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I was reading up on Vasopro Ephedrine when I noticed a couple contradictory remarks about taking it if you have asthma or are taking asthma medication. I do have mild asthma and am taking meds for it.
"Do not use this product unless a diagnosis of asthma has been made by a physician."
"Do not use this product if you have been hospitalized for asthma or if you are taking any prescription drug for asthma, unless directed by a physician."
My questions are: Would using this product affect my asthma in a negative way? and why would or wouldn't it? Thanks
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Ephedrine and it's counter part Psudoephedrine (sudafed) are bronchiodialators. They cause your brochial tubes (windpipes) to expand. This allows more air to flow freely. Asthmatics suffer because their brochial tubes constrict. 95% of all asthma medicine is a bronchiodialator of some kind. The one you are taking could be less effective than epehdrine, or it could be stronger than ephedrine. I would reccomend talking to your doctor before you jump on the vasopro train, simply for the fear of having too much dialation...
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Do think this would help for training in high altitudes, or at least until one gets used to the altitude?
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To some extent. Ephedrine is an OTC drug... it is not the most potent bronchiodialator out there, but it is not the least potent. Training in higher altitude has really good benefits all of it's own. The main purpose of Ephedrine is to clear mucus out of your brochial tubes. It wouldnt hurt to take ephedrine, but just make sure you're aware of the side effects
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QUOTE
They cause your brochial tubes (windpipes) to expand. This allows more air to flow freely.
It also helps by increasing the elasticity of the lungs, but depending on the amount you are taking it can have the opposite effect once the Ephedrine wears off.
QUOTE
Do think this would help for training in high altitudes, or at least until one gets used to the altitude?
Probably not. Training at high altitudes is helpful in that it increases red blood cell count and results in more efficient use of the oxygen available, but Ephedrine won't impact this significantly. Although you'll be breathing easier, you're heart muscle will also become depleted of oxygen much faster, so the detriments may outweight the benifits.
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I wouldn't take it if you're taking another bronchodilator. Some of the new asthma drugs might be safer, though. Specifically those that block luekotrienes, like Singulair. In fact, from my own experience with asthma, if you're not on an anti-luekotriene you might want to talk to you doctor about them. Very, very effective. I'm on singulair and it's been a god-send.
Luekotrienes are what are actually responsible for causing bronchial tubes to swell during an asthma attack. Blocking them prevents asthma attacks at the source.
You'd also want to scale back your use of rescue inhalers (if you use them) as well, since albuterol is a potent bronchodilator.
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I am taking Advair and I do have my Albuterol for now-and-then. I don't use the Albuterol too often. Advair seems to cover me pretty well. Does Advair have luekotrienes?
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No, Advair (which I also use) is a combination of a low-dose corticosteroid (fluticasone propionate) and "long-acting bronchodilator" (salmeterol). It doesn't contain anything which specifically blocks luekotrienes. It's highly effective at managing symptoms.
Although it contains a bronchodilator, it seems to very mild compared to albuterol or pirbuterol - i.e. it's not meant to replace fast-acting rescue inhalers. I've found, though, that using Advair singificantly reduced my use of a rescue inhaler as well.
The only two anti-luekotriene drugs right now are Singulair and Accolate. They seem to be especially effective for exercise-induced asthma. They're both in pill-form.
What else are you taking besides Advair and an rescue inhaler? (I assume most asthmatics take multiple medicines).
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That's it. I don't take anything else for my asthma. I have pretty mild asthma, but I also have allergies. And when my allergies act up, they spur on my asthma. So as long as I control my allergies, I am normally perfectly fine with Advair (if I take it regularly).
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Vasopro ephedrine and asthma?, ???
