Do You Need an Affordable Doctor? WE ALL DO! What does “affordable” mean? It could be what you pay out-of-pocket before you have met your deductable (assuming you have health insurance). Or, If you don’t have health insurance, you probably think of affordability in the following ways: … what it costs to go to the ER (thousands?!!), … what it costs to see a regular doctor (assuming you can find one that will give you an appointment, around $150) …  what it costs to go to an urgent care (around $150). Well, I can do better than that.  I charge my asthma patients $50 per visit.  Yep, $50 per visit.  If you have pretty well controlled asthma and I see you as recommended 4 times a year, you’ll be dishing out $200 in cash.  Oh, and with Asthmaniac, it is all online/on-the-phone, and all about asthma.   If you are looking for top quality asthma care at an unbeatable price with back-pocket convenience, Asthmaniac is your ‘clinic’! As with other chronic diseases, affordability is important for Asthma Control * The cost of asthma control can be a barrier: * Many costs of asthma care can exceed what those without insurance can afford.  These include: * The cost of asthma medication. * The cost of doctor visits * The cost pulmonary function testing. I endeavor to keep my consults to you AFFORDABLE. I am constantly looking for the best way to get you medication that fits your budget.    The cost of medical care is a big deal. People have lost their homes due to medical bills. And during this recession, it’s even worse. People in the US routinely postpone medical care because of the cost. So while I am focused on accurately diagnosing your asthma and prescribing essential medication, I can’t lose sight of the costs to you. All of my effort, logic, dedication, training and energy are completely undone if you cannot afford a consultation with me in the first place. My commitment in the design of Asthmaniac is to keep the price you pay for visits with me, fair and reasonable. I do not control the cost of asthma medicine but will do all I can to find discounted medication for my patients. Many of my patients do not have health insurance to pay for medical care.  This means they have to pay cash for their care.  When balancing how to spend their cash, they have to find the best value for their medical care. That means getting the most for the least. Even patients with high-deductible health insurance have to pay out-of-pocket until their deductible is met. So they too are interested in the best value. I am committed to designing a method that asthma patients can actually use. A method they can AFFORD! A method that keeps them breathing deeply, sleeping soundly, and striding through their days with new confidence in managing their asthma. Asthmaniac is that method. #asthmacontrolnow#telemedicineasthmacare#backpocketasthmadoc#asthmaactionplan#asthmacontroltest#asthmacontroller#rescueinhaler#asthmacovid19#childrenandasthma#eprescription#easthma#peakexpiratoryflow#peakflowmeter#asthmaniac How can Asthmaniac Work for You? All Posts Do You Need an Affordable Doctor?Can Asthma Be Cured Permanently?No Insurance? Asthmaniac Will Help You!Asthma House Cleaning TipsAsthmaniac BlogNavigating Asthmaniac.com!High-Deductible Health Plan? Online Asthma Is Perfect!Is Your Asthma e-Asthma? New Medicine!Asthma Follow Up Care: Why You Need It!NEVER run Out of Asthma Inhaler Medicine!Asthmaniac Uses ePrescriptions for Your Medicine!Asthma Management Guidelines 2020 Focused Update: What’s In It For You?Asthma Rescue Inhalers Are Crucial in Asthma Control!Do You Need an Asthma Controller Medication?What is an MDI Spacer and Why Do You Need One?Children and Asthma: Different from Adult Asthma?Asthma and COVID19: Breathing Easy during a PandemicPeak Expiratory Flow Rate: How We Measure and Why?Asthma Action Plan: Personalized Just For You!Asthma Control Test Score: How We Use ItAsthma Attack Triggers: Keep a Lid On It!Phone Doctor Visits: They Work For Asthma Control!Steroids in Asthma: Why We Need Them? Do You Need an Affordable Doctor? Jul 22, 2023 | Control Your Asthma!As with other chronic diseases, affordability is important for Asthma Control * The cost of asthma control can be a barrier: * Many costs of asthma care can exceed what those without insurance can afford.  These include: * The cost of asthma medication. * The cost of doctor visits * The cost pulmonary function testing. I endeavor to keep my consults to you AFFORDABLE. I am constantly looking for the best way to get you medication that fits your budget.  Can Asthma Be Cured Permanently? Jul 11, 2023 | Action Plan, Control Your Asthma!, PEF, symptomsAsthma affects nearly 25 million Americans. It’s one of our most common health conditions and it can be very difficult to live with. But is there such a thing as an asthma cure? Below, we consider the different treatments for asthma and how sufferers might prevent... No Insurance? Asthmaniac Will Help You! Jun 15, 2023 | Action Plan, Control Your Asthma!, PEF, symptomsNo Insurance is Not a Problem at Asthmaniac! ⇨ Got asthma? ⇨ No Insurance? Asthmaniac was made for you! Affordable $50 doctor visits ✓ State-of-the-Art Asthma Care  All online!   No Insurance = No Problem Asthmaniac was designed to deliver asthma care... Asthma House Cleaning Tips Jun 14, 2023 | Control Your Asthma!Keeping a clean and dust-free home is crucial for individuals with asthma, as it helps reduce the risk of triggering asthma symptoms. But deep cleaning a house with asthma can be hard–even light cleaning of a house with asthma can be hard if the conditions are wrong.... What Is Exercise Induced Asthma? May 23, 2023 | Asthma Care Standards, Control Your Asthma!Do you have breathing difficulties when you exercise? Then you may have something called “exercise induced asthma”.  Let's take a look at what causes this condition and what treatment options are available.   What Is Exercise Induced Asthma? Exercise... What Is Eosinophilic Asthma? Apr 21, 2023 | Asthma Care Standards, Control Your Asthma!If you've never heard of “eosinophilic” asthma, you're not alone. It's rare compared to other types of asthma, but it can be severe.  Asthmaniac, your online asthma doctor, can help with your diagnosis. In the meantime, here's an overview of what... « Older Entries Your Asthma Control Is Our Mission  Same Day Appointments are Available.  720-900-0943  info@asthmaniac.com  Telemedicine for You! Asthmaniac HomeYour Online Asthma DoctorEstablished Patient ProcessNew Patient ProcessBlogPrivacyACT!

* Follow-up Care is Essential to good asthma control. * Follow-up allows determination of asthma severity. * Other disorders that affect your breathing are detected early. * Rescue medication refills are provided * Your Asthma Action Plan is updated.

* Rescue inhalers are essential! * The albuterol in rescue inhalers opens breathing tubes quickly * If it doesn’t quickly improve your breathing, go to the ER * A spacer should be used with all liquid medicine inhalers * Generic albuterol is now available for about $22 per inhaler

What is an MDI Spacer and Why Do You Need One? * A spacer is needed to hold your asthma medicine in a cloud until you can pull it into your lungs with a deep breath. * If you don’t use a spacer with your asthma medicine, it ends up on tongue and on the walls of your throat where it can’t help your asthma and usually causes a yeast infection. * Spacers should be used with all of your asthma medicine that comes in a metered dose inhaler (MDI). * Medicine administered by a dry powder inhaler does not require a spacer since the design of the inhaler stirs and suspends the dry powder particles so they can be inhaled deeply.   In order for asthma medication to reach the lining of your breathing tubes, it must be suspended in the air you inhale.   Most asthma medication is manufactured in liquid form.  It is contained in a pressurized canister called a Metered Dose Inhaler (MDI).   When this canister is triggered, it converts the medication to an aerosol mist.   This mist is inhaled by you to carry the medicine to the lining of your breathing tubes. For years, you may have been holding your MDI up to your lips while inhaling, believing the medicine is actually getting into your lungs.   Unfortunately, most of the medicine lands on the walls of your mouth, throat and tongue.  It cannot help your breathing if it does not get deeper into your breathing tubes. There is an inexpensive and effective solution to this problem. It is called a spacer. A spacer is a tubular chamber that plugs onto the MDI.   On one end it has a mouthpiece or mask, with a built-in valve.  When you trigger the MDI, the spacer holds your medicine suspended as a cloud.  This cloud hangs in the spacer chamber until you inhale from the mouthpiece end.   Because the medicine is suspended, it flows with the air you inhale down into your lungs where we really need to get it.  The valve keeps the “cloud” of medicine in the chamber, permitting it to go ONLY one way, down into your lungs. Quite often, patients ask if they can use a nebulizer to deliver their asthma medication.   Once they were miniaturized in the 1970's, nebulizers became quite popular as a way to administer asthma medicine.   They do have many limitations though.   The biggest problem is that they don't fit in your pocket.   That means when you need your medication, but don't have a nebulizer, you'll be in trouble. Most nebulizers depend on AC or battery power which may not be available to you when you feel your asthma kicking in.   They also require tubing to transmit compressed air to the medicine chamber.   And, there are many parts to keep track of and clean. In comparison, the spacer is simple, portable, and easily replaced if you lose it. And, most importantly, research conducted in the past 5 years shows that the amount of medicine reaching your lungs and breathing tubes is higher when you use a spacer than with a nebulizer. My asthma patients depend on their spacers. Where do you get one? I order the pharmacy to provide a spacer for each of my patients using an MDI medication. #asthmacontrolnow #telemedicineasthmacare #backpocketasthmadoc #asthmaactionplan #asthmacontroltest #asthmacontroller #rescueinhaler #asthmacovid19 #childrenandasthma #eprescription #easthma #peakexpiratoryflow #peakflowmeter #asthmaniac   Learn More

* Asthma is present in about 10% of children. * Asthma in children is diagnosed when your child has recurring episodes of wheezing that are relieved by rescue medicine such as albuterol * Asthma in children is treated with the same medicines and treatment plans as in adults with adjustments for their size and metabolism.

* Asthma is a chronic disease that places you at higher risk of serious illness with COVID19 infection. * Keeping your asthma well controlled will give you the best protection against serious COVID19 illness. * Controlling your COVID19 exposure should be a high priority until we have a vaccine.

* Peak Expiratory Flow is measured by you, several times a week using a small pocket-sized flowmeter * You record the number measured by this device. * This number shows how well you are able to exhale and tells me if we have your lung inflammation under control * When this number starts edging down over a few days, we know it's time to take action before you start to feel symptoms of chest tightness, shortness of breath or actual wheezing. * I use Peak Expiratory Flow measurements and ACT scores in your Asthma Action Plan to help guide you in responding to changes in your lungs.