New to having rubbish lungs, any advice for skiing??

[Aliciah1]

Hi, so I was diagnosed with asthma when I was 18 but have been really well controlled until the last year.

I have had repeated chest infections this year, each one requiring and steroids, each one worse than the last and requiring longer courses of steroids. I have had 8 courses of steroids in 12 months, some courses over a month long (so basically spent the majority of 2018 on 40mg pred, which was less than ideal!!!)

The last 2 flare ups have ended up with being admitted, the first was just for 24 hours but 2 weeks ago I got admitted for 3 days (I'm a midwife and got admitted to the hospital I work in, so have spent my time off sick basically in work 😡)

I'm on 250 of flutiform twice a day, monelucast and a few others.

So after 5 years of not being able to go skiing, I'm finally getting to go again in February. I'm aware that altitude/ cold/ exercise (still can't walk up more than one flight of stairs and talk in full scentances, I used to be able to run 10k!) Isn't going to be ideal, but I was wondering if anyone had any tips to not end up in hospital in a random Italian town?!

Sorry that was extremely long winded, I'm just not really sure what I'm doing with all of this. My consultant isn't convinced something else isn't going on on top of asthma so I'm having a load of tests, making it all a bit harder to manage!

[Minushabens]

Whilst I'd be the first to agree that cold air & so on affect asthma, I'm also a great believer in complete denial being one of the best ways of managing asthma! So if you think you can do it, then do it & have a great time. Just have a Plan B I suppose in case things don't work out.

[Aliciah1 in reply to Minushabens]

Haha yeh I agree with that, I was feeling rubbish last week and running around the ward I work on and doing my patients obs, one of my colleagues did mine and my sats were 90% and my heart rate was 140bpm, I managed to power though (with a lot of help from salbutamol lol)!

[EmmaF91 Community Ambassador]

I agree with minushabens!

Think that you can until/unless your body shows that you can’t. Denial is great that way but a back up plan is needed 😅

Maybe a ‘thick’ buff to help deal with the cold? And ask for an ‘emergency’ pack of antibiotics and steroids to take with you, so if you get twitchy you can deal with it before it escalates to anything more severe. Similar I’d take a spare ventolin (or 2) just in case you need to use it regularly (ie 2 puffs 4 times a day)

Hope you have a good time skiing and that your lungs behave!

[Aliciah1 in reply to EmmaF91]

Thanks! Yeh I was planning on getting a just in case pack from my GP anyway. I'm a big believer in denial so I won't have a problem with that haha.

[Wheezycat]

What kind of skiing? Downhill, slalom or cross country? Maybe anyway if you get yourself a ski mask, as skiers have, it can keep the effect of cold air away.

If slalom or downhill, there will be ski lifts - and it is hard not to go down, even if not the way you intended! If cross country you can do it at any pace that suits you.

[Sparkywoo]

Ooh how nice. My lungs would thank me for the fresh clean air but not like the cold so my theory is hopefully you’ll remain stable 😀

Make sure you have your EHiC card, travel insurance and as mentioned before emergency pack of meds and have fun x

[Melanie1989]

Hi Aliciah,

Im in a similar situation but im going to iceland to do ice climbing and fly out sunday. I have had repeated admissions and havent recovered from my last one, so im riding the denial train and pushing asthma to the back of my mind! Im going to echo what the others have said, you should just go for it and see how you feel when your there. Ive been worried about going, but i think im ok now so as far as im concerned i will be ok when i get there. I think if you put together a worst case scenario plan before you go and have an emergency pack with you, then your fully prepared.

Have fun!

[warmlight]

I’m so sorry if this sounds like the voice of doom . . . . BUT

I do think you need to be sensible too. Younger people compensate well for longer but then can just crash.. I felt quite worried that you said you ‘powered through’ with HR of 140 and sats of 90%. Please look after yourself Aliciah1. MYbe think what advice you would give to one of your patients in your care who had presented with those readings?

The only reason I say this is that as a nurse I just pushed on through last year in my job with numerous flare ups and like you almost continual steroids. I am now at the point where I am off sick and facing investigations for adrenal insufficiency as a complication due to all the steroid treatment and am now on a daily dose of maintenance pred.

Flying also carries so many risks of airborne infection. So if you are going then definitely make sure you have rescue antibiotics steroids and extra inhalers, even nebules just in case?.

Don’t expect too much from yourself performance wise we can really underestimate the effect of frequent flare ups can have on our stamina and strength. Pace yourself take your time and regardless of how much you do/ don’t do see it as an achievement that you are actually there!

We only have one life; live it well but remember to look after yourself xxx

[peege]

Love skiing and used to go to Italian Dolomites regularly.

In my experience cold, sunny days are fine but the overcast, damp days are tricky - you know when it's -3° but 'feels like' -10°?

This is what I'd do if going this winter: pick south facing slopes, pack my woollen Buffs, thermals (nice lot in M&S at the mo), my rescue meds + antiseptic throat spray, Vicks First Defence for travelling and crowded aprés ski places and ski insurance + EU medical card. When you're there: don't overdo it, take frequent rests & don't go off piste! I've always found the mountain air very beneficial. My asthmatic son lives in the south of France, they skI most weekends, his asthat does really well there. Good luck. P

[Susie47]

I am skiing this week, having finished my last course of steroids on Saturday. It’s very cold -around minus 18 and quite simply I am taking it easy and listening to my body. I am sticking to blues and easy reds, covering my mouth on chair lifts, keeping jacket done up to neck and taking regular breaks. I am enjoying myself. Today though I have stopped very early. Lots of polling early on resulted in ventolin and then I struggled to walk up the steps to a gondola. Finally I got out of breath on a very easy blue. I am now sat in chalet with a cup of tea, admiring the view, feeling much better and hoping this way round i’ll Be back on slopes tomorrow. As someone else said, you have to live life, but you also have to be sensible 😀. Goodluck and hope you enjoy.

[a6gelaj76e]

Hi,

Have you been tested for allergies? The reason I'm asking is, I was referred by my asthma doctor in Bournemouth Hospital to see an asthma specialist in Southampton Hospital, because he thinks I have more asthma and allergies, rather than asthma and Bronchiectasis. I had allergy tests done, and I have a lot of allergies. They suggested taking antihistamines all year round.

The one I was prescribed is Avamys. I work in a foodhall, and there are flowers everywhere. They don't make me sneeze and make my eyes run, they just affect my asthma! Hope you have a wonderful holiday, and hope you're flare-up free! 🙂