Anyone with asthma who cannot get through a simple cold?

[laundry_queen]

I don't know what is up with my asthma. I've had it since I was 14 and as a teen was constantly ill with bronchitis. Then I started having babies at age 22 and was pregnant and/or nursing for 12 years straight and this seemed to agree with my asthma - I only got bronchitis once - when I was due to deliver my 4th via C-section. Yeah, that was fun, all that coughing after the C-section - at least the iv antibiotics in the hospital helped.

Anyhow, since then, I can't seem to get through a simple cold without developing bronchitis and then I go on antibiotics, then I cough my brains out for months afterwards. Every doctor I've seen just puts me on more inhaled steroids, or the new thing for me is symbicort. Nothing really helps. I end up using my ventolin constantly. This lasts for 3-4 months and then gradually dissipates. Then I catch another cold and am right back where I started. Whenever I go to the ER for a breathing treatment because my ventolin isn't giving relief, I'm told everything is fine -heartrate, pulse-ox, but when they listen to my lungs I'm always in 'severe bronchospasm'. Then I have a breathing treatment and I'm fine for awhile. Again, the doctors don't seem to be alarmed. I'm simply told to make sure I stay on my inhaled steroids. I asked for a nebuliser and they told me it was pointless, that studies show inhalers work just fine.

When it does finally go away, I'm totally fine, I hardly ever need my ventolin at all. But then I catch a cold (with 4 kids that happens a lot) and right when I think I'm in the clear, it goes straight to my lungs.

Is this a common asthma thing? I seriously don't know anyone else with asthma so I'm not sure if this is normal or not. My doctors just shrug and act like it's not a big deal, but when I'm dealing with these issues I have a hard time functioning and it's frustrating. I'm considering asking for lung x-rays and a referral to an asthma specialist.

[Warpy]

1. I was like that until I got the pneumonia vaccine

That vaccine protects patients against multiple strains of pneumococcus along with other bugs, the most common bugs they find with pneumonia. If you haven't had it yet, shame on your doctor, you need to demand it. Just don't get it on the tail end of bronchitis, it will hurt because your immune system will be going full blast.

I've had only one pneumonia since I had the jab in the late 80s and one bout of bronchitis.

YMMV, of course, but anybody with asthma needs to get that particular shot.

[laundry_queen]

2. That's interesting.

When I got my H1N1 vaccine, they were giving out the pneumonia vaccine, but I was told I wasn't high risk enough for that vaccine even though I asked for it (had a particularly nasty bout with bronchitis the year before because of the flu). I haven't really thought about it since, because I've never had full blown pneumonia - I'm always told I have bronchitis or 'borderline' pneumonia but never actual pneumonia - probably because I go to the doctor immediately when I feel it move to my lungs.

I will make sure I ask my doctor about it. It would be nice to get through the cold season without coughing constantly. It's embarrassing. Currently I can't even get through a conversation without beginning to choke. ugh.