You may have taken or hear of this drug.
From my
own experience I can tell you that I have taken it on and off since my
asthma started. As a matter of fact, the time before the last I was in the
hospital, it was the main drug I was given.
Needles to say, I detest taking any kind of drugs, specially the
ones that you have to take in order not to literally die of
suffocation. During my research on the drugs I have been prescribed, I
discovered that in the case of Theophylline, the amount you need
to be cured is equal to the amount that can kill you. This is the
reason why it is vital that you have blood tests done to determine the
Theo level on your blood.
As all drugs, this one has some side effects that you need to be
aware of.
DO NOT TAKE this drug without consulting your physician if you
suffer from stomach ulcers, seizures, high blood pressure, heart
condition, fluid in your lungs, thyroid problems, liver condition,
kidney disease, and of course, be very careful if you are pregnant.
Very dangerous side effects are allergic reactions, closing of
throat, swelling of your tongue, lips, face or hives. Seizures,
irregular heart beat, severe nausea or vomiting. When one of the above
occurs, go to the hospital immediately.
If you suffer from slight nausea, decreased appetite, weight loss,
restlessness, tremors, insomnia, headaches, lightheadedness or
dizziness while on this drug, call your doctor immediate and have him change the dosage.
The list of drugs that will interact with Theo is lengthy;
therefore, if you want to know about them, you can ask your doctor, go
to http://www.webmd.com or http://www.drkoop.com/.
I am sure that there are more sites providing the same information, but from my own experience I can
tell you that these two sites are easy to navigate and you can get as
much information as you need.
Even though there are no clinical trials, or approval from the FDA,
some teas have natural Theo, and will not cause some of the side
effects than the drug. I can tell you with certainty, that black tea is a
wonderful Theo supplier. Nevertheless, you need to talk to your doctor
not only about this drug, but all the others that are in the market
for asthma sufferers.
Some drug stores will provide you with a paper containing the side
effects of the drugs you have been prescribed and what you need to be careful
with. In case that they do not provide you with one, ask for it. There
is a good possibility that you can get it.
