Getting so paranoid about my asthma

[ash6]

So I have been smoke free for over a week now so that's a positive for sure, I have had an asthma check up and chest x ray in the last 2 weeks all was ok. They have lowered my symbicort so I can do the SMART regime if anyone has or is on that. I am 31 yr old male, 6ft 1 in height and im around 280 pounds and I have never been that heavy in my life. I have always been around 230 ish

Do you think it could just be lack of fitness and overwight that's not helping me

[Griffon]

Hi Ash , being over weight will certainly impact on your health . It will also make you short of breath for a variety of reasons . For a start you are carrying at least an extra 50lb around - lugging a 50lb weight about would make anyone puff ! Also the internal fat restricts the lungs and leaves less room for them to expand . Obviously you don't need me to tell you that loosing weight would be beneficial , and I also know how hard it is to do - good luck .

[Poobah]

Well done Ash for giving up smoking.

Everyone says that weight can be an issue when stopping smoking.

I found that I started putting weight on when I switched to Symbicourt. And have struggled ever since.

50 lbs extra will affect your asthma health and if you can tackle that now then go for it. What you can't afford is for those ponds to creep up any further.

My specialist and asthma nurse are adamant that weight is key.

At the end of the day we are in charge and only we can make the changes necessary to unlock better lifestyles. You've already made a great start.

Good luck with your resolutions.

[strongmouse]

Hi well done for giving up smoking that is not an easy journey to make but shows that you have an inner strength to make changes to improve your health.

As others have said loosing weight will help and being fitter will too. However asthama is caused by inflammation of the tubes to the lungs. My guess is that you will feel better and manage to do more if you lost weight and improved your fitness but that you might still need to have some medication, at least from time to time depending what triggers your asthma - and sometimes there seems to be no known cause.

Go for it and enjoy a sense of more control over your health but be prepared to listen to what your body needs too. There is no shame in having asthma, it is an illness like any other that we don't want but have to learn to manage.