I'm spendig a lot of time just now trying to work out what my triggers/Allergies are as i want to have an idea, I was wondering whatkind of allergies other people had etc or what triggered you?
I've realised over the past few months when i've been feeling worse we've started keeping flowers any many rooms of the house so that could be one of mine.
I also find dust really hits me esp when i go into a friends ouse and start coughing and wheezing and ask if they have dusted lately!
xx
just read the post in medical about plug in air fresheners - perhaps they are a trigger for me too!!
Flowers Arrgh! I run in the opposite direction rather than go near any. Well as fast as my lungs allow. Do you suffer from hayfever, if so then could be causing you problems. Only way to tell is to get rid of them for a few weeks and see if things improve. Highly scented flowers like lillies ( cough, wheeze, sneeze, Sorry cant stand the things!) can cause problems even if you dont have problems with other flowers/ pollen. Do you have any pets in the house or does anybody smoke? Even perfume and cleaning products can affect some people. Have you started using anything different? It might just be dust and that you are still reacting to it after you have left a dusty environment.
Have you had any allergy tests? Skin or RAST blood tests can sometimes be useful in trying to work out your triggers. Might be worth talking to your asthma nurse or doctor.
Best of luck
Sarah
after posting my last msg my boyfriend turned up with a bunch of flowers!! argh!!! I'm due to get alergy tested sometime we discussed it last week so hopefully soon.
I've got cats but always had cats/dogs and they've never really affected me just got strict rules about keeping them out my room etc.
Hi Laurenjayne,
For me personally:
Allergies - usual sort of stuff - pollen (tree, flower and grasses), feathers, cats, house dust, house dust mites, fungi, food colourings, sulphites (possibly) - some worse than others, lilies quite bad, grass pollen quite bad, dust mites quite bad. Tends to vary as to whether they will cause me asthma symptoms, hayfever symptoms, rashes or all three.
Irritants - cigarette smoke (big trigger), cold air, perfume, air fresheners, spray deodorants and hair spray, smoke in general especially plastic fumes etc, chemical fumes. All tend to cause wheezing and sore dry throat.
Others - laughing, exercise, talking too much (shame, I like talking!) all make me wheezy.
Obviously it varies markedly from person to person, and it takes a few years to learn what your triggers are and try to avoid them as best as you can. Good luck with the allergy tests and with getting to grips with it all!
Take care
Em H
was just reading Em's reply about laughing being a trigger, I often have to set neb up for Sean who manages to induce a right old splat by laughing too much. He also got an awful habit of turning blue when laughing,which is bit unfortunate as he such a loon 
Another oddity is hiccups cause him to have severe broncho spasm, goodness knows why.
Laurenjayne there are so many different allergies and irritants it would be very helpful for you if your con will do skin prick tests so you know for sure. I was told by RBH that Rast testing isnt always reliable.
The Trigger's that set my asthma off are-:
Pollen, dusts, pollution, stress, cold and hot air, bonfires, smoking .etc
Julie, I get bronchospasm with hiccups too, it's most bizarre, I'm glad I'm not the only one! I also get it when I sneeze.
I think it's to do with air being forced through the airways faster than normal - if your airways are very twitchy, the rapid movement of air will aggrevate them and cause bronchospasm. Similar to the way that doing a peak flow or spirometry can provoke bronchospasm if your asthma is not well controlled, and also the way that hyperventilating (eg in a panic attack) can provoke or worsen bronchospasm.
I guess all these things are a sign of very twitchy airways and poorly controlled asthma, but then I guess you don't need telling that, Julie. How is Sean doing on the KA holiday - no more untoward incidents I hope?
Take care
Em
Asthma/Triggers
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