Going from school in june, to working 12 hour days

[anonymous]

I'm 17 and have CF, and need to take ventolin 3-4 times a day most of the time when not sick, along with tobi, pulmazyme and pulmicort. I don't have diabetes (yet?) but I have wierd blood sugar levels, but it's fixed by just eating some carb-rich foods. But here's what my weekday will be for the next few months until I finish school: Get up at 9 30 or 10, do the hour+ routine in the mornings, relax for a bit, then go to school from 12 30 to 3. I then have a half hour until I go to work, which is cell phone billing support at a call center, so not exactly physically demanding, but emotionally draining (still trying to get rid of the remnants of my social anxiety disorder). During school I had some rough patches were I would start coughing every 30 seconds or so with no of stopping (inhaler is only a temp fix) until I got my ventolin. But I haven't had a bout like that in over 7 months. I still need to take 3-4 ventolins a day though.

I'm wondering though, any tips on getting through 12 straight hours without my ventolin? I guess I'll have to start taking quite a few extra doses of my inhaler, but what have you guys done/are doing?

 

[lightNlife]

Wow. Sounds like a busy schedule. When you say taking 3-4 ventolins, do you mean a medneb treatment? I have a PARI E trek that I keep in my office at work and do it during my lunch break.

There have been times where I have pushed my limits and my capabilities in terms of being able to balance work and health and everything else. I want to remind you to PUT YOUR HEALTH FIRST. No job is worth sacrificing your well-being.

Maybe you can talk to your doctor about a longer lasting inhaled medication to keep the coughing at bay. Are you on Advair or Atrovent or something like that?

One of the easiest things I've been able to do to keep my coughing to a minimum while at work is to keep a bottle of water with me to constantly sip.

I hope everything goes well at the new job! Best wishes with that.

 

[anonymous]

I'm actually taking a salbutamol sulphate solution, my doctors and family have just always called it Ventolin. And yeah, it's in a nebulized form.

 

[Scarlett81]

I have the cordless battery operated nebulizer. I don't remember the name-maybe its the PARI E trek too?<img src="i/expressions/face-icon-small-blush.gif" border="0">
But its great, I can use it anywhere. Even if you are embarassed, so sit in the bathroom and do it. Its silent-no noise! I would get it I were you. Your health has to come first, new job, new classes, whatever comes. Take Care!

 

[NoExcuses]

.

 

[anonymous]

I say do meds at work. With a cell phone company, it's definitely a big enough company that they'll work with ya. I do nebulizers in my office every day. I also have a dorm room size refrigerator in my office to hold boost shakes, drugs, and whatever else... My recommendation is to ask. If you can't ask, they can't let you do something. I also do an acapella in my office also.

 

[Ratatosk]

I'd say bring a portable nebulizer or a nebulizer you can keep at work to the office. Do neb treatments on your coffee and/or lunch breaks.

 

[anonymous]

I never knew they had a portable nebulizer thing, damn. Thanks alot you guys, I think I will be doing them on a break.

 

[anonymous]

One other thought, particularly with working in a call center is that you might want to take wipes and clean your phone each day... Your company can even order "telphone cleaning wipes" from their supplier which are anti-static and sanitizing.

 

[jamie6girl]

I feel for you, working at a call center. I used to work for ATT
 Wireless, and it SUCKED. I was practically chained to the
phone, and had to ask permission to go to the freaking bathroom. It
was draining  on me physically, because I had to talk a
lot.<br>
<br>
Have you tried a Ventolin inhaler?

 

[jamie6girl]

One more note: Regarding the  portable neb:   I got
one,a nd I love it.. But my insurance sucks, so it didn't pay a
very big portion of it at all, because it was more expensive. Might
want to check into that before ordering one outright.

 

[65rosessamurai]

Ever consider drinking at least a cup of coffee?? I was told by my uncle, a Lab Technician, that there was a stimulant (other than cafeine) that would enhance breathing.
Just an added suggestion, outside of taking more meds!
As for the 12 hour days, I've had 14 hour or more days, and the only suggestion is that if you can take a small break from what you are doing, take it in order to not get so emotionally drained. I just hope your commute is not so bad...I had to take nearly an hour to commute to and from work by train, and the train was so crowded, I couldn't sit 95% of the time.