't speak for nearly a week. My husband... he was thrilled..

To further complicate things on two separate occasions I have had two different doctors tell me that my son needs to be tested for allergies because he was exhibiting symptoms. Those doctors were treating me at the time and he happened to be in the exam room with me.

So now here I am. On yet another journey. My asthma journey.

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