i keep reading, but then forgetting that i'm supposed to write here too

[katekat]

it's been years... literally years... since i've gone to a doctor regularly.  Student health care is really not the same thing.  And so I have no litmus test for what I'm currently doing, because either my lungs are in really serious condition or I've found the most over-proscribing doctor in the world.  I think reality is somewhere in the middle.

I'm currently on 5 different kinds of medication to take care of my bronchitis.  Two are inhalers, because my doctor says that I've developed asthma (could be because of the cold, could just be something that developed, she doesn't know).  I'm on an internal steroid too, to reduce the swelling in my broncial tubes and the rattle out of my lungs.  Then I'm on an antibiotic AND codeine laced cough syrup that I can take any time I feel like. 

That seems like a lot of medication to me.  My energy levels are back up to normal, but my cough, while decreasing in frequency, seems to be just about the same level of intensity.

Part of me worries that all of this cramming crap into my lungs is just going to make things worse, but really, that's just the part of me that doesn't like taking things.  That and I really don't like my doctor... I went to her specifically because I wanted someone in the neighborhood, and she's female and has been practicing for a while.  Unfortunately she uses metaphors like "your lungs sound like a barn door that's been left open" instead of telling me what's going on, and when I went and saw her for my check up last week and she added in the second inhaler and the steroid, she was defensive and almost close-lipped when I questioned her as to why in the heck I was going to have to take MORE medications.  I'm sure her style would be comforting for some, but I'm the kind of person who needs more information, not less, and I don't want to hear that my broncial tubes/lungs are like an upside down tree... but that they're 30% blocked/inflamed and that's why I need to do all this asthma stuff.

Of course it doesn't help that I'm not smoking so I'm annoyed and wish that I could simply go have a frigging smoke.  Cold turkey + medication is NOT my idea of fun, that's for sure.

Comments

[biodamped]

Darling! *hugs you tight* Thta's not good. I mean, the puffers i can understand. I get asthma in winter time, and the couple of times i've had bronchitits as well, i've had to use both puffers. Even the steroid is understandable if it's really BAD. But i don't ever recall having antibiotics as well as a bronchitis puffer (you don't have, oh, tonsilitis or something as well that you might need it for?). Although i did once have a cough syrup - it was something to do with depressing my lungs so that the coughing stopped. But i never had a steriod and those coughs were the sort of psychotic ones that kept going and going and i couldn't get breath in, so i kind of NEEDED something to stop the cough.

Although if you do smoke regularly, it's entirely possible that your bronchitis is worse than mine was, since it's meant to play havoc with even the healthiest lung in the world (and mine are not, having breathed dirty city air for close on 10 years).

Maybe get a second opinion if you can? I don't like doctors that don't tell you what's going on either. I hope you're feeling better soon lovely. ♥

[katekat]

well I'm glad to hear i'm not the only one who's had two puffers - it's weird but may be not that weird. and i think the antibiotics are the US way of kicking any virus out of the body? i definitely don't have tonsilitus, but i do for sure have bronchitis, so...

and i didn't really think it was that bad of a cough, but she says it's because she can hear a wheeze in my lungs, and that's the problem. But it also may be a smoking thing... *witters* i just don't quite know.

you're right though,darling, i should go find someone to give me a second opionion. I do feel better, it's just weird to be pouring this many things down myself.

Anyway, thanks for the encouragement darling!!!