Mr. Asthma

Question:

>I have been taking "Marax" for 30 years and it was the ONLY medication that >ever helped.  Now, I only have few pills left, and don’t know what to take >either.  "Accolate" did absolutely nothing!  If you find something that works, >please let me know.

see my post early er today rwp

Response:

>I see 4 ref. to marax at this time, yet in none of the 4 do I find the >word "MARAX" or marax. What is the ti-end between DPH’s and marax its >self.

What are DPH’s? >I have heard roomers that marax was pulled because it was unsafe.   I >find That I must concur, but with tong in cheek.  I mean if ___ I >REPEAT    "IF"  marax was/is so unsafe  why did I use it almost daily >for 35 years?  Marax has been the backbone of my  treatment  for over >35 years.

I can’t answer these questions, as I have never used the medication, and basically know nothing about it.  Ellis, whom I was asking questions to, might be able to help you. Cindi ICQ#12949119 "I’m here to kick ass and chew bubblegum…. and I’m all out of bubblegum."   Roddy Piper in "They Live"

Response:

>Hiya – >I have a question about Marax.  Im 30 yrs old, and as a child I remember taking >a syrup called either Marax or Marex, Im not completely sure (I was >little,LOL).  I do remember it was a vile yellow syrup, and later I took pills >- never an inhaler.  Is this the same medicine you are talking about or was it >a different medication 24 years ago??

Hiya, Nancy.  I don’t really know much about the medication at all, so I really can’t tell you if it is the same or not.  But I am sure that some of the other, more knowledgeable people here caan give you the informatioon that you are looking for. Cindi ICQ#12949119 "I’m here to kick ass and chew bubblegum…. and I’m all out of bubblegum."   Roddy Piper in "They Live"

Response:

I have been taking "Marax" for 30 years and it was the ONLY medication that ever helped.  Now, I only have few pills left, and don’t know what to take either.  "Accolate" did absolutely nothing!  If you find something that works, please let me know.

Response:

> I have a question about Marax.  Im 30 yrs old, and as a child I remember taking > a syrup called either Marax or Marex, Im not completely sure (I was > little,LOL).  I do remember it was a vile yellow syrup, and later I took pills > – never an inhaler.  Is this the same medicine you are talking about or was it > a different medication 24 years ago?? > Life is uncertain – eat dessert first. > Nancy > 8=: )

Marax was available as tablets or as syrup; I don’t know the color. 24 years ago the primary asthma drugs were theophylline preparations such as Marax and Tedral [prednisone for severe cases]. Ellis

Response:

- Hide quoted text — Show quoted text ->Dry Powder Inhalers have started being released in the US; they >have no propellant and are breath-actuated. >The more common MDI (metered dose inhaler) contains a propellant, >commonly CFC, that turns to a gas and propels the particles into >the lungs. >Thank you for your information, Ellis.  I have an appoontmennnt >Tuesday AM with an asthma/allergy specialist who is going to evaluate >me to see if I qualify for a study of inhalants using no propellants. >It is going to prove to be quite interesting.  I will get blood-levels >done and also have my first pulmonary level function test done since >learning that I have asthma (about 2 years ago). >Cindi >ICQ#12949119 >"I’m here to kick ass and chew bubblegum…. and I’m all out of bubblegum."   Roddy Piper in "They Live"

I see 4 ref. to marax at this time, yet in none of the 4 do I find the word "MARAX" or marax. What is the ti-end between DPH’s and marax its self. I have heard roomers that marax was pulled because it was unsafe.   I find That I must concur, but with tong in cheek.  I mean if ___ I REPEAT    "IF"  marax was/is so unsafe  why did I use it almost daily for 35 years?  Marax has been the backbone of my  treatment  for over 35 years. Does someone here "Know" something about this medcation? I’m on a lot of stuff now less marax,  I’m not as well as I use to be.  O-well…. Ron Padgett

Response:

Hiya – I have a question about Marax.  Im 30 yrs old, and as a child I remember taking a syrup called either Marax or Marex, Im not completely sure (I was little,LOL).  I do remember it was a vile yellow syrup, and later I took pills – never an inhaler.  Is this the same medicine you are talking about or was it a different medication 24 years ago?? Life is uncertain – eat dessert first. Nancy 8=: )

Response:

>What kind of inhalers are you using now?  I’ve had very good results with the dry inhalers but I’ve heard that >others have not been as lucky.  I’m wishing you good luck at your visit on Tuesday……

I have an albuterol inhaler for quick relief, and an Atrovent that I use 2 puffs 4 times a day.  And thanks for the good luck wishes for my visit Tuesday.  It should prove to be quite interesting. >I’d be curious as to which steriod this was.  Did you have any side effects?

I can’t remember what the name of that steroid was right off the bat, but I think it was methyl-something.  If I see the name of it on a web page, I’ll know it.  I had a temp of over 102 when I got that shot, so I was definitely out of it. >Hey, no problem  I think talking about some of the problems with asthma make it easier to deal with.

Yes, you’re right about that.  I have a couple of friends who have exercise-induced asthma, but it’s nothing like what I am suffering from, and they only have the mild-intermittent severity.  So, it’s nice to find others who have the same problems that I do, and can help me find solutions to them. Cindi ICQ#12949119 "I’m here to kick ass and chew bubblegum…. and I’m all out of bubblegum."   Roddy Piper in "They Live"

Response:

>While I do seem to pick up colds easy, this is nothing new.  The medications must be working as I have not >had to use Prednisone since last May and despite the colds, my asthma is under good control.  At least it >was until the high levels of carbon monoxide in the house.  That problem was fixed and the asthma appears to >be settling down even though I still have other symptoms.  So all in all, I am very pleased with the way I >have responded to the dry inhalers.

Hello again, Janine.  Thanks for responding to my question so quickly. I have an appointment with an asthma/allergy specialist on Tuesday to be evaluated for a study that he is conducting on inhalers using new propellants.  The medicine in the inhalers are all proven to work against asthma, they are just trying to determinne what is the best new type of propellant to use because they are discontinuing the use of CFC’s in inhalers.  I wonder if the dry inhalers are going to be among the ones tested. I, too, catch colds easily, and have ever since I was a child.  I was always suffering from bouts of bronchitis, and I now wonder if it was asthma instead, and my doctor just wasn’t able to pick it up.  I have used prednisone 3 times in the past 14 months.  The first time was a 5-day pack.  I suffered a bit of the nervous energy and being hungry, but nothing serious.  The week before Christmas ‘98, I had a really severe asthma attack which was attributed to a URI (upper respiratory infection), so the doctor put me on erythromycin and the 10 day pack of prednisone.  Christmas Day, I had a major migrane attack, with nauseusness, sensitivity to light, and extreme fatigue.  I called the Dr., and they thought I was suffering from an allergic-type reaction to the prednisone, so they tapered me off.  Then, not even a month later, I caught the flu bug that was going around (high fever, cough, acheyness).  My inhaled medicines at home were not helping, so I went back to the ER.  They gave me 3 breathing treatments, and wanted to prescribe another 10-day course of prednisone.  When I told them about the reaction I had to the last one, they recommended another type of cocortisteroid (not sure of the spelling) in a shot form that was super-fast acting, along with a 3 day course of prednisone.  I did fine with that, and they also gave me some Zithromax, because I had a bit of bronchitis forming, and wanted to catch it before it got severe. I’m sorry about running on like that, but I just started typing and couldn’t stop. Cindi ICQ#12949119 "I’m here to kick ass and chew bubblegum…. and I’m all out of bubblegum."   Roddy Piper in "They Live"

Response:

>Dry Powder Inhalers have started being released in the US; they >have no propellant and are breath-actuated. >The more common MDI (metered dose inhaler) contains a propellant, >commonly CFC, that turns to a gas and propels the particles into >the lungs.

Thank you for your information, Ellis.  I have an appoontmennnt Tuesday AM with an asthma/allergy specialist who is going to evaluate me to see if I qualify for a study of inhalants using no propellants. It is going to prove to be quite interesting.  I will get blood-levels done and also have my first pulmonary level function test done since learning that I have asthma (about 2 years ago). Cindi ICQ#12949119 "I’m here to kick ass and chew bubblegum…. and I’m all out of bubblegum."   Roddy Piper in "They Live"

Response:

>My specialist prescribed Foradil for nocturnal asthma.  Foradil is very similar >to SereVent except that it is a dry inhaler.  Foradil lasts 12 hours too.  I’ve >had good results with it. >Janine

Janinie, may I please ask a question.  What exactly is a "dry" inhaler?  I have never heard of one.  In my reasoning, it seems like the dry particles would lodge in the lining of the bronchial tubes, therefore inncreasing the risk of infectiion and severe asthma attacks.  Of course, I have only had asthma for about 2 years, so I am still learning about such things. Cindi ICQ#12949119 "I’m here to kick ass and chew bubblegum…. and I’m all out of bubblegum."   Roddy Piper in "They Live"

Response:

- Hide quoted text — Show quoted text ->My specialist prescribed Foradil for nocturnal asthma.  Foradil is very similar >to SereVent except that it is a dry inhaler.  Foradil lasts 12 hours too.  I’ve >had good results with it. >Janine > Janinie, may I please ask a question.  What exactly is a "dry" > inhaler?  I have never heard of one.  In my reasoning, it seems like > the dry particles would lodge in the lining of the bronchial tubes, > therefore inncreasing the risk of infectiion and severe asthma > attacks.  Of course, I have only had asthma for about 2 years, so I am > still learning about such things. > Cindi    ICQ#12949119

Dry Powder Inhalers have started being released in the US; they have no propellant and are breath-actuated. The more common MDI (metered dose inhaler) contains a propellant, commonly CFC, that turns to a gas and propels the particles into the lungs. Both types of inhalers contain particles; DPIs have been used in other countries for many years with a good safety record. The act of inhaling the powder draws the drug deep into the lungs. I now use a Pulmicort Turbuhaler and love it; 200 doses of 200 ug budesonide in one small inhaler, no spacer is used so it’s convenient for travel; I usually use 1 puff twice a day, so one container is good for 100 days. Serevent, Flovent and Ventolin (albuterol) have been released  as DPI in the US, in addition to Pulmicort. Here’s a link with more info on types of inhalers: http://www.lung.ca/asthma/manage/devices.html   Inhalation Devices (MDI, DPI, Nebulizer) Ellis

Response:

> I was the last of my doctor’s patients to take Marax but it’s the only med > that seems to help my first cousin (he has very bad night-time asthma). > He’s on Vanceril twice a day and Ventolin as needed but Marax before > bedtime gets him through the night. > Now we learn that Marax is no longer made.  Anyone know of an alternative? > I know that this "combination" drug therapy is no longer the method of > treatment, but it’s been working, does work, so why change?  I’ve seen a > listing of ingredients in Quadrinal but isn’t an exact equivalent. > Any thoughts, suggestions, help would be appreciated.

Checking the USP, Marax is a combination of: theophylline, ephedrine, and hydroxyzine. The current treatment for nocturnal asthma is either: increase the inhaled steroids, Vanceril in this case, to better control the asthma; or add a long-acting bronchodilator, either theophylline sustained- release (TheoDur) tablets or the Serevent inhaler; both last for 12 hours. TheoDur and Serevent require a prescription. TheoDur contains one of the drugs in Marax and might be worth trying first; along with possibly increasing the Vanceril. [I use TheoDur 200 mg tabs as an additive drug, as well as Serevent inhaler, along with Pulmicort Turbuhaler & Singulair tablets] Ephedrine is a nonselective bronchodilator; Ventolin is beta2-selective so targets just the bronchial tubes. Hydroxyzine is a sedating type of antihistamine (Atarax). He could try substituting another antihistamine like chlorpheniramine (OTC). However antihistmines are not considered first line asthma meds; they do help control allergic rhinitis (hayfever). Hydroxyzine was probably added to the Marax formula to counteract the stimulative effects of ephedrine. More info on drugs at www.rxlist.com Ellis

Response:

I was the last of my doctor’s patients to take Marax but it’s the only med that seems to help my first cousin (he has very bad night-time asthma). He’s on Vanceril twice a day and Ventolin as needed but Marax before bedtime gets him through the night. Now we learn that Marax is no longer made.  Anyone know of an alternative? I know that this "combination" drug therapy is no longer the method of treatment, but it’s been working, does work, so why change?  I’ve seen a listing of ingredients in Quadrinal but isn’t an exact equivalent. Any thoughts, suggestions, help would be appreciated.

Response: