I've been on Advair since June 2002, when I had the mother of all asthma attacks. It was the second time that I nearly died from one and the last of about 15 severe ones altogether. Occasionally, my pulmonologist actually has samples to give me, because he knows of my financial hardships.
I have been taking it an average of about once a day over the past three years. Although you're supposed to take two inhalations a day, I've been able to get by with a little more than an average of one a day during the colder months, and less than an average of one a day during the warmer months.
Up until three months ago, living off my nebulizer and rescue inhaler just wasn't an option for me. Only Advair was keeping me alive, because if I went without it for more than two days consecutively I went into that deteriorating state, which is what my type of asthma is called, "Deteriorating Asthma."
I am not the absolute worst patient in the world, but I would definitely say, and I think my record and specialist would back this up, that I am probably in the top one or two percent of severe asthma patients. Still and all, I have experienced a small miracle over the past three months.
Don't ask why, but I have always done extremely well in the sweltering, heavily polluted Northeastern summers. Although I live 70 miles north of midtown Manhattan, I work in NYC, and don't experience a heck of a lot of clean air in my life. Even up here in Dutchess County, a semi-rural slice of suburbia, but becoming more suburbia every day, the air is notoriously laden with heavy metals and certain toxic chemicals. We get one of the worst overall report cards in the nation. Sure, we have that "fresh, country air" smell and feel, but nonetheless, toxic agents abound.
With all that, when it's heavily polluted, 100 degrees, extremely humid and they're warning all old folks and respiratory patients (me on both counts) to stay indoors, I have my best days.
So, in July, I wasn't able to afford a new Advair when the old one ran out. After one week, I was astounded, and after one month I was shocked. This was the best I had been in six years, the point where I became so severe. I have now been without Advair for the past three months, but over the past month since the weather turned, have nearly depleted my supply of Albuterol vials for my nebulizer, and have just secured a brand new rescue inhaler, which I'm plowing through like a hippo in a fight with a crocodile.
And that goes back to your point about the Advair in the first place. I may indeed have experienced a long awaited miracle of sorts, but I still have severe asthma and will need a new Advair really soon, so I'd better make myself afford it, because it's responsible for me being alive these past three years.
I have been taking it an average of about once a day over the past three years. Although you're supposed to take two inhalations a day, I've been able to get by with a little more than an average of one a day during the colder months, and less than an average of one a day during the warmer months.
Up until three months ago, living off my nebulizer and rescue inhaler just wasn't an option for me. Only Advair was keeping me alive, because if I went without it for more than two days consecutively I went into that deteriorating state, which is what my type of asthma is called, "Deteriorating Asthma."
I am not the absolute worst patient in the world, but I would definitely say, and I think my record and specialist would back this up, that I am probably in the top one or two percent of severe asthma patients. Still and all, I have experienced a small miracle over the past three months.
Don't ask why, but I have always done extremely well in the sweltering, heavily polluted Northeastern summers. Although I live 70 miles north of midtown Manhattan, I work in NYC, and don't experience a heck of a lot of clean air in my life. Even up here in Dutchess County, a semi-rural slice of suburbia, but becoming more suburbia every day, the air is notoriously laden with heavy metals and certain toxic chemicals. We get one of the worst overall report cards in the nation. Sure, we have that "fresh, country air" smell and feel, but nonetheless, toxic agents abound.
With all that, when it's heavily polluted, 100 degrees, extremely humid and they're warning all old folks and respiratory patients (me on both counts) to stay indoors, I have my best days.
So, in July, I wasn't able to afford a new Advair when the old one ran out. After one week, I was astounded, and after one month I was shocked. This was the best I had been in six years, the point where I became so severe. I have now been without Advair for the past three months, but over the past month since the weather turned, have nearly depleted my supply of Albuterol vials for my nebulizer, and have just secured a brand new rescue inhaler, which I'm plowing through like a hippo in a fight with a crocodile.
And that goes back to your point about the Advair in the first place. I may indeed have experienced a long awaited miracle of sorts, but I still have severe asthma and will need a new Advair really soon, so I'd better make myself afford it, because it's responsible for me being alive these past three years.
