Asthma by Anonymous

I am a mother who is at her wits end with the medical profession and the personal opinions of politicians.  My 17-year-old daughter was born in Virginia and due to complications in labor and my family history of allergies developed severe asthma that went undetected until she was 15 months old.  She was on the nebulizer, inhalers, liquids, pills from that age forth.  I moved her to Memphis in 1992 and her condition worsened.  She have seen most all of the SPECIALISTS in Memphis.  These SPECIALISTS altered her treatment meds and schedules, introduced new meds, performed painful allergy testing, in general, and screwed up her poor mind, body and lungs.  She has been on daily steroids (10mg/am) for 8+ years now.  She has developed fibrocystic breast disease from the one-year treatment of Unidur and now caffeine isn't in her diet.  She also suffers from a stomach lining and digestive problems from the steroid use.  Her only meds to date that she tolerates and helps to maintain her are: Prednisone 10mg in the mornings, Ventolin inhaler (when needed) (one inhaler will last 3 weeks max), Ventolin solution diluted with saline and administered through her nebulizer (used as 15 to 30 minutes treatments with flare ups) and Accolate 20mg twice daily.

We have been on our own in her treatment since I lost my insurance i.e. Her last emergency trip and resulting admittance was the worst yet.  There wasn't any of the usual testing or chestx-rays, just an increase in her steriods to 100 mg with Ventolin inhalations every 2 hours for a total of 5 treatments in the emergency room.  After she was admitted they continued the treatments twice more and then changed to every 4 hours.  She wasn't open enough to get a peakflow reading, walk herself to the bathroom or eat.  Her condition had worsened when she was released within 24 hours of being admitted.  We had to take her home and begin yet another of OUR treatments.  I have been FORCED to look else where for help and I have chosen herbals to help ease her pain from her Fibrocystic breast disease to her severe leg cramps to her numerous digestive problems.  She gained to 175 pounds then dropped to 105 from the cruel side effects of steroids.  I have her on 1000mg of vitamin C and E as well as Borage oil for her breast.  She's unable to tolerate most vitamins, foods, liquids and meds now.

When we got my daughter home, we went right into OUR treatments of alternating the Ventolin inhalations with shotguns of marijuana.  She begin coughing up phelm with 30 minutes (total of 3 shotguns and her 30 minute treatment).  She coughed up a coffee cup FULL of phlegmm and mucus within 12 hours.  She managed to get a peakflow reading of 350(550 is her high) and slept for 18 hours.  She awoke feeling hungry and breathing with ease and her peaekflow soared to 460 by that evening.  We had to slowly decrease her steroids back to her 10mg.(took 9 days)

This isn't the first time nor will it be the last that she will turn to marijuana to relieve her asthma.  We are facing the termination of her present meds to force us to an asthma clinic so the SPECIALISTS can torture her with altering treatments and schedules, introducing new meds and perform more painful allergy testing.  This is unfair to her.  The medical professionals WILL NOT review her previous meds, results, and testing.  They also forget that it is NOT I who has made her steroid dependent.