Attacks

Hi everyone, im 12 years old and i have really bad asthma- im constantly scared and wondered if anyone could give me advice on how to deal with panic attacks? Thank you, Gracie

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hi gracie im amanda i kno how you feel i always get scared with attacks. I find that try to think of things that make me happy or have some one to talk to. I hope this helps xx

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Thank you amanda, once it starts- it doesnt stop................im getting worse and i just want it to stop ruining everything x

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im 22 and im the same. I was in hospital last night at one point could just use my inhaler now im needing nebulisers for it. I know just how you feel. When you feel bad pm me ok xx

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Hi Gracie, it will get better as you feel more control over your asthma.Welcome pm me anytime xxx

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Hello Gracie!

I'm sorry to hear that you have such problems with your asthma. You're right that it's scary when things are bad, but there are things that you can do.

Firstly, I would suggest that you talk to your parents, as they will be able to help you to arrange the other help that you might need. Your GP and asthma nurse should be able to help you to write a management plan so that you know exactly what to do if you have an asthma attack. Knowing what to do can help to reduce the panic a bit. Your GP will be able to advise better, but it might also be helpful for you to see a physiotherapist (who could teach you breathing techniques to help reduce panic and improve your symptoms) or a cognitive behavioural therapist (who can help to teach you different ways to think about your symptoms and react to them differently).

Other things that I find helpful include guided imagery (you can find guided imagery videos on youtube, and I have an app on my iPhone that I use), which helps me to relax and focus on being calm and breathing as well as I can. Sometimes it's comforting to focus on a different sensation other than how difficult it is to breathe - rubbing a silky ribbon between my fingers, holding a smooth stone, listening to music (this helps me not to hear myself wheezing as well!), sucking a hard candy, smelling a handkerchief with a favourite scent on it...

Singing is an excellent way to get into good habits for breathing (they actually have singing groups at my hospital a couple of times a week because they believe it's so good for the patients to learn the breathing techniques!), so maybe you could think about joining a choir or having singing lessons.

As the other people have said, feel free to ask questions (PM me if you like), and I hope that you can get control of your attacks.

Wishes

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Hi Gracie,

I don't have much to add but I just wanted to repeat what Wishes has said about singing - I sing in a choir and though sometimes I don't make it to rehearsals because I'm not feeling great, if I can get there and get over the coughing and initial breathlessness (starting to sing makes me cough) it really does help get things under control a bit. I've been doing it for years and it has actually measurably improved my lung capacity and peak flow, as has playing a wind instrument - so definitely worth looking into.

I hope you get things under control a bit more. xx

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I was also told to sit up straight and breath in and make your belly go out and when breath out let it out as normal.This way when breath in you get more room round your lungs and lift tum away when lungs fill up↲

It was a nurse who told me when had asthma attack this week in Manchester. X