14 replies to this topic

[gofish]

This weekend we cleaned out the girls room. I washed most of the walls and only had behind the HATED bunk bed to clean.
I had yesterday off so the girls and I tore down the bunk bed and finished cleaning. The girls now have twin beds to replace the HATED bunk bed.
We got rid of all the old toys and are getting ready to paint the room.

I only get asthma when I get bronchitis. It starts with a sore throat or sinus headache and goes down in to my chest. It usually takes a day or two before before it's bad so as soon as the sore throat hits I get to the doctor to get a inhaler.

Last night I went to bed feeling good about all the work we got done. I was almost asleep when I started to chough. With in a few minutes my chest was burning. A few minutes after that I was wheezing. A few minutes after that I knew I was in trouble. I got up to tell my Dh that he need to get me to the hospital NOW.

My DD1 got her inhaler and let me use it. I know you are not to use someone's else's meds but by that time I was desperate.

This is the first time something other than Illness triggered my asthma and never has it happened that fast.. I still got the living room, kitchen and dinning room to mega clean and paint. I guess I need to go to the doctor and see if I can get a inhaler frist.

[Daylily]

Oh my that is scary! I hope you can get something that will help.

[dogmom4]

You think it might have been dust kicked up from cleaning? Or maybe the cleaners you're using? Dust is a trigger for me as well as strong smelling cleaners. Take care if you do more cleaning.

[Jeepers]

That had to be scary! I'd let the Dr. know I needed some extra inhalers at home incase of another emergency.

Could any of the cleaning stuff you used caused it? Maybe you over exerted yourself? Hope you are feeling better. Take it slow and easy. The house isn't going anywhere. It will wait until you are ready to deal with it.

[homeschoolshe]

Allergy to dust mites can trigger an attack. Unfortunately allergies get stronger with exposure, which may be why you never had an attack from cleaning before. Might need to wear a mask, and definately ask for an emergency inhaler. Glad you had your dd nearby to grab hers.

[Amishway Homesteaders]

WOW!
Good thing to have around in case it starts up again in the middle of the night! Or what would you do IF a storm was all around and you could not drive to get help?

[arby]

Yep, got to have inhalers at the ready, but also yes both the cleaning solutions and the dust and such kicked up into the air will affect asthma, its very common irritants. Do you have any formed N95 masks to wear? You should use those now anytime you are doing inside chores that are about cleaning dirt or surface stuff, dust and such.

See if they help when you use cleaning solutions or you may actually require gas mask ( chemical filters) level protection to get your cleaning done. Or switch to non irritant cleaners like vinegar and baking soda mixes, stuff like that. I know there are folks here that have natural recipes for cleaning various things. Most cleaning solutions and sprays are super bad when it comes to chemicals that are all toxic and irritating to such sensitivities. In other words your sensitivity levels treat them as sheer poison immediately now. Simple vinegar is antibacterial. The smell evaporates when it dries a while.

I became more sensitive as time went on btw. Rather than improving.

Also putting a fan in a window facing outward in the room you are cleaning or even vacuuming will help take out miniscule dust and matter stirred up by the cleaning , when you are cleaning from now on. After 30 mins, remove fan and shut the window again after cleaning and fan has worked 30 mins since you cleaned. It should help reduce vapors and dust , etc. Treat that stage as part of cleaning as well.

One other emergency treatment you can do at home is to step into a warm shower and breathe the 'wet' air in the shower if you have nothing else like an inhaler and must wait to get treatment at a hospital. It also might not have hurt to wash down because of the chemicals used in the cleaning solutions and the dust that got in your hair and on your skin from the earlier cleaning session in your daughters room. Its like a breathing treatment in a sense. Wash off everything and your hair and turn it so its creating steam to breathe in too, that adds moisture. It may help at least some to help you not go into distress so badly. Obviously it might not.
Also drink a strong cup of coffee, this helps often enough for asthma..... even though it will probably keep you awake. But I would rather be awake a couple more hours than usual as long as I knew my breathing was better. These are two minor things most of us have available, that do often helped if applied.

But yes, you do need inhalers available at all times.

Edited by arby, 10 July 2012 - 11:19 PM.

[gofish]

Yes there was a lot of dust under the bed where DH had stored his junk. It hadn't been cleaned very well in a long time.
Strong scents do choke me up. I can't stay in Bed and Bath for very long and I'm very careful about hand lotions and perfume candles.
Sometimes shampoo with get me coughing.
When I went to bed I had the fan blowing on me and the doors to both rooms were open to get air circultion. One of the reasons I getting the house mega cleaned is because my asthma is getting worse, but it has not been that bad before . I'm making a Dortor appointment.

[TurtleMama]

Poor Gofish! I'm so glad you're all right. Definitely look at getting an inhaler of your own before you continue the cleaning and painting.

Arby...I didn't know that about the coffee...great trick for asthma!

[arby]

Medical supply sites and shops carry the formed N95 masks by the box. I have one of 20 per box . I think I ordered the medium size, small is good for children. I keep one handy in the bathroom to grab and put on . I tend to be very choosy about shampoos and cleaners that are scented , more and more. Found I was getting more and more sensitive. This place creates more dust than I think the desert did, here! LOL. I know how it goes. and I tend to get distracted and not vacuum as much and dust as frequently as I used to , so I know how that goes. Trying to get to things better now , so know how it can be when you discover some neglected spot and it takes 3 times what it would have a while back to get it clean and yea it does stir up stuff!
Car exaust and sitting woodsmoke is bad too. ( I would be in trouble if I run into another forest fire evac situation as I dont have a gas mask with good filters for that! I need my boots next on my preps. ). oh, and more inhalers are on order now with the VA as of today although I have extras still. Doc said it sounded like the regimen which is still pretty simple is working for me.

Yea its probably why I like my coffee in the morning.or one reason, other than waking up better.... but am glad to say my O2 levels were doing ok today and I don't even know why? I didn't change anything .

Oh, and one of the nurses suggested I figure out the gel soles for my shoes to help my feet. Some of those cost as much as a pair of shoes, lol. But there are all types and they do have a variety, just not the machine that you step on to figure it out faster, at our local drug store. good suggestion.
The body was actually willing and with a snack and some water along the way which I carry I had the energy to walk it,,,,,, and it is 5 whole miles each way evidently that I walked last week , Monday. Just the bottoms of my feet want to scream and there were some blisters which have healed. But am willing to try the gel soles. Might be the only way to deal with the amount of pain when I do have to walk at times like that. If it can help prevent that Im for it, so will see about it as soon as I can. Cause that is crazy and wipes my feet out for about three days afterwards and thats not good in an emergency and I couldnt walk even normal pace or fast once it started to be painful. Very bad situation when it comes down to it. I find that as critical as you being able to make sure you got your inhalers, but yea the dust mask is a good preventative for you as well . Either situation is serious. So I will try to get the smarter stuff to take better care of my feet if you get your inhalers and some dust masks for cleaning, ok?
They need to be priorities.

[mommato3boys]

I agree with Arby...MASK! I do not do deep cleaning without a mask. Just the fumes from cleaning the shower sometimes sets my asthma off.

We getting our bedroom ready to paint and hubby brought home a mask and reminded me that I was not to do anything in our room without wearing the mask. Gotta love that man, he knows me too well.

[arby]

oh, masks for yard work , lawn mowing, weed eating , digging... too when you need to do outside chores. Any livestock care ,also , masked because it stirs up dust and dirt, allergens

[Jori]

Take care of yourself. I'm sure the drought isn't helping either. DS 1 woke up coughing this morning had to break out the alleegy meds for him.

[Mt_Rider]

Also blow a fan strongly thru the room WHEN PAINTING. Disperse the pain fumes more quickly even if you might be stirring up particles of dust. If you are just cleaning, it would probably be counter-productive to have the fan going.

MtRider [...miserably allergic to dusty, arid CO but thankful not asthma ]

[CrabGrassAcres]

Get yourself a box fan and find one of those washable filters for it. Not the thin one, get the one about 1/2 inches thick with the metal frame around it. Put the filter against the back of the fan and turn it on in the room you are working. Be sure to have the arrows on the filter pointed in the right direction. If you stir stuff up, it doesn't hurt to take a break and leave the fan running a while to remove the dust too. Wash the filter outside with the hose or in the shower under hot water and let it dry before using again.