Under the mercy of my lungs

Sore throat alerts the asthmatic me. The moment I feel something tears apart in my throat every time I open my mouth, I know what to do: shun cold drinks and desserts, take vitamins, and if necessary medicines. This usually happens when the weather changes and my immune system plummets–through insufficient sleep, or stress.

Having been hospitalized many times in the past for severe asthma attacks, I am wise enough to do everything in my power to prevent sore throat from developing into a full blown severe asthma attack. I do not want to relive the day I am so tired of breathing I would rather want to die. Imagine. The very act we take for granted–breathing–is very hard to do. I have to work real hard by pulling all my muscles together to have that precious, single breath, one breath at a time. If the doctor does not inject me with steroids soon, by the next day, I would be so tired I wished I were dead. But I would still be alive, so angry at God I try not to think about him. Breathing is so hard I no longer want to breathe. Yet, as it is an involuntary act, I keep on breathing. As a result, I suffer against my will–with every single breath I take.

It is this profound experience of helplessness that has brought me closer to my mortality. In severe asthma attacks like I just described, the thought of death is my only consolation. I would say to myself, a little more time. Soon you will stop breathing…and you will be ok.

It is never ok to be alive during severe asthma attack, I tell you. It is this experience that floods the memory during sore throat.

Drugged

I may not admit it, but if it were not for the anti-biotic and the two other anti-asthma medicines prescribed to me by my doctor, I would have been bed ridden with asthma now. Worst, I could be in a hospital spending not less than P5,000 a day for my medicines, room, and the doctor.

I feel a little bit dizzy. A little difficulty in breathing although I can almost not notice it. From time to time, phelgm or something like it blocks my throat. But I prefer this from the dry and itchy throat.

I cooked, I washed the dishes, and did some household chores; I can walk, I can carry things, hell, I can even run. But the moment I sit, or take a rest, there I realize that something is wrong with my lungs.

There is just the down side to the medicine: I feel so passive. I seem can not think as hard as I think I used to when I am not drugged. I feel dumb. I just want to lie in bed and sleep.

The doctor's prescription

I saw my doctor yesterday. He told me, asthma comes 90% from what we inhale, and not so much from the food we eat. He however warned me against eating chicken, egg, and spicy food since these are allergenic. He also checked my lungs and found that they were clear. He reminded me that it is important to be very careful of my health especially during this time (December) when the weather suddenly changes from hot, humid, to cold.

He prescribed three medicines:

1. Seretide 25/250 mg inhaler.

2. Ansimar (400 mg) 20 tabs.

3. Tergecef (200 mg) 14 tabs.

Seretide, I should take two puffs twice daily. But since I know that seretide is a potent steroidal drug, I am going to modify his instructions to 1 puff twice a day. He warned me against abruptly stopping taking seretide. I forgot to ask why.

Ansimar, I should take twice daily also: ½ tablet after breakfast and ½ tablet after dinner. He advised me to take Ansimar for two months, if I need to. Also, Ansimar will be my maintenance drug. So, everytime I feel any shortness of breath, just have to pop 1/2 tablet of it.

Tergecef (Cefixime) is an anti-biotic to prevent my sore throat from crawling down my lungs. I should take a capsule twice a day for 7 days. I modified this instruction of his to only 5 days. I will be ok by then.

Seretide costs P1,310.

Ansimar costs P775 at 38.75 per tablet for 20 tablets.

Tergecef (Cefixime) costs P1,300 at 130 per tablet for 10 tablets.

All in all, the medicine costs P3,385 pesos, excluding my P500 check-up fee.

Sore throat

11 December 2008

I had a sore throat two days ago. Two days before that, I ate fried fish in Marikina hotel for dinner. I remember the fish because my lips became itchy halfway through it. My lips blistered the next day, and a day after that my throat became really sore after I ate mango shake for afternoon snack.

I took Sinutab and Celestamine and vitamin C twice a day. I thought I was ok yesterday until this morning. But this noon, right after lunch, my throat went so dry and itchy I could not sleep though I was so drowsy. I remember when I was young when my sore throat was not administered, about third or second day thereafter, I would feel exactly the same way. Then I would be coughing and spitting, and starting that night, I would have my asthma attack.

Except for the dry and itchy throat, I am ok. I try to be strong because I do not want my wife to worry about me. She already has her sick mother to worry about.

Wife arrives from a Christmas party and she has with her the lozenges I requested for sore throat.

Bought Salbutamol for inhalation. I remember, inhalation takes away the dryness and the itchiness of my throat.

Last time when I had this, I believe I took the same medication including the inhalation. I believe, after three days I still had the itchy and dry throat I had to see a doctor for an anti-biotic prescription.

The decession to see the doctor

I used my nebulizer for the first time last night. I bought it last year and it was turned on only when it was tested. It calmed me down but I was not able to sleep well because I could not breathe well. Aside from that, it was a peaceful night with my wife beside me. In the morning, I forced myself out of bed and went down to the kitchen supposedly to help wife prepare the fish for cooking; but I abandoned the plan when I felt my body was not into it. I went back to bed and tried to sleep again. After a while she went back to the room naked from the bathroom. She changed her clothes and cooked. After sometime, she called me and we ate breakfast together.

I nebulized again for the second time after breakfast. I also took my celestamine and my sinutab. I feel calm but I know something is not right with my windpipe. I have decided to see the doctor tonight when wife returns from work. I stayed in bed almost the whole morning reading Genevieve Asenjo’s “Komposo ni Dandansoy” I plan to review.

First symptoms

I had a sore throat two days ago. Two days before that, I ate fried fish in Marikina hotel for dinner. I remember the fish because my lips became itchy halfway through it. My lips blistered the next day, and a day after that my throat became really sore after I ate mango shake for afternoon snack.

I took Sinutab and Celestamine and vitamin C twice a day. I thought I was ok yesterday until this morning. But this noon, right after lunch, my throat went so dry and itchy I could not sleep though I was so drowsy. I remember when I was young when my sore throat was not administered, about third or second day thereafter, I would feel exactly the same way. Then I would be coughing and spitting, and starting that night, I would have my asthma attack.

Except for the dry and itchy throat, I am ok. I try to be strong because I do not want my wife to worry about me. She already has her sick mother to worry about.

Wife arrives from a Christmas party and she has with her the lozenges I requested for sore throat.

Bought Salbutamol for inhalation. I remember, inhalation takes away the dryness and the itchiness of my throat.

Last time when I had this, I believe I took the same medication including the inhalation. I believe, after three days I still had the itchy and dry throat I had to see a doctor for an anti-biotic prescription.