No need to pm, I'm here.
Good memory Said, but that's 36m, with intntion of going deeper next time I'll have a chance.
My asthma was also mostly related to alergies. Nowdays I rarely have serious asthma, and if I do, this albuterol inhaler is the last thing I would use (unless that won't work either, and then I need to go for bigger guns). I started to get rid of my asthma before discovering freediving, freediving just helped me to gain even more control and confidence above this condition.
I'm not a doctor, and every person is different, but that's what helped me:
1) Prevention.
When alergies is usually the cause they can be prevented.
I recognize the sympthoms of alergies that usually apear before asthma (mucos production, headache, overall shitty feeling) and treat them with anti-histamins. I rather deal with a small amount of them than albuterol or other steriods. People are different, from my expirience it takes alot of trials to find the right anti-histamin for you. Some would make you feel worse (with there own side effects) and some would do nothing, but one might just be a magic pill. I have tried over 10 different kinds (not just brands) over the years. Some worked, and then stopped working, and then started working again. It's wierd. The one that works for me right now (didn't always work) is Loratadine. If you decide to abstain from anithistamins you can try some homeopathic medicine, they claim to have good success against alergies, though some of the stuff they have might be just the same as anti histamins.
Don't take the antihistamins when you don't need to, they'll just stop working.
Nowdays my alergies have decreased also, I don't know why, but such things happen. I have a friend who stopped being alergic to cats after 23 years, when a stray cat just decided to adopt her.
2) Athma attacks.
OK, as long as you're not getting hypoxic, or handicapped by that attack (in ohter words: if it's just a wheezy breath), don't use the inhaler.
That's what my specialist told me about 13 years ago. Using the inhaler would only make you more dependant of it, time and time again. It's a short term relief, and should be used only when really needed. In the long term, it's a mistake. There were a few researches saying that then, which I'm not sure how they turned out at the end (expecially with drug companies being hurt by them), but my specialist did think they were right, and today so do I.
It's not the best proof, but a few people I know from my teenage years that had about the same condition, but always opted for the inhaler have only worsen their asthma by now, while I'm almost healed.
What I do advise you to do instead of using the inhaler is to get hold of those asthma attacks. To not let them get out of hand try to calm yourself down, relax, and work on your breathing (that's where freediving expirience kicks in).
Getting in a hot summer day, in a dark room with AC and some cola have done wonders to my asthma (just one exmaple).
Now to your question
:
I never dove under the effect of anything but Loratadine, and I was fine when did so. With other antihistamins I don't think I'de feel good enough to dive. Atleast not deep.
Albuterol is a broncho dialator, I'de definitly advice a specialist before diving under it's influence.
Since you're going away for a vecation, there's a chance you won't be exposed to the same stuff that makes you alergic back home, no? have hope.
Another thing I noticed in my scuba days (before I knew what's feediving is), is that in the middle of the sea, sometime the alergy symptoms go away. I guess being imerssed in salt water over 2km upwind from what makes me alergic helps.
O, just remembered, another thing that helped me calm down is showers and baths.
And abstain from smoke and chlorine (pools) in times when you're wheezy, it will make it much worse.
That all I can think about it in this instance.
There's hope, asthma can be conquered sometimes.
PS: Using the inhaler once every 1-2 days for prolonged periods sounds already chronic to me.
PPS: Good Luck!
