I AM AN ASTHMATIC. My Story begins just like some other million stories. I had been healthy all my life. I suffered from very mild colds and bronchitis once in a while and with antibiotics the bronchitis would go away. In 1992 I moved to Los Angeles and by 1994 I had my first severe asthma attack. It came up without any notice. Actually, I had no idea I was having a severe asthma attack. I refused to even imagine that I had become that ill.

I was rushed to the doctor who stopped everything she was doing and ran to start treating me. After the initial shock of her reaction, a shot of adrenaline and the nebulizer, the side effects of the shots started and the heart rate and trembling of the body were more unbearable than the asthma itself. She could not bring me back to normal with the first shot so she shot me again and the second one worked.

Needless to say, I had to stay there for awhile and kept under strict nurse's care. I was diagnosed with severe asthma and put on medication such as Ventolin inhaler, a nebulizer for home, albuterol, adrenaline shots, and big doses of Prednisone. Thereafter, my life became miserable and I had to stop all type of activities, as I was sensitive to absolutely everything.

Believing that there was more to it than just the air I was breathing, I headed for the allergy specialist who performed the regular allergy tests and found out that I am allergic to dust and feathers. However, I have found out that I also suffer from allergies when there is pollen around and during the Santa Ana Winds. Molds and spores will bring also a very nice attack. However, there is no problem with it as I have all the medication that is needed in order to bring the asthma under control right? Wrong. The more I started to take the medication the easier the attacks repeated themselves and it got worse as soon as I got off the Prednisone and the inhalers. The attacks became more common and they got to the point that I could not leave the house. My house was filled with air filters, which are a must in any asthmatic's household, and air conditioners to keep the body to a certain temperature so I would not overheat and have an attack.

Several times I found myself in the hospital in the emergency room and stayed there for three to four days. While in the hospital I was introduced to other drugs including theophyllin. In doing research, I found out that it takes about the same amount of Theo to kill you that it takes to bring the asthma under control. Moreover, I have been on and off Prednisone for several years and the effects started to be obvious. Not only I felt psychotic when taking 60 mgs. A day, but I also started to put on incredible amounts of weight and got swollen, not to mention that I became dependent on Prednisone.

My level of frustration started to sky rocket and started to think that there was nothing for me to do but to continue with the medication, the epi-pens, the nebulizer and all the other drugs and utensils needed to treat asthma. My husband thinks that there are always an infinite number of solutions for any given problem and for my birthday he gave me a book called "Reversing Asthma, Breathe Easier with this Revolutionary New Program", written by Richard N. Firshein, D.O. During my last asthma attack, while in bed, I started to read the book and my life started to change.

I started doing the programs he has in his book and even though I am still taking small amounts of Prednisone and Theo, I am almost off of them and I have not felt this good in a long time. I am aware and conscious about the benefits of the medication in case of emergencies and by no means encourage people to do otherwise but that which their doctors recommend as I am not a doctor or a care provider. I am just a person sharing my experience as an asthmatic and recommending that every person that suffers from any illness, regardless of how complicated and hopeless it may look, do research on their own as there may be natural or holistic ways to treat some of these illnesses. I have found it and I feel very good. It is a lot of work as it requires a total life style change, but for me, it is the best thing it has happened to me in the last five years, besides the support and love of my family.

[View Old Guestbook]