Mr. Asthma » Asthma Symptoms » Air
Air
Question:
I have been living in the city for about 3 and a half years and was just diagnosed with asthma in September. I didn’t think it could be the air, even though the air where I live is awfully congested. I recently came home from a caribbean vacation where my breathing was the same–it didn’t get better like I had wished but it didn’t get worse either. The day that I got back to the city, however, it got worse and now it’s very bad, basically like I’m having an attack. Maybe it’s just a coincidence but I’m sure that the bad air v. the purer air has something to do with it. I’m not going to buy an expensive air filtration system because I simply do not have the $$ or the time to spend make my apartment my own "bubble" of clean air. So now I’m at a loss! I just don’t know what other alternatives I have and I can’t figure out why after live 3 1/2 years here I am all of sudden affected by this air. Can someone help me? I also have another question: Would it be possible for hormone fluctuation (ie. women’s menstruation) to cause a flair up of symtpoms? Thanks!
Response:
Stephanie Bell: >I also have another question: Would it be possible for hormone >fluctuation (ie. women’s menstruation) to cause a flair up of symtpoms?
Boy, THERE’S a question! I swear it’s true. I never, ever, EVER had any breathing problems until after I had my son two years ago. I used to kid around saying that I was allergic to my son. 
Since he was born I’ve had all sorts of weirdo hormone related junk going on. I’m SOOOOO much more sensitive to things (medications, foods…) since then. Good luck. I hope you feel better. Heck, I hope WE ALL feel better real soon! Ruth CM
Response:
>I have been living in the city for about 3 and a half years and was just >diagnosed with asthma in September. I didn’t think it could be the air, >even though the air where I live is awfully congested. I recently came >home from a caribbean vacation where my breathing was the same–it >didn’t get better like I had wished but it didn’t get worse either. The >day that I got back to the city, however, it got worse and now it’s very >bad, basically like I’m having an attack. Maybe it’s just a coincidence >but I’m sure that the bad air v. the purer air has something to do with >it. I’m not going to buy an expensive air filtration system because I >simply do not have the $$ or the time to spend make my apartment my own >"bubble" of clean air. So now I’m at a loss! I just don’t know what >other alternatives I have and I can’t figure out why after live 3 1/2 >years here I am all of sudden affected by this air. Can someone help >me?
I live in the Los Angeles basin and have found that the key is getting the asthma under control. Active asthma primes your airways to be hyper reactive to stimuli (such as air pollution). If you are having active asthma symptoms for the period of time implied by your post, you should see your doctor. >I also have another question: Would it be possible for hormone >fluctuation (ie. women’s menstruation) to cause a flair up of symtpoms?
Yes. It’s a terrible responsibility – but somebody has to be the Americans.
Response:
> I have been living in the city for about 3 and a half years and was just > diagnosed with asthma in September. I didn’t think it could be the air, > even though the air where I live is awfully congested. I recently came > home from a caribbean vacation where my breathing was the same–it > didn’t get better like I had wished but it didn’t get worse either. The > day that I got back to the city, however, it got worse and now it’s very > bad, basically like I’m having an attack.
Did you change (or forget) your meds while you were gone? Did you put on weight?
Response:
>It depends on the year… in my 1994 the compressor has a separate >button.
Put it in Defrost mode and I bet your compressor cycles.
Response:
In Defrost, the A/C is operational. This is to help with removing moisture and defogging the windshield. >Anytime you select a heater mode that discharges onto the windshield, you >are cycling the compressor…. > It depends on the year… in my 1994 the compressor has a separate > button.
– GO WINGS!!! NHL – The Coolest Game on Earth!
Response:
>>Anytime you select a heater mode that discharges onto the windshield, you >are cycling the compressor…. >It depends on the year… in my 1994 the compressor has a separate >button.
I’ve had cars like that, too. I much prefer it to the present "automatic" turning on of the compressor! Alan
Response:
> I’ve had cars like that, too. I much prefer it to the present > "automatic" turning on of the compressor!
Speaking of which, can the "old" style HVAC control with the separate AC button be retro-fitted into newer vehicles in lieu of the "new" control? (Jim, Vic?) I _hate_ the new style manual control that doesn’t give you the ability to have the AC on your feet as well as the dash openings. Regards, James
Response:
Anytime you select a heater mode that discharges onto the windshield, you are cycling the compressor….
– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text ->>Is there any type of maintenance to prevent this from happening? > my maintenance is to use the compressor for at least 5 minutes every > week all year round… dunno if dried seals are your problem, though.
Response:
>Anytime you select a heater mode that discharges onto the windshield, you >are cycling the compressor….
It depends on the year… in my 1994 the compressor has a separate button.
Response:
>>Is there any type of maintenance to prevent this from happening?
my maintenance is to use the compressor for at least 5 minutes every week all year round… dunno if dried seals are your problem, though.
Response:
I have a ‘92 with 180,000 miles on it and still the original compressor. If your shop is telling you to expect the thing to fail every two or three years, I would try a different shop. – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text ->I have a ‘92 Explorer with over 250,000 miles that has been and still is a >great ride. I have had only one re-occurring problem. Every two to three >years the air conditioner compressor goes out and the whole system has to be >replaced. Once it went out two summers in a row, thank goodness it was just >before the one year warranty they had given me ran out. I’m two years on >this one and it would cost about as much to replace it as the value of the >vehicle. >I’ve been told that it is just the nature of the beast. >Is there any type of maintenance to prevent this from happening? >Is there an after market solution, that would be cheaper and last longer, if >it does happen again? >CC my email for convenience.
Response:
Ford reccomends flushing the condensor and evap core with the approved Rotunda flushing equipment/agent, replacing the accumulator, orifice tube, and any refrigerant lines that have mufflers. Alternative to flushing is a high side pancake filter which is run in the system for 2 hours and then removed. Installation of a suction filter has the possibility of clogging up and starving the compressor, setting the system up for another failure. – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – > I have to woner if the system is being properly cleaned at the time of the > replacement. All of the compressor manufacturers/remanufacturers that I am > familiar with will not honour any warranty claims if the condensor, orofice > tube and receiver/drier haven’t been replaced and if the lines and > evaporator haven’t been thoroughly flushed. I’d also consider the addition > of an inline filter in the suction or low side line near the compressor. > Good luck, > — > Jim Warman > I have a ‘92 Explorer with over 250,000 miles that has been and still is a > great ride. I have had only one re-occurring problem. Every two to three > years the air conditioner compressor goes out and the whole system has to > be > replaced. Once it went out two summers in a row, thank goodness it was > just > before the one year warranty they had given me ran out. I’m two years on > this one and it would cost about as much to replace it as the value of the > vehicle. > I’ve been told that it is just the nature of the beast. > Is there any type of maintenance to prevent this from happening? > Is there an after market solution, that would be cheaper and last longer, > if > it does happen again? > CC my email for convenience. > — > . > pAUL > ^O^O^ > . > The preservation of liberty depends upon the intellectual and moral > character of the people. As long as knowledge and virtue are diffused > generally among the body of a nation, it is impossible they should be > enslaved….John Adams > . > It also helps if they’re armed….pAUL > .
– GO WINGS!!! NHL – The Coolest Game on Earth!
Response:
Here, the warranty on a compressor is only valid if you install an inline filter — mike
– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -> I have to woner if the system is being properly cleaned at the time of the > replacement. All of the compressor manufacturers/remanufacturers that I am > familiar with will not honour any warranty claims if the condensor, orofice > tube and receiver/drier haven’t been replaced and if the lines and > evaporator haven’t been thoroughly flushed. I’d also consider the addition > of an inline filter in the suction or low side line near the compressor. > Good luck, > — > Jim Warman > I have a ‘92 Explorer with over 250,000 miles that has been and still is a > great ride. I have had only one re-occurring problem. Every two to three > years the air conditioner compressor goes out and the whole system has to > be > replaced. Once it went out two summers in a row, thank goodness it was > just > before the one year warranty they had given me ran out. I’m two years on > this one and it would cost about as much to replace it as the value of the > vehicle. > I’ve been told that it is just the nature of the beast. > Is there any type of maintenance to prevent this from happening? > Is there an after market solution, that would be cheaper and last longer, > if > it does happen again? > CC my email for convenience. > — > . > pAUL > ^O^O^ > . > The preservation of liberty depends upon the intellectual and moral > character of the people. As long as knowledge and virtue are diffused > generally among the body of a nation, it is impossible they should be > enslaved….John Adams > . > It also helps if they’re armed….pAUL > .
Response:
I have a ‘92 Explorer with over 250,000 miles that has been and still is a great ride. I have had only one re-occurring problem. Every two to three years the air conditioner compressor goes out and the whole system has to be replaced. Once it went out two summers in a row, thank goodness it was just before the one year warranty they had given me ran out. I’m two years on this one and it would cost about as much to replace it as the value of the vehicle. I’ve been told that it is just the nature of the beast. Is there any type of maintenance to prevent this from happening? Is there an after market solution, that would be cheaper and last longer, if it does happen again? CC my email for convenience. — . pAUL ^O^O^ . The preservation of liberty depends upon the intellectual and moral character of the people. As long as knowledge and virtue are diffused generally among the body of a nation, it is impossible they should be enslaved….John Adams . It also helps if they’re armed….pAUL .
Response:
I have to woner if the system is being properly cleaned at the time of the replacement. All of the compressor manufacturers/remanufacturers that I am familiar with will not honour any warranty claims if the condensor, orofice tube and receiver/drier haven’t been replaced and if the lines and evaporator haven’t been thoroughly flushed. I’d also consider the addition of an inline filter in the suction or low side line near the compressor. Good luck, — Jim Warman
– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -> I have a ‘92 Explorer with over 250,000 miles that has been and still is a > great ride. I have had only one re-occurring problem. Every two to three > years the air conditioner compressor goes out and the whole system has to be > replaced. Once it went out two summers in a row, thank goodness it was just > before the one year warranty they had given me ran out. I’m two years on > this one and it would cost about as much to replace it as the value of the > vehicle. > I’ve been told that it is just the nature of the beast. > Is there any type of maintenance to prevent this from happening? > Is there an after market solution, that would be cheaper and last longer, if > it does happen again? > CC my email for convenience. > — > . > pAUL > ^O^O^ > . > The preservation of liberty depends upon the intellectual and moral > character of the people. As long as knowledge and virtue are diffused > generally among the body of a nation, it is impossible they should be > enslaved….John Adams > . > It also helps if they’re armed….pAUL > .