What's With These Chipmunk Cheeks?

 

I was putting on my makeup one morning and noticed my cheeks looked puffy - like a chipmunk storing it's nuts. 

What the......?!

 Was the lighting bad?

Did I sleep on one side too long? 

I went through work all day, and just tried to adjust the lighting on Zoom calls so my face wasn't as visible. 

Finally it dawned on me....I was on a new treatment plan using high doses every day.

New treatment plan

Round Two with COVID was in February, and Allergy & Asthma Doc wanted to try something new. 

Those of us with severe asthma often need prednisone when we get sick. We have a habit of getting REALLY sick. I mean - Go Big or Go Home! 

This time, she wanted me to add another controller inhaler to my regular, daily controller. 

I take 2 puffs (morning and night) or my regular controller inhaler. 

Then, she wanted me to add ANOTHER corticosteroid controller inhaler on top of that. 4 puffs morning and night. 

Yep - a combined total of 6 puffs of controller inhalers in the morning and 6 puffs at night. 

And......that's why my face is swollen. 

The trade off 

It worked as planned - it helped keep the swelling down in my lungs and I didn't need prednisone. And I didn't end up in the ER or hospitalized. 

My lungs are cranky little jerks. And they like to act up. So it kept my lungs in line.

The down side was it made my face swell. But - it was only temporary. 

I'm back to normal! (Or as normal as I can be.)

Has anyone else experienced this?