What caused your asthma?

Hey, I'm new so forgive me if there have been any similar posts.

I just wondered what you guys blame for causing your Asthma?

Personally I blame polution, whether Asthma has been around before cars I do not know but I did hear that asthma is on the increase percentagewise.

My asthma is aggrevated by animals. If I am near cats, dogs or even horses. I run alot now which has helped me but if I run past a car sitting on the path with it's engine running I start to wheeze until I am clear of the fumes and breathing cleaner air. The air quality has a big effect on how well I breath when I am running. Shame I live in an urban area.

Those are what cause my symptoms but does anyone believe it is hereditary or is it the environment we live in. Do people in cleaner air areas suffer less? Are we allergic to the air in the british isles? I find my asthma is under control better when I am abroad, in hotter climates, even though my asthma is worse in the summer in the UK than the winter. Maybes my allergies are the reason for that as many hot countries don't have the grass.

Just curious on peoples thoughts on the causes of Asthma in the first place

John

[Hidden]

interesting question about pollution ... living in london and in centeral london most days i dont think has helped !!

FOr me i know that : cold air, smoke, tree pollen, cats, dust, excercise, sprys/prefumes, infections/colds and other things i cant remember the rest!! but i no that there are lots of casues for mine and they seem to be pretty commen !!

katie xx

[Hidden]

asthma..pollution

i think pollution is a big factor in asthmatics.....ok im new to asthma but from wat my friends say..it mkes it worse in built up city areas....then in the country side its better...then on the other hand the country air..can make it worse...i think it ordepends on wat tiggers it of and what dont...for me anything at mo...but i can live with it....i think....big shock to my system...i never go out without my blue pump anymore...i have a spare in my car..in my handbag...by my bed...and i think i got a few 100 floating elsewhere lol......hi 2 every 1 im new to all this so i send hugssss to all..........xxx

[Hidden]

Heya

I blame a month in the USA -

Before my trip I didn't even know I had asthma but just 3 days later, dealing with 90% humidity/freezing air-con, pollution, dogs & cats - coughing, wheezing and almost perpetual chest tightness had made itself known :@

For me, the sudden change in temperature from the 'sauna style' humid outside to the icy dry air conditioning in every car & building was really aggravating - adrenaline every 2/3 hours kinda aggravating!!

There has been talk of a genetic link to asthma, which is probably true in my case as every female in my family has asthma but nobody developed it until 18. I once heard that there may be a hereditary genetic link which is only ""switched on"" when triggered (kinda like a lac operon?)

Peace

WheezySurf

[Hidden]

Never had Asthma until a recent bout of Bronchitis. If it is cold outside it makes me worse. Husbands smoke affects me only if we are in the car. Can sit in a crowded smoke filled bar with no problems. No problems near the dog. Although must say one of my children has it. My mum and my sister also have it. And my paternal gran has it.

[Hidden]

erm...

1. my mum smoking whilst pregnant with me

2. stress (my friends blame it for everything, even my hair dropping out!)

3. living in a house with 2 smokers, though one avoids doing it around me

4. my love of fitness

variety of things really

[Hidden]

I think living in a house full of smokers whilst growing up. I didn't show signs untill I was 18.

[Hidden]

I dont really blame anything for the reason why i got asthma as i was born with it and when celebrating my 16th birthday this summer i'll also be celebrating having asthma for 16 years,Its an unknown cause and why it happens we'll possibly never know,i try not to worry about why i got it and try and focus on my future as having this illness for so long i have already let it beat me too many times and has now stopped me living my dream of going to a Performing Arts school and be able to act dance and play my instruments and now i'm going to be settling for second best the only thing i do blame is when i have an attack and then i only blame stuff and people when i'm not listened to when its my body and told i'm faking it,and also the pollen count or the extremly cold weather,its strange becuase i can go to a foreign country for two weeks and run up and down a beach and have a water fight and not feel weezy yet if i dreamt of running around in the uk i'd be on the floor in seconds collapsing and struggling to breathe.So try not to blame others for the unfortunate illness we all have but let them help us where we need the help and try and only blame people where nessacerry

Toria xxx

[yaf_user681_25874]

Hi John

Personally, I think the view that we have a genetic predisposition to asthma, and it is triggered by something is probably valid.

I was diagnosed about 3 years ago (aged 34), and my (almost) 6 yo daughter was diagnosed as a toddler.

I had always had a tendency to cough for several weeks following any cold/virus but it was never considered to be asthma related when I was younger.

3 years ago, I picked up some sort of virus, and also had very low resistance due to stresses of a major house extension project, studying for a post grad qualification (working on-line every day for 8 weeks at a time after kids went to bed from say 9 pm till 2 or 3 am), working full time plus having 2 small kids.... the combined effect of stress, lack of sleep and the viral infection seems to be what triggered my asthma.

Although I also have allergies (pollen, cats, dust, wool) which cause perennial and seeasonal rhinitis, it is still primarily viral infections that are my biggest problem - other triggers or irritants tend to be more of an issue when my asthma has already flared up.

Same again this winter.... a string of infections in October set things off, and various family stresses/illnesses and at the moment I am still trying to get things back under control and get my pf back into my green zone.

I think what is important is to understand what causes or exacerbates your own symptoms and to try to manage it.

Kat

[Hidden]

I have had mild asthma all my life which only ever got worse if i had a cold or infection. Whilst I was pregnant with my first child who is now 6 my asthma went totally out of control and i was admitted to hospital at 5 months pregnant. I spent the next 4 months on 60mg pred daily , oxygen and salbutamol nebs. My pregnancy was induced at 37 weeks and Chloe struggled from day 1. She has anaphylaxis to lots of normal every day thimgs including the usual nuts, eggs and dairy products.She also has brittle asthma ( just waiting for date for sub cut to commence). She is tiny for her age, weight and height of average 4yr old, she also relies on oxygen 24hrs a day at present as she is recovering from a bout of pneumonia. I often wonder if all the pred i took during my pregnancy has anything to do with Chloes condition now. The interesting thing is whilst I was taking pred when pregnant all the amniotic fluid was soaked up due to taking the pred. My identical twin sister has recently given birth and she also has mild asthma. Hers also got worse during pregnancy and she was given 60mg pred daily for last few weeks. This also caused her amniotic fluid to disappear. It will be interesting to see if her daughter ends up like Chloe. She is 7weeks old and has already had 2 chest infections. Nikki xx