Maresha (Rocky Corners, USA) on 06/05/2009:

I have had severe problems with w/ breathing problems for years. Very deep drops in my peak flows - quite often at 100 or lower. I have now been on a regiman of supplements for about two months now. The results have been encouraging - instead of being on a coaster like the American Eagle it is more like being on a baby coaster. Still ups and down but not nearly as severe. I have been able to decrease my dose of theophylline from 800 mg per day to 600 per day by taking the following combination:

1 packet vitamin c powder - 1000 mg
500 mg niacin (flushing type so it doesn't compound in your system and actually flushes out of your system as too much niacin can have dangerous side effects)
600 mh n- acetyl cystiene
1000 mg lecithin
1 tsp msm powder added to vitamin c powder drinl
1 tbsp ACV in with the vitamin c drink mix
b-12 supplementation to counteract the depletion of b-12 caused by theophylline use

This regiman has increased my ability to exercise and I have having deep REM sleep, which had been a problem in the past with the 800 mg of theophylline and its stimulant effect.

I also use either albuterol in the nebulizer yet, but at night I actually use basil water hydrosol in the nebulizer, or in the daytime rosemary water hydrosol for less severe attacks. (the basil component is a sleep aid also - the rosemary is not depressive, so both must be used with caution. I have had no problems with either, and both have a expectorant effect in breaking up the phlegm that causes much of the breathing problem.)

At this point, skipping the theophylline has not been an option to me, but I thankfully am not having to take any steroids for treatment, either by pill of by inhalation.