Nurses with asthma

Nurses General Nursing

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Hi!

I'm prenursing, hoping to enter nursing school next fall. I've had asthma for years and I've always dealt with it, but 3 weeks ago I had a really bad attack that caused me to stay over night (my first time being sort of admitted). It's been 3 weeks and I am doing better, although not 100% yet.

I had no issues with my asthma when I was working as an LNA. Now I'm worried. Is asthma a deal breaker for nursing? With the cleaning chemicals and exposure to different things...do I need to give up my dream?

Thank you all!

I developed asthma with pregnancy. Physical activity is fine for me, but I react to chemicals and allergens. My asthma was bad enough during pregnancy that I ended up living in the hospital for a while (read: 4 months). With my daughter I actually had a terbutaline pump back when they used those for preterm labor (and also as a potent bronchodilator)

As a nurse, I haven't had too many issues. I'm vigilant about hand hygiene, avoid getting sick as much as possible, and stay away when they're cleaning rooms. When I was in the OR, I actually had more problems though. Bovie plume, joint cement, (methylmethacrylate) and other things we used combined with wearing a mask all day caused several flare ups for me. I know many nurses who have developed asthma since working in the OR, which I find interesting.

I find that corticosteroids make me wound up and rather anxious, OP. The inhaled ones aren't so bad, but anytime I get bad enough to require oral or IV, look out. I'm wound like a top. I was on advair for years until I switched to Dulera recently. I love it - has me under better control than ever before. Keep on top of your symptoms and I bet you will do just fine!

You just described me on prednisone. I was crying, angry and paranoid. I think I'm still having some residual effects from it. That's so interesting that you developed it during pregnancy. I have a friend whose latest pregnancy seems to have mostly cured hers.

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I've read things about advair that made me nervous but doctors haven't recommended it for me. I believe I had quite the panic attack tonight and I am still having major anxiety. I feel muscle tightness in my neck and my face turned hot and red. The neck thing effects my throat which makes me worry about my asthma which makes the muscles more tense...it's a vicious circle. Seeing my pcp on Wednesday and getting the flu shot then as well. I'm terrified of getting the flu or a cold now.

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Specializes in CVICU CCRN.

I would definitely talk to them! Anxiety like that is no picnic and if it's impacting your life, you should get the support you need. I'm not a naturally very anxious person normally, but I take PRN Vistaril as both an anti allergy med and to help balance out the steroid induced weirdness. It's in the same class as Benadryl but doesn't leave me with the awful Benadryl hangover. It also helps me sleep days (since I'm now working nights)

I've read that many people with asthma do experience a reprieve during pregnancy. I wasn't so lucky. I actually had a traumatic c-section/delivery and complications from that, and I have one Dr who is of the opinion that I developed an autoimmune reaction from all that. I also developed rheumatoid arthritis (or was diagnosed) at around the same time. For the most part, I control everything wth diet and exercise and a few supplements (nothing crazy) and nursing hasn't been an issue for me. I avoid the corticosteroids and try to take care of myself as much as possible, and it's all good!

ETA: to prescribe a long acting bronchodilator like what's in Advair and Dulera, Docs tend to want you to fall in to a certain category of chronic asthma that is not well controlled with an inhaled corticosteroid alone, since there are risks associated with it. Not medical advice at all, but that may be one reason they haven't recommended it for you just yet.

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I would definitely talk to them! Anxiety like that is no picnic and if it's impacting your life, you should get the support you need. I'm not a naturally very anxious person normally, but I take PRN Vistaril as both an anti allergy med and to help balance out the steroid induced weirdness. It's in the same class as Benadryl but doesn't leave me with the awful Benadryl hangover. It also helps me sleep days (since I'm now working nights)

I've read that many people with asthma do experience a reprieve during pregnancy. I wasn't so lucky. I actually had a traumatic c-section/delivery and complications from that, and I have one Dr who is of the opinion that I developed an autoimmune reaction from all that. I also developed rheumatoid arthritis (or was diagnosed) at around the same time. For the most part, I control everything wth diet and exercise and a few supplements (nothing crazy) and nursing hasn't been an issue for me. I avoid the corticosteroids and try to take care of myself as much as possible, and it's all good!

ETA: to prescribe a long acting bronchodilator like what's in Advair and Dulera, Docs tend to want you to fall in to a certain category of chronic asthma that is not well controlled with an inhaled corticosteroid alone, since there are risks associated with it. Not medical advice at all, but that may be one reason they haven't recommended it for you just yet.

I hope they don't recommend it :) I'm hoping that the Flovent will be enough. I also hope that if I lose weight it will help as well.

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No need to give up on your dream. :-)

I haven't read the posts, so please excuse me if it has already been brought up. Do you know your triggers? Do you have allergies that trigger an asthmatic episode? If so, you can learn how to avoid those triggers by speaking with your doctor and then your employer if it is something like a chemical you can't be around...

I have a coworker who gets BAD allergy symptoms when they vaccum the carpet. The poor girl wears a mask sometimes to try and limit exposure. But in general it's pretty well controlled with nasal sprays.

So many of us nurses live and work as nurses with a "disability" of some sort. I'm one of them :-)

I was told even by an instructor (among a few others) that I shouldn't be a nurse with interstitial cystitis. Showed them wrong.

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No need to give up on your dream. :-)

I haven't read the posts, so please excuse me if it has already been brought up. Do you know your triggers? Do you have allergies that trigger an asthmatic episode? If so, you can learn how to avoid those triggers by speaking with your doctor and then your employer if it is something like a chemical you can't be around...

I have a coworker who gets BAD allergy symptoms when they vaccum the carpet. The poor girl wears a mask sometimes to try and limit exposure. But in general it's pretty well controlled with nasal sprays.

So many of us nurses live and work as nurses with a "disability" of some sort. I'm one of them :-)

I was told even by an instructor (among a few others) that I shouldn't be a nurse with interstitial cystitis. Showed them wrong.

Thank you! I have an allergist appointment in a couple months. Found out I had asthma at my aunt's house who had like 30 cats. I was around 15.

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