Uncontrolled asthma and pregnancy?

[BunnyN]

I'm not sure if this is the right place for this but I wasn't quite sure where it fit in so I've put it here.

I'm not pregnant yet but my husband and I are thinking of TTC. My biggest concern is that I have allergic asthma that has proved difficult to control with medications (I had severe reactions to some medications and ended up much worse while I was on them). Ventolin works well to control attacks, most of the time, but I am not on any kind of prevention at the moment.

Thankfully I have been mostly able to avoid attacks by avoiding my triggers which are mostly perfumes and chemicals (and corticosteroids, lol). This means I've totally changed the products I use, shampoos, soaps washing detergents etc etc must be perfume free or I'm in danger of having an asthma attack. I've also cut any foods out of my diet that contain artificial preservatives or flavouring. In this way while at home I am 99% symptom free but I avoid crowded restaurants, movie theaters etc and limit the amount of time I spend shopping or any other activity that I may come into contact with perfumes or cleaning products. I can't even dream of going to a wedding for example because everyone tends to use perfume when they dress up. I will probably continue to experiment with other medications (with the doctors help of course ) but for now this is what works. While it has been a little difficult and I've had to make some big adjustments I'm able to have a fairly normal healthy life like this. Sorry to bore you with the details but trying to explain the context.

While I haven't had a bad attack in ages my asthma is still technically uncontrolled because I have attacks as soon as I'm exposed to my triggers. So now I'm trying to decide if it is safe to get pregnant or not. I know some women with asthma find it gets worse during pregnancy. Even if it doesn't get worse I'm concerned about labour in hospital or any other hospital stays. Hospitals wash their floors with bleach which is a big no-no for me and it would only take one nurse to be wearing perfume and I'd be in serious trouble after about an hour at the most, not to mention the baby. If I leave a situation where something is triggering my asthma quickly enough I am usually able to get it under control quickly too, if I try to stay it gets worse and worse until sometimes not even the ventolin is controlling it, I'm not just talking mild wheeziness (which is bad enough)but severe problems breathing. After an event like that my chest is tight and wheezy for a couple of days but I soon get better again by being extra careful, I'm sure that that it would be considered dangerous for a baby though. And it's not like you can leave in the middle of labour! I am inclined to wait until I find a way of controlling my asthma better but at almost 33 I am also aware that if I wait too long I'll start to bump into other problems/risk factors.

Sorry this is such a long post, basically I'm just trying to gather information to try and decide what to do next. There seem to be very few people in the same situation as me because I am not able to take corticosteroids (the brown pump) but I know there are lots of pregnant women with asthma. I'd be interested in hearing experience/advice from anyone who has had problems with asthma during pregnancy.

 

[mumbum]

hi hun not really sure if i can help but just wanted to share my experiences of asthma in pregnancy......i have had asthma since age 5 (now 30)and irs only in the last 5yrs it has become more controlled i take ventolin for symptoms and seretide twice a day for prevention and i can honestly say that in this and my last pregnancy my asthma pretty much disappeared. whilst i still react to my triggers (cats, hayfever colds etc) it is far less severe and generally day to day my asthma has improved so much that i have gone weeks without needing.my reliever wheteas normally when im not pregnant i have to use reliever at least twice a day......

i know its not quite the same as your situation as you cant use preventers but.just thought id share that asthma isnt always worse in pregnancy.

 

[Sammyxo]

Again can only explain from my own experience but I've had asthma all my life and was really suffering badly with it before I became pregnant. Now I'm pregnant I don't ever have asthma and I live on a road with the steepest hill ever so I would always be wheezing walking up it but I don't suffer at all now. I have read that pregnancy can clear up asthma. My sister also suffered v.bad from asthma and used to be in hospital all the time, but again when she was pregnant it went, however it came back after unfortunately!xx

 

[Sammyxo]

I don't think you should let asthma stop you from trying to have a baby, I know it is daunting but still. If your midwife or doctor has any concerns for you then they will make sure you are not exposed to any triggers (have a nurse without perfume/air out your room so there's no smell of bleach) and labour may be an elective c section instead of natural if they feel you will cope better with your asthma this way.xx

 

[BunnyN]

Thanks for sharing your experiences, I appreciate it. Although some women get worse during pregnancy there seem to be a lot that get better too. One problem I have found is that because I'm not very typical doctors are a bit slow in understanding, they get there eventually but sometimes only after I've have a bad attack in front of them. I might look into private options because that would make me feel like I had more control but I'm not sure what is available locally, (and I hate to think of the cost).

 

[PyscoFalcon]

Go for it hun if you want a baby.
I'm suprised your not on preventers tho.

My asthma has got worse in pregnancy. Struggle to breath just going up and down stairs. BUT midwifes and docs do monitor you and tell you to have regular asthma reviews to keep on top of it and help you.

TBH I found it hadn't changed much until I got a cold - then my breathing went rapidly downhill and my preventers have stopped working as well as used to.

Talk to your doctor and asthma nurses about your concerns. You might be a good candidate for these new asthma pills.

BTW you could always have a home birth as long as there's a trained nurse/midwife with a portable nedulizer.

 

[BunnyN]

It's just a case of finding a preventer that I'm not allergic to. I'm hoping that we'll find something that works but so far they just made me way worse.

I hadn't thought of a portable nedulizer if I had a home birth, that is a good idea.

 

[PyscoFalcon]

Have you tried the single preventers?

Most of the preventers are dual ones. They made me balloon up, gain rapid weight and rash up. Swapped to a single action one and had no problems since.

 

[BunnyN]

I haven't even tried the duel action ones, the doctor talked about it but started me off on budesonide which I had a violent reaction to. Budesonide is the drug in Pulmicort as well as the duel action inhaler he would have prescribed for me after. I would like to try other corticosteroids to see if I can find one I am not allergic to but I think he was concerned to try because the ones used for asthma are all closely related and I might have a bad reaction to others as well. Perhaps in the next months/years I will find medication that is more effective so there is some sense in waiting to get pregnant but I am aware although 33 isn't exactly old for having a baby it isn't an age to be putting it off.

 

[PyscoFalcon]

It's worth trying hun as I was on salmeterol and fluticasone mix.

I'm now on Beclometasone only.

This is a good read http://www.patient.co.uk/health/Inhalers-for-Asthma.htm

Also asthma UK are great for advice and help

 

[BunnyN]

Thanks, that's a helpful page. I am going to talk to the doctor about trying other steroid inhalers.