Thanks, everyone.
I'm definitely using the albuterol twice daily, not just as rescue. The MD at the last acute care visit gave me a prescription for an MDI spacer to help get more of it into my lungs; I'd been holding off because it's not covered by my insurance and the only one the pharmacy has is $80 (not keen on using such a big chunk of my FSA account barely one week into the new year), but Hec is checking with a local medical supply store that may have them for less, and if not I'll just suck it up and do it.
Definitely, definitely asking about Bactrim and codeine.
Tep, I started the pearls but they did absolutely nothing - are they one of those things that you have to have them in your system for at least a week before you start to feel it, or should I have noticed an improvement already? (I've been prescribed them twice in the last few years, and both times the doctors said something like, "Some of my other patients say these don't help at all, but you might as well try.")
I've been getting some stuff done. Mostly unpacked my suitcases from the holidays, paid some parking tickets, cleaned up my bedroom and bathroom a bit, came up with a plan for the "Gameify My Life" New Years goals. (Though I just noticed a problem -- my first two rewards are things from Amazon that cost less than $25.)
I think I'm going to go see "Central Park Five" tonight.
Tep, I started the pearls but they did absolutely nothing - are they one of those things that you have to have them in your system for at least a week before you start to feel it, or should I have noticed an improvement already? (I've been prescribed them twice in the last few years, and both times the doctors said something like, "Some of my other patients say these don't help at all, but you might as well try.")
The pearls never did anything at all for me. Steroids, though, were magic. This was when I had bronchitis that turned into a cough that lasted several months, and dislocated a rib a few times. First a course of oral steroids, then a steroid inhaler for a few weeks. After bronchitis, your lungs are irritated, and the irritation makes you cough, and the coughing makes the irritation worse. The steroids help heal the irritation and break the cycle.
Tep, I started the pearls but they did absolutely nothing - are they one of those things that you have to have them in your system for at least a week before you start to feel it, or should I have noticed an improvement already?
They should help right away. Apparently they're meant to work like a mild local anesthetic so that your lungs aren't irritated and don't want to cough.
But if they aren't working for you, get the codeine.
After bronchitis, your lungs are irritated, and the irritation makes you cough, and the coughing makes the irritation worse. The steroids help heal the irritation and break the cycle.
That's how I got pleurisy. It wasn't even bronchitis initially; I think it was just a bad chest cold. But I coughed so much that I pleurisy-ed myself. Codeine got me to stop coughing and steroids took care of the inflammation. Man, that sucked.
Codeine is the only thing that's ever stopped my coughing, but I have to time it carefully because it keeps be awake. I've found that knocking back the cough reflex during the day still shortens the amount of time I cough. Both honey and alcohol are mild cough suppressants, which is why they end up in so many folk remedies. Why so many of the same cough remedies have kerosene in them is beyond me, unless it helps the body decide that it had better do something about that cough before it has to drink more kerosene.
Jezebel has this horrible article about a new trend: sending out dis-invites to weddings! WTF. Have any of you heard of this? I find the concept of the so unsettling, rude, and upsetting that I find myself ready to go into full-on rant mode.
[link]
When is this ever appropriate except in the rare cases of extreme family/friend dysfunction? And even then, couldn't things just be handled differently?
JZ, I am sorry you are so sick, and I really hope some of the excellent advice you got this morning will help.
JZ, insent to your profile addy. I hope you feel better soon.
JZ I hope you feel better soon!
