Respiratory Meds Information

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imp

Senior Member
We see a lot of breathing-compromised old timers here, both men & women. There must be members of this board who use respiratory inhalers, as I do. The ones containing a corticosteroid, such as Budesonide, should be aware that the steroids upset the balance of fungal spores found in the mouth and throat. This can cause a fungus infection commonly called "thrush" in either place, which while not serious in and of itself, can spread if it becomes chronic, to bodily organs.

It is important with regular use of inhalers containing corticosteroids to wash the mouth with warm water by gargling immediately after use of the inhaler. Do not swallow the water used thusly. So far, doing that religiously has kept the "yeast" away, for me.

Please be aware that bronchodilators alone, such as Albuterol, do not contribute any tendency to get thrush. imp
 

Then why don't physicians prescribe Albuterol for everyone since there are fewer complications?? (I'm not on inhalers, so please forgive my ignorance here).
 
Too bad my husband is not a member... He's was a respiratory therapist for 35 years... Just retired last year. He would have all the correct info.
 
chic said:
Then why don't physicians prescribe Albuterol for everyone since there are fewer complications?? (I'm not on inhalers, so please forgive my ignorance here).
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Chic, Albuterol is a bronchial dilator, meaning it's use is for the purpose of quickly opening up the airway passages; it's called a "rescue inhaler". The corticosteroids, like Symbicort which Pappy mentioned, are healing agents which relieve the body's immune system response which causes closure (and thus, difficulty breathing) of the passages. Regular use of a steroid-type med can "heal" such that symptoms regress completely.

The process of respiratory distress is more complex than most know. When I had extreme breathing difficulty, back in 2004, 4 different doctors, one an allergy specialist, gave 4 different diagnoses! None were correct. I used Albuterol for over a year, and then my symptoms began to go away on their own. At it's worst, I could not walk even a short distance without having to quit, because of coughing, wheezing, and inability to exhale. FWIW, the diagnoses were: "Exacerbation of childhood asthma" (meaning worsening of); COPD; Emphysema; "Hardening of the heart's left ventricle (!!?).

I have never smoked a cigarette in my entire life. I have searched extensively, and believe my lungs had been infected with a common fungus found in enormous concentration in the Missouri Ozarks. The fungus is called Aspergillus, infection Aspergillosis. An old friend, doctor, in Phoenix indicated, after I called him and we discussed it thoroughly, he believed that was likely the correct cause identified. Today, my breathing is as good as it ever was, no meds. Thank you for reading my long story. imp
 
QuickSilver said:
Albuterol is a cardiac stimulant...It raises heart rate and blood pressure... It is not safe to prescribe it to everyone.
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Thank you QS. That explains everything in a nutshell. So many breathing medications raise heart rate and blood pressure it could actually be dangerous to take them. Tachychardia is no joke.
 
The Heart and the Lung are intricately connected.. Medications affecting one can affect the other by stimulating or blocking the Alpha and the Beta receptors. Certain blood pressure medications, called the beta blockers can adversely affect the lungs of people suffering from lung diseases. Albuterol raises the heart rate by stimulating the beta receptors.. This is why we need doctors to make the decisions of what they should or should not prescribe. and we shouldn't be treating ourselves.
 
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Once one gets deeply aware enough about these things, the Receptors, the more complex one realizes they are. I took a Beta-Blocker for B.P., even through the year+ I had respiratory difficulties. The Doctor explained that it is "selective", not affecting the lungs materially. 'Course, he misdiagnosed with Emphysema, by a mile! imp
 

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