h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Right just got back from docs, puncture wound to my left arm. I've made an appointment at the asthma clinic, not for 3 weeks tho, must be busy.
Now I've read all your replies it does make sense. I suffer from hayfever, usualy bad, but this year I've had one day of it, but breathlesness at night and tiredness are getting worse. Prehapse it's metomorphowhatsited into asthma. I prefer being a bit puffy to having a constantly streaming nose for 6 months of the year - as long as it doesn't get bad of course, I realise asthma can be a killer and will give it due respect.
Mum had asthma at my age and ecsma bad which came and went within 5 years for no apparant reason, could be hereditary.
Now, shall I use the brown puffer twice a day as prescribed or just the blue when needed, oh decisions, decisions...

Asthma and Excema are hereditary and also linked in some scientific way I never quite understood.....

Don't worry - everyone on this thread lives happily with their asthma, as do many millions of others. Thankfully modern medicine means that asthma is little more than an inconvienience for most sufferers these days. And at least once they know for sure, you'll get the appropriate remedy.

A word of advice - use the brown puffer as prescribed, and it will keep your use of the blue one right down.

I have a combined preventer/reliever which I just use as and when I need it.

Not working in London means I need it a hell of a lot less.

And I get the point about prefering asthma to a running nose all the time (in my case all year round). Until I get a bad asthma attack of course, then it's so scary I'd rather have the dripping nose.

to everyone, thanks

Mmmm - and - lovely.

There is an inherited element to asthma and other allergic type problems. They found something on one of the chromosomes - either 11th or 13th - I can never remember.

I vaguely remember reading something about some people being genetically evolved to deal better with parasites - the down-side being that their immune responses are a bit OTT and they get asthma, rhinitis, eczema etc.

I'm with Mina - take the brown inhaler as instructed - certainly until you're seen at the asthma clinic.

Without inhaled steroids I'd have very poor quality of life; with them, I can almost forget about having asthma.
It can take some tinkering about to find the lowest possible maintenance dose of steroids to keep one healthy - and your asthma nurse will help you to do this.
I'm on 100mcg once a day, which is tiny - and only have to increase this if I've got a respiratory infection.

Has anyone heard of the (?) Buteyko method of dealing with asthma?

"Has anyone heard of the (?) Buteyko method of dealing with asthma?"

Yes - I've got the instructions in a drawer, where they have sat unread for about 6 years.

I have chronic asthma.

As well as the Blue inhalor I also have a purply-ish (not sure what the colour is called) one called Qvar, and a green one as well. I also have to take pills periodically.

It is a pain but by chanigng your diet, exercising regularly and cruicially taking you preventative drugs you can lead a normal life. I even play competetive sport (badly).

Lots of people also get better, particularly once you become an adult. I know lots of people who had asthma as a kid and don't suffer any more. As I understand it it is worth checkijg out if dairy products and bread disagree with you.

'I vaguely remember reading something about some people being genetically evolved to deal better with parasites'
Great, does this mean when my daughter brings home head lice I wont get them.
I'm not aware of having any food allergies, but shall keep note of what I have eaten if I feel breathless. (just had strawberry trifle for supper dairy is suposed to be bad isnt it)
Would the effects be imediate after eating something or could it take hours? Would it have to get into the blood stream?
Sorry to ask so much but you lot are just SO good, and its the stuff I wont think to ask at the clinic.

I have a mild form of exercise-induced asthma, which manifests itself as a sensation akin to somebody clamping a fist around the bottom of my diaphragm when I run or if I'm around people who smoke. I can also feel when I'm putting on weight because I feel that more than usual. I have an albuterol inhaler to take before exercise, but it's been a while since I've taken it and I think I've run out.

***their immune responses are a bit OTT and they get asthma, rhinitis, eczema etc.***

I have a progressive nerve disease, which basically means my nerves are committing suicide, ie; immune response is going barmy...a very extreme form of the above. On the plus side i very rarely get colds or flu because my body obviously is so bloody hyper efficient at detecting a possible threat it fights off infection with a hell of a vengeance! Apparently folks like us also have inbuilt resistance to stuff like Aids and possibly cancer too...so it's swings and roundabouts.

On the minus side, in my case, i am so ultra allergic to insect venom, an ant bite can land me in hospital on an adrenalin drip in intensive care, basically the body panics in general, i also get palpitations; yes, the ventolin is NOT supposed to be taken with beta blocking drugs which help control palpitations...but if you are that type of person, often the two go hand in hand...stress=panic=palpitations PLUS asthma attack, usually i reach for dreaded blue puffer first since it acts faster and if i am no longer actually breathing it may be difficult to take a tablet.

As for the milk issue, i have never been able to tolerate it, but am fine with cheese and yogurt.

Vicious circle, we all need to live on a nice allergy free, stress free desert island with no access to tobacco...but we don't, so we just have to try and put up with it.

to all.

zdt

I've recently become allergic to bites too - and the reaction seems to get worse every time. Those wee red s are the worst - tiny but potent.

* puts on list of things to discuss next time I'm at the - probably 2006

Go and see NOW!!!!!

If you only get more itchy and red swollen bite marks than most folks, OK,you are just extra sensitive, but if you have ever gone into a cold sweat, shaky, palpitations and started swelling up all over, it is anaphylactic shock.

Honestly, if you do get a general allergic reaction, you need immediate injection of adrenalin stuff, you could DIE IN MINUTES, i am not joking.

If you are seriously allergic, your whole body can swell up, including lungs and throat and you should carry an epipen or similar thing around at all times, it's a sort of instant injection pen. Serious stuff, saves lives.

zdt

I think I'm just a bit more sensitive - but am keeping an eye on things and trying to avoid getting bitten in the first place.

The last bite brought me up in a 3" diameter swollen lump which took a few weeks to go completely - taking anti-histamine tablets usually helps a bit.

I had a very bad reaction to penicillin once - and have been told not to go near the stuff again as the next time would result in anaphylaxis.

Atopia - great fun, huh!

I have asthma, I was diagnosed in 1972 when I was 18 months old. I had very serious attacks and nearly died from it. It is under control now, but I will be taking medicines for it for the rest of my life.

I am also constantly wheezy, but that is mainly because I am having to take painkillers which you are not meant to take when asthmatic, but so long as you know your body and its reactions which I do at 33, you can take some risks.

Asthma killed the actress Charlotte Coleman, so its something to take serously. But its very treatable for most of us, so just be sensible and you will be fine.

"I vaguely remember reading something about some people being genetically evolved to deal better with parasites - the down-side being that their immune responses are a bit OTT and they get asthma, rhinitis, eczema etc"

This is a bit tangential, but consider sickle cell anaemia. This is a partially recessive condition carried by millions. The effect is that your red blood corpuscles are not built properly, and so they have a tendency to spontaneously fold into a useless sickle shape, especially when they carry oxygen. However, this means that parasites cannot feed on them - particularly, if the malaria parasite attacks a red corpuscle, the corpuscle goes sickle and kills the bug.

Hence, sicke cell anaemia increases resistance to malaria, but reduces the body's ability to carry oxygen. Thus, if you have only the non-anaemia allelle, you can easily die of malaria. If you have only the anaemia allelle, you will die of anaemia. If you have both, then some of your red corpuscles will be 'safe' and some will be prone to going sickle, therefore you can both carry enough oxygen to live and also resist the malaria bug easily.

Hussassan,

Just got to correct you on this; it's the right effect, but the wrong principle.


'This is a bit tangential, but consider sickle cell anaemia. This is a partially recessive condition carried by millions. The effect is that your red blood corpuscles are not built properly, and so they have a tendency to spontaneously fold into a useless sickle shape, especially when they carry oxygen. However, this means that parasites cannot feed on them - particularly, if the malaria parasite attacks a red corpuscle, the corpuscle goes sickle and kills the bug.


With sickle-cell anaemia, it's not the oxygenation, but the process of *de*-oxygenation which sickles the red cells. It's not the red blood cells themselves, but the actual haemoglobin molecule which is slightly (and by slightly, I mean it's a change in just *one* amino acid) wrong. What happens in malaria is that the parasite lays its eggs in the red blood cell, the larvae use the red blood cell's mechanisms to garner oxygen and the such like, then burst out of the red blood cell when adult, to infect more.

In sickle cell - when the larvae grow, they deoxygenate the red blood cell. The haemoglobin crystallises, the red blood cell sickles, and the larvae get killed. That's why you have this 'resistance', and indeed, why Sickle-cell disease persists.


'Hence, sicke cell anaemia increases resistance to malaria, but reduces the body's ability to carry oxygen. Thus, if you have only the non-anaemia allelle, you can easily die of malaria. If you have only the anaemia allelle, you will die of anaemia. If you have both, then some of your red corpuscles will be 'safe' and some will be prone to going sickle, therefore you can both carry enough oxygen to live and also resist the malaria bug easily.'

Nope - the two alleles for sickle-cell anaemia code for exactly the same thing. Having one or two only determines the severity.

So, here's the notation: S=the sickle cell allele.

Therefore:

HB=normal
HBS=Sickle-cell trait: only carrying one of the alleles, this confers malarial resistance, and perhaps an intolerance to cold, but nothing hugely nasty.
HBSS=Sickle-cell disease: carrying them both, causing huge problems; anaemia, jaundice, and a whole host of other rather nasty things which I won't go into here.

Sickle-cell disease/trait has nothing to do with the immune system, it's one of those genetic diseases. For asthma, I would say the 'excessive hygene theory' is the most convincing explaination I've heard about explaining why it's been increasing over the past few decades.

Hope this clears things up.

Stay ,
WD