Question: Good morning, I am a 51 year old woman who has had bronchial asthma since early childhood if not birth, I was conceived and born in Los Angeles California and have always had a cough and allergies including grass,flowers,insects,cats and so on. Unfortunately I started smoking cigarettes at 13 years old and now I have been diagnosed with COPD. Have been fine for the last 9 months or so this last week I had a bad flare up I live in Florida and it has been extremely hot with little to no rain. Had some shortness of breath and cough got really bad. Got a prescription of prednisone 50mg for 5 days and cough subsided. Next day cough back again and worse went to clinic and was diagnosed with COPD with acute lower respiratory infection. Was prescribed 5 more days of prednisone 50mg a day and 100 mg of Doxycycline twice a day for infection. Vital's were BP 90/60, Pulse 115 temp 97.9 Respirations 12 weight 120 BMI 19.97 and oxygen saturation 96%. In addition I lost my husband a little over a year ago to dementia and have been under a great amount of stress at the same time I started going through menopause. I have a ton of energy and always have rarely ever get sick with the exception of bronchitis but that is something that I have always lived with so I deal with it. I also take dulera inhaler which doesn't seem to do much and I take OTC allergy meds when needed. My big concern is the pulse of 115. I have and apt to see pulmonary specialist on July 14th. And I am stopping smoking I was told I cannot take a prescribed product for quitting smoking until I am off antibiotics because they react badly. So I am cutting down as of today. Any suggestions you have for me would be very much appreciated.