Circle of Life: A Journey Through Asthma and Environmental Factors

[kirankh7]

In the realm of asthma, personal experiences can be as diverse as the individuals themselves. At the age of 15, I entered the asthmatic world, a journey that has shaped me in ways I never anticipated. Now at 33, I find myself feeling remarkably better, with my asthma remaining dormant for the past 4 years. Those who have battled this condition understand its gravity, and I share my journey today in the hope that it may offer insights to others on their own path.

I've led a life that has taken me through various cities and villages, each with its own unique environmental influences. Curiously, I noticed that my asthma would often exacerbate in unexpected ways. I hail from a quaint village in Palakkad, Kerala, where pollution is scarcely a concern. Yet, paradoxically, my asthma often worsened during my stays there(Kerala humidity is always high). This puzzle began to unravel when I moved to Salem, Tamil Nadu, for my studies at 17. Remarkably, with each return to that city, I felt a marked improvement in my condition compared to my village.

At the age of 21, professional opportunities led me to Bangalore. During my initial years in the city, I experienced relatively infrequent asthma attacks, occurring only once or twice, perhaps thrice a year. However, as I crossed the threshold of 24, a persistent form of asthma began to take root, proving unresponsive to a spectrum of treatments, from allopathy and ayurveda to homeopathy. I endured this condition for over a decade with no cure in sight.

My career eventually compelled me to leave Bangalore, and my path took an unexpected turn. I found myself in San Francisco, a city that would alter the course of my life. Slowly but surely, my asthma receded, and for the past three years, I haven't encountered the dreaded wheezing or breathlessness that had plagued me for so long. San Francisco, known as one of the top places to live for allergy sufferers, played a pivotal role in my recovery. While I'm not claiming a 100% cure, I can confidently say that I'm feeling better than I have in years.

Now, I stand at a crossroads, contemplating the possibility of returning to Bangalore, the city I once called home. However, my lingering concern is whether the specter of my old asthma symptoms might resurface at any moment.

Throughout this journey, I explored various avenues, including yoga and different pranayama practices, but they yielded no discernible change in my condition.

So, in response to the question posed, if you are someone who grapples with allergies, dust mite, mold, or pollen-related asthma, consider a few options. It's not the city or place that is the primary factor, but rather the climate that can either exacerbate or alleviate your symptoms. Here are some strategies to consider:

Relocate to an area with an elevation above 2500 feet, where dust mites struggle to thrive (if your circumstances allow).

Choose a place with lower humidity, ideally below 50%.

Opt for a location with a snowy climate, as lower temperatures can help eliminate dust mites and molds.

Invest in efficient dehumidifiers for your living space.

Additionally, there are some must-do practices to help manage asthma effectively:

Use a vacuum cleaner with a minimum power of 1200 watts and HEPA filtration (I personally use Dyson) and vacuum your space every other day.

Wash your bedding at temperatures exceeding 60°C (140°F) every week.

Consider adding a dust mite allergy cover to your mattress, which may be a bit more expensive than standard covers but offers effective protection.

Remember that asthma management is highly individualized, and what works for one person may not work for another. I hope this helps someone suffering.

Thanks,

[My_fairy]

Thanks for sharing your journey. It’s very informative and helpful to know.

Can I ask since it became unresponsive to treatment did you have acute attacks and how were they managed?

My daughter has bronchospasms regularly since her asthma has become u responsive to treatment. Does asthma then go back to being responsive? She’s only 15 and had it since very young age but shes started having persistent symptoms but also as she’s had a life threatening attack. We are worried for her major attacks.

Any advise would be appreciated.

[kirankh7 in reply to My_fairy]

I use to take powdered inhaler's but that is not at all helpful. When i have acute attacks, i use to take injection from the hospital... it will getter better after that injection... later it will come back to the other stage persistent asthma. For each individual its different, it took 2 - 3 year to controll persistant asthma and medication.

[Homely2 Administrator]

Totally agree with everything you say. Getting your environment right is key.

I go to the Scottish highlands in May and my asthma is way better than at home.

You have reenergised me to make my home more asthma proof.

Here in the UK, the humidity is high today, so my asthma is suffering.

Personally, I would stay where your asthma is happy.

[runcyclexcski]

In my experience, the best strategic move is to a country/city with a well-developed healthcare system, strict emission laws, a good hospital nearby, fast A&E response times, paid sick leave, public healthcare, and efficient GPs who can prescribe costly medicine. Low pollution and mild climate help (especially in the growing threat of heat waves etc).

I lived in San Fran for 6 years, and this is where the asthma has started, triggered by pollen of the evergreen climate. It only became to improve on Xolair (on which I have been since 2007).

>>>Opt for a location with a snowy climate, as lower temperatures can help eliminate dust mites and molds.

This can back-fire, as in snowy climates people often burn wood, and the smoke is a major trigger. In the mountains, people settle in bowl-like valleys (not on mountain peaks), and the smoke accumulates there. Air inversion makes it worse. Even if there is gas heating available, many like to burn wood just to "stay cozy" (whatever that means). Restaurants burn wood just to create a "Christmas atmosphere".

Dry air during the winter at high elevation can have indoor humidity <20% which is also an asthma trigger. My worst asthma ever was in Feb in Salt Lake City, UT (high elevation, snowy everywhere, perfect skiing destination).

Agree re: dust mite control and filters. I do not believe in costly sheets (randomized studies never showed their effectiveness), I just put the mattress in a non-air permeable Goretex bag and sleep in a pressurized HEPA-filtered tent.

[Mandevilla]

Yes, it's easy to assume city = bad, countryside = good for asthma, but we are all different. I moved from a small town with high air pollution but near an estuary, to a much smaller town, with much lower air pollution, but that is situated at the bottom of a valley, with very little air circulation. My asthma has been much worse since we moved to this 'less polluted' area, and my doctor says that many of his patients with asthma report a downturn in their health when they move here! I am hoping our next move will be somewhere with a more open location, where the air can circulate freely!

[runcyclexcski in reply to Mandevilla]

>>>this 'less polluted' area,

Not to mention that local hospital is probably further away, doctors may not be as good etc. 400 years ago almost everything was a "countryside", food was "natural" and yet the average lifespan was 30-40 years. :).

[Mandevilla in reply to runcyclexcski]

Well if you have a real medical emergency, you'd better hope the air ambulance is available, as it takes around an hour to drive to the nearest A&E! Although to be fair, it was this surgery that finally diagnosed my asthma after the surgery in my previous town kept dismissing me as suffering from health anxiety and telling me I needed to practice mindfulness when I 'thought' my breathing was difficult...

[runcyclexcski in reply to Mandevilla]

>>>"I needed to practice mindfulness"

When I hear this, I know it's time to change doctors. That said, by now I have enough paperwork (200 pages) to support the diagnosis.

[Poshcards]

What an amazing journey through life, thanks for sharing xx