Asthma and ECA?

[chabbah]

Has anyone here who has asthma taken ECA? People with asthma are advised against taking any aspirin products, so I'm wondering how safe this would be for someone like me who has asthma.

 

[Drifter]

I have asthma and never had a problem with aspirin or heard of anything bad but that doesn't mean much I guess I do know that Ephedrine (right word?) was at one time prescribed for asthmatics and that coffee can help relieve an attack when nothing else is at hand.

So basically this a bump with a little bit of info

 

[MS]

You've touched on a HUGE topic, but I won't bore you with the details. Basically it is not a good idea to take ECA (for fat-loss/energy) if you're an asthmatic. Or if you have a diagnosed or family history of heart disease, kidney disease or if you're taking an MAOI.
There are people with a genetic variation that seem to have more problems with combination aspirin/ephedrine treatment. There is no way (without a genetic test ) of knowing if you have this genetic predisposition or not. So the safest advice (which is always the best without any other info) is not to take ephedrine or ECA if you're currently undergoing beta-agonist treatment for asthma.

 

[chabbah]

MS, thanks for the info. Actually, I'm not on any meds for asthma right now. I do take Allegra once a day, but my pharmacist has assured me that ephedrine is okay with that drug.

But yes, I do have a family history of heart disease (my dad, grandfather, uncles, etc.) and had wondered if I should worry about the possible side effects of ECA. I've always thought that since I don't have heart disease, I might be able to take it. I'm not sure now?

 

[MS]

Chabbah, the main reason to avoid ephedrine products if you're an asthmatic is that ephedrine can cause down-regulation/desensitization of your beta receptors. If you were to have an acute attack of asthma in this state then beta agonists (such a salbutamol/albuterol) will not be as effective at treating your attack. As for the heart disease, well that's your call. But think about this....one of the first things your doc is likely to prescribe for you if you are diagnosed with heart disease is a beta receptor blocker (beta-blocker). This is an antagonist of the beta receptors. Ephedrine is an agonist, in other words the exact opposite of a beta blocker. Ephedrine may or may not hasten progression to heart disease (which is usually a gradual process). It's just an added risk factor. Chances are that if you eat right, exercise regularly, don't smoke or drink too much, are not overweight, are not insulin resistant and maintain normal blood pressure then you will be fine with ECA.

 

[squatgirl2001]

I do have asthma too and I've been taking ECA for 6 months now. I haven't seen any changes in my breathing, or heart beating, everything is fine

 

[Uncle McK]

Asthmatic since I can remember. Currently using ECA and reporting no problems. Not a fan or Aspirin, so not an issue.

Just be cautious, just like anything else.

 

[Little Girl]

I'm an asthmatic too and I've been taking ephedrine for years. I asked my doctor if there was a problem with it and she told me that there was no prob at all. Ephedrine is illegal in Canada and she told me that if I can get some it can help me! (I'm not using my asthma pump with it, it would be too much though)
LG

 

[chabbah]

Well, this makes sense. I know that a lot of asthma meds have some form of epinephrine in them. Also, my pharmacist told me that I have already probably had ephedrine in meds I've taken for asthma or allergies. I guess I just have to be careful with the dosage.

So what do you recommend for a starter ECA? I've heard that Hydroxycut works better than Xenadrine for curbing appetite. Someone has also recommended Betalean and the SportPharma ECA. Suggestions?

 

[MS]

Well I am surprised that little girl's doc said it was OK to use ECA chronically, but GP's are not always the most up on the play. Ephedrine is a good medication for treating acute asthma attacks, there is no question about that. But if you use it chronically it will make it more difficult to treat you IF YOU HAVE an acute attack. This is a well known fact, and is the main reason a good doctor will monitor your inhaler use and put you on corticosteroids if you use your inhaler too frequently. As Uncle McK said, be cautious. Be informed and know the risks. And if you DO have an acute attack of asthma please tell your doc that you've been using ephedrine chronically.

 

[chabbah]

Thanks, MS! I rarely use my inhaler and have not been on asthma meds for years, so let's hope I'll be okay on ECA. I only plan to use the ECA for a month before my show.