Q: I am a 25 years old male. When I wake up in the morning I sneeze a lot, especially during the winters. I also suffer from cold and cough perpetually during this season. I make a whistling kind of sound while breathing and also suffer from sinusitis. I have consulted a doctor who told me that I am allergic to dust and smoke. He asked me to take steam and prescribed Deriphylline retard 150, Lezyncet, Viscodine Syrup regularly and Budamate Capsules when the cold and cough become too severe. Am I suffering from asthma? What mode of treatment should I take?

A:Based on your symptoms and history, it sounds like that you could be having seasonal allergies and/ or allergy associated seasonal asthma. If the symptoms bother you only during one particular season of the year and for the rest of the year, you are totally asymptomatic, I suggest that you take the medications during that particluar season only. You can start the medications, namely Lezyncet (anti-histamines for allergies) and also inhalers (albuterol plus seroflo or symbicort or advair) just prior to start of the season and end it after the season gets over. If you truly have asthma (more history and testing is needed to confrim this), your symptom control needs to be assessed more appropriately and treated accordingly. I am not sure if you really need to be on Deriphylline Retard for what sounds like seasonal asthma. Talk to your physician more about this and also about pre-emptive and preventive therapy. Avoiding allergens is another key aspect and please talk to your physician about this as well.