Breathing Question

Guns64D · 02-12-2008, 14:12

Here is a situation for a 18D that comes from an experience i have had in the field.

So no shit there we were. We were in the field for an exercise and I believe it was Hay dust that was all over the place. After a couple of hours in a tent filled with Hay pollen or whatever, I couldn't breath for shit. I would say that about 19 out of 20 people were given albuteral inhalers. That didn't really work for me so I asked the doc for something stronger. He gave me prednisone pills and I was breathing like a champ.

The question is, if you are on a team, down range, would you use this method for a situation like this? I have never had breathing problems, so I believe that at least a couple of guys on an A-detachment could potentially experience a problem like this, and maybe on mission in some podunk village downrange.

Also, since this was a one time occurence, would you document it in your medical file?

Red Flag 1 · 02-12-2008, 16:19

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Guns64D · 02-13-2008, 10:02

To expound:

No sneezing.
Tearing caused by difficulty breathing.
Coughing, yes with a very sharp weeze at the end of the cough.
Time of year was April.
Unit could not be moved.

Most people did not ask for more Meds, but when they were sleeping they sounded like they were gonna die. A lot of coughing and weezing going on.

I forgot to add that I also was given Sudafed. All it did was dry my airways and sinuses up but it did not help with the difficulty breathing.

After we were out of the field, all problems stopped. I am thinking that since we were not from the area, our bodies were not used to the hay (pollen?). The pollen at Bragg doesn't really bother me anymore, but this was Ft. Hood.

Also, it was not an 18D that perscribed me the predisone, it was a physician.

To get to the point, I am amazed at how good Prednisone was in getting me back to 100%. I have read a bunch of these threads and I haven't heard about much use of the drug for emergencies involving respiratory illnesses. I guess you never know when you'll be in a situation like this and maybe this a topic in this thread will help out...or not.

What are your thoughts? Thanks for help.

Red Flag 1 · 02-13-2008, 15:39

content edit

Patriot007 · 02-13-2008, 15:48

Just a student here with a question to add to the discussion. It seems to me one of the major factors that would make taking Prednisone not ideal in said conditions is that it is immunosuppressive. Shutting down one's immune system on a prolonged austere operation doesn't sound ideal to me. Thoughts?

shr7 · 02-13-2008, 16:56

Prednisone is commonly used for short term control of allergic asthma. It is a very dangerous drug to be used long term, and is not the safest to use short term either. Our patients are given an asthma action plan (hopefully). First resort, they hit themselves with Albuterol. Second resort, more Albuterol. Last resort, more Albuterol, then we start them on a SHORT course of prednisone. Do not worry about the immunosuppresive effects if it is only a short course of the drug. Maybe start to think about it after 4 weeks. However, if you are taking it for more than a couple weeks anyway, you have got a boatload of issues to deal with, that could fill up this entire thread.

There are medications you can take to preempt these symptoms when you know you are going to be in a situation like this. I would be out of my lane to suggest them, since I don't know what kind of drugs are available to you out in the field, or if you would be able to receive them before a field exercise. But, if you run across this problem in your personal life, inhaled steroids (like Flovent), leukotriene inhibitors (like Singulair) and mast cell stabilizers (like Cromolyn) can all have benefit. But again, I don't know what the situation is in the armed forces as far as access to these drugs.

But in reference to your original questions,
1) I don't know, the medics out there may have an answer.
2) I would document it.

EDIT: I forgot to add, RF 1 is all too correct when he states that the inhaler needs to be used properly. Giving a bunch of people inhalers that have never used them before, you are almost guaranteed to get some weird stuff going on. Where to place them, number of puffs, how long between each puff, number of puffs per day, how often to take your dose. It is not nearly as easy as it seems.