Asthma attacks !

All was going well..till at supper yesterday......I was feeling nauseated....dizzy..and could not seem to have any air...I went outside to get some air...* wrong *...the cold air set up an asthma attack...

JUST Great !

I came back in....feeling worst of course....my inhalers didn't work....so I went to the Hospital ER.
I didn't wait long...........they took me in right away.
I knew I was having an attack......but little did I know it was a combination of 2 things.
As soon as I could speak....without choking up I answered there questions.

They asked me....the list of the meds I was taking....
When I said I had stopped the cortisone pills.2 days ago..they looked at me...with blank faces.
I said what.......whats wrong ?

They told me my BP was extremely low...and That is a symptom of Prednisone withdrawal. ( cortisone )
eh ??? No one told me told me about that.......
I had stopped first : because I was feeling better....and 2nd : I was feeling like a smoking frog...ready to pop...( I was all swollen )

Well next time tell me this....sheshhh.......( I hate pills !!!! )

Ok...now I got treated with intravenous corticosteroids, inhaled reliever medication (bronchodilator) and oxygen.
Then they watched my progress with spirometry, peak flow monitoring and oximetry.


Let me go home at about 55 % of lung capacity.
I walked home......and went to bed....still shaking form all the meds.

Now I will tell you about the ''red zone'' for Asthma.
Go to the closest Hospital.

· Excessive coughing
· Excessive wheezing
· Extreme tightness in the chest
· Extremely laboured breathing
· Sweating
· Gasping voice
· Pale or blue lips or fingernails
· Anxiety or fear
· Decreased activity level
· Reliever medication does not seem to be working to relieve the symptoms



If you are undergoing a treatment that involves dosages of prednisone, you should be careful not to withdraw the dosage suddenly.
Once we start taking prednisone dosages, our body reduces/stops production of cortisol depending upon prednisone volume.
If the dosages are stopped suddenly, it can be fatal for the health as there is no production of cortisol in the body and the external supplement is also stopped.
This condition is also known as Addisonian Crisis or Adrenal Crisis. Prednisone withdrawal should be gradual which will help the body start producing cortisol required for various functions in the body.

Steroid withdrawal symptoms can mimic many other medical problems. Weakness, fatigue, decreased appetite, weight loss, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea (which can lead to fluid and electrolyte abnormalities), and abdominal pain are common. Blood pressure can become too low, leading to dizziness or fainting. Blood sugar levels may drop.


So I am back on these darn pills again...... :(

I hate one side effect; ( as all women ......I am sure )

Weight gain is the most common side-effect of prednisone. Fluid retention is the main culprit when it comes to weight gain. Another related prednisone side-effect is accumulation of extra fat in the body. This fat gets deposited in particular areas like the back, abdomen and face. The weight gained due to prednisone is lost after cessation of use of steroids.

Take care of your Asthma........get it monitored.

Have a good day everyone....
I will take a nap later on....but I have tons to do today.