dealing with cigarette allergies

[lotus]

When I used to work on the east coast, the clubs would be so thick with smoke it was visible. Whenever I am around cigarette smoke, the inside of my throat itches and if there is enough smoke, it will start to swell up and my airway shuts.

I used to come home after a night of dancing all that cigarette smoke and cough up blood. (because the lining of my throat would get so irritated)

Is there anything to be done about this? Is there an inhaler that can be used, or a pill that can be taken? Avoiding smoke is not always a practical option, especially as I desire to travel overseas someday.

Im not interested in the moral issues or etiquette surrounding cigarette smoking. (pointless discussion anyway- Cairenes are not gonna stop chainsmoking just because Bhuz says so!)

I am just looking for some practical advice on how to minimize my own reactive symptoms, personally.

[SummerSahar]

Oh wow, Zari. That sucks! I don't have advice to offer, but I feel for you. Ciggie smoke just makes me nauseous, but doesn't affect me nearly the way it does you :-(
The only time I like that smell is on a brand new Bella. Apparently, EVERYONE in Istanbul smokes.

[basina]

Is it possible that you have allergic asthma? I take Advair (an inhalable powder that keeps your lungs open for 12 hours) and Singular (to control allergies) and carry an inhaler JUST in case (like last night at my company's xmas party when someone lit up a cigar. . . I've not used my inhaler for MONTHS but definitely needed it lat night!)

[lotus]

I don't know. I don't seem to be asthmatic in any other way? but asthma does run in my family
(along with diabetes, cancer, and alzheimer -- thanks mom & dad!)

Is it ok for regular people to use an inhaler, just once-in-a-while? What about those ones you buy in the drugstore over-the-counter? I guess if you can buy it OTC it can't be that dangerous.

Doctors have been useless for advice. They just say to avoid smoke, or tell people to smoke outside. It's just not possible to avoid it sometimes.

[kina]

Originally Posted by lotus

I don't know. I don't seem to be asthmatic in any other way? but asthma does run in my family
(along with diabetes, cancer, and alzheimer -- thanks mom & dad!)

Is it ok for regular people to use an inhaler, just once-in-a-while? What about those ones you buy in the drugstore over-the-counter? I guess if you can buy it OTC it can't be that dangerous.

Doctors have been useless for advice. They just say to avoid smoke, or tell people to smoke outside. It's just not possible to avoid it sometimes.

I have exactly the same response, but it's getting triggered by when people just have smoke lingering on their clothes. I have an albuterin inhaler that I use when it happens. It's been fine, but the issue is using a steroid, which has it's own side effects (such as swelling, etc)

[basina]

Lotus, I didnt think I had asthma at all. I had some sinus/seasonal allergy issues that just seemed continuous or that would just come out of the blue. I finally got sick of it all and went to a specialist. It turned out that I have allergic asthma (and I didnt even believe the doc till I tried the treatments and saw the difference for myself).

Its not the type of asthma where you just get out of breath or where you need to reach for the inhaler when you are frightened/over exerted/excited, its only kicks in in the presence of certain allergens. Unfortunately for me, cats are one of the triggers, but the combo of meds has made me able to live in peace with the felines that own me ;-)

If the passages in your lungs are indeed narrowing in the presence of smoke, I would definitely think it safe to use an inhaler when needed. (better than ceasing to breathe at least!)

Definitely talk to your doc, as the over the counter inhalers (which will be completely removed from the market in a few years) dont work the same as the prescription ones like Albuteral. I also understand that they arent nearly as effective.

Good luck to you!

[ozma]

I load up on antihistamines and sudaphede before, after exposure (when back at home) I'm all about the Sinucleanse to get that crap out of my nose in a hot shower

[joanneraks]

no advice, just sympathy. That is really lame, and I was feeling sorry for myself because it pretty much gives me an instant bad, bad headache. (along with a little nausea and dizziness.) Your symptoms make mine seem not as terrible.

[*Shira*]

One of my friends who does have asthma survived Cairo by taking with her a supply of the disposable masks that people wear over their noses and mouths to protect against germs. She wore them nearly all the time. In order to avoid attracting attention with them, she took a long rectangular scarf and wrapped it around her face in such a way that only her eyes showed, thereby covering the mask. Because she covered her hair and wore loose-fitting long dresses, people just assumed her to be a conservative Muslima and therefore she didn't draw any strange reactions.

So, the above solution would probably attract the wrong kind of attention here in the U.S., but in Cairo it would probably just cause the locals to treat you with an extra level of respect!

[lotus]

thanks for all the responses! I will look into the possibility of the allergic asthma. Maybe I've got it without knowing. I know that my half siblings have regular asthma, and I think my father did too.

I actually had thought of doing the surgical mask, and discarded the idea because whenever I see someone do that in the US I always think it looks Howard Hughes/psycho.

But hey, if it wouldn't be that weird looking in Cairo, I'm willing to give it a shot!

[Ainsley]

It could be asthma. I feel my asthma as a tightening in my throat, even though I know it's the bronchial tubes in my lungs that are contracting.

Even if it is asthma, though, I wouldn't recommend going on a daily treatment like Advair or Singulair if you only experience occasional acute reactions. I only started on Advair when my asthma became chronic: that is, I would be wheezing every day for no reason if I weren't on it. When my asthma was only exercise or allergen induced, I just used a fast-acting inhaler to control those reactions as they happened.

So you might look into a prescription fast-acting inhaler like albuterol or salbutamol. I'm not familiar with over-the-counter inhalers, so I can't comment on those. You would just take one or two puffs when you experience a reaction, and it should quell your symptoms (assuming they're asthmatic) in a couple of minutes.

On the other hand, it could be a swelling allergy. In that case, you would be better served by taking an antihistamine like Benadryl, which is often used to treat swelling allergies like hives. The problem with Benadryl, though, is that, although it is one of the more effective over-the-counter drugs for treating swelling reactions, it also makes you drowsy.

If your throat is actually swelling up, you should also get an epipen in case someday you have an anaphylactic reaction. Swelling allergies can become very serious very quickly, and you don't want to be unprepared if your throat suddenly closes over. Epipens are autoinjectors. In case of a severe reaction, you would press it to your thigh and push the button, and it would inject epinephrine to temporarily reverse the allergic reaction. They're not enough treatment in and of themselves, but they're supposed to give you enough time to get to a hospital.

I would really recommend that you see a doctor to get their opinion on what type of allergy it is so that you can get the right kind of drug for it.

[lotus]

Thanks Ainsley. You're right. I should just try the doctor again.

I shoudl have an epi-pen anyway! the last time I got stung by a bee, it only scratched me and the stigner didnt even go in. Nevertheless, it took a trip to the ER and three injections of adrenaline to bring my body back to normal.

[Ainsley]

Holy cow! You should definitely have an emergency injector, then, just in case.