Article in The Times on Jo Jackson's asthma

[Skee-skee]

Did anyone else see this article? timesonline.co.uk/tol/sport...

It doesn't seem to make sense to me, how can she have truly severe/brittle asthma and never have needed to go to A&E!! Also they imply that Xolair is oral. They also seem to be playing down severe/brittle asthma.

It made me want to write in and rant to them! Should someone at Asthma UK set them straight?

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just read article you are right it def doesn't make sense and they do say that xolair is an oral treatment they also imply that it is going to make everything right for her when we know that it doesn't work for everyone. If she gets it it will open up a huge debate for those that have met the citeria and been refused. I would have thought that the steorids they test for would be diff to pred and that pred would not make a diff to sports performance but if am weong am willing to be corrected. Hoping to start Xolair myself next week after sevberal admissions a and e visits and continuious pred for last 16/12 so fingers crossed. be interesting to hear other views on the article.

[Skee-skee]

I am hoping to start Xolair soon too! So I will have fingers crossed for the both of us.

It would seem really unfair if she got Xolair on the NHS when people with worse asthma aren't allowed it on cost grounds! (that's assuming the details are correct).

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Well first of all I never take anything too literally that I read in the media, but that doesn't help those who are ill informed to read such stuff, and take it all as fact. I wouldn't call this person brittle either, I would simply say that like many of us this winter her Asthma has been a particularly challenging. For anyone who feels that this article needs replying to via the Times, I say do so, but do it in a calm and factual manner, pointing out things in the original article which you believe are misleading and back them up with fact. By doing this you are much more likely to get a response, as much as we all like to have a rant, I find that in my own experience that if you follows things through calmly you will get a much better reaction.

Finally thanks for posting this originally and bringing my attention to it, Daily Express reader myself.

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Just ignore it or better still send a link to who-ever does media stuff for AUK and put them straight and suggest that AUK would welcome a donation to help them work towards a miracle cure that does come in tablet form, pointing out that many people with severe and or brittle asthma were distressed by this article which does not represent what severe/brittle asthma is and how disabling it is. In addition to a donation an apology would be apprecaited and perhaps they should research things better in future. AUK can tell them I am at the RBH on Thursday they are welcome to come and ask me just what brittle/severe/chaotic/difficult asthma is actually tell them to come after I have been in for a week or so cos I don't have the puff to hold a conversation at the moment (it's OK don't panic situation is normal for me) let alone swim, come to that I think the effort of getting into a swimming costume would probably finish me off and seeing me in a swimming costume would probably finish everyone else off

Bex

[Skee-skee]

I have followed your advice Bex and sent a link to the media people at Asthma UK. If I wrote to the Times it would be just a rant!