new to this

[Asthmachick25]

Hi

New to all this usually healthy, fit, like jogging, booked a half marathon for march which iv had to cancel due to my first real bad attack on Friday.

Feeling very demotivated now. Any positive tips & feedback would be welcome.

[Homely2 Administrator]

Before I saw my first asthma nurse, my basic walking around the village was becoming an issue. After getting my treatment balanced. I can now walk up a Scottish mountain and get around an orienteering course, albeit slowly. However I can no longer run mountain marathons and sometimes, my Asthma stops me doing things, but there is always tomorrow.

What you can do, with your asthma depends on how bad it is and how effectively you, with the help of your medics, manage it. So you may well be able to do half marathons, but you have to work on the asthma to get there.

My best three things were

1 Discovering asthma uk, their online courses, their nurses on 0300 2225800, their website.

2. Going to see a respiratory physio, who understood my desire to exercise.

3. Finding a couple of great nhs asthma nurses.

They all helped me understand and then manage my Asthma, so I can get hillwalking again.

[Gwalltarian]

The best thing you can do is keep as fit as possible. Knowing what triggers your asthma is key, finding treatment that suits you and helps control it together with avoiding triggers should help you live as you want to. There are Olympic gold medalists who are asthmatics.

[PW_R]

did you have an infection? Influenza A by any chance

[Patk1]

Welcome to the forum.what treatment ru on for asthma and,apart from Friday,how well controlled has it been?x

[Asthmachick25 in reply to Patk1]

I had it mild as a child & all of a sudden started having symptoms in August. I’m waiting for bloods to come back they think that my daughters hamster is the trigger 🙈🙈

I am now on Fostair & salamol inhalers.

Currently taking step down recovery of amoxicillin & prednisone.

[Gareth57]

Hi, personally I wouldn't cancel an event until much nearer, you might be having an issue now but by March could be back to normal, I know I have ups and downs, slightly down at the moment but aiming to cycle around Loch Ness at the end of April.

[Chip_y2kuk]

Why did you cancel? ... March is a good way away

If your in good shape staying that way will be amazing for you long term...

the cold weather isn't good for many of us... ive spent 3 weeks out of 5 on antibiotics, had a lung with copious amounts of fluid and an infection in it, amongst various other crackles (also infection) ... ive even been heard wheezing (not good for someone that doesn't normally wheeze)

I've been told *not* to breathe the cold air in when outside because it's dry and that irritates your airways... so a simple covering for your mouth (a scarf, buff, shemagh) helps to create warmer moist air for you to breathe in... if your not doing this outside it will almost definitely help.

A bad attack/flare can be frightening... they make us realise as people how "fragile" we actually are. But you will recover and you will be OK, yes it will take time and yes there will be somethings you can't do for a while and it will annoy the life out of you; you may also need some rest (it's amazing how when your lungs are on the fritz you do need more sleep/rest)

But there is a good group of people here who you can come and vent to who do really understand.

Take it easy

Chip

[Asthmachick25 in reply to Chip_y2kuk]

I haven’t trained for 6 months. Every time I’m back in training I have a chest infection. Il be in no fit shape for 13 miles. I’m still off work. Abso gutting!!

[Chip_y2kuk in reply to Asthmachick25]

You might surprise your self... it will be getting warmer in the day in March and of a night it won't be as cool (it probably still won't be t-shirt and shorts weather)

It is gutting ive had to work from home this week as I've only spent 4-5 days off antibiotics in the last 3 weeks.... and I don't like admitting defeat and giving in (so I don't do it often)

I took up a gym membership and have been going swimming regularly with my sister.. but not being able to breathe for the last few months has made that pretty difficult.

For me chest infections are now pretty normal... I have severe/awkward asthma and a rare airway collapse condition... the two don't play nice together and the result is I end up with chest infections quite frequently, I was started on azythromycin 2 years ago 3 days a week by the severe asthma team to try and reduce the number, frequency and severity of them.. but they tell me that's the best I can Hope for.... and until recently I hadn't had one for a year +, previously it had been every 2-3 months for going on 10 years... so I'm really frustrated and annoyed about it.... so while a slightly different frustration, I know your frustration.... i want to get back to swimming, I like swimming... I want to be able to do all the things I could do 3 months ago... walk to the park with my kids being one of them

[Asthmachick25 in reply to Chip_y2kuk]

Awww gutting isn’t it.

I have sold my place now but as soon as I’m back up & running il start back to gym. I’m not going to give up.

It’s finding the trigger for me as before August I didn’t have any symptoms.

The fostair inhaler seems to be working a bit better for me so fingers crossed. I got another 3 days of antibiotics & a week of steroids. X

[Chip_y2kuk in reply to Asthmachick25]

That's a shame... but maybe this time it's the right thing to do.

My philosophy on it all is that something has got to get me and it won't be old age and it won't be boredom... when the respiratory consultants parting words to me three years ago where "you should live a long and happy life, if we can keep you well; the trick is going to be staying well" .... so I'm going to enjoy it while I'm here and live as long and happy a life as I can but even if i didnt have a pair or respiratory issues thats what i would be doing ...... unfortunately sometimes I have "to take a break" and slow down but I try not to do it to often and most of the time you wouldn't know;even when I had fluid in my lung a few weeks ago I was in work and went out with friends and family to events.... it did make walking to the park a no go mind and I needed a couple of "nana naps"

Yes it is gutting, you will learn some of the triggers... you may not unfortunately learn all of them.... you may find you have a few mild/moderate triggers that put together become a big issue.... im moderately allergic to most pollen (great in hayfever season) but I'm also mildly allergic to birch tree pollen, when I was a kid the local council decided it was a good idea to plant a load of birch trees on the field at the back of my house... it meant every april/may (which happens to be as things start to grow) I ended up in the doctors like a 90 year old 90 a say smoker.... it took years to work out what I was allergic/reacting too.

I also know that too hot and dry makes my chest bad as does too cold and dry