Mr. Asthma

Question:

Briefly, I am in my 50’s in pretty good shape with chronic asthma since adulthood. I use advair, humibid and Claritin. Since May of 02 I have been doing a good job of tracking my peak flow 2-3 times a day, and averaging it weekly. I live in the Northeast, and was doing well even during the hot weather. In September I dropped of 5 percent, in October I dropped another 10 %. Around 2 weeks ago I started coughing, sore etc and dropped peak flow by about 20% versus last May. I’m better now, but still off by up to 20%, and I wonder why I started dropping off when the weather turned dryer, and cooler. Seems reversed to what I would figure. My best months were June and July. Has anyone else dropped function with a weather change to cooler / dryer? SEPARATE INFO: FYI: In May of 2001 I was using an albuter inhaler every 10 days, then started Advair, I increased my flow by 20 to 30 % and completely stopped the Ablution. All this was before my current situation outlined above. Thanks, Ron

Response:

SPELL CHECK butchered up Albuterol, I swear:-) – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -> Briefly, I am in my 50’s in pretty good shape with chronic asthma since > adulthood. I use advair, humibid and Claritin. Since May of 02 I have been > doing a good job of tracking my peak flow 2-3 times a day, and averaging it > weekly. > I live in the Northeast, and was doing well even during the hot weather. In > September I dropped of 5 percent, in October I dropped another 10 %. Around > 2 weeks ago I started coughing, sore etc and dropped peak flow by about 20% > versus last May. I’m better now, but still off by up to 20%, and I wonder > why I started dropping off when the weather turned dryer, and cooler. Seems > reversed to what I would figure. My best months were June and July. Has > anyone else dropped function with a weather change to cooler / dryer? > SEPARATE INFO: > FYI: In May of 2001 I was using an albuter inhaler every 10 days, then > started Advair, I increased my flow by 20 to 30 % and completely stopped the > Ablution. All this was before my current situation outlined above. > Thanks, > Ron

Response:

I have that, but I go the other way. I get better with dryer, cooler. I also anticipate a thunderstorm before the event though. I can predict rain better than any weatherman with all their knowledge and radar. There are theories on why this happens, but I don’t know that anyone can tell you for sure why asthmatics have more trouble during climate changes. – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -> Briefly, I am in my 50’s in pretty good shape with chronic asthma since > adulthood. I use advair, humibid and Claritin. Since May of 02 I have been > doing a good job of tracking my peak flow 2-3 times a day, and averaging it > weekly. > I live in the Northeast, and was doing well even during the hot weather. In > September I dropped of 5 percent, in October I dropped another 10 %. Around > 2 weeks ago I started coughing, sore etc and dropped peak flow by about 20% > versus last May. I’m better now, but still off by up to 20%, and I wonder > why I started dropping off when the weather turned dryer, and cooler. Seems > reversed to what I would figure. My best months were June and July. Has > anyone else dropped function with a weather change to cooler / dryer? > SEPARATE INFO: > FYI: In May of 2001 I was using an albuter inhaler every 10 days, then > started Advair, I increased my flow by 20 to 30 % and completely stopped the > Ablution. All this was before my current situation outlined above. > Thanks, > Ron

Response:

When the weather cools and the landlord starts sending up steam to my radiators, the air in my apartment soon becomes dry to my nose.  I haul out the humidifier. When the steam heat stops in the spring  my de-humidifier very soon kicks in, as this Atlantic Coast prevailing humidity pervades the apartment.

Response: