Ideas for Asthma

[lwheelr]

Ok, I'm really having trouble breathing. Not sure what is in the air that is causing this, but it is bad enough that any deep breath causes me to cough and catches all across my lungs. It does not feel like a cold or flu.

Thing is, I'm pregnant, and the pregnancy is pretty tenuous, so I have to go with really mild herbal options.

I'm trying to isolate the offending triggers - I think my laundry soap is one of them, but there have to be more. Probably my shampoo, which I don't know what to do about, because there just isn't anything else I can use right now - very hard to find shampoos that do not cause my head to itch and bleed.

I just need a bit of a brainstorm to come up with some ideas.

 

[lwheelr]

Oh, and at one time I was diagnosed with exercise induced asthma, and prescribed an inhaler, with the following results:

The one that worked for the breathing caused sinus problems, and was not safe during pregnancy.

I'm allergic to the propellant in all of the aerosol ones.

 

[AnnaRaven]

Singulair ( a pill) has been shown to help with asthma and is considered safe during pregnancy. It helps with avoiding the attacks and also with some allergies.

Until you're feeling better, you might want to check out the alternative shampoo thread to avoid setting of the asthma.

 

[Mackay]

I use Taurtophedreel a homeopathic product that works wonders. I do carry an inhaler but never need it with this. I gave some to my SIL who has severe asthma, requiring up to 15 uses of an inhaler a day! and she really likes it.
I get it at www.iherb.com

you can cut the bottle with distilled water and get twice as much. I have been doing that with the liquid heel products for years.. and the bottle I gave my SIL was cut too and it worked great.

Always carry our inhaler.

 

[freemotion]

A shower head filter if you have chlorinated water where you are helps. Super-antioxidants taken in large doses daily helps a LOT. My doc (MD) got off all her asthma meds that way (5 inhalers, steroids full time, and hospitalized/intubated an average of twice a year), started her on her path to a switch to a holistic practice. Gets expensive unless you have a lot of elderberry juice stashed, but not in the form of wine, since you are preggers.

 

[abifae]

Do you need more or less humidity? A humidifier or a dryer might help. Dunno which way your asthma needs but I've read it helps to get the right humidity for your lungs.

 

[moolie]

When I was pregnant and had a rescue inhaler just in case (hadn't had asthma symptoms in years, but had a few minor attacks while I was pregnant) my doctor advised me that the inhaler I was on (Salbutamol/Ventolin) was safe for pregnant women. She also advised me to remove any potential allergens from my home.

I have reduced the chemicals and scents in my home as much as is physically possible over the years and find that I don't have any asthma issues except when I go outside when it is extremely cold (like right now it's -21C/-6F) or when I'm around people who wear heavy scents or I go into homes with scented candles. Most scented products are just full of the worst chemicals and endocrine disrupting faux hormones, so they're just better to avoid any way.

As mentioned above, household humidity is huge as well. I live in a particularly arid area and we have a humidifier on our forced air furnace. I was much better with hot water radiator heat (WAY less dust) but that's not very common where I live now. If you have forced air heat, you really have to be diligent about dust and also ensure that your humidifier (if you need one where you live) is the flow-through type (not the drum type because mold can grow in the water tray) and that you clean or replace the pad often.

 

[Wifezilla]

free, I read somewhere that saturated fats are what the body needs for developing a proper lung lining. They speculated that many of the growing number of children suffering from asthma are because of their parents putting them on low fat or vegetable fat based diets. Of course now I can't find it. Got any data along those lines?

 

[Woodland Woman]

I have reduced the chemicals and scents in my home as much as is physically possible over the years and find that I don't have any asthma issues except when I go outside when it is extremely cold (like right now it's -21C/-6F) or when I'm around people who wear heavy scents or I go into homes with scented candles. Most scented products are just full of the worst chemicals and endocrine disrupting faux hormones, so they're just better to avoid any way.

I would also avoid air fresheners and scented laundry detergent and fabric softener.

 

[moolie]

Yup, everything scented.

Things should smell like what they are (like soap) as opposed to something they aren't (like soap that smells like apple pie or whatever).

If you make your own soap and add essential oils, that is usually ok (I love me some peppermint soap!) but still be careful, as you can be allergic to certain essential oils as well.