Is anyone out there like me?

[Matilda1]

Hi all, I hope you are well, sooo I’m in to my 2nd year of asthma diagnosis and I’m still trying to get my head around it. I am sensitive to medications and so have to try my best with eating healthy, staying dust free etc.... however I now have sinus issues which has now lead to glue ear???? I am struggling to hear because of it, I am so overwhelmed by all this,I mean I am 39 I was quite fit (I have had to change my job so it’s not so hard on my body as I was struggling ) I am doing my own head in here trying to pinpoint what’s making me wheezy and mucusy at certain points on some days, I could literally cry! I have had a few limited tests done for allergy but it came back negative however they didn’t test for things I always eat 😔 and so I am now cutting things out left right and center because I am scared of the asthma, I have tried to monitor what’s going on when I eat, and it seems like it could be sugar or veg/salad 😳 I’m vegetarian but kind of limited to things I eat, I don’t eat cheese. I was wondering if anyone was like me? Does anyone know of any fruits/veg that are super anti inflammatory and good for asthma?

Thank you for reading my post, you guys don’t make me feel so alone 🙃

[Carriejen]

Hi! I’ve noticed since my diagnosis that I seem to be struggling a bit more than I was before. Before I seemed to have ways that dealt with my breathing problems without medication. Although I’ve also noticed that I seem to have more triggers now, or maybe just more things I notice 🤷🏻‍♀️ I was diagnosed a year past in February. There are so many triggers from food allergies to emotion, dust and damp are two of mine and my house is sadly very damp right now it’s a hard road to be on. With regards to your food allergies, have you googled at all? A lot of the info is related to the USA however I find for more generalised queries any information is better than none. I hope you get somewhere!

[Loraine121]

Hi Matilda1, I have had asthma since I was 4 years old I’m now 48 and even now there is no rim or reason for my attack’s it’s what the medical team call difficult to control asthma meaning that they don’t know what causes attack’s,

I hope that you have more success than I have but I just try and keep as dust free as possible I have no carpets or rugs in the house just laminate floor as it’s easy to keep dust free , I have no pets I have had in the past but had to get rid off them as I was in and out off hospital so much, I have tried dairy free limited sugar as some additives can cause attack’s but to be honest you can spend half your life looking for something that is not there so just enjoy the good times and deal with the attack’s when they happen,

You mention sinuses issues I do know that there is a spray to help with that as l use it piranase I think it’s called it’s basically a steroid inhaler for your nose,

Good luck

[Matilda1]

Thank you for getting back to me, it’s always a comfort to know people know what I’m on about ☺️ I don’t know anyone with asthma! I’m thinking of purchasing an air purifier to see if that does anything, I think I’m associating anything I eat with the wheeze and it’s not doing my mental health any good 😕. I have a sensitivity to meds and have to be careful so I can’t use nasal sprays (last time I had an awful reaction) so I’m limited on what to do, I steam lots which seems to help, I have 2 fantastic consultants, that I’m so grateful for, they are trying all sorts for me,they are sending me to immunology for blood testing to see if i will be able to use meds or have an operation on sinus if needed, I still can’t belive that a few years back I didn’t have any of these issues and now my life is so different 😩 but I am grateful for a lot of things and this community is one of them😊.... Right I’m going to think positive today! Have a good day all!👍

[ChrissieMons]

I think you might need to see a dietician, if only to put your mind at rest that you are doing the right things. An air purifier might be a good idea as it does deal with the dust quite well - most of which is invisible to us - and really, anything which will help you come to terms with this. Although there are a number of people who post here who are poorly a lot of the time, most of us have been through the mill and now live quite well in spite of the asthma. Your consultants are making progress for you, so try to just sit back and see how it goes. It will all be sorted out in the end, I'm sure.

[Yatzy]

Hi Matilda

Sorry you’re feeling so down. I think we all have these times while we’re trying to improve our asthma and our understanding of our asthma triggers.

But we’re all different so it’s hard to generalise. I’m sensitive to a lot of medications, so use as few as possible. I use my prescribed asthma inhalers plus montekulast, plus an air purifier, every night for two hours before bed, and also in the living room if the heating is on, or i’ve just dusted, always using a damp duster, then a dry duster. I never use household chemical because the have perfumes which are triggers for me. Also always use perfume free soap powder and fabric conditioner. I can’t take ibuprofen, bonjela or anything that includes salicylates....I have a book that tells me all the different names for the chemicals based on salicylates, though it’s also available on the Internet. I can’t use Ventolin because it includes a salicylate, so use Bricanyl as a relief inhaler.

There are also foods that include salicylates so I try to eat low or non salicylate foods. I don’t drink tea any more for the same reason. I’ve tried to simplify what works for me here, though it’s a little more complicated really. My GP said there’s no text for this sensitivity but didn’t object to me going on an elimination diet then reintroducing salicylates to see if my hunches were a reality. I find it works for me, but a balanced diet is of course key. I can eat cheese, meats, fish and eggs without problems, though bacon, sausage and smoked fish don’t suit me, neither do artificial colourings. Fruit and vegetables include salicylates but I know which to eat more of and which to eat less of.

I just thought my more unusual triggers that I’ve tried to summarise might give you an idea of the wide range of asthma triggers. As long as I can avoid viruses, colds and flu, I’m ok most of the time. I always sleep propped up on several pillows at different angles, or I start to wheeze at night.

Can’t think of anything else for now but it’s all ‘easy when you know how’ for me. It has all become a habit.

Hope you discover more if your own asthma triggers, it does help! Penny xx

[Kate261]

Hi Matilda, hope today is a good day for you. Have you tried salt nasal spray? I find it to be helpful with the sinus issues and it’s just salt water

I’m about 2 years in with my diagnosis too and completely with you with the minefield of potential triggers and the resultant confusion. It makes it seem a huge mountain to climb. I’m on a cocktail of drugs and sometimes I feel like I could climb a mountain, and then the next day getting out of bed is overwhelming. Keep positive, you’ll find something that works soon, I’m sure. Hope you start to feel better soon

[strongmouse]

It is difficult if you are allergic or sensitive to several things. When I was in my twenties I had my first allergic reaction to penicillin since then I have garnered a raft of allergies and food intolerance. The first thing to know is that it is possible to unpick the different causes. Keep a food dairy and activity diary and symptoms. Try to see if there is a pattern. Randomly excluding food can be confusing. An allergy usually happens within a short space of time, but other allergic type reactions can occur up to 48 hours later.

Consider the most common allergies (for you) first. Are you likely to be exposed to dust mite? Has that been tested for? If you do have an allergy to dust mite this will have a knock on effect daily. Allergy UK has good information on dealing with this. allergyuk.org/

A good book on the subject of allergies is "The Allergy Bible" by Prof. Jonathan Brostoff and Linda Gamlin. I find that if I don't avoid my worst allergies my tolerance to other things (including medications) is worse.

There are no quick and easy answers but taking a step by step approach you should be able, with your doctor help as needed, work out how to manage better. I would definitely try the nasal wash with salt water (preferably filtered water) and a good hepa air filter in your bedroom and sitting room. Milk and foods containing milk are a common cause of mucus over production (we can become lactose intolerant as we get older, which is not an allergy as such, but can cause sinus type problems). You could try cutting out all milk products or reducing your intake to see if that helps. (Milk products include yoghurt, cheese and lactose containing products such as biscuits and cakes. Most shops stock 'lactose free'.)

If you have dust mite allergy then you need to look at bedding and carpets as potential culprits. You can be tested for this. My son had a severe sudden reaction - they thought it was a peanut allergy - which turned out to be a dust mite allergy. He has air filter, changed to dust mite free bedding, took all the carpets out (wearing a high grade face mask) and replaced with wood and stone flooring and is now much, much better, thank God. Super veg won't necessarily help. What were you tested for allergy wise?

[Matilda1]

Thank you all 😊, I am so grateful for all your comments, So many of us with complications 😕 I guess there is no one way of dealing with this, I mean I’m vegetarian I don’t do much dairy at all, and that’s goats milk when I do, no cheese etc.. oh yeah I forgot to mention in my allergy results it said I was fine for dust mites, pollens, milk,wheat etc... however I’m not! I’m intolerant to wheat/gluten, it was so weird as I’ve eaten it all my life and then a couple of years ago I was having a bit of a time with needing the loo, A LOT! ( sorry I know it’s gross, but real life 🤷‍♀️) I had tests done, all came back clear however ilimination diet figured it out! I was told that the tests aren’t always accurate and that intolerances may not show 🙄 it was like a miracle, literally one week I noticed a huge improvement. My meds sensitivity is scary, sometimes people are like WHAT?? are you joking!, I have a wrist band med alert thing.I am going to invest in an air purifier, I just bought new low allergy rugs and now looking into other things to see if anything helps I will let you guys know 👍

Thanks for reading guys, hope you all stay well 😊