Weather causing breathing issues

[Emaych61]

Is anyone else out there finding that past few weeks of damp weather (rain on almost every day) is causing their asthma to flare?

[Hpaddict]

Yes, this damp wet weather is a trigger for my asthma too. All you can do is make sure you take your preventer inhaler regular if you have one, and keep your blue inhaler with you. When this changing weather and damp weather flare up my asthma, I follow my asthma action plan. Hugs you are not alone. Good luck. If it keeps flaring, speak to your asthma nurse or doctor.

[Emaych61 in reply to Hpaddict]

I do have the means to do a top up. I’m on Alvesco 160 (which is a once daily medication which I use in the morning) but in winter - and when I had covid - I use a top of Alvesco 80 in the evening. I’m intending to begin using that this evening.

As it happens I’m due to have my annual asthma review next week, and I will certainly be raising the issues I’ve been having. I was just curious to see if any other asthma sufferers were experiencing similar problems.

A potential complication is that I also happen to be under consultant led care for digestive issues. They still haven’t worked out exactly what is going on (latest theory is I have a hypersensitive GI tract). Reflux can also cause breathing issues and we know from past experience that it has done so with me. I’ve read that ventolin can relax the sphincter muscle at the top of the stomach which in turn can cause lung/airway irritation from escaping stomach contents but don’t know if there have been any studies to back this up. Reflux and asthma is not an uncommon combination, but at the moment it does seem that at times the asthma is firing off the reflux which in turn is firing off the asthma again. I’m due to see my gastro consultant in the near future, but haven’t had the appointment through yet. I’m also under consultant led care for asthma but not due an appointment until the end of the year.

[Homely2 Administrator]

My asthma hates humidity, which is often high after rain.

If you get a humidity reader you can find out how much your asthma and humidity are linked.

They are good at forecasting humidity.

[Emaych61 in reply to Homely2]

That’s a good idea! I might just do that. Thanks for the suggestion.

[Mandevilla]

Yes. My lungs loved the long dry spell we had (even if my garden didn't!) and I was bouncing around like Tigger. As soon as the rain started...Urgh!

I've found a dehumidifier really helpful - you can get them quite cheaply second-hand, so it might be worth trying if you know damp is a trigger.

[fraid]

Funny we're all different depending on what triggers our asthma, for me it's pollens when hot and air dry but if windy seems better even though more pollen blowing about. When it rains it damps down those things. Not sure if my asthma improving or just coinkidink but am trying just 1 puff am, 2 pm of Flixotide and seems ok. 🤞

[Danielmystar]

I've got problems with the damp wet weather aswell as the hot weather I struggle with my breathing in the hot humid weather alot more than the damp I keep my inhaler with me at all times

[Emaych61 in reply to Danielmystar]

I’m very careful to keep my relieved inhaler with me at all times too. My local surgery has queried me always requesting two ventolin inhalers at a time in the past but has always accepted that I’m being sensible when I point out that that is because one stays in the house in my bedroom and the other stays in my bag and so accompanies me everywhere when I go out.

[Poshcards in reply to Emaych61]

you are lucky, my surgery will not give me 2 even though i requested it! x

[Mandevilla in reply to Poshcards]

What happens if the one you have runs out mid use?!

Can you put in a request for a new one before the old one runs out? So you end up with two, just getting them at different times.

[Emaych61 in reply to Mandevilla]

I’ve done that with Preventer inhalers so as to ensure I always have a spare one in the house just in case something happens (damage to inhaler or it develops a fault - very rare, but it can happen). Having got that I now order a new inhaler the moment I finish one and start on the spare.

[Bagpiper0304 in reply to Poshcards]

On another post, I mentioned that I used to get 2 inhalers then my nurse changed it to 1 so that they can monitor my usage better?? I moved house and spoke with my new doctor and explained that I was worried about losing my inhaler if i only have 1 or running out so she has changed it back to 2, 1 will stay in the house and 1 for out and about.

[Emaych61 in reply to Poshcards]

You might have to argue your case, but they really should give you two, particularly if you have evohalers which have no counting device on them and so are much more difficult to keep track on how much medication is left.

I’ve also had to fight to keep ventolin accuhalers as my preferred reliever inhaler (they are more expensive) because they do have counting devices on them (I do have a an evohaler for if things get really bad - an extremely rare occurrence I have to admit - but that was agreed as a good idea with my then GP who has now retired). I pointed out that it was extremely difficult to keep track of the amount of medication left when you are using an evohaler on an as and when required basis only, and I wondered how much was spent on asthmatics who ended up in A&E simply because they didn’t realise their ventolin inhalers had run out of medication. Ventolin evohalers must be one of the very few, if not the only life saving medication where it is impossible to see how much is left! The nurse concerned took the point. Given that my track record of keeping my asthma well under control is extremely good she really didn’t have much of a counter argument.