I was diagnosed with asthma last September after being in hospital for ten days with a bad exacerbation. All out of the blue. I was on oxygen for most of it and coughing up thick green stuff after a chest infection. Could hardly breathe and almost in ICU. After recovering from that I picked up more colds over next few months and each one would turn into a nasty chest infection and was on steroids and antibiotics another two times. Last time was beginning of January. Since then, I've added carbocisteine to my fostair 200/6 and though I've had more colds/sinus/nasal issues, my chest has been ok and I've stayed off the oral steroids.
I've also been trying to do running to improve awful fitness. From a very slow start where I was pretty much walking, I can now do a 5km in just over 30 mins. I've not really had breathlessness since doing this though mucus and nasal issues still recur regularly. The running/jogging has definitely helped chest.
However, I just find it hard to not think about asthma all the time. I never feel quite right and I still think I may have COPD. My FEV1 was 83% after hospital but my FVC was 110% which meant my FEV1/FVC was 0.6. My peak flow is consistently lower than it should be. It's about 500 to 550 for a 42yo man. I was diagnosed with asthma having never smoked, but all the tests showed it wasn't eosinophilic.
I have a stressful and busy job. I am lucky to be well rewarded for that but this has all had quite an effect on concentrating on it. I think about my health a lot and I worry about what will happen to my health in the future.
Basically, how do people not let this lung stuff dominate mentally? I wonder if the stressful nature of my job with long hours doesn't help. But equally I have a family to provide for, and I enjoy it, so it will probably continue.
Thanks.
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Particle32
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>>>I was diagnosed with asthma having never smoked, but all the tests showed it wasn't eosinophilic.
Must feel very frustraing seeing people around you smoking away and enjoying life, while you cannot breathe, w/o ever having smoked. I do not know how to cope with this: my own career got destroyed afterI got asthma, and I am currently unemployed b.c. I cannot be outside. Same situation as yours -- 80 hr work weeks, stress, A-type personalities at work. Maybe counceling can work, who knows.
I don't know re test results but stress + anxiety can trigger asthma & breathing probs as many here can testify to. I alway see a diagnosis as a positive as ucan learn to manage it and take measures, including medication, to improve Yr health. Yr doing great getting fitter. Try to avoid people,whn u can, with coughs colds etc as they can trigger asthma & chest infections. If u continue to have health anxiety, talk to Yr gp x
I think the first thing, is that for most people their asthma settles down and comes under control. For some people this happens quickly for some it takes longer.
So I would trust that your asthma will come under control. You will take your inhalers, look after yourself with diet and exercise and avoid things likely to cause your asthma trouble. There will be the odd exacerbation, but they will pass
To me it is just part of life, you live with it, and it is better than other things you can get wrong with you. I like my life, but with the good come some things that are not so good, like asthma.
The second thing, I would say, is like you I combined a stressful job, with asthma. I discussed my asthma with my business partners, and there were some things at work I was doing, that I did not need to do, in fact they preferred that I did not do. I learnt to delegate more and trust others more. So I would look with a colleague if you can just make your job a little easier.
The third thing is I have gone to a private respiratory physio who has taught me how to breathe better, how to breathe when having an attack. It has increased my confidence in dealing with asthma.
As others have said you will eventually get your asthma under control and it will become something that's just "there" never goes away but causes less problems.... of course over time your understanding also grows and you will develop an arsenal of things to combat a flare up (breathing, herbal tea, increasing inhaler etc etc) ... it takes time and your lungs never really stop working so from something like that they take many many months to fully heal.
I once fell over and caused my self quite the ankle injury doctor said to me it will take 3 months to heal... 8 months later it finally stopped hurting.
As for the anxiety of not being able to breathe... its a very frightening experience and something that does eventually get better, but it's an eye opening experience to realise that we as people are actually quite delicate and fragile and not as tough as we all like to believe we are.
Mostly agree, and I realise you're presumably referring to how you manage flare-ups as an example. You may well also be seeking medical help. However, just to remove any doubt for anyone else reading, in case they're inclined to misread and try managing their flare-ups at home with herbal tea etc - please don't.
Asthma flares are dangerous and what you (general you) see others do is not necessarily ok for you (or in some cases even for them - no comment on you, Chip_y2kuk and what you may or may not do, but I see people on here trying unsafe things for themselves).
To anyone reading - please get medical help if your asthma is flaring. If you have a personalised action plan developed with a healthcare professional, follow that but if you don't or you're in doubt or getting worse, get medical help.
Yes sorry, your right anything herbal/complimentary is in addition too and not instead of... I believe there are some wonderful and powerful herbal remedies out there, however breathing is important and not something to be "messed with".
Yep - and I'm always cautious especially with asthma and herbal. Mine is triggered by some herbal things and that can be the case for others too. Plus the possibility for interactions with medication.
As others have said, once you have your asthma treatment sorted, your asthma control should be better and the number of exacerbations lessen. New prevention inhalers take around 8 weeks to build up to full effectiveness, but if you think any asthma medicine isn't delivering expected results, always discuss with your asthma nurse or doctor as sometimes another inhaler or treatment may suit you better. Asthma treatment is based on a step up/step down system. Your nurse/doctor will add treatment by steps until satisfactory control is achieved. After a good period of control, they may try stepping down treatment to see if control can be maintained. So an ongoing relationship of review and trial, with additional treatment to deal with occasional flare ups, is key to keeping on top of your asthma control. So never hesitate in seeking advice if your asthma starts to play up.
Winter viruses can be a pain and will set us back, asthma wise. Northern hemisphere countries just don't get sufficient sunshine for people to produce the necessary amounts of vitamin D over the winter months. It's important to maintain good levels of VitD in order to have a good immune system. Taking an oil based VitD 3 supplement with a 10% dose of elemental magnesium and 10% oil based vitK mk7 (10% to 100% vitD) will ensure absorption and effectiveness. During summer months getting daily exposure to sunshine is a good thing, 10 to 30 mins max without sunscreen.
Some foods are also high in vitamin D and this supplements our intake.
VitD will also counteract some side effects of steroids, in bone and dental strength.
Homely2's excellent comments about how to now approach work/health balance, is spot on. Sometimes in life we have to learn new ways to deliver the same outcome. And changes to other aspects of your life may help too, from diet and exercise to avoiding triggers.
It sounds like you have taken control of the situation, which is a huge plus, mentally. But if you feel that you haven't come to terms with what is happening to you and your life, then you could consider seeing a therapist, recommended by your doctor. We all have life experiences that can completely turn our understanding of our world upside down and that on those occasions it's perfectly OK to get help to get things back on an even keel. I've used therapy twice after unexpected events, and very reluctantly the first time. But the difference it made to me cannot be understated. I never had myself down as someone who would ever seek therapy, but I'm very grateful I did. Our mental health is as important as our physical health.
I've had asthma all my life, but I'm still learning about it and really appreciate the knowledge of my fellow forum members and their experiences. Such is the nature of asthma.
Hi, sorry this is a bit late but I've had a long weekend away with a long cycling event, I've been asthmatic for years, about 62 that I can remember possibly a few more.
Having a new condition can be stressful until you understand it and how to control it and stress can be an asthma trigger coupled with your stressful job means it might take a while to get on top of things. I think you have to mentally put things in boxes which can be stored away when times are good and brought out and considered when they are not so when you have no symptoms, happy days don't think about it but take your medication, but if you get symptomatic think ok why has this started what can I do, is there a strange smell/cigarette smoke, move away. Is there high pollen (check the weather forecast) try some antihistamines. Keep running if it works, cycling does for me and if your lungs don't complain carry on but don't dwell on what might be.
That was longer than intended but I hope it makes sense, and good luck
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