From: ren@Turing.ORG (Karen Prestemon)
Subject: WANTED: Information on Asthma Drug
Organization: The Turing Project, Charlottesville Virginia.
Date: Mon, 17 Aug 1992 05:00:38 GMT


I am a severe, chronic asthmatic.  I was diagnosed in 1976, and was quite
sick as a child, taking innumerous drugs, and spending a great deal of
time in emergency rooms.  During my teenage years, I stopped treatment
altogether, because it did not seems neccesary (I even ran Cross Country
and was quite a good runner, all things considered).  However, during college
I guess I ran into a whole new disease pool, and spent most of my
collegiate career with a cold, which always turned into bronchitis. 

Now that I am 22, and out of college, my asthma has become a really
serious problem.  Neither my husband nor I have jobs that provide us
with medical benefits, and we do not have the money to get it on our
own.  I have to take three inhalers, at a cost of about $40 apiece,
and we really can't even afford that, since they need replacement every
two weeks or so.  And when I say that we have no money, I really, trully mean
that we have no money.  I have begun to rely almost totally on caffeine,
and my beta-agonist inhaler to keep things calm, and I am fully aware
of the risks of the latter... but again, I do not feel I have many
choices.

OK, enough history!  Anyway, the point of all this is that I have the
opportunity to particpate in an asthma study for one year, during which
they will take care of my asthma for me\

The study will be one in which they will test the effective of the drug
DOXOFYLLINE.  They will provide me with medication, they will pay for
eye doctor's examinations, and I have to keep a diary and not get pregnant
(not really a problem for two 22-yr-old newlyweds with no money).

Obviously, the primary concern is, WHAT IS DOXOFYLLINE?  My mother-in-law,
who is a registered nurse, said that she thought it was a theophylline,
but I just read an article about asthma medications that rejected
theophyllines as being "something that used to help, but isn't nearly as
effective as" the drugs I cannot afford to take.  Why have they trashed
the notion of theophyllines as treatment, or is this totally true?

I am going in this Wednesday for a preliminary session in which they
decide to take me.  The person I spoke to on the phone said that so far,
I meet all the requirements of the program, but I need to know what I am
signing my body up for. I am afraid to talk with my doctor about this
becauise he has treated me since 1977, and doesn't trust other people
to take care of me (not without good cause, though, becausde he is one
of the best allergists in the country).  Furthermore, he is the one
giving me all these treatments, and although he has my best interests
in mind, this whole "lack of income" thing doesn't seem to really hit
home with him..  We discuss the fact that I have no cash at each of our
$75 (starting fee) sessions, which are, thankfully few and far between.

I don't want to seem like an idiot, but I'm not sure how to take care
of myself in these economically disastrous times. 

Please, if you have any useful advice regarding my plight, email.


--Karen Prestemon


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