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  • Do you experience chronic bronchitis?

    Posted by jen-cueva on June 15, 2020 at 5:08 pm

    Because of PH, I also have chronic bronchitis. This week in my most recent column, I share my top tips for bronchitis. This can be difficult to manage on top of PH. Give it a read and let’s talk about it.

    Do you have chronic bronchitis? If so, what are your top tips? What is the worst thing about having PH with bronchitis?

    jen-cueva replied 3 years, 9 months ago 3 Members · 8 Replies
  • 8 Replies
  • jimi-mcintosh

    Member
    June 16, 2020 at 6:31 pm

    I thought that PH, bronchitis, COPD and Asthma were a 4 for one package. I still have no idea where one ends and the other begins. I have found that wearing these mask is causing more flare ups. Some days, I take the wrong inhaler for the wrong issue, then wonder why I am still wheezing and struggling to breathe. They recently added “afib” to my list of ailments, there was a popular song titled “If there was no bad luck, I would have no luck at all”.

    I try to avoid heavy perfumes, smoke, exhaust and charcoal fires. I am hoping that they will release a longer lasting inhaler, to aid in breathing. My last resort med is steroids for a period of time.

  • Colleen

    Member
    June 16, 2020 at 7:16 pm

    @jimi it must be very complicated trying to assess yourself every day and make a decision on how to treat your symptoms. My personal experience has been that the wrong inhaler can significantly enhance your symptoms instead of aiding in controlling them. My son was diagnosed with asthma and placed on inhalers that did not help. Then he was finally diagnosed with PH and taken off the inhalers. As his PH progressed his doctor thought an asthma inhaler might help him but my son said it was making him worse. He eventually refused to take them so his doctor had him take a spirometry test with his inhaler and that proved that his inhaler was making his symptoms worse. I have asthma and had to change inhalers once because one was making me worse. Have you had a spirometry test lately with inhalers?

  • jimi-mcintosh

    Member
    June 16, 2020 at 7:31 pm

    I have had spirometer done and thought I was on 2 meds that were working. Changes in covered meds and they were no longer covered. Proair is now hundreds$, ventolin is cheaper,but less effective. Really we need to separate insurance from medical Care. We the patient pay with our health and life.

  • jen-cueva

    Member
    June 16, 2020 at 7:40 pm

    Oh @jimi, yep, it sure seems like that these things company in package deals at times. I was misdiagnosed with asthma at first, and the inhalers only complicated my breathing. Now, with bronchitis, I have been given some that I do OK for the most part with.

    It certainly can be frustrating and overwhelming, trying to keep all of this straight.

    That is funny that you mention the change in the inhaler costs. My mom is on medicare, and yesterday she was telling me how one of her meds and my stepdad’s insulin has changed in price. The cheaper ones went up, and a few more expensive ones went down by a few dollars. Not enough to make up for the increases on the others.

    Are the cost changes for you, private insurance, or medicare?

    Take care of yourself, Jimi.

  • jimi-mcintosh

    Member
    June 17, 2020 at 6:59 am

    There has been a sudden increase in almost all essential meds, such as blood pressure, insulin, and almost any made in China, which most of them. Insulin went up by 2-300%, the good news is that Medicare now allows you to take advantage of manufacturers discount, most pharmaceutical companies have programs to lower your co-pay to $ 0.00. It was law that Medicare recipients could not accept gifts, discounts or gratuities, that has recently changed.
    I now use mfg discounts, compared prices at local pharmacies, one monthly drug was $20.00 cheaper between Walmart and Publix and Kroger. Since a large % of your income goes for essential drugs, you have to shop and compare. Xarelto is $765 for 30 days, mfg discount copay is $10.00

  • jen-cueva

    Member
    June 17, 2020 at 10:01 am

    Hi Jimi, thanks for that feedback. That makes sense now.

    I will share this information with my parents. I am not sure if she knows that she can use these discounts. You do have to shop around. That is awesome for people needing help. I know that Xeralto is not cheap. My stepfather was on that for several years until they changed him to a more affordable med.

    Comparing prices for sure must take some time. But once you have the best deal, do you usually stay with that pharmacy? Or is this something that you need to shop monthly or every 90 days?

  • jimi-mcintosh

    Member
    June 18, 2020 at 8:51 am

    Generally discounts are good for a year, your pharmacist should inform you of pending increases or decreases. Trump promised lower pricing, they did allow Medicare and Medicaid patients to use discounts, coupons, loyalty cards. Most major mfg have available discount offers on their web sites.

  • jen-cueva

    Member
    June 18, 2020 at 5:01 pm

    Thanks, @jimi, I did let my mom know. I am grateful for this information. How are you doing this week? Are you staying indoors and cool? Is it hot where you are yet? Here in Texas, the heat is already pretty rough.

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