Why is there breathing difficulty despite asthma medicines?

Question

Hello doctor,

I'm 35 years old, and I've been having trouble breathing. I often need to use a nebulizer with Duolin (Salbutamol + Ipratropium Bromide), Budecort (Budesonide), or an Asthalin (Salbutamol) inhaler, but I don’t feel like these medications are helping enough. I had an asthma attack about 13 years ago.

Thank you.

Answer 1

Hello,

Welcome to icliniq.com.

Thanks for reaching out, and I understand your concerns completely.

If your asthma symptoms aren’t well controlled, a thorough evaluation is needed to determine why. You may need to change your inhaler or medication. It's also important to identify any allergies you may have and avoid those triggers.

I noticed your weight is around 203 pounds. Losing weight can significantly help improve asthma control. If you also have nasal allergies, those need to be treated. Allergy testing can help identify specific allergens causing your symptoms.

Possible reasons your asthma may not be well controlled include:

Incorrect inhaler technique.
Obesity.
Ongoing exposure to allergens.

Recommended tests include:

Complete blood count (CBC).
Serum IgE levels.
Absolute eosinophil count.
Spirometry.
Allergy testing.

I hope this helps!

Please feel free to reach out again if you have more questions.

Thank you.