I've developed asthma myself, ironically, since I started working in a musical instrument factory. It's no picnic and I believe that mine isn't as bad as a lot of people's. I usually have to load up on antihistamines before playing out now because, if I don't, my cough reflex kicks in when I start singing. When it's really bad I get short of breath and chest pain. My sympathies and healing vibes to Corey. Get better there, kid!

I have asthma, too, but it usually doesn't bother me as long as I stay away from mold, cigarette smoke, and rooms full of cats, and I never ended up in the hospital with it. I used to see an allergist and take all kinds of drugs and get shots and use inhalers which never helped much, and finally got it under control when I went to see a naturopath. I've never been back to the allergist. It's been over 10 years now. Different things work for different people.

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Judy, tell me more about the naturopath. I'd rather these kids not have to live on medications all their lives.

One of Corey's cost over $80 for a one-month supply! We gave her the (much) cheaper over-the-counter variety instead (with the doctor's blessing).

All of Michael's medications and equipment are covered by medical assistance because he is considered "disabled" for state welfare benefits purposes.... without that, our copays and deductibles would exceed $500 a month just for Michael!

Yes, Judy, tell us more about the naturopath. Please.

Well, naturopaths treat the whole person. They sit and talk to you for an hour, getting to know you, before they prescribe anything. When I first went to mine, she put me on ephedra for a while, which has since become controversial and maybe even banned 'cos athletes abusing it to lose weight or maybe get a little kick have died from ephedra abuse....like you wouldn't die from asprin abuse. But anyway, she gave me strict instructions to follow with that, and I followed them. She also gave me freeze-dried nettles and quercetin, which are both good for allergies. It took me a couple weeks of feeling bad before I started feeling better, but I did eventually, and people noticed, and said I even looked better, and I lost a bunch of weight. I stopped taking all my prescriptions from the allergist cold turkey and never went back to him. I also made some changes in my diet--cut down on dairy, beef, and bad fats, added more fruit and veggies. She tested me and found out I was moderately allergic to eggs, so I cut down on them. I already knew from the allergist that I'm allergic to soy. But the thing with naturopaths is, they take the time to figure out a plan for you as an individual. They are not licensed in all states, and insurance may or may not cover them, and may or may not cover the stuff they give you, but it could be worth looking into. Email me if you want more info, but again, please remember that it's just what worked for me, and you need to find out if there would be drug interactions, etc. with any herbal supplements--it's not a path you should just follow on your own without any professional guidance or research.

Hope Corey gets better soon. More prayers just said. I probably should look into a naturopath since I have such bad allergies...

Judy, thanks. That is certainly interesting. Funny thing about Corey, she's a health nut. And she doesn't even like chocolate. She wants to be a health and phys-ed high school teacher. She's fit as a fiddle and I just hired her last night to be my personal trainer over Winter Break. She doesn't eat meat (except for chicken) and very rarely eats junk.

I will certainly tell her about this option. Personally, I think she needs to slow down and get some rest.

Thanks so much!