How brave you all are

Hi all,

Before I post can I just say I'm dyslexic so find posting very hard so please bear with me auto correct only helps so much ( lol)

I would just like to say how brave you all are on this forum and all deserve a pat on the back.

I was only diagnosed with asthma properly in may this year and am scared stiff ,it also have a list of what is classed as mental health issues .

I have depression ,health anxiety ,panic attacks and OCD .Then to be told I have asthma was the last straw.

I know I am lucky as it is only mild but in my head its elephant size( ( lol) I am so scared I cry a lot witch makes it worse ,I have been coming to read the boards fow a while but last night I thought just join no one will bight you ( lol) so here I am please be kind

I'm a 55 year old scaredy cat

You are all so brave

Veronica

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Sorry lot of spellings wrong there oh we'll made me laugh lol

Veronica

[yaf_user681_30355]

Hello Veronica,

Welcome to the forum and thank you for such a lovely first post.

It does take time to get used to a new diagnosis of asthma, I was diagnosed at 24 and am now 51 and have found this forum so helpful and feel less isolated.

Some of us have had/do have mental health issues and the topic does come up quite often.

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Hi Veronica

There is no spelling test to pass to post on the boards, please dont feel you have to stress about that I hope you find the boards helpful.

It sounds like you are coping with a lot, so its no wonder the asthma feels like the last straw!

Do you have much support around you?

Lynda

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Welcome, love your username fluffy stuff. You're right, we won't bite, everyone is here to share experiences and help and support one another. I hope you do get as much from it as I have done.

I can't imagine being diagnosed with asthma as an adult. It must be so daunting to get your head around, I not sure I have got my head around it even now, having had it as long as I can remember.

I have dyslexia too, and sometimes it can take me so long just to write a few lines, I'm very glad to have auto correct and spell check.

I hope you can manage your asthma and other conditions well, but if you're struggling then please come and share and we'll do our best to give you the support that we're able to. xx

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Thank you all so much for your replies

It is so hard going at the moment as there are so Many questions going round in my head.( I will try and remember some and ask on here if you don't mind )

I don't have a lot of support my daughter and granddaughter live with me , but I have very few people to talk to as for my doctors it's so hard to get a appointment last time I had to wait 2weeks just to see any doctor. ( that was a horror story told me I was having a panic attack even when I had calmed down a bit lol ) my own doctor it took 6 weeks but he's great.

I have so much to ask and say but I have been awake at stupid o'clock so will keep them for another day

Thank you for just benign there

my name fluffy stuff comes from the way I have trouble breathing "" it's like trying to breath through fluffy stuff""

Veronica xxxx

[Asthma-girl]

Hello,

Welcome to the forum.

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Hi Veronica,

Welcome to the forum! Please don't worry about being dyslexic and having spelling errors, I have posted a load of nonsense before because I had just finished an attack and was exhausted but needing support. Like you, I was diagnosed in adulthood, which I find is worse than having had the disease since childhood where one would possibly be more used to it being part of daily life. Also, I suffer massively from depression, which has worsened since my brittle asthma diagnosis. And the brain does have a horrible habit of making seemingly small things into HUGE things. But you are not crazy, asthma is a diagnosis which should be taken seriously, so don't think you are being silly by worrying about it. You say that you have mild asthma, which is good as it can be easier to control, and you can lead a 'normal' life. Is there someone who you can talk to about your emotional wellbeing?

Please feel free to ask any questions you have here, there are lots of us with varying experiences who will be happy to give you support and hopefully some answers!

Chukk

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Thank you everyone

Sorry I haven't been back but having a rough few days don't know if its panic but yesterday it was asthma I'm sure of it and haven't been sleeping will put another post soon .

Just one question does any one have trouble with there nose being all blocked and dry when they are having trouble with there asthma it's all like breathing in hot air hope that makes sense.

Veronica xx

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Hello and welcome,

Like you, I kept visiting the forum for a while before I decided to post but I am so glad I joined. If you have a question then there is usually someone around to offer advice very quickly.

Do you know what triggers your asthma? My asthma is mainly due to allergies so symptoms are often linked with a blocked nose/sinus problems (the allergy causing both). If this is the case, you may find a nasal spray helps to clear your nose a bit. I had some exercises from the physio but find them so difficult because whenever I have an asthma attack, my nose is blocked so I can't breathe through it!

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Thank you kayla

I really am a novice. I know nothing except what I have picked up on here, I have no history of asthma. I only know 2 people who have asthma and they are both quite bad and when I asked things it just went over my head.

Last year I had a chest infection and the locum doctor listened to my chest and just said ""oh you seem to have lung damage I think."" So I panic running round like headless chicken, ok calm down, was given antibiotics and steroids and blue inhaler, a few days later felt great.

Role on February and another chest infection but had horrid doctor who said ""there's nothing wrong but I will give you steroids just in case""

Come March ( took 4 months) get asthma assessment, don't know what it's called but blowing in to machine. The results were mild asthma.

Come May, yep you guessed it another chest infection. Again antibiotics and steroids this time it was harder to shift than the other times.

6 weeks later get telephone appointment with head of asthma in our practice and was asked why I wasn't given a plan or brown inhaler. He wasn't to pleased that it wasn't looked into.

So now I have brown inhaler 2puffs in morning and night and blue inhaler that he said I could use anytime and a peak-flow meter.

That's my story so far but I just want to know more simple things like:

Can you just become allergic to something you have used for years overnight?

I'm scared to get out of breath so how do I exercise? That is just a few basic things. The doctor told me to use nose spray whenever I want but chemist told me not to use it for more then 7 days, there's just to much conflicting info I just get confused.

Sorry my post is so long.

Veronica xxx

[yaf_user681_30355]

Hello again,

Exercise is important when you have asthma as it is improves the efficiency of your heart and lungs. I enjoy walking which also helps with my mental health. However if you are having a flare up it is important to rest, 'sofa surfing' as it is often called on here. If exercise is one of your triggers you can take 2 puffs of reliever 15 mins before you start (and some of us need more during.)

Finding your triggers is really useful, it can be difficult to find what they are if you are uncontrolled. I only found mine when things were calmer and then could work out when I reacted to something. Also, if your airways are still twitchy and sensitive you could react to more triggers and as things calm down you may just react to a few.

Have you looked through the website? It is good to look through it several times as there is a lot to take in. Stress can also be a trigger, so I try very hard not to get stressed about my asthma or anything else (not easy!)

All of us who had asthma starting as an adult went through what you are going through Veronica as it is an adjustment period.

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Hi and welcome. Ive been asthmatic since childhood but it still overwhelms me at times - I certainly didnt feel very brave a few nights ago when I was having a severe attack and felt completely alone, even tho Im currently in hospital! Feel free to ask lots of questions here and get supports from all the wonderful posters, also you might find it helpful to call the adviceline, its freephone and the nurses are always wonderful, whether you need specific advice or just moral support.

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Hi sparkly,

Thank you I have had a better day today managed to sleep 8 hours solid think it had something to do with all the crying I did yesterday lol

My next door neighbour s daughter was visiting she was a nurse years ago so I sort of asked her things her best advice was keep my inhaler with me all the time.

And you are brave I would of panicked like mad lol

You re all so nice on here it makes me feel better just knowing I can ask questions without feeling daft thank you

Veronica xxx

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Just wanted to pop in and say ""welcome!"" You sound like you have a lot on your plate!

Like JF says exercise is important - even more important if you have asthma. The more you exercise the better your body is at handling physical stress and that includes making your body better able to handle things like asthma acting up.

I know it may feel like a pile on to have anxiety issues AND asthma. However, you may be able to turn it to your benefit. If you've been in counselling and learned techiques (self talk, progressve relaxation, other? ) for calming and relaxing yourself when you feel anxious or scared, you can also use them to deal with the fear that can sometimes arise when it is hard to breathe. Because ultimately emotions get expressed in physical form, the body often responds to relaxation techniques regardless if the reason for stress comes from an emotion, an anxious thought, physical pain, asthma, or some other physical cause.

The more you can stay calm, the easier it is to focus on the actual work of breathing as well as your lungs will let you.

One thing I do when I'm struggling is to remind myself that we don't actually need to breathe in very much air to keep going. Because asthma makes breathing feel like a lot more work than usual, it can feel like we're not breathing at all, but in fact we really are: it just takes a lot (or even lots and lots) of effort. Reminding myself of this helps me focus on calmly and gently moving as much air as I can and not get caught up in feeling like I ought to be breathing more or trying to force air in (which only reminds me that it hard to breathe).

Just a reminder - before trying anything new with meds, or breathing techniques, or making significant changes in exercise levels, it would be good to have a chat with your doctor - although we can share what works individually for us and share general knowledge we can't know your situation. (and sometimes our general knowledge might be mistaken too).

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Thanks Beth,

Went for walk round block today not far but it's a start (lol)

Then got home and hurt my knee so I've got that strapped up I think I should have locked myself away this week it would have been safer (lol)

I have done relaxation

And have some good mp3s just need to get in to the habit of using them everyday again .

Veronica xxx