Cleaner Air

[PaulRosedene]

Is anyone benefitting from the less polluted air, and seeing a reduction in their asthma symptoms ?

[Loulou9000]

Hi Paul yes I have definitely seen an improvement. I am one of those people who has to use salbutamol daily to reverse sudden mini attacks. I can have 2-3 a day and the salbutamol clears my airway in 2 - 3 minutes and I am fine again. These are different to the long lingering ones I get from chest infections.

I am self isolating, working from home and have only been out once for a funeral since lockdown. My Salbutamol intake is less than 3 times a week, I am also on seretide 500 twice a day and I am symptom free. Obviously I am not out and about and rushing around like I used to do pre lockdown, but I put it down to avoiding outside triggers like unavoidable pollutants. My Asthma has definitely benefitted, but worried about Covid! infections are my most difficult fights with the asthma. Glad you are feeling better as well.

[PaulRosedene in reply to Loulou9000]

Hi Loulou, I am glad that your asthma has improved. But your post has gotten me thinking. Could the improvement be down to less polluted air, or less exposure to other pollutants that one might meet whilst commuting or travelling around generally ? There is also sick office syndrome. Some offices might contain pollutants.

There are also links between stress, anxiety and asthma. Some might be more stressed and anxious at home than at work ? Perhaps its hard to pin down more general background triggers.

I have had Covid 19, so that is one great anxiety I am (hopefully) free from. I haven't seen any improvement to my asthma with the clear air. But this is hayfever season and that always gets me going.

[want_to_be_sporty]

So much...it's been like a dream! I live in London and have experimented with reducing my Symbicort consumption since lockdown and have found that I've been able to reduce my usage by 25% without any impact on my breathing...every cloud has a silver lining!

[PaulRosedene in reply to want_to_be_sporty]

That is good news. I live in Bucks. Perhaps the reduction in pollutants is greater in the cities where the pollution would have been worse.

I love your moniker. Are you having any success in being sporty ?

[want_to_be_sporty in reply to PaulRosedene]

Gotta keep hoping I'll be able to be fully sporty again one day!

I have actually made some tentative steps in lockdown thanks to the cleaner air and have managed some sessions on an exercise bike every three or four days and have felt OK so very happy about that too but like others have got to think now about whether to move away from the city for my wellbeing after lockdown - just got to convince my wife now!

[Thompson_2009]

i did, now thousands of cars are going by our house again and more planes overhead and it's getting worse again. Does my head in. Been trying for years to move somewhere where their is a lot less pollution. People now reply so much on driving and flying ect, it's just not sustainable anymore and worth it. So may people getting asthma now, it's crazy.