Newbie on here but had asthma as long as i can remember

[CocaCola]

Hi all

i have had asthma as long as i can remember and is getting worse as i get older (i 21yr old) but i dont let it stop me doing anything as much as i can i just get up and carry on i only have one life so im gonna live it to the full and proved that with a recent walk for asthma uk and although i didnt get to 100km mark i was 3/4 of the way there and enjoyed every minute of it and will do many more in the future. i will soon be firing questions to do with medication as i currently take several medications for my asthma at the moment

[elian]

Hello CocaCola and welcome

Congratulations on your recent achievement ! and good luck with future walks I'm not an asthma sufferer myself, I have emphysema and am also on lots of medication plus oxygen 16hrs per day. I'm sure though that there will be someone here to answer your questions.

Kind regards

[CocaCola]

on oxygen? does this mean your housebound or do you still get out n about? thankyou for the congrats i wasnt overly happy with myself with not getting to the end and am considering a second attempt next yr, as it wasnt my asthma that stopped me it was injury but my aim from doing these events is to show people that just because i have medical conditons it doesnt mean everything comes to a standstill as so many people have tried preventing me from doing things in the past i am also setting up support groups for young people with asthma to spread the word about the condition and get it more known and basically like on here letting people that they are not alone

[elian in reply to CocaCola]

No, CC, I'm not housebound. 8, 9, or 10 hours of the 16 are at night when I'm in bed I usually leave the oxygen on, after I've got up in the morning, for 3 or 4 hours too. That leaves me with roughly 8 hours during the day when I can get out and about. I've also recently bought a portable oxygen concentrator (it only weighs the same as 2 bags of sugar) so I can get out more now. I try not to let this disease restrict me from doing anything and hope to be doing so for many years to come. You are doing some extremely good work and I wish you much success in your efforts.

[lynnalyson]

Cocacola, I have had asthma since I was aged 2 and hit 60 this year. I have oxygen at home but do not have to use it constantly. I am not housebound and have always believed in doing as much as your lungs will allow. When I was a child exercise was discouraged for asthmatics. There were no inhalers, it was in hospital in oxygen tents for an attack, and I had many. I always wanted to go to dancing lessons, my mum allowed me for a while but the doctors talked her round and I had to stop. No p.e. nor swimming for me either. But I always fought against it and believed they were wrong. Of course now we know they were wrong! So wrong in fact, my G.P. was smoking whilst listening to my 'chest'!!

Let your lungs guide you, keep smiling and stay positive.

Well done on your achievement too!

[alanh45 in reply to lynnalyson]

hello Cocacola I have COPD and I am on oxygen 18 hours a day but it doesn't stop me from getting out and about. I have a power wheelchair and a lightweight liquid oxygen bottle that lasts about 18 hours so I can get almost anywhere. Like anything if you let it get you down it will so keep smiling and trying all the time

[valm]

Hello and welcome Val

[CocaCola]

thankyou guys its great to hear all of your experiences and it great to see so many people staying positive as i know many people with asthma and alot of them dont work or do anything with their lives whereas i along with a few others i know work full time and love being active but the consequences of working are that i pay for my medication luckily we found out about ppc which has made it a little more affordable as otherwise would not be able to afford to live with 7 items on repeat at the moment plus anything else i get along the way. what sort of things do you get up to when out and about i looking for ideas to try n make friends as recently moved to a new area where i no noone only reason i moved was because it nearer to work as i love my job and it so much easier with shorter distances to travel.

[Daxiemad in reply to CocaCola]

I do feel that I need to voice a few points over this post Cocacola, whilst I am sure you do know Asthmatics who don't work or do anything, i would like to point out there are many bad asthmatics out there who do not work not through choice but their Asthma makes it impossible. I am one of those Asthmatics who cannot work but does make good use of her time, I am doing a degree currently, take gentle exercise with my daxie as much as I can, long rambles and hill walking are out these days. I also help out on request with AUK with various bits and bobs and couple of years ago used my skills to raise a considerable amount of money for AUK. I know many Asthmatics who are affected badly by the condition, who do not work but still give considerably to society. I also wish to point out that whilst I do not work and in receipt of benefits I too have to pay for prescriptions. Only those in receipt of means tested benefits get their medication free. I am sure you did not mean to offend Cocacola, just wanted to give another view and balance things out a bit, I just feel that the above post gives the wrong impression of Asthmatics. I too have come across some who do little with their lives and let the condition control them, but in my own experiences there are far more Asthmatics who are not able to work who do in one way or another do something with their lives and contribute to society.

PS Welcome to the group Cocacola and I hope you get as much from it as I do.

[reggie]

Wish I could walk that well done today I strolled around preston last week I followed the tide out at southport beech took me 4hrs 3yrs ago it took me an hour keep on top of your mediction and take others advice

regards brian aka reggie

[CocaCola in reply to reggie]

thankyou n i doing ok just registered n new doctors o bit anxious about how good or bad they gonna be as the dr i had as a child was useless n told me it was normal for my age my condition not to be able to climb the stairs without getting breathless n having to stop to catch my breath n when i first moved away from this surgery i was told that at them stages i was supposed to have been hospitalised but am now alot better and hoping to keep it that way even if i do suffer from some of the side effects of the medication but looking at doing more challenges in the future, the hardest part of any challenge being to raise sponsors / money for chosen charities

[Daxiemad in reply to CocaCola]

@ Cocacola Raising money it so much harder these days, a conversation I was having just recently with AUK. They have recognised that raising large sums is getting more difficult for individuals, so are recommending different ways to people to raise small amounts on a regular basis, like for example having tea parties in the home, and getting people to make a donation. It is obvious something you love doing and feel strongly about so why don't you get in touch with community fundraising at BLF or AUK.